By Mary Esposito (’21)
The message our President’s actions send to the nation.
Hundreds of thousands of people are dead from a new virus sweeping across the globe. Millions of people everywhere are facing unemployment and dipping into retirement funds. It seems the worst thing that could happen in the middle of a global pandemic… is a new American Revolution. Despite stay at home orders and a rising death toll from corona virus, hundreds of thousands of American people crowd the streets in all 50 states (Haseman), fighting against racial injustices and police brutality.
They carry signs advocating for the Black Lives Matter movement, and march peacefully along the streets. Fueled by the deaths and mistreatment of innocent black citizens at the hands of law enforcement, these American people march for justice for the black lives stolen by police officers who often employ unnecessary violence against black people. However, as night falls, glass is broken, stores are looted, and violence erupts. The actions of these rioters tarnish the powerful message of the protesters: black lives matter. Media outlets refer to the peaceful protesters interchangeably with the violent rioters, furthering the propaganda that paints the Black Lives Matter movement in a poor light.
The truth is, these violent rioters are not the same people as those peacefully marching. It has been found that many rioters are either undercover cops or individuals called professional agitators that seek to derail the movement (DeFede). Professional agitators are suspected to be responsible for deliberately placing stacks of bricks in streets to incite further property destruction (Gibson). Although it seems counterintuitive, by abetting the looting, these individuals further the propaganda presenting the protesters as violent, therefore invalidating their movement.
As the Black Lives Matter protests expand into all 50 states, more and more American citizens are becoming aware of police brutality. To combat this increasingly negative view of law enforcement, many police departments across the nation have started kneeling with the protesters in order to show respect for the lives lost to police brutality. However, videos prove that soon after these police kneel with the protesters, they discard empathy and begin inflicting harm on the protesters, using tear gas and rubber bullets to quell the crowd (Dewan). Many people have permanently lost eyes from rubber bullet wound (“Man Hit…”). However, not all policemen are terrible and immoral; many of these departments may have simply been following the order set forth by the U.S. president.
President Trump, in response to the protests and ensuing violence, exclaimed on Twitter that “when the looting starts, the shooting starts” (Sprunt). Some citizens view the American president’s blatant disregard when faced with millions of voices demanding justice as selfish and a reflection of his white privilege. As a result of his tweets, thousands of American citizens have been tear gassed and shot with rubber bullets by their own law enforcement. Many citizens believe these acts of violence are encouraged by our own president to salvage his reelection campaign, as the protests could hinder his political agenda.
At one point during the protests, the White House lights were turned off and Trump retreated to an underground bunker (Percio) as much of the country erupted into flames. When he emerged, he instructed his guards to tear gas and shoot at the protesters in the capital so that he could hold a bible in front of a church for a photo op (“The Day Police…”). According to the bishop of the church, Trump did not consult the church clergy beforehand nor did he enter the church to pray. Furthermore, the bishop condemned his actions, stating that “the president used the Bible… as a backdrop for a message antithetical to the teachings of Jesus” (Koran). Trump’s incitement of police brutality and his seeming disregard for valuable black lives poses a tremendous threat to the general welfare of the American people. At this moment, he targets the African-American population by disrespecting the black lives matter movement and protecting the very policemen involved in the murder of innocent black citizens.
“First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist
Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist
Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist
Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me”
–Martin Niemöller
You may not be black, but you need to join the American Revolution and demand justice for the black souls unjustly stolen. You need to speak out against police brutality and advocate for political reform. You need to stand with your African American brothers and sisters so that when the time comes, there is someone to stand with you.
Black lives matter.
Works Cited:
Works Cited
“The Day Police Charged a Peaceful Protest for Trump’s Photo-Op – CNN Video.” CNN, Cable News Network, 4 June 2020, www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2020/06/04/washington-dc-protest-trump-speech-church-visit-mh-orig.cnn.
DeFede, Jim. “’Professional Agitators Are Here To Cause Trouble,’ Miami-Dade Mayor On Violence Incited At George Floyd Protest.” CBS Miami, CBS Miami, 31 May 2020, miami.cbslocal.com/2020/05/31/miami-dade-mayor-carlos-gimenez-blames-outside-agitators-inciting-violence-miami-george-floyd/.
Dewan, Shaila, and Mike Baker. “Facing Protests Over Use of Force, Police Respond with More Force.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 1 June 2020, www.nytimes.com/2020/05/31/us/police-tactics-floyd-protests.html.
Gibson, Jake, and Alex Pappas. “Feds Investigating Whether ‘Professional’ Antifa-Linked Agitators Exerting ‘Command and Control’ over Unrest.” Fox News, FOX News Network, 4 June 2020, www.foxnews.com/politics/feds-investigating-whether-criminal-actors-exerting-command-and-control-over-unrest-as-bricks-thrown-at-cops.
Haseman, Janie, et al. “Tracking Protests across the USA in the Wake of George Floyd’s Death.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 11 June 2020, www.usatoday.com/in-depth/graphics/2020/06/03/map-protests-wake-george-floyds-death/5310149002/.
Koran, Mario, and Helen Sullivan. “Bishop ‘Outraged’ over Trump’s Church Photo Op during George Floyd Protests.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 2 June 2020, www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jun/02/outrageous-christian-leaders-reject-trump-use-of-church-as-prop-during-george-floyd-protests.
“Man Hit by Projectile during Dallas Protest Speaks out after Losing Sight in Eye.” FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth, FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth, 3 June 2020, www.fox4news.com/news/man-hit-by-projectile-during-dallas-protest-speaks-out-after-losing-sight-in-eye.
Percio, Susan Del, et al. “Trump’s Bunker Trip amid George Floyd Protest Symbolizes America’s Leadership Void.” NBCNews.com, NBCUniversal News Group, 4 June 2020, www.nbcnews.com/think/opinion/trump-hid-bunker-george-floyd-protest-least-there-he-had-ncna1224201.
Sprunt, Barbara. “The History Behind ‘When The Looting Starts, The Shooting Starts’.” NPR, NPR, 29 May 2020, www.npr.org/2020/05/29/864818368/the-history-behind-when-the-looting-starts-the-shooting-starts?t=1591044835934.