George Floyd may have been the reason for the launch of the Black Lives Matter, but he may have just been the last straw that broke the camel’s back. When the Black Lives Matter movement came to full force, the list of names of black men, young and old, who have also been victims of police abuse have been brought to light.
But abuse of authority against people of color (used to be minority) has been going on since time immemorial. Civilization and its further growth and development may have contributed to the stark discrepancy in the citizen’s position or rank in the society. While it is best to move forward when it comes to development in the society, progress can also be the cause of some of the biggest social injustices. And sadly, those in the lower ranks in the society are often the receiving end of any type of inequality.
Abuse on people of color
News have been teeming with incidents about black male (young or old or in between) being abused by police just by taking a walk or taking a run down their own street. There has also been news that some houses were broken into and the people of color that lives in said houses have been shot or killed. Sadly, these abuses are not limited to male people of color. There were even some women, children, and old people who fell victims of verbal, physical, and mental assault. Some for no reason at all. It is not surprising and dubious that racism has something to do with these incidents. There has been a long history of slavery wherein white people have considered themselves far more superior than people of color (any color), and sadly, it is still going on. There are still quite a lot of white people that lives with that notion and uses their whiteness to get away with oppressing the people of color.
Human rights and other movements
Social movements that aim to address and curtail social and political injustices have sprouted. There have been numerous campaigns and revolts against these cruel treatment against people of color. There was the Civil Rights movement in the 1950s and 1960s, although the earliest recorded social movement was in mid-eighteenth century in England. But no matter how many times or how many movements are organized, there is still no cure for racial bigotry.