Obama Presidency and Racism in America
By Asikason Jonathan
Nigerian Nation
SIR: Obama phenomenon – no doubt – was a watershed moment in American politics. It instilled a sort of equality complex in the minds of many black Americans who hitherto feel segregated just because of their body pigmentation. But today, those psychological gratification and inclusion has already began to wane. From the streets of Miami – Florida and Ferguson – Missouri along Staten island – New York and down to Cleveland – Ohio , African Americans are not just being discriminated and killed but also judicially deserted.
Racism is something that deep rooted in American history. And thus any worthwhile analysis must consider its history. The evolution of racism in American started with the transatlantic slave trade.
According to transatlantic slave trade database, between 1626 and 1850, an estimated total of 305,326 Africans were forcibly transported via US vessels to the Americas. Many of them worked out their lives in sugarcane plantations under harsh climatic and unacclimatized environmental conditions.
These inhuman treatment meted against the and stolen Africans in the united States of America continued until President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation of January 1, 1865 which freed slaves in the defunct Confederate States of America and the 13th Amendment of December 6 , 1865 that finally established the freedom of slaves in United States of America.
Today, America is once again awash with streets protest . Eric Garner is the latest rallying point in the recycling racial violence that are burning American society like a wide bush fire set in harmattan.
Eric Garner- an African American- died in Tompkinsville neighborhood of Staten island,New York , after a police officer put him in apparently chokehold for 19 seconds – a tactic banned by New York City Police Department (NYPD)- on suspicion of selling “loosies”, single cigarettes from packs without tax stamps.
Before Eric Garner, it was Michael Brown. And before Michael Brown,it was Trayvon Martins. And just recently we heard about Tamir Rice , a 12-year old black boy shot by a police officer just for brandishing toy gun. All happening under Obama’s watch. The question all these phenomena are begging is : Is Obama’s presidency a disappointment to the Black Americans?
Day after day, race relation in America is getting worse and judiciary is not even helping matters. In the Trayvon Martins’ case, a black teenager (17) was shot dead by Gorge Zimmerman, the coordinator of neighborhood watch in the gated community where Martin was temporarily living.
The six female jurors acquitted Zimmerman. In a shocking judgement on Michael Brown’s case, the grand jury ruled that the officer – Darren Wilson – that shot Michael Brown should not be indicted even when the multiple gun wounds on Michael’s body suggested otherwise. Eric Garner’s case followed suit and it’s now generating much protest. Tamir Rice case is on-going and following the judicial principle of stare decisis, Tim Loehmann might be acquitted. This is not a good story for American judicial system. The picture being portrayed is that the police can continue to shoot unarmed black youth without being prosecuted!
Black youth are 21 times more likely to be shot dead in America than their white counterparts, according to an analysis ProPublica. Black people are arrested 10 times more often than white people in this country, USA Today reported last week, but black people don’t commit 10 times more crimes.
Obama’s presidency has helped to expose the fact that America still has to do more to combat racism. Of course America has made strides from 60’s to date. Nevertheless, a lot is yet to be done for Martin Luther king Jr’s dream to be completely fulfilled.
• Asikason Jonathan,
Enugwu-Ukwu , Anambra State.
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| Ferguson police put out fire in vehicle. |
Nigerian Nation
SIR: Obama phenomenon – no doubt – was a watershed moment in American politics. It instilled a sort of equality complex in the minds of many black Americans who hitherto feel segregated just because of their body pigmentation. But today, those psychological gratification and inclusion has already began to wane. From the streets of Miami – Florida and Ferguson – Missouri along Staten island – New York and down to Cleveland – Ohio , African Americans are not just being discriminated and killed but also judicially deserted.
Racism is something that deep rooted in American history. And thus any worthwhile analysis must consider its history. The evolution of racism in American started with the transatlantic slave trade.
According to transatlantic slave trade database, between 1626 and 1850, an estimated total of 305,326 Africans were forcibly transported via US vessels to the Americas. Many of them worked out their lives in sugarcane plantations under harsh climatic and unacclimatized environmental conditions.
These inhuman treatment meted against the and stolen Africans in the united States of America continued until President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation of January 1, 1865 which freed slaves in the defunct Confederate States of America and the 13th Amendment of December 6 , 1865 that finally established the freedom of slaves in United States of America.
Today, America is once again awash with streets protest . Eric Garner is the latest rallying point in the recycling racial violence that are burning American society like a wide bush fire set in harmattan.
Eric Garner- an African American- died in Tompkinsville neighborhood of Staten island,New York , after a police officer put him in apparently chokehold for 19 seconds – a tactic banned by New York City Police Department (NYPD)- on suspicion of selling “loosies”, single cigarettes from packs without tax stamps.
Before Eric Garner, it was Michael Brown. And before Michael Brown,it was Trayvon Martins. And just recently we heard about Tamir Rice , a 12-year old black boy shot by a police officer just for brandishing toy gun. All happening under Obama’s watch. The question all these phenomena are begging is : Is Obama’s presidency a disappointment to the Black Americans?
Day after day, race relation in America is getting worse and judiciary is not even helping matters. In the Trayvon Martins’ case, a black teenager (17) was shot dead by Gorge Zimmerman, the coordinator of neighborhood watch in the gated community where Martin was temporarily living.
The six female jurors acquitted Zimmerman. In a shocking judgement on Michael Brown’s case, the grand jury ruled that the officer – Darren Wilson – that shot Michael Brown should not be indicted even when the multiple gun wounds on Michael’s body suggested otherwise. Eric Garner’s case followed suit and it’s now generating much protest. Tamir Rice case is on-going and following the judicial principle of stare decisis, Tim Loehmann might be acquitted. This is not a good story for American judicial system. The picture being portrayed is that the police can continue to shoot unarmed black youth without being prosecuted!
Black youth are 21 times more likely to be shot dead in America than their white counterparts, according to an analysis ProPublica. Black people are arrested 10 times more often than white people in this country, USA Today reported last week, but black people don’t commit 10 times more crimes.
Obama’s presidency has helped to expose the fact that America still has to do more to combat racism. Of course America has made strides from 60’s to date. Nevertheless, a lot is yet to be done for Martin Luther king Jr’s dream to be completely fulfilled.
• Asikason Jonathan,
Enugwu-Ukwu , Anambra State.
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