The movement that lost its way

Polls estimate that the protests following the killing of George Floyd are the largest in US history. His death has been potentially the most defining incident for bringing about racial equality in the US since the murder of Emmet Till. But what significant changes have we seen? What should we be seeing and how does that compare with the current direction of the anti-racist movement?

As outrage grew in response to the devastating video of George Floyd’s murder, names of black men and women killed by the police in the United States were added alongside George’s: Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, Atatiana Jefferson, Aura Rosser. By one estimate, Black men are 2.5 times more likely than white men to be killed by police during their lifetime. In another study, Black people who were fatally shot by police seemed to be twice as likely as white people to be unarmed.

Political figures from George W. Bush to Joe Biden is began talking about “systematic racism”. But what does this really mean?

The roots of systemic racism in America are hundreds of years old. More than 12 million Africans were sold into a lifetime of forced labour, chained and shipped in horrific conditions. Slavery became so ingrained across the Western world that whole industries depended on their slave labourers, to the extent that up until 2015 compensation was still being paid back to the descendants of slave owners in the UK.

In 1934, the Federal Housing Administration refused to insure mortgages in and near African-American neighborhoods preventing African American’s from being able to get mortgages. The FHA were also subsidising builders with the requirement that none of the homes be sold to African-Americans. The result today — African Americans live in distinctly poorer areas, the average black household was worth $17,000 in 2016 while the average white household was worth 10 times that. Poorer areas mean poorer education and poorer quality health care.

According to a 2019 report half of students in the US still attend either predominantly white or non-white schools and the disparity in school funding remains high. For every student enrolled, the average non-white school district receives $2,226 less than a white school district.

In 2013, the US Supreme Court’s decision in Shelby County v. Holder meant that states could manipulate their voting procedures without first seeking approval from federal officials. The response to Shelby in North Carolina was to permit “only those types of photo ID disproportionately held by whites and excluded those disproportionately held by African Americans.” The action was ruled to “target African Americans with almost surgical precision.” North Carolina is considered one example of many in which laws are used to make voting more difficult for non-white Americans.

In light of the recent protests Minneapolis City Council has agreed to ban the use of chokeholds by police and has required officers to report and intervene when they see unauthorised use of force by a colleague. In Dallas a new order instructs officers “to either stop, or attempt to stop, another employee when force is being inappropriately applied or is no longer required.” And US Democrats in Congress have proposed legislation to reform American police, facilitating the prosecution of police for misconduct, ban chokeholds, and address racism. However, elements of the protest movement have gone further and demanded abolition of the police entirely, while little to nothing has been said for improving equal opportunities and living conditions. It is these kinds of demands that are beginning to define the movement.

As the protest became global. By 11.45am on Tuesday June 2nd, 14.6 million instagram users shared a blacked out image with the hashtag #blackouttuessday. But unease crept in with the accusation that if you did not continue to post around the issue you were part of the problem. This then morphed into the passive aggressive slogan that “silence is violence.” Social media filled with a strict to do list on how to understand, speak about and take action over white privilege. Rather than looking for ways to bring about racial equality and stem out systemic racism the movement focused on dictating to white people how they must behave lest they be branded a racist.

The growing pressure to prove allyship lead to a series of bizarre events: broadcasters pulling numerous TV programmes, the destruction of statues and mainstream acceptance of branding anyone who makes a critique of the protests as “racist”. Some are branding these actions as “cancel culture”. In response to increasingly extreme calls for ideological homogeneity a public letter is gaining signatures in support of open debate and freedom of thought and speech. The public letter published on the Harper’s Magazine website has already gathered 150 signatures recognising that the “needed reckoning” of racial and social justice has “also intensified a new set of moral attitudes and political commitments that tend to weaken our norms of open debate and toleration of differences in favour of ideological conformity.” Signatures include JK Rowling and Noam Chomsky.

These events have not only distracted from a vital cause and marred an important movement, but they have also invited far right attacks. The far right has been able to dismiss the whole movement as “anarchic thuggery”.

In the very extreme factions of the movement there are reports that some protestors are asking white people to take a knee, not in remembrance of George Floyd, but in humility as the oppressor to the oppressed, to be followed with a denouncement of privilege and a renouncing of ones wealth. Far left extremist group, Antifa, made statements on Twitter such as, “Tonight… we move into the residential areas, the white hoods and we take what’s ours.”

During one demonstration in central London, an anti-racist protestor threw a bike at a police horse. The animal then bolted, knocking off and hospitalising its rider. This incident, captured on film, was the moment when a nation full of grief and sympathy towards the murder of George Floyd became divided over the demonstrations held in his name. Forty-nine officers were injured in the London protests by bottles and fireworks. Where efforts could have been focused on tackling wealth inequality, access to good education and health care, instead the removal of statues and TV shows has been the priority. And with this we have seen the wider public’s attitude to the movement shift from one of shared motivation and optimism for change to frustration and waning support.

The movement has taken on a life of its own, at some distance from the problems is seeks to address. It has become mixed with a Marxist anti-capitalist sentiment which has aims beyond tackling systemic racism. The result has been the pointless “correction” of history.

So again, while we just about still have the world watching and thinking about racial inequality: de-segregate communities and introduce housing schemes that encourage integrated living. Increase funding to predominantly African American schools. Have a police force that is rigorously recruited and retrained on use of force. Improve equal access to healthcare. This is the way ahead. Tearing down statues is nothing but a pointless gesture.