There comes a time in history when the spiritual, mental and emotional well-being of a nation gains greater importance than its physical and economic health. That time for America is now...Unafraid of the horror being perpetrated by Coronavirus, which has claimed 110 thousand lives so far in the country, the American people are prepared to take on the real behemoth, which has stalked the nation since its very inception, that of racial inequality. Last week, with yet another inhuman homicide by a police officer, of a black man, 'the land of the free' where 'all men are created equal', has become a subject of mockery, a cliché, exacerbated by its long legacy of segregation.
And it is of utmost import that it is not just the victimized ethnic group, which has risen to voice itself, but the entire nation. The utter amnesia of the system, and the total disregard by the Trump administration, have helped fuel the frustrations and anger of the people further, even as they sit in peaceful protests. The senseless murder of George Floyd resurrected the phantom of NYC resident Eric Garner, who met the exact same fate in 2014, for the petty offence of selling a loosey in front of a 711 store. His last words too were hauntingly similar, "I can't breathe..."
Covid-19 and its rallying cry of 'social distancing' seems of little significance against the urgent need for people to stand closer together in a gesture of true solidarity and empathy, to fight the bigotry of a system, which falsely prides itself in being the archangel of the down-trodden and oppressed. To cite some examples from recent history, George W. Bush, in his farewell address to the nation, stated, “freeing people from oppression and despair is eternally right.” Bill Clinton made a similar remark, when he said, “we achieve our aims by defending our values and leading the forces of freedom and peace.” Ronald Reagan's parting story, was about a Vietnamese refugee, calling out to his rescuer on a U.S. aircraft carrier: “Hello American sailor. Hello freedom man.”
So, while the presidencies have been patting themselves on the back for championing the cause of freedom and justice for the oppressed, on the home-front, the very same tenet is comfortably forgotten. And, today, George Floyd has come to represent "one of the most egregious modern examples of the contradiction between what [the US] says it stands for versus what it really is”.
I am reminded of the famous poem by Paul L. Dunbar, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings...":
I know why the caged bird sings, ah me,
When his wing is bruised and his bosom sore,—
When he beats his bars and he would be free;
It is not a carol of joy or glee,
But a prayer that he sends from his heart’s deep core,
But a plea, that upward to Heaven he flings —
When his wing is bruised and his bosom sore,—
When he beats his bars and he would be free;
It is not a carol of joy or glee,
But a prayer that he sends from his heart’s deep core,
But a plea, that upward to Heaven he flings —
I know why the caged bird sings!
How is it that 117 years after Dunbar wrote the poem, that bird is still beating its wings against the encroaching bars of the cage, struggling to free itself, wanting to fly...soar, fill the air with its vibrant songs of joy and liberty...?
This is an excellent and deeply touching analysis. Thank you Seema - with love from your American friend Mandakini
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