Why ‘All Lives Matter’ Misses the Truth About Racial Injustice

Demonstrators in front of the painting of murdered George Floyd

There is jealousy and hate emerging from many parts of the world, not because George Floyd was brutally murdered by white racist police officers, but because the spirit of this man who couldn't breathe and was calling for his mama has changed the world.  

GEORGE FLOYD'S EMOTIONAL POEM OF AGONY BEFORE HIS DEATH

The late George Floyd, pinned with the knee of a white policeman on his neck

Centuries after the abolition of slavery, African-Americans that sacrificed their lives to build what we know as the United States of America today, are still facing the challenges of better integration and acceptance in society as Americans.

In a country that preaches about democracy and an effective law system, the world shouldn't have witnessed such ugly scenes of injustice against black people. Donald Trump once called African countries 'Shithole Nations' the same way African-Americans are treated.

On May 25, an African-American from Minneapolis identified as George Floyd, was pinned down and handcuffed by white police officers, with one of the knees pressed against Floyd’s neck for about 9 minutes. 

The 46 year-old-man, who was having difficulties in breathing pleaded for his life but all his efforts fell on deaf ears. These are his last words before his death.

"It's my face man
I didn't do nothing serious man
please
please
please I can't breathe
please man
please somebody
please man
I can't breathe
I can't breathe
please

(inaudible)
man can't breathe, my face
just get up
I can't breathe
please (inaudible)
I can't breathe sh*t
I will

I can't move
mama
mama
I can't
my knee
my nuts
I'm through
I'm through

I'm claustrophobic
my stomach hurt
my neck hurts
everything hurts
some water or something
please
please

I can't breathe officer
don't kill me
they gon' kill me man
come on man
I cannot breathe
I cannot breathe
they gon' kill me
they gon' kill me
I can't breathe
I can't breathe
please sir
please
please
please I can't breathe"


After these words, George Floyd stopped pleading, and shortly after that, he was pronounced dead.

Coronavirus

In a country, that coronavirus has killed a higher percentage of African-Americans than the whites, many black people think there is a sinister plot to kill them. Some even believe that white Americans that hate black people purposely join the police force to show their brutalities against black people in the United States of America.

HORRIFIC IMAGES OF A SAD JOURNEY AND BRUTALITIES AGAINST AFRICAN-AMERICANS

African-Americans were subjected to all kinds of cruelties, including lynching and hanging because of the colour of the skin

How much more can African-Americans take? According to history, the first slave ship from Africa arrived in the US colony of Virginia in 1619. From there on, without any rest African slaves, struggling to be accepted as human beings or Americans, today, were subjected to all kinds of cruelties, dehumanization, and discrimination.

This article is to present in images of the horror, killings, racism, discrimination that have been perpetrated against African-Americans, ever since they disembarked from the slave ships till today.

The beginning of the sad story of African-Americans

• Image of the Cape Coast Castle, where thousands of African slaves were shipped from Africa to the United States of America

• How African slaves were crammed into a ship and taken away to America

• Thousands of African-American slaves under brutal conditions, worked with tears in the cotton fields. 

• The Klu Klux Klan, a racial hate group, terrorized African-Americans and burned down their houses

• African-Americans were lynched and hanged by white Americans because of the colour of his skins

• Police brutality against blacks in America has been taking place for ages with impunity

It will be an infinite task if I have to continue posting horrific images of brutalities against African-Americans. The African-Americans never called for slavery but the wake up one morning to see themselves in a strange land. They never called for the lynching and hanging but they have been caught in between such crimes with impunity.

There is a significant Ghanaian proverb which says, "A child who wouldn't allow his or her parents to sleep by crying the whole night, will also not sleep. If it's the wish or desire for some people to kill blacks or cause them harm because of the colour of the skin or hate, they will never know peace.

They will never have the sweet taste of peace because when the rain falls, it doesn't fall on one man's roof. Since violence affects everyone in society, they will have their share and impact on society from the senseless racial problem and hate they started.