Audio Analysis Reveals: Your Empathy towards Statues Eclipses Your Advocacy for Personal Causes
In recent times, the world has witnessed a surge of protests, with Black people demanding justice and equality. However, the response to these demonstrations has been markedly different from that of white rioters throughout history. Black protestors are regularly demonized, while their white counterparts are often infantilized.
Last week, this sentiment was exemplified in Bristol, UK, where anti-racism marchers pulled down and threw Edward Colston's statue into the harbor. Colston, a merchant involved with the Royal African Company, was notorious for his role in the slave trade. The statue's removal was a bold statement against the legacy of colonialism and racism that continues to permeate our societies.
The Natural History Museum in London has acknowledged the "colonialism and racism" that underpins their collections. This admission is a step towards confronting the past and working towards a more equitable future.
Yet, the issue at hand is not merely about statues or history. It is about human life. Racism is a significant and persistent distraction, particularly for Black people, who have been dehumanized for centuries. Non-Black people often seek Black art and "things" but fail to care about their lives and livelihood.
The momentum to remove statues of people involved in atrocities against Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) has increased. Yet, in some places, these statues are being protected. For instance, the statue of Colston in Bristol and the Wall Street Bull in New York City continue to stand.
The media often highlights looting during these protests, yet it fails to cover the many crowdfunds set up to rebuild affected Black businesses. The questions "what about the buildings?" and "what about the history the statue represents?" are often bad faith arguments without any consideration for the factors that have led to the very justified anger of Black people globally.
In some places, saying "Black Lives Matter" can elicit violence. A protestor attempting to pull down a conquistador statue in New Mexico was shot by a volunteer militia guarding the statue.
Despite these challenges, the protests have largely been peaceful. Vanessa Kisuule, the official Bristol city poet, wrote a poem titled "hollow" about the event. Furaaha Asani, a postdoctoral researcher, teacher, mental health advocate, and writer, has been vocal about the relationship between racism and the mental health of African Americans in the United States.
Marc Jacobs, a designer who has displayed problematic behaviour, acknowledged that human lives cannot be replaced. The large sum of 20 million pounds, determined in 1833 for the abolition of slavery in Britain, was only recently paid off in 2015, with no reparations to the victims of said slave trade.
The fight against racism is a battle for human dignity. Attempting to silence the voices of BIPOC who demand the return of artifacts does not invalidate the ugly history. The struggle continues, and the world watches, waiting for change.
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