By definition, systemic racism is "racism that is built directly into every level of our society; from policies, procedures and practices of all institutions."

 

Systemic racism persists in our schools, offices, court systems, hospitals, police departments... quite literally... EVERYWHERE. From the United State's history of redlining communities (making it illegal for people of color to live in certain neighborhoods), to the under-funding of schools with higher rates of non-white students, to Black people making up 13% of the US population, but 40% of the prison population, to the life-threatening violence that people of color are subjected to every single day, the discrimination and institutionalized hatred against people of color is beyond engrained into many American institutions.

The time to fight for justice and equality has never had more momentum than it does now. Since the continued protesting of the death of George Floyd, rampant systemic racism, specifically by Police, is being brought to light.

There have been far too many victims of police brutally and systemic racism.

Ahmaud Arbery. Breonna Taylor. Elijah McClain. Trayvon Martin. Dontre Hamilton. Eric Harris. Philando Castile. Eric Garner. Tamir Rice. Jacob Blake. And so many more. 

 

Jacob Blake was shot 7 times in the back by police a couple of weeks ago in Kenosha, Wisconsin as he was reaching into his car. His three young children were sitting in the back.

On the third night of protests for Blake, Kyle Rittenhouse, a 17 year old known white supremacist drove 20 miles from Illinois into Kenosha with an illegal semi-automatic rifle. He shot 3 protesters, killing 2 people. After shooting, he walked directly towards the police with his arms raised.

The police did not shoot. They did not arrest him. Rittenhouse got in his car, and drove home. He was not arrested until days later. 

It recently has come out that the police at the scene in Kenosha had be coordinating with other armed, white civilians, saying that they "appreciate them." Kyle Rittenhouse later stated that he traveled to Kenosha to help "patrol."

Kyle Rittenhouse was also a member of a White Supremacist Facebook group.

THIS is systemic racism.

Donald Trump has since come out with the statement: "We all do stupid things at 17."

No. This is racism and murder.

 

After hearing of the injustice in Kenosha and receiving criticism from Trump regarding her DNC speech Michelle Obama stated that “these past few months, [she's] been thinking a lot about what our kids are seeing every day in this country — the lack of empathy, the division stoked in times of crisis, the age-old and systemic racism that’s been so prominent this summer. Sometimes they see it on the news. Sometimes they see it from the White House Rose Garden. And sometimes they see it from the back seat of a car."

Systemic racism is in the White House. This MUST change. See our previous blog post on how to vote here. 

 

• First, call local officials to demand that Rusten Sheskey, the officer who shot Jacob Blake is held accountable and arrested for his crimes.  

• Demand the Kenosha District Attorney Michael D. Graveley file the appropriate charges against the cops who shot Jacob Blake and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law. Sign the petition here: GoSociafy's petition.
• Donate to the Milwaukee Freedom Fund (to extend support to protesters in Kenosha): http://bit.ly/mkefreedomfund
• Kenosha's racist police chief, Daniel Miskinis must be removed from his post. He has blamed the protesters for their own deaths, for being out past curfew. He has refused to call the killings a homicide. He refused to comment on the video of Jacob Blake being shot. Sign the petition to remove him: here.
• Sign the petition to Charge Kyle Rittenhouse and the adults who enabled him for murder: here
• Donate to the GoFundMe to help support the Blake family (funds will go toward Jacob’s medical bills, legal representation, support for his children and therapy costs)

 

 

 

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