I was debating whether or not I should make a post about what is going on in the US right now, but I feel like it is the right thing to do. I know this blog is about hockey and all about the sport I love, but some things are more important right now, and I don’t often talk about politics or social issues, but now is the time.
There is racial inequality in our society, African Americans are being killed by police, they are dying at alarming rates due to COVID-19, and are among a high percentage of Americans out of work right now.
The African American community is going through a lot right now, and have been for centuries. We as human beings need to stand up and help out. We need to stand side by side with the African American community, we as a world need to be one, we need to come together to combat the true enemy, racism.
In the sporting world we have seen many athletes over the years protest and stand up for what they believe in, from the 1968 US Olympic track team raising a fist on the podium, to Colin Kaepernick taking a knee during the national anthem. Everyone has a different way to protest, but these athletes are true heroes, they are going to be in history books as the faces of the people who stood up against racism.
George Floyd didn’t need to die, he was an innocent, unarmed black man who unfortunately succumbed to yet another brutal attack by a white police officer. We haven’t seen the scale of protests like this since 1992 in LA, or even after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
We cannot as a human race let George Floyd’s death become just another statistic. We need change, and like I said, we need to be one, the human race as a whole needs to be one. We all bleed red. The colour of our skin shouldn’t divide us, we are all the same on the inside, caring, compassionate people wanting peace on earth.
I will finish off this short blog with one thought.
If you are white, like me, we are the ones who need to speak up and speak out against racism. We are privileged and we have to use our privilege to help out the African American community.
I don’t expect this blog to get very far, but if any of you have American friends or family, share with them that it is time for change, and it starts at the top. There is a presidential election coming in November. Make your voices heard. Don’t let Donald Trump be re-elected, change is needed, and is needed very soon.
Updated (June 4th): I felt a little rushed on Sunday night when I posted this, just because I wanted to get something out regarding my thoughts on the situation down south.
The most important thing we can do at this time is listen. Listen and educate ourselves on what the African American community has been through. But for us here in Canada we have our own issues with systemic racism, particularly against the Indigenous community. The ones who were the first people in Canada.
I’ve seen many people act like we don’t have racism here in Canada, but we do, and it’s been going on for a long time now, and needs to stop. Reconciling and listening to our First Nations leaders and community members is a start, but there is much more our federal and provincial governments can do to stop the racism, as well as looking into the hundreds of cases of murdered and missing Indigenous women.
As a whole, we have a long way to go to combat racism. Protesting, signing petitions, and donating to organizations that help minorities are some great things we can do. But before all of that, listen and educate yourself on what is going on, and how we can help.
I’m not a big reader so I have no books to recommend, but a few movies I watched that deal with racism against the African American community I would recommend are:
42- The story of Jackie Robinson breaking the colour barrier in the MLB.
12 years a slave- The story about a man named Soloman Northup, who was kidnapped by 2 men and sold into slavery.
Green Book- The story of pianist Don Shirly and his driver/body guard Frank Vallelonga who embark on a tour in the deep south of the USA. The film is named after “The Negro Motorist Green Book”, which was a mid-20th century guide for African Americans who wanted to travel.
Like I mentioned when I first posted this, we all bleed red, we are all human beings, just because some of us have different colour skin, doesn’t mean that we should treat others differently. Everyone is seeking the same thing, peace, and equality, and it is our duty to stand by the African American community. Make our voices heard, that no longer will we stand by and allow the innocent killings of African Americans, or any minority.
Thank you for taking the time to read this. It is important like I said to listen, and educate ourselves. Racism is not acceptable, and will not be tolerated! If you have read this and even the thought of “but..” or you disagree with anything I have said, feel free to unfriend me on Facebook, or unfollow me on Instagram, you wont be missed!
-Cooper