Shots Fired: Systemic Racism? Here?

Shots fired.

Shots, in the form of voices talking about systemic racism, echoing around the interwebs. I hope they continue to do so, until the echoes ring in everyone's ears, creating a deafening sound that simply cannot be ignored.

We need that; we do.

Well, I don't believe in systemic racism. I think the American system is the best system ever devised for mankind, for history. We are liberty, we are equality, we are fairness, we have come a long way in this country...Here's a thought: President Obama, the first black president was elected twice, and he got 79 million white votes - 79 million in two elections. Now therefore, I find it hard to understand something called 'systemic racism. ~ Larry Kudlow, White House economic advisor, June 2020.

I live through the crisis and the systemic racism every single day, but I say, 'Maybe George Floyd is different.' We need to do whatever we can and commit every resource that we have...to combat this 400 years of systemic racism across every one of the important areas: education, economics, criminal injustice, and health care. ~black executive Ray McGuire, vice chairman of Citigroup, June 2020

We tried to deal with our original sin of slavery by fighting a Civil War, by passing landmark civil rights legislation, electing an African American president. I don't think we should be trying to figure out how to compensate for it. First of all, it would be hard to figure out whom to compensate. ~Kentucky's Senator Mitch McConnell, on the topic of reparations, June 2019

It remains a shocking failure that many African Americans, especially young African American men, are harassed and threatened in their own country. It is a strength when protesters, protected by responsible law enforcement, march for a better future. This tragedy - in a long series of similar tragedies - raises a long overdue question: How do we end systemic racism in our society? The only way to see ourselves in a true light is to listen to the voices of so many who are hurting and grieving. Those who set out to silence those voices do not understand the meaning of America - or how it becomes a better place. ~George W. Bush, 43rd President of the United States, May 2020

I do not think that we have a system racism problem with law enforcement officers across this country. Do I acknowledge that there are some law enforcement officers that abuse their job? Yes. And again, we need to hold those accountable. And I would say that there are individuals in every profession across this country that probably abuse their authority and their power. And we need to hold them accountable. Can we do better? Can we continue to do more in the law enforcement arena? Outreach to our communities? Particularly those that feel slighted or -- absolutely. And so, I think there's always that - things that we can do more. But, again, I think painting law enforcement with a broad brush of systemic racism is really a disservice to the men and women who put on the badge, the uniform every day, risk their lives every day to protect the American people, to protect them so that they can go to school, they can have a business and come home safe to their families. So, I think we need to keep that in mind as well. ~Chad Wolfe, Acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, June 2020

These events are yet another reminder that many of our fellow citizens endure the burden of unjust, exploitative, and abusive treatment by institutions in this country. Over the course of American history, the examples of such institutionalized racism are many, and include slavery, federal law (consider the Three-Fifths Compromise our founding fathers established to determine federal representation), sanctioned intimidation during Reconstruction, Jim Crow laws in southern states, redlining by bankers and brokers, segregation, voter suppression, and racial profiling in policing. These institutions hurt not only the African Americans they've targeted, but the systemic racism they've codified also hurt, and continues to hurt, America and its economy. By limiting economic and educational opportunities for a large number of Americans, institutionalized racism constrains this country's economic potential. The economic contributions of these Americans, in the form of work product and innovation, will be less than they otherwise could have been. Systemic racism is a yoke that drags on the American economy. This country has both a moral and economic imperative to end these unjust and destructive practices. ~Raphael Bostic, President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, June 2020

I think there's racism in the United States still but I don't think that the law enforcement system is systematically racist. I understand the - the distrust, however, of the African American community given the history in this country. I think we have to recognize that for most of our history, our institutions were explicitly racist. Since the 1960s, I think we've been in a phase of reforming our institutions and making sure that they're in sync with our laws and aren't fighting a rearguard action to impose inequities. ~William Barr, US Attorney General, June 2020

The truth of our nation is that too often, the color of your skin alone can endanger your life, and for far too long, systemic racism has oppressed communities of color in the United States. Black and brown communities must no longer be the only ones to bear the weight of pushing for change. No one can stay silent. No one can ignore injustice. It's long past time for our nation to deal with systemic racism, including its contributions to growing economic inequality. We must seize this moment of opportunity to address all the issues that have denied the promise of this nation to so many for long. Let's use this moment or urgency to finally find the path forward. ~former Vice President Joe Biden

Systemic racism is manifesting itself in the public lynchings of Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd, as well as the state violence against Breonna Taylor. Black folks are also dying at startling numbers to COVID-19 due to systemic racism. One virus (systemic racism), two manifestations. ~Bakari Sellers, attorney, author, former state representative in South Carolina

Not all of the folks here necessarily have the same opinions they've always had; some have evolved, as is part of human nature. Others may not have.  But if the thinking is that it's enough to say that there is (or is not) systemic racism in law enforcement, that thinking is missing the boat.

Systemic racism in law enforcement can lead to a very violent death, a 'public lynching' as described by Bakari Sellers, but perhaps the more insidious systemic racism - the kind that can bring about a long, slow, death - is the kind talked about by Ray McGuire, by Raphael Bostic, and by Sellers, too.

The kind that kills not one individual at a time, but entire communities of people who are not allowed the chance to succeed. The ones with bad water, and lead paint, and permanent code violations and redlined zip codes. The ones with poor transportation options; the food deserts; the medical deserts; the ones without polling places; the ones with 'labels' that last for generations, whether deserved once, now, or never.  The communities where 'those people' live.

How do we end systemic racism in America? Maybe we can start by admitting it exists...

Shots fired.