Watching the events surrounding the death of George Floyd-the black man who was choked to death under the knee of a police officer while in handcuffs-unfold have caused a lot of people to take a long look at themselves, this writer included.
I’ve seen racism firsthand towards others, but never have I personally been discriminated against based on the colour of my skin or my place of birth. Never have I had the police called on me because someone felt threatened by my appearance in a certain area. In fact only once have I had any dealings with a police officer outside of a working relationship through my career in journalism.
That instance came over 15 years ago when the car I was riding in was pulled over. Noticing the person beside me wasn’t wearing a seatbelt, I attempted to buckle it before the police arrived. They got there quickly however and from their perspective, it appeared as though I was attempting to hide something under the seat. Being 18 or 19 at the time, I rather stupidly refused to tell the police what I was doing, instead insisting I wasn’t doing anything. While annoyed, the cops conducted their search, found nothing and eventually came to their conclusion I was likely trying to buckle a seatbelt and not hide anything illegal between the seat. While I recall being extremely nervous throughout the whole situation, never once for a second did I consider the police would become violent towards me when I kept responding to their question in a less than helpful manner. Once they determined I was just a simple teen trying to protect someone from a seat-belt ticket, they let me go.
Unfortunately there are all too many stories of minorities who have done way less but suffered much worse reactions from the police, ranging from assault to murder. That’s not to imply those particular Durham Region Police would have treated me differently if I were of a different background. Rather that memory was simply an eye opener that, in light of recent world events, reminds me I’ll never fully understand what its like to be a visible minority in Canada or the United States. As such, I won’t pretend to have the answer to racial equality. Floyd’s death has undeniably sparked a long over due conversation that has captured the attention of communities world wide.
When we don’t have the answer, it’s always best to listen to someone who might. It’s time to stop trying to sweep the issue under the rug and time to listen to the voices that have tried peacefully getting our attention, but saw no change. Only then can we begin to understand what needs to be done to make a real difference.
-Adam Prudhomme