To protect and strengthen the ‘Black Lives Matter Movement’, four Indian origin lawmakers have united to stand up for the nationwide George Floyd protests against police brutality and racism.
The death of 46-year-old Floyd in police custody caused protests in the country. The Indian American Community has made it big with its immigrants. They find a fault in themselves for not being united with African Americans.
It is believed that Indian Americans seem to be giving up on a lot of their privileges to policies sparked off by the civil rights movement and this inspiration comes from Mahatma Gandhi.
Indian Americans, they say seem to overlook that they owe a lot of their privileges to policies sparked off by the civil rights movement, which in turn took inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi.
The Indian American senator, Kamala Harris introduced a bill on Monday saying “the power of this movement cannot be denied, the Congressional Black Caucus to hold police accountable for misconduct.”
Daughter of a Tamil mother and Jamaican father tweeted that the police who wears a badge and carries a gun is accountable if any misconduct takes place.
She said, “The Justice in Policing Act is the first step to ensure that those who wear a badge and carry a gun face accountability and consequence for misconduct,”
“My Justice in Policing Act”, will: Set a national standard for use of force; Expand independent investigations into police misconduct; Establish a national police misconduct registry; Require states to report use of force incidents; Ban ‘no knock’ warrants in drug cases.”
The former Democratic President tweeted, “The time for change is now,” change in the name of George Floyd.” He mentioned a few more names and mentioned about many other Black Americans who died because of hatred and criticism.
In response to what the President said, Indian American Congressman Ami Bera said that Floyd being killed unconsciously brings back “systemic racism and inequities” to the American conscience.
Further, he gives a message to all the African Americans who are promising to stay engrossed with “Congress and the Congressional Black Caucus” to push for federal legislation that could address police violence. He urges black Americans to voice out.
One of the house members wrote about the importance of giving an open and honest opinion about race and inequality. Further he said, there should be steps taken to heal the wounds due to racial injustice.
An Indian American Representative from California named Ro Khanna stresses on having police reform legislation keeping in mind black men who are 21 times more likely to be killed by the police in the US. He called this a national pandemic and quoted “I stand with the peaceful protesters all across America demanding reform. Congress must act. Now.”
Khanna is not for President Donald Trump threatening to bring in the army to control the riots, he says “Peaceful protests [are] the hallmark of democracy. Sit down and talk with the peaceful protesters. Don’t send in the military. Black lives are not expendable. Police officers should be held accountable for their deadly force.”
The first Indian American woman named Pramila Jayapal, the first Indian-American woman in the house said “What we are witnessing is the boiling over of simmering anger and understandable rage. The result of a long, tragic history of white supremacy, racism and anti-Blacknes”
An Asian American who represented WA State also expressed her anger on how white supremacy has suppressed and disrespected the Black lives. She says, discrimination for the Blacks is seen in housing and finance systems.
Subramanian Raja Krishnamoorthi, Indian American House member from Illinois says that only supporting the Black Lives Matter movement is not enough. It is even necessary to understand the factors that are causing this systematic and institutionalized racism.
He says peaceful protests are not enough to hold anyone accountable. It is necessary to have a “comprehensive reform for how our police use force”. He says “Which is why I am proud to co-sponsor the Justice in Policing Act of 2020.”
The Indian American lawmakers have done their part. Now it is other Indian American’s turn to support this issue with their powerful voices so that the dream of seeing a change turns into reality soon.
On Monday, the New York State Legislature met in session to start working on a package of bills focused at reforming the police. This bill is yet to be approved and signed by Governor Andrew Cuomo in New York.
If approved, the first state to act on police reforms after the death of George Floyd, would be New York.
