Prejudice and Hate Crime

May 29, 2020

Prejudice and Hate Crime

Padmini Arhant

Today United States of America is protesting in some parts of the country on the tragic death of  a human being – George Floyd, an African American falling victim to hate crime by an individual whose duty was to protect all citizens from any harm as a law enforcement officer.  

Unfortunately, whenever these incidents occur those committing such violent crimes in their uniform fail to recognize the injury they inflict not only on their target which usually leads to fatality but also the law enforcement they represent to maintain law and order in society that are often violated by some members driven by prejudice against those whom they isolate for purposes other than defined by the state of law. 

Let there be no selective empathy as discrimination based on race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, economic, education and social background as well as differences in any manner are condemnable.

Hate crimes and violence against unarmed citizens are the norm with some gaining national attention leading to mass demonstrations while others barely known to the public especially when it involves authorities in the highest order granting them indefinite impunity on abuse of power and position in office.

George Floyd from Minneapolis, Minnesota experience is commonly shared by his fellow African Americans in particular and some Latino population throughout United States from time to time.

Laws applicable on all citizens not necessarily upheld exempting those in authority and power from misuse of  their designation. 

On October 3rd, 2013  unarmed young African American woman, Miriam Carey was mercilessly gunned down by White House Security Service Personnel and Capitol Police reportedly in the presence of then occupants the former President Barack Obama (Nobel Peace Prize Winner 2009) and  Michelle Obama in the premise at that time.

Miriam Carey, 34-year-old mother was riddled with thirty five bullets and her then 13 month old daughter witness to the horrific crime just outside the White House compound at  

1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20500.

Miriam Carey apparently did not deserve any regrets or remorse from her assassins or those in the White House aware of the horrendous crime let alone any nationwide condemnation denouncing the abhorrent indifference to an unarmed citizen trying to protect her toddler child from the barrage of bullets aimed at her with the assailants showing no mercy at her or the toddler restrained in the car seat at the back on that fateful day. 

The events such as these continue to represent the dark history repeating itself and apathy from those in power transcending race in this context is the irony.

Selective justice and identity politics is the worst from of intolerance and bigotry in the so-called free society.

Thank you.

Padmini Arhant 

Author & Presenter 

PadminiArhant.com

Prakrithi.PadminiArhant.com