Back
George Floyd: How to address America's racial disparities
Jun 4, 2020
There have been mass protests following George Floyd’s death at the hands of US police officers. The protests reflect the frustration and rage at America's long history of racist law enforcement, argues Professor of Political Economy and Public Policy Jeffrey Sommers. It's vital to address racial inequalities to reduce the pressures on urban communities and the police.
George Floyd’s death at the hands – and under the knee – of Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has triggered a wave of peaceful protests and violent rioting in most major cities across the United States. Caught on video for the world to see, the incident has driven home the perception that African-Americans are excluded from America’s grand narrative of progress, in which conditions supposedly improve over time.
The data bear out that perception. According to a recent Brookings Institution study , as of 2016, “the net worth of a typical white family is nearly ten times greater than that of a Black family.” And though the US accounts for just 5% of the global population, it is home to 21% of the world’s incarcerated people, one-third of whom are African-American.
Scarcely a week goes by without a new story about African-Americans dying at the hands of police or vigilantes. Each episode is met with media handwringing and calls for reforms of police procedures. But the problem is never resolved, in part because it is actually many problems.
11Shares
0Comments
1Favorites
3Likes
Say something to impress...
Loading...
Comments
Hot

No content at this moment.

Relevant people
Technology Eye
43583 Followers
technology
Watch on technology.
Related