Abhinav and everyone,

The entire idea of crime and police in the USA is strongly connected to race; they are not separate issues in the USA. The key historical reason for that connection is that the 13th amendment, the part of the US Constitution that legally ended slavery, had a major exception. It said that people could not be enslaved except as <em>punishment for a crime. </em>

So in the decades after that, the white people in power who wanted something like the old slavery system to return began to pass laws criminalizing basic actions done by black people -- black codes that became the segregation system we in the USA called "Jim Crow". If you have ever heard the name "Rosa Parks"? That lady broke the laws of Jim Crow, and she was arrested. One of the most important things Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. ever wrote was a letter from a jail cell.

This system also used clear violence as well, but do not over look the role of laws, and the police who enforced them. Nowadays, legal segregation has ended, but actual segregation still exists. Ask anyone who has visited a US city how different the neighborhoods are from each other. US police behave <em>very differently</em> in majority-black neighborhoods than they do in, say, the upper middle class white neighborhood I grew up in.

And if you have never met anyone who opposes the idea that black lives matter ... you have not had the "pleasure" of meeting US racist white people, and I hope you never have this experience. So that's why the protest is what it is.

What is the meaning of your post's title ( Black lives matter ) it doesn't make sense at all, all lives matter for me regardless color,race,religion,sect,sexual orientation, and it doesn't mean because you belong to a specific color that you feel sympathy more to your own people's colors, I don't like to follow the herd and i always criticize what i see and observe in the media, i'm totally against this crime and I support the protests against the corruption of the police officers but why this world full of hypocrisy why i didn't see the same protests and demonstrations against the illegal invasion of other people's countries, why i didn't see any protests against the illegally bombing of Libya and Syria and turning them into stone age countries!!! what about dropping thousands of tons of bombs every year by the US army on other countries or killing tens of millions only in Iraq and Afghanistan for a lie many Americans still believe in it till now!! why i have never witnessed a strong protest and demonstration like this about all of this crimes,, or the American lives is more importantly than all other lives in the poor countries like Iraq,,, Muhammad Ali once refused to participate in an illegal war against Vietnam and he faced many charges and accusations because of that, he stood for the right regardless his color,, every day tens of children dies out of hunger and violence and wars in Yemen in Africa in many countries many families have been died in many countries everyday because of the USA policies in this countries and the most of the American people just live their life normally without any disturbance,,, what about refusing injustice in general not just because Floyd's life ( may he rest in peace ) but because Floyd is me and I'm Floyd and we are all the same consciousness,, what about black and white soldiers refuse to go to war against other countries just because their governments tell them this is your job and you defend your country!

what i wanted to say because the limit is 2000 letter and i have exceeded them , that Stalin once said ( A single death is a tragedy; a million deaths is a statistic ) so apparently most of the world follow Stalin's logical idea about lives which is weird,, All lives matter and when we become aware of that we will realize that we should stand against all discrimination .

Can someone please explain that in context of GEORGE FLOYD protest why people are focusing more on Race aspect rather than Police brutality and systemic misuse of power. I understand that majority of victims of Police brutality might be from a particular race. But wouldn't the protest be more successful if it focuses on the main issue (Police and justice system reforms) rather than taking a broader approach. e.g. I have never seen a sensible person opposing "Black lives matter", but the slogan does not specifically focus on Justice system rather it takes a broader societal approach. Do you think "Reform the justice system" would give more effective results in immediate term?

p.s. Pardon my ignorance if any as I have limited exposure to American social norms.

Hi Ines!

Thank you for raising this question. I also posted a note about it today.

As a white person living in Russia I don't think I've ever encountered racism in my life (except for 2 times when I was in my early teens and I spoke up to the people who were vocal about it).

I strongly believe no person should be treated differently because of their skin color, gender or sexual orientation. I'm happy to be living during the time when people start speaking up, educating one another and growing to be more loving and caring, but it saddens me that there are still ones who think different.

Love always wins.

I'm sure about it.