Over the past week, The Oregonian/OregonLive has published a series of articles examining the work on numerous fronts to elicit change in the year since a Minneapolis police officer killed George Floyd by kneeling on his neck for more than nine minutes.
His death triggered a global movement for racial justice that reverberated in Oregon with more 100 consecutive nights of protests and a range of policy, legislative and community-based changes – many that had received support in the past, but had always failed to get traction.
Still, much work remains.
On Friday, we shared the views of several of the local Black Lives Matter leaders about what’s still to be done. As we honor Floyd this week and the reckoning his death brought, we also asked readers to share what changes they have seen in themselves and in their community over the past year. Here are their responses.
Here are their responses:
“Thank you for this series of articles. For me this is very painful: How long it has taken for such a large proportion of white people to recognize the truth of the deep and systemic racial bias in our country and the many ways it affects Black, Indigenous and other people of color. When I went to the March on Washington in 1963, I had hopes that the next 20 years would bring deeper change than occurred and the ongoing killings and disparate outcomes are still way too deep and wide. In the 1960s and 1970s we saw the backlash against the civil rights laws Congress passed and now, January 6th demonstrated that backlash coming out faster and more violently than ever.
When I went to the March in 1963 the vast majority of Americans were hostile to it or at best indifferent. Today, people on the lowest levels of society are working to build connection and each new generation has proportionately more young people who are not okay with “not knowing, not seeing” the reality around them. This is what gives me hope. There is a lot of hard work ahead, and every one of us needs to be doing our part to affect change in whatever sphere of life we have control of influence.”
Emily Pittman Newberry, Happy Valley
“Although there has been a great deal of turbulence around racial inequities in the past year, perhaps one of the positives to come out of all the disruption is that as many of us who are privileged white males have had enough consciousness raised to question the status quo and want to learn more about our Black and brown neighbors. I believe strongly that we cannot rely on the police, legal and incarceration systems to be our solution, but we all have to look in the mirror and ask ourselves how we can be part of the solution and not perpetuate the 400-year patterns of prejudice and inequality.
It’s time for us to listen and respect each other and push back on racism and white supremacy whether subtle or overt, even if it comes from the highest office in the land.”
Lawrence M. Jacobson, Portland
“The question by The Oregonian asks have we seen any change in racial justice over the past year since George Floyd was killed? My short answer is NO. During the 1960s I was active in letter writing and marches during all the civil rights movement. I see people now doing the same, but I still see no change.
People of color and who speak different languages are killed, incarcerated, shunned and left out more than whites. And it is worse with the Proud Boys and white supremacists. And the politicians who constantly say “We need to,” “We will look into” and little happens.
Has anything positive occurred? Sure. There are more conversations. More people are aware and there are many conversations but little to no action.”
Nancy R. Seebert, Gresham
“George Floyd’s murder was one more -- once again, a step over the line of America’s promise of equality and justice. It was more proof of systemic white supremacy. It was a call to action to speak up, to speak out against racism. Silence was no longer an option.
It means that this white male now sees the need to share his power and privilege with those who have been denied. An unjust society is a sick, broken society. Healing needs to happen now. Bridges need to be built now. I have a stronger commitment to making the U.S. a more perfect union for everyone.”
Ralph Goldstein, Oregon City
“Not enough!”
Kate Yager, Portland
"Opinion" - Google News
May 30, 2021 at 09:02PM
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Opinion: A year later, readers wish for more results - OregonLive
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