It has been one year since George Floyd was murdered.
According to Statista “the ‘trend of fatal police shootings’ in the United States seems to only be increasing, with a total 292 civilians having been shot, 62 of whom were Black, in the first four months of 2021. In 2020, there were 1,021 fatal police shootings, and in 2019 there were 999 fatal shootings. Additionally, the rate of fatal police shootings among Black Americans was much higher than that for any other ethnicity, standing at 36 fatal shootings per million of the population as of April 2021” (May 3, 2021).
Let’s put this in context. Statista also lists the 'prevalence rate of violent crime' among White and Black Americans. In 2019 it is statistically very similar, with Black crime being slightly higher. However, also according to Statista, there are four times more White Americans than Black Americans (approximately 197 million White to 42 million Black). These statistics indicate that, percentage-wise, White Americans commit far more violent crimes than Black Americans. (blue/White, black/Black, grey/Latino, red/Asian).
Still, Black Americans experience exponentially higher rates of fatality at the hands of police.
It is time to STOP hateful violence.
It is time to REFORM policing in America.
It is time for Americans to understand and work to END the power of systemic RACISM.
Rest in Peace George Floyd.
Jean