Monday, December 22, 2014

Jonathan: "I Can't Breathe" Protests in NYC (12/​13/​14)

NYC Protests (12/13/14) - 1America is suffering from a crisis of race.  The deaths of black men such as Eric Garner, Michael Brown, Akai Gurley, and Tamir Rice have inflamed this instability, of course.  Some argue that these men died for reasons other than their race, that they possessed criminal records, for instance, that necessitated forceful reactons by white police officers.  But even if these deaths did not arise from racial considerations, the fact that they have come to encapsulate U.S. race relations is indisputable.  They highlight triumphs and traumas of black inclusion in the U.S. that began, arguably, with the racialization of Native Americans during the 17th century.  They echo the voices of American authors - contemporary and traditional, black and white - who have long confronted and continue to highlight the topic with varying degrees of agonized cries and silence.

NYC Protests (12/13/14) - 2These riots, unavoidably, are "an issue"...but they are saddening particularly because they have BEEN an issue for centuries.

Tens of thousands of protesters have flocked to city streets across the country to protest the killing of black men by white police officers.  Activists have launched large demonstrations particularly in Washington, D.C. and New York City with signs reading "Black Lives Matter" (#BlackLivesMatter) and "I Can't Breathe" (#ICantBreathe), echoing Eric Garner's last words.  Many of these protests have proven peaceful, but increasingly participants are calling for, and actually attacking, police (such as in NYC and near UC Berkeley.

NYC Protests (12/13/14) - 3One of our IPians, Jonathan, happened to attend a protest in NYC last weekend.  Exploring #photojournalism as his topic in IP, this situation gave Jonathan the organic opportunity to continue his research.  All photos attacked to this post are his shots of the scenes and participants he witnessed.

What are your thoughts on these photos? Are these ongoing protests likely to effect change, especially as some of these devolve into violence? Please post in the comments section below.

For a brief video of the NYC protests (12/​13/​14), please click here.

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