The history of police and military brutality in South Africa, especially the death of Collins Khosa and others more recently; as well as the recent Black Lives Matter protests in The United States of America -we should be reminded of the unnecessary and unconstitutional brutality that black people face all the time.
It does not just begin and end with police brutality though. It is also about our political and economic systems that devalue black lives, black culture and black land. If we are to truly recognise that black lives matter, then we must work to change these systems, in addition to decrying police and military brutality.
The social injustices that black people in this country and around the world face daily, often coincides with or are negatively impacted by the environmental injustices that these marginalized communities already experience.
Climate injustice is entwined in racial injustices of many forms, and we cannot address any injustices in isolation. As we near World Environment Day on June 5th, we should look at the intersectionality of racial and climate injustices and commit to take action.
We understand that those experiencing the disproportional effects of climate change, extractivism, land loss and pollution are black people. This was how the system was set up. Environmental injustice is a continuation of historical injustices and relentless exploitation of the marginalized to benefit the few.
At the centre of the system are white people, and when they don’t take action, the system is strengthened. It is said that to turn a blind eye to injustice and remain silent, is to be just as responsible for those injustices. To weaken the system we all have to see it for what it is – broken and unfairly setup – and that we need to take real action in order to see change. We have to be anti-racist. We have to take our place in the fight for social and environmental justice, we have to speak up, to stand up in solidarity and to elevate the voices of those fighting oppression in any form. We must stand together united.
There are many ways to weaken the system. Firstly, many have to unlearn old racist indoctrinations and have to face the emotions and hold themselves accountable where they see their faults; and how they have been benefiting from the same system that oppresses many. We have to decolonise knowledge, land and so much more to provide an equitable playing field.
And we have to take action.
Amplify the voices of activists and their work. Take action. Stand up to all forms of racism, right now. This is how we begin the process to Break the system!
We are on the edge of a re-imagined world – how are you going to make a difference?
