By Javad Heirannia
TEHRAN – U.S. columnist Stephen Lendman says “African-American George Floyd’s murder by a Minneapolis cop was no isolated incident.”
“In U.S. inner city minority communities, what goes on is much like how apartheid Israel grievously abuses defenseless Palestinians — operating with impunity,” Lendman tells the Tehran Times.
Following is the text of the interview with Stephen Lendman.
Q: After a Black man was killed in Minneapolis, we witnessed popular protests against this violent act. What are the reasons for these clashes between police and people of color, especially the Blacks?
A: African-American George Floyd’s murder by a Minneapolis cop was no isolated incident, far from it.
On average in the U.S., cops nationwide kill around 3 victims daily, over 1,000 times annually, nearly always with impunity.
Nonthreatening Black male youths are their favorite target — most often over nothing. Claims otherwise like threatening an officer or resisting arrest are Big Lies.
What time and again state and local police call “justifiable homicides” is cold-blooded/state-permitted murder.
The rule of law and rights under it don’t exist for ordinary Americans, especially not for people of color, while privileged ones get away with murder, grand theft, and much more.
In U.S. inner city minority communities, what goes on is much like how apartheid Israel grievously abuses defenseless Palestinians — operating with impunity.
With the rarest of rare exceptions, no matter how often U.S. cops kill defenseless victims, nearly always they remain free to kill again, accountability rarely ever forthcoming, the rule of law unenforced.
Following is the text of the interview with Stephen Lendman.
Q: After a Black man was killed in Minneapolis, we witnessed popular protests against this violent act. What are the reasons for these clashes between police and people of color, especially the Blacks?
A: African-American George Floyd’s murder by a Minneapolis cop was no isolated incident, far from it.
On average in the U.S., cops nationwide kill around 3 victims daily, over 1,000 times annually, nearly always with impunity.
Nonthreatening Black male youths are their favorite target — most often over nothing. Claims otherwise like threatening an officer or resisting arrest are Big Lies.
What time and again state and local police call “justifiable homicides” is cold-blooded/state-permitted murder.
The rule of law and rights under it don’t exist for ordinary Americans, especially not for people of color, while privileged ones get away with murder, grand theft, and much more.
In U.S. inner city minority communities, what goes on is much like how apartheid Israel grievously abuses defenseless Palestinians — operating with impunity.
With the rarest of rare exceptions, no matter how often U.S. cops kill defenseless victims, nearly always they remain free to kill again, accountability rarely ever forthcoming, the rule of law unenforced.
In U.S. inner city minority communities, what goes on is much like how apartheid Israel grievously abuses defenseless Palestinians — operating with impunity.
Belatedly charging killer cop Derek Chauvin with 3rd-degree murder and 2nd degree manslaughter is no assurance of conviction.
Rarely ever are U.S. cops convicted of crimes, especially not when committed against Black Americans.
Rarely ever are U.S. cops convicted of crimes, especially not when committed against Black Americans.
Other Minneapolis cops involved in Floyd’s murder remain free uncharged — even though they were accomplices to his murder.
Street protests and violence in Minneapolis and around two dozen other U.S. cities go way beyond the killing of a Black male by a cop.
Street protests and violence in Minneapolis and around two dozen other U.S. cities go way beyond the killing of a Black male by a cop.
They represent generations of built up rage over state-sponsored injustice against America’s most vulnerable, notably its Black population.
From colonial America to today, they’ve gone from chattel to wage slavery, Jim Crow to its modern-day version, and mid-19th century emancipation to mass incarceration in the world’s largest gulag prison system — operating globally.
Q: As president, Trump angered protesters with a tweet following the incident, to the point that Twitter was forced to hide his tweet. What is the reason for Trump's racist approach?
A: Trump is a racist. He was hostile to people of color as a businessman, the same way as president, but he’s not alone.
The vast majority in Congress are the same way. Judge them by their policies — waging war on humanity at home and abroad by hot and other means, against Muslims and people of color.
The vast majority in Congress are the same way. Judge them by their policies — waging war on humanity at home and abroad by hot and other means, against Muslims and people of color.
U.S. policy is all about serving privileged interests exclusively, largely white males benefitting.
They benefit by exploiting others, the vast majority at home and abroad, especially the most vulnerable, mostly people of color.
Q: Given that the ballot box is important for Trump, it seems that he feels that racist rhetoric can attract whites who also have racial approaches. What is your assessment?
A: Trump is in a tough reelection battle for a 2nd term. The latest U.S. polls show public sentiment against him by around 53% negative - 43% positive.
If that holds to election day in November, he’ll be a one-term president.
Virtually everything he does is politicized, the same true for other U.S. politicians.
Key above current protests nationwide over Floyd’s killing is the U.S. economy in collapse.
Around half of U.S. working-age Americans are either unemployed or working reduced hours at less pay and fewer or no benefits.
Millions lost their health insurance. The dismal state of the economy causing widespread human suffering will defeat Trump if continues to November.
Virtually everything he does is politicized, the same true for other U.S. politicians.
Key above current protests nationwide over Floyd’s killing is the U.S. economy in collapse.
Around half of U.S. working-age Americans are either unemployed or working reduced hours at less pay and fewer or no benefits.
Millions lost their health insurance. The dismal state of the economy causing widespread human suffering will defeat Trump if continues to November.
Trump is a racist. He was hostile to people of color as a businessman, the same way as president, but he’s not alone.
Q: One of the dangers facing the United States is the multiculturalism that is dominant in the country, for which liberalism has not been able to find a solution. Why has the country not been able to find a way to this multiculturalism and attract immigrants as well as linguistic, racial and religious minorities?
Q: One of the dangers facing the United States is the multiculturalism that is dominant in the country, for which liberalism has not been able to find a solution. Why has the country not been able to find a way to this multiculturalism and attract immigrants as well as linguistic, racial and religious minorities?
A: The U.S. is a neoliberal society, not a liberal one. It’s based on the principle that Americans can have whatever they want - based on the ability to pay.
Social justice in America is eroding, heading toward elimination altogether to free up maximum revenue for militarism, endless wars, and handouts to corporate America.
Social justice in America is eroding, heading toward elimination altogether to free up maximum revenue for militarism, endless wars, and handouts to corporate America.
Ordinary Americans are increasingly on their own. Dems are as dismissive of peace, equity, and justice as Republicans. They just sound different.
The U.S. is a one-party state with two right wings - the war party.
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