Why George Floyd Matters Regardless of Where You Live

Since the last breath of life was squeezed out of George Floyd, I have been unable to sleep properly, traumatized, agitated, angry, hurt. Given the privileged deeply-melanated body I inhabit I choose to use my voice on social media to condemn the actions and demonstrate solidarity for my African-American brothers and sisters. A colleague commented, in what I took to be a condescending tone, words to the effect that they liked my “spirit” but there were problems of police brutality to be addressed in Trinidad and Tobago. (Sidebar, I am a lawyer, originally from Trinidad and Tobago, now living in the UK for the better part of a decade).

This is actually a sentiment I was hearing from others and seeing posts where others are policing people’s comments on this #GeorgeFloyd atrocity. Questions like why are people “jumping on the American bandwagon” again? Why are they focusing on this when it has nothing to do with them and where they come from? This nation-centered critique has inspired me to write this brief note.

For those who have eyes to see the issue playing out in America today is not only about police brutality and it is not only about America. It is a manifestation both literally and metaphorically of the meta-crisis we are all experiencing worldwide. It is about systemic oppression, structural violence, economic, social…