There is no doubt that the social contract in America today facilitates systemic racism. The police brutality in the murder of George Floyd and their attacks on nonviolent people protesting the horrific death of Floyd is symptomatic of that grossly unjust system that has been in place for centuries.
We learned in fourth grade that life, in America, is supposed to consist of liberty and the pursuit of happiness. After these past few weeks, we cannot continue as if nothing has happened. Or that these recent riots and protests are a transient wave to ride through or be sheltered from.
When, we cannot breathe, there is no liberty, no life, no sense of property or pursuit of happiness until that oppressive system has been dismantled.
(How can there be money — what sense is there in it — when a $20 bill causes a dispute that takes a man’s life?)
And so, the question now is, how do we dismantle this inherently sick system? And how do we dialogue with each other in a compassionate way and yet be necessarily, fiercely unyielding and inflexible about our humanity and basic human rights?
This can be done and has to be done. I believe it and I know it.
From the ashes of last week’s and these ongoing protests and anarchy, have we been heard? Oh how have we raged, cried, pained, but do we now have the reins to enact change, as of right now? Do we, and how, do we, continue to escalate until justice has been wrought into our lives?
Now is the time to act, to speak up and listen to the conversations, to tune in, to engage, learn, and participate in the rewriting of our universal social contract.
Without a clear end goal in mind, without these discussions, without your participation, we will not be able to come out of these times with having gained something incredibly valuable: a brighter and just future.
I don’t know what the future holds, but there is a war for your conscience, my friends, and..
The world is watching.
To my beloved community:
I strongly encourage you to engage in dialogue with your people, to continue learning about these oppressive forces which breach our innate social contract, to continue educating and being educated with compassion, self-love, and bravery, to listen and empathize or understand, to check in with loved ones, and finally, to act with basic human decency and civility.
With strength and love,
Zhanxi Ni
