Changing supremacist mind set must to stop atrocities against Blacks: Dr. Devlankar

Pune, June 24: The problem of discrimination against Black Americans can be resolved only by changing the supremacist mindset of the White people. No amount of laws and education would change this mindset. The only remedy lies in changing the mindset of the society, observed noted scholar of international affairs Dr. Shailendra Devlankar.

He was speaking at the opening session of the three-day international webinar on #BlaclkLivesMatter organized by Social Studies Foundation (SSF) and hosted by www.newsbharati.com as a media partner. The noted scholar from South Africa Dr. Yashika Singh chaired the inaugural session.

Digging deep into the history of racial discrimination in the US, Dr. Devlankar, who acquired his Ph.D. from the Jawaharlal Nehru University, spoke at length on “Racism in the World: Genesis, Problem and Challenges”.

He traced the genesis of this problem of social discrimination against the Blacks in the US to the perverted superiority complex. He said that the instances galore in the history of the US where the Blacks were treated as second-grade citizens in the world’s largest and oldest democracy.

The White policemen, though at times tried by the courts in cases related to atrocities against the Blacks, were never convicted in the past and even today. Every White American looks at a Black person with suspicion and treat him as a threat.

Dr. Devlankar said that the problem was not confined to the Black population and the police. It has deeply ingrained in the minds of the White Americans that Blacks are a danger to their society; they are a burden. US is famous for its gun culture but this very gun culture has taken a massive toll on innocent and unarmed lives.

The George Floyd incident was not an isolated incident. It involved the use of a $20 counterfeit note by him for which he had to pay a very heavy price. For the Whites, using such currency notes is a matter of pride. But the Black Man has to pay with his life for this. This is a discriminatory practice even though the civil rights act was enacted in the US 40-50 years ago, he said.

Racism in the US is visible in the health and education sectors where Blacks are constantly discriminated against. So, the reaction to George Floyd’s killing was pent-up anger that found some ventilation. There were some early such incidents which did not go viral. But during the coronavirus lockdown period over 70% of those booked for lockdown violation were from the Black population.

The Blacks, as they live in ghettos in major US cities, have become the victims of the COVID-19. These ghettos have issues related to health, cleanliness, testing for corona. There is apartheid in the health sector as far as the Blacks are concerned, Dr. Devlankar observed.

One has to understand the historical roots of this apartheid to understand the problem in its total perspective, Dr. Devlankar said taking the audience back into the history of the US mentioning that even the Blacks were used as Gini pigs for conducting medical experiments as if they were not humans. Documentary evidence of these experiments and trials are available to justify this, he added.

Throughout the 400 years of US history, this discrimination was happening – openly then tacitly now, he said. Between 1526 to 1865 the first shipment of Black slaves arrived at the US shore carrying 1.5 crore slaves. 40 lakhs out of them perished on the way. Those 1.1 crores were sold in markets of Atlanta and tracking squads were appointed to track them. Also, the practice of slave patrolling was introduced to keep them confined. The present US police system has its roots in this slave patrolling and slave catching. Those troops were later converted into the police force.

This mindset was so deeply ingrained into the White people that the independence struggle and laws of slavery abolition could not change their mindset. The Americans witnessed a civil war and the 13^th amendment to the US constitution in 1865 abolished slavery but it remained in the minds of the American people.

The Whites treated the Blacks as second-grade citizens and the same mindset is prevalent today. Unless that is changed the situation would not change, he said emphasizing that this mindset has the roots of this social and color racism.

During 1865 and 1965 the 100 years were considered an era of segregation. Southern states were forced to accept the slavery abolition act. But they fixed certain criteria for the Blacks to get entry into the schools, and to deprive them of voting. This was the era of apartheid in the US history. The Blacks were not allowed entry into restaurants, laundries, hotels, and educational institutions.

The Federal Court directed to end this segregation but the Governors of the states were at the forefront in opposing the entry of the Blacks into the schools, he said adding that at times military escorts were provided to the Blacks for ensuring their entry.

When the international status of the US was on the rise, its societal problems were increasing. Many mob lynching cases against the Blacks were a common happening then. Even dogs were used to track them, he added.

Now in 2020, this mindset is not changed and this is visible from the language President Trump has used against these Blacks. Where is the qualitative change, he asked.

The ‘Bible Belt’ of the US looked at the Blacks as a threat. This needs to be changed. If this not changed more George Floyds would happen, Dr. Devlankar warned. Even the European nations are facing a similar problem due to this mindset. 

In African culture, there is a concept called ‘Ubuntu’ means ‘I am because you are’. This is nothing but the expression of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ she said and added that the concept of apartheid has come from the Bible.

Dr. Sanjay Tambat conducted proceedings. Pramod Gosavi, Director SSF vote of thanks.

Tomorrow’s session will be addressed by Dr. Nanda Kishor MS, who will be delivering a talk on “#BlackLivesMatter: 360-degree view”, at 7.00 pm. Dr. Nand Kishore has a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Hyderabad and is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Geopolitical and International Relations, Manipal Academy of Higher Education. He is also the Coordinator of the Centre for Polish and Central European Studies. He has a core interest in Geopolitics, Globalization, Comparative Politics, and Gandhian Thoughts.