The death of George Floyd has overtly caused many Black Lives Matter rallies this month. The country at the same time was starting to open back up from corona. Texas in particular is now starting to rise again in new cases and people being hospitalized. Are the rallies causing or increasing this? I fully support the movement and love all the activism, but are there ways to prevent the other awful problem we are facing (corona) from coming back while still doing stuff to fight against racism?
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Samantha, I think you are absolutely correct. This has become a persistent issue in the nation, and personally, I think the rallies are definitely increasing this. Sure, we are making efforts to decrease the spread of COVID-19 especially since the verdict came out saying that masks are actually preventative, but with so many people in such a tight area, the pandemic is only being bolstered.
I think there are two ways to go about this. Firstly, individuals can continue to fight in the streets for their rights, and I think that the fact they are acknowledging the risk at hand is indicative to politicians that the pandemic will not hamper the outcries of the underrepresented. But, it could still come across as brash or unwarranted, possibly lowering the credibility of the movement.
On the other hand, to remain safe and active, individuals could maintain activism, but through actions such as supporting Black-owned businesses or calling/writing to local representatives. While the impact wouldn't be as direct, it definitely would keep people safer, with respect to the virus and the rioting.
Honestly, I hope the hype around the Black Lives Matter continues to surge, not by incidence of tragedy, but by persistent passion for change. It is really unfortunate that such powerful movements can still burn-out so quickly.
Anytime you have a transmittable virus, you will see cases go up when human-to-human interactions go up. In this instance, rallies would contribute to this. It is unfortunate that we have to risk the health of our lives when protesting for the lives of others, however it is a blessing that we are in this era of internet to be able to effectively communicate this. So there are a plethora of options opened up due to digital technology. Social Media communication. Online petitions. In the meantime, I think it would be wise to take advantage of the internet to do some research. The impact of federal legislation that may (either intentionally or unintentionally) create racial disparities. There is a certain degree of humility we must own up to in not knowing everything and I believe knowledge is the best weapon to fight with.