In the wake of months of protests over the deaths of African Americans at the hands of the police in the United States, our host Cody Weddle asks political scientist Carolina Escarra, why now? Given that such acts of violence have occurred ever since the days of slavery, why do we hear so much about them now and why are demands for justice peaking at this time? Some factors may include the expectations raised by Obama’s elections and his claims of concern for human rights, says the analyst, claims which often belie the reality of life in poor communities of color. Much of the conversation revolves around institutional racism in the U.S., the continuation of school and housing segregation, similar cases of discrimination against migrants and Latin Americans, the scare interaction between racial groups and classes of people, the impunity with which police kill African Americans, and the role of the corporate news media in justifying police violence. Escarra is not optimistic about the possibility of going beyond cases of individual repression to form a broader movement, but believes it is necessary for people and organizations to come together to fight for human rights. teleSUR
