US-INDIA GLOBAL REVIEW JUL-SEP 2020

I ndian-American leaders, from activists to heads of multina- tionals, have spoken out against the death of African American George Floyd whose neck was leaned on by a white policeman Derek Chauvin in Minnesota May 25, 2020. Chauvin has been charged with third degree murder and manslaughter, and charges against the three other policemen, at least two of them of Asian descent, are expected to be filed. Leaders in the Indian-American community are urging greater engagement with the political process to bring an end systemic racism. Just as Indian-Americans exult in their achievements and many believe they have a seat and some power at the national policy table, so they need to embrace the responsibility that comes with it, to make America live up to its founding principles of equality and social justice. There are no "two sides" to the brutal death of Floyd, as the near- ly nine-minute video seen around the world, testifies. News cover- age of riots is taking away from the original sin against Floyd. Conspiracy theories abound including foreign intervention to spread disinformation, on whether it is the "far left" like Antifa, or "far right" White Supremacists, engag- ing in violence to make a mockery of Floyd's death. As of June 1, the National Guard was activated in 23 states and Washington, D.C., and thou- sands had been arrested as protests broke out nationwide and public and private property destroyed. For the time being, COVID-19 is by the wayside, even though this virus has taken the lives or more African Americans than any other community, in itself a symptom of the systemic racism, some ana- lysts say. Coming on the heels of the recent deaths of other African Americans like Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky, and Ahmaud Arbery in Georgia, or the 2014 incident with Eric Garner in New York City, Floyd's death could be the straw that broke the camel's back in engaging the wider Indian- American community, and not just its leaders. Almost simultaneously, the Indian-American community is not immune to the May 26, 2020, viral video revealing the long embed- ded dirty laundry of 'white privi- lege', one that has dogged the Compassion With Action BLACK LIVES MATTER 18 US-INDIA GLOBAL REVIEW JULY-SEPTEMBER 2020 George Floyd pinned under the knee of Minnesota police officer Derek Chauvin. One officer has his knee pressed into the back of the man’s neck. He later died at an area hospital. The incident sparked days of violent protests. Photo:Youtube via NBC news By Ela Dutt Indian-American leaders urge community to join African Americans and help end systemic racism