Isabel Perez: Is America perpetrating genocide against blacks?

The recent accounts of police brutality against African American males support the notion the United States is involved in a genocide of black Americans. Professors Robert Johnson (American University) and Paul S. Leighton (Eastern Michigan University) describe indirect genocide as a perpetual and systematic oppression against a minority group, in this case black Americans, created by the dominant group. Such indirect genocide is present in the headlines of our news because over the past year we have witnessed numerous incidents in which African Americans, impoverished unders systematic oppression, are targeted by law enforcement officials.

These acts of police brutality not only illustrate indirect genocide, but also demonstrate direct genocide. Direct genocide (a word coined by Prof. Rafael Lemkin in 1943), is the killing of group members with the intent to destroy the group. Is it a coincidence the perpetrators of these murders have not been indicted or that there is lack of evidence against them? No, Americans must wake up; this is not a coincidence!

We must analyze incidents such as Freddie Gray’s death and ask whether these “isolated accidents” are a contemporary genocide.

This story was originally published April 29, 2015 at 1:09 PM with the headline "Isabel Perez: Is America perpetrating genocide against blacks?."