Patrick Lyoya

Society Shows No Shame in Ignoring the Murder of Patrick Lyoya

From the fight for racial justice just two years ago, back to silence

Protests at the Grand Rapids Police Department following the release of a video showing the killing of Patrick Lyoya | Courtesy of WMrapids | Creative Commons/Public Domain

Many deep conversations were had in 2020 about racism, racial justice, whiteness, white privilege, systemic racism, and so much more. While those conversations didn’t provide the sought-after results, what they did do was highlight precisely what was happening before the murder of George Floyd and what’s happening in the current moment.

It’s like newfound allies went back to the default mode of silence in the face of injustice. Millions and millions of quotes were shared, books were sold, and influencers profited. Meanwhile, it’s no longer trendy to be aware of what’s happening on our streets. By our so-called police forces that target non-white groups. Primarily, Black people. Now, it’s trendy to be “anti-woke.”

Thanks to loud-mouth thinkers attacking “wokeness,” finding allies willing to stand and fight for justice is as difficult as ever. Looking back, it becomes more difficult to deny that voices like Bill Maher and Joe Rogan are promoting the same system of white supremacy that groups like the Proud Boys, the KKK, and white corporate America are trying to uphold.