Nearly 20,000 have endorsed a campaign on social media and hundreds have signed an online petition urging the UN to investigate US law enforcement policy.
New York, USA, October 12, 2016 (Newswire.com) - A campaign calling for the United Nations to weigh in on the recent killings of unarmed people of color by law enforcement in the United States is gaining attention on social media. To raise awareness, UN NGO United States Sustainable Development Corp shared the appeal with the public on its Facebook page and then followed up with posting a link to a petition that it started in support of the appeal, stating its desire to allow those who are affected by the issue to participate in the campaign. The links were also shared on Instagram.
The combined posts on Facebook and Instagram have received nearly 20,000 engagements and the petition on change.org has 700 signatures and is adding about 50 names each day. Change.org forwards the email requests of each petitioner to the High Commissioner of the UN Human Rights Council, several Special Rapporteurs as well as high ranking officials of the US government, including President Barack Obama and Attorney General Loretta Lynch.
"I'm black and under siege."
Josiah, Mathews
Yet it is the spirited conversation that is happening among the participants that is raising eyebrows around the United States. "With the new law Congress passed we can now legally and justifiably sue the United States for slavery and their direct involvement in the persecution and murders of black people here in the United States. Each and every police department which is PAID with taxpayer money can be included," said Andrea Jackson a commenter, referring to the law that the United States recently passed permitting United States citizens to sue foreign governments. In fact, while there is no such provision in the recent law that allows US citizens to sue it's own government, respondents are emphatically stating their commitment to change. Another comment contributor responded that if such were possible, that the funds could be used, "to establish a black , indigenous people council (so) as to help ourselves". As with everything the devil is in the details, but the contributions are broad-based and plentiful.
The campaign also seems to have tapped into the current polarization of the nation prompting the NGO to respond to a few of the more extreme perspectives of both people of Indigenous and African descent who prefer a violent response to the law enforcement issue as well as those of European descent who see the initiative as a minority insurgency. Citing Dr. Martin Luther King's final speech, the United States Sustainable Development Group posted a statement in the thread stating, "Diplomacy is one of the strategies for having our voices heard along with the efforts of many other groups who are pursuing domestic activism and organizing initiatives. But as Dr. King pointed out some 49 years ago, violence is not an option." In response to another comment, the organization also emphatically denounced "terrorism, terrorists and terrorist organizations" again emphasizing the need for indigenous and African descendants of colonialism and enslavement to have a representative voice in the global community.
Yet, by far most of those who have engaged the campaign are mainstream Americans who simply are concerned about the marginalization of their communities. People gave a range of reasons for their participation in the campaign.
"I'm signing because I'm African American, and they are slaying us, and I have children. This HAS to be exposed to the world, and something drastic has to be done. So that we can live in peace and not this constant trauma." Jessica Stewart
"This has gone on to long, and it will not stop unless it is made to stop by intervention from the UN. We need monitors in peacekeeping troops, our government has no interest in our protection." Jim Gray
"I'm black and under siege." Josiah Mathews
The organization has responded to requests for further engagement with the promise to eventually set up an online forum for interested citizens to be involved in a more meaningful dialogue. Participants will be invited to engage in planned events and discuss other strategies to move the agenda forward.
Source: United States Sustainable Development Corp
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