Trump and the Black Man Who Was Shot 7 Times in front of 3 Children

Published in Hankyoreh
(South Korea) on 26 August 2020
by (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Sean Kim. Edited by Gillian Palmer.
Only three months after demonstrations shook the country protesting the death of George Floyd, who died when a police officer placed his knee on his neck, there was another shocking incident in which an unarmed Black man was in critical condition after being shot in the back seven times by a police officer. The video of this tragedy leaves one speechless.

In Kenosha, Wisconsin, on Aug. 23, two police officers began shooting indiscriminately as Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, attempted to get into his car, where his 3-year-old, 5-year-old, and 8-year-old sons watched as their father fell after being shot. Blake’s attorney said that Blake was shot while trying to break up a fight between other neighborhood residents. Although thankfully, Blake’s condition is no longer life threatening, the cruel shooting shattered his spine and the lower half of his body is paralyzed.

Today, furious citizens have taken to the streets for the third straight day to protest the brutal police violence. As the protests intensify, protesters are clashing with police, who are using tear gas and rubber bullet. One person was shot and killed on the morning of Aug. 26. It is regrettable that the protests have escalated despite pleas from Blake’s family, who support peaceful protest. Demonstrations are increasing in major U.S. cities like New York, Washington, Los Angeles and Portland, and players in the National Basketball Association are discussing a game boycott in protest. The fact that these savage, racially motivated acts of police violence have continued despite the Black Lives Matter movement protests around the country since Floyd was killed on May 25 is hard to understand.

But President Donald Trump’s attitude is even more terrible. After staying silent for days after the incident, President Trump tweeted on Aug. 25 that the “Governor should call in the National Guard in Wisconsin … End problem FAST!”* There was no consolation for the victim or any acknowledgement of police violence. It is apparent that Trump puts his reelection ahead of human and civil rights as part of a political calculation to present himself as the guardian of law and order for his white supporter base. Donald Trump Jr. retweeted a post that alleged that “Jacob Blake … has a history of assaulting police” and defended the police. At the Republican National Convention in June, a white couple that pointed guns at anti-racism protesters and who were charged in connection with the incident were invited to speak. The reality of an America that makes no effort to solve the problems of racism and police brutality and uses them as political tools is truly tragic.

*Editor's Note: This quotation, accurately translated, could not be verified.


흑인 조지 플로이드가 경찰의 무릎에 목이 짓눌려 숨진 데 항의하는 시위가 미국을 뒤흔든 지 3개월 만에 비무장 흑인 남성이 경찰이 등 뒤에서 쏜 총 7발을 맞고 중태에 빠진 충격적 사건이 벌어졌다. 이 끔찍한 장면을 담은 동영상은 할 말을 잃게 만든다.

지난 23일 미국 위스콘신주 커노샤에서 29살 흑인 남성 제이컵 블레이크가 차에 타려는 순간 경찰 2명이 무차별 총격을 가했다. 당시 차 안에 타고 있던 3살, 5살, 8살의 아들들이 아빠가 총을 맞고 쓰러지는 모습을 고스란히 지켜봤다. 블레이크의 변호인은 그가 다른 주민들 사이에 벌어진 다툼을 말리려다가 경찰 총에 맞았다고 밝혔다. 블레이크는 다행히 생명에는 지장이 없지만 무자비한 총격에 척추뼈가 부서져 하반신이 마비된 상태다.

경찰의 야만적인 폭력에 분노한 시민들이 사흘 연속 시위에 나섰다. 시위가 격렬해지면서 최루탄과 고무탄을 발사하는 경찰과 시위대가 계속 충돌하고 있다. 26일 새벽에는 총격으로 1명이 숨지는 사건도 벌어졌다. “평화 시위를 원한다”는 블레이크 가족들의 호소에도 시위가 폭력적으로 변하는 상황 또한 안타깝다. 뉴욕과 워싱턴, 로스앤젤레스, 포틀랜드 등 다른 지역에서도 항의 시위가 일어나고 미 프로농구(NBA) 선수들이 항의 표시로 경기 보이콧을 논의하고 있다. 지난 5월25일 조지 플로이드가 숨진 데 항의하며 미국 전역에서 ‘흑인 생명은 중요하다’(BLM) 시위가 계속돼 왔는데도 이처럼 잔인무도한 인종차별적인 경찰 폭력이 계속되는 현실을 도무지 이해할 수 없다.

더 끔찍한 것은 도널드 트럼프 대통령의 태도다. 사건 발생 이후 며칠째 침묵하던 트럼프 대통령은 25일 밤 트위터에 “주지사는 주 방위군을 위스콘신으로 불러야 한다. 문제를 신속하게 해결하라”는 글을 올렸다. 피해자에 대한 위로나 경찰 폭력에 대한 문제 제기는 한마디도 없었다. 인권보다는 대선을 앞두고 백인 지지층을 겨냥해 자신을 ‘법과 질서’의 수호자로 내세우려는 정치적 계산만 보인다. 그의 장남은 ‘블레이크가 경찰을 폭행한 전과가 있다’며 경찰을 두둔하는 글을 트위터에서 리트위트했다. 공화당 전당대회에서는 6월 인종차별에 항의하는 시위대에 총을 겨눠 검찰에 기소된 백인 부부가 초청 연사로 나왔다. 인종차별과 경찰 폭력을 해결하려는 노력은 전혀 없이 정치적으로 이용만 하는 미국의 현실이 안타까울 따름이다.
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