Statement of Rock and a Hard Place Magazine on Murder in Minneapolis
Below is a joint statement from the editorial board of Rock and a Hard Place Magazine on the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis by Police Officer Derek Chauvin, and the subsequent protests which have sprung up around the nation against police brutality and institutionalized racism.
“As a publication dedicated to those individuals in our society who experience and struggle against oppression and injustice on the regular, we watched in horror the news out of Minneapolis, as an on-duty police officer kneeled on the throat of an immobilized African American man until he was dead. We can’t think of a more apt and disturbing metaphor for the racism -- individual and institutionalized -- that has resulted in the systemic oppression of, and barbaric attacks against, minorities in America.
“Communities of color, outraged by yet another instance of police overreach, have taken to the streets to protest. Media organizations have covered those protests. As if blind to the root cause of communal outrage, police have responded in riot gear, launching tear gas and rubber bullets at crowds of protestors and arresting or attacking members of the media who are trying to amplify the protestors’ voice.
“And our nation’s president has responded with racist dog whistle statements, like, ‘If they start looting, we start shooting,’ seemingly oblivious of his responsibility to uphold due process or to try to unite a fractured and hurting American public.
“Rock and a Hard Place Magazine began to highlight stories of people under the thumb -- or in this case, the knee -- of oppressive systems. We’re dedicated to supporting diverse authors and viewpoints, and thankfully, we’re part of the trend in crime and noir fiction, as outdated and bigoted systems and operators are put out to pasture. At the same time, hateful rhetoric continues to thrive in our nation’s public dialogue, and we have to be vigilant against the fringe that would justify the killing of an unarmed individual because of the color of his skin.
“We hope that in our small way, by promoting human and heartbreaking stories of oppression and injustice, we can help our readers grow in empathy towards individuals who may not look like them, but whose struggles deserve their compassion, and whose viewpoints deserve thoughtful consideration. Creative individuals of good conscience cannot be silent at this crucial moment in our history, and must do whatever they can, in whatever sphere they operate, to heal the divisions that our elected leaders seem intent on exploiting.
“To those protestors who are demonstrating against hate, intolerance and racism, please stay safe and know that we are with you.”