Much has transpired this week. Like most Americans, I watched the events unfold on my TV. My overwhelming feelings are sadness and frustration. The media tells us that we are a divided nation – divided by race, divided by politics. While, there are differences – maybe some stark differences – all Americans (99%) agree on the following:
#1: George Floyd should be alive today and he would be alive today, if not for the actions of a bad cop who murdered him by keeping his foot on his neck for over 8 minutes. This was wrong and should never occur. Americans should be saddened, angered or outraged that this happened.
#2: This police officer has been fired and charged with third degree murder. While everyone deserves “due process” under the law, all evidence suggests that this man deserves to spend the rest of his life in prison. Whether he is a racist cop or a bad cop or a poorly trained cop, his actions caused the death of George Floyd.
#3: Americans have the right to protest over this murder or racial injustice or anything else for that matter. This right is protected by the 1st amendment of the constitution. It is how we bring attention to an issue, vent our feelings and create change.
#4: Peaceful protests that turn into violent and destructive riots must stop. This does nothing to honor the life of George Floyd, nor does it create systemic change. It draws attention away from the real story. In fact, it destroys lives and livelihoods of the people in the communities that need these businesses.
https://kstp.com/minnesota-news/minneapolis-twin-cities-community-reaction-riots/5745543/?cat=1
#5: What happened to this woman and thousands of other residents is also wrong. Over 117 businesses (Target, Arby’s, Auto Zone, Walmart, local restaurants) in Minneapolis have been burned to the ground. Hundreds more have been broken into and looted. A $34 million affordable high rise set to open in 2021 was burned to the ground. This only hurts the black community further. This woman, Stephanie, shares her sadness, “I have no where to go now. These people did this for no reason.”
#6: The vast majority of police are good people who took the job to serve and protect the communities they live in. Officers are sons and daughters, husbands and wives, fathers and mothers. There are racists and people with violent tempers in our society and unfortunately some of them become officers. We need to weed them out and provide better training to those who remain.
#7: We need stronger leadership from the republican president of the United States, the democratic governor of Minnesota, the democratic mayor of Minneapolis and an African-American police chief of Minneapolis. America deserves their leaders to come together to solve issues, make things better and move forward.
Your Turn: What are your overall thoughts and feelings after watching these events unfold over the past week?
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Good post Dr. Joe.
I think all of these statements are true. The cop who killed George Floyd should be charged with 1st degree murder though and then put in jail for the rest of his life. A life for a life. These people are being hurt and they didn’t even do anything. People claim to be helping but they aren’t. They take advantage of this just to cause damage on places that have nothing to do with it.
so true Nakia Woodson
I think that there shouldn’t be any roits or people burning down buildings
i think that cop should be in jail till he dies
peopel should have more oppurtunity to have more get together things no matter the racist because everyone should be treated equally.
i think the police should be in jail not just fired i think he should be in jail for life just because i feel like he knew what he was doing
i think that man should be in jail not just fired i think he should be in jail for life just because i feel like he knew what he was doing
Yes i feel that no one should be judged by their race and nobody should be treated different and its ok to protest but all the riots needs to stop but that’s what i feel about this situation.
what happened to george floyd and breonna taylor was just stupid just because the were a different color does not mean they should die
I believe each event was inspiring because they are things that need to be acknowledged by Americans. Being honest is not just telling the truth, it’s also giving the details about the truth.
A lot of bad people go into the police force and kill people that did nothing wrong. They need to be taken off the police force and arrested or put in prison for wrongful murder.
In the wake of George Floyd’s death, there was a renewed focus on issues such as racial profiling, excessive use of force by police officers, and the need for police reform. Many people and organizations have been advocating for changes in policing practices, including calls for increased accountability, transparency, and community oversight. Overall, the death of George Floyd has had a profound impact on society, sparking a reckoning with issues of race and justice and inspiring ongoing efforts to address systemic inequities.