If you don’t plan to watch the video of #GeorgeFloyd’s murder, a few things you should know:
1. He said, “Please, Officer” numerous times.
2. He struggled to breathe, pleading for his life, for several minutes.
3. The officer remained on his neck after he lost consciousness.
1. He said, “Please, Officer” numerous times.
2. He struggled to breathe, pleading for his life, for several minutes.
3. The officer remained on his neck after he lost consciousness.
4. At no point does #GeorgeFloyd appear uncooperative.
5. Citizens begged unsuccessfully for the officer to get off of him or to at least check his pulse.
6. The other officers present appear to have done nothing - physically or verbally - to protect George from his attacker.
5. Citizens begged unsuccessfully for the officer to get off of him or to at least check his pulse.
6. The other officers present appear to have done nothing - physically or verbally - to protect George from his attacker.
Those are just some of the facts.
Here are some thoughts of my own.
It is not inconsistent to be a patriotic American and simultaneously angry that racism remains inextricably woven into our national culture. You can love America and demand she change.
Here are some thoughts of my own.
It is not inconsistent to be a patriotic American and simultaneously angry that racism remains inextricably woven into our national culture. You can love America and demand she change.
It is not inconsistent to acknowledge that police work is difficult and important and yet still set high expectations and demand enormous changes from law enforcement.
#BlackLivesMatter is not about opposing police, it’s about advocating good police work.
#BlackLivesMatter is not about opposing police, it’s about advocating good police work.
It’s not enough to just not be racist, or even to be against racist politicians and laws.
All of us, myself included, must perpetually ask ourselves what we have done to proactively undo systemic inequality and dismantle institutionalized racism that benefits us.
All of us, myself included, must perpetually ask ourselves what we have done to proactively undo systemic inequality and dismantle institutionalized racism that benefits us.
So before you say yes lynching is wrong but we must condemn the unrest in #Minneapolis as though one did not precede the other, consider whether you are being the “white moderate” who so disappointed Dr. King.
I’ll end with a paragraph of his that I think about often.
I’ll end with a paragraph of his that I think about often.
