As if a pandemic isn't enough, in the midst of an already imploding world, George Floyd- a 48 year old black man accused of using a $20 forged bill- was murdered by a cop. There is video of it. I forced myself to watch it, and words cannot describe how I felt watching it. Like I wanted to vomit and sob and scream all at the same time. A cop knelt on George's neck for over 6 minutes. After Floyd passed out (I believe, according to the video, at the 6 minute point he was dead), the cop continued to kneel on his neck for another 2 1/2 minutes. I don't know if I have ever seen anything so disturbing- cold blooded murder.
Because it was on video, the whole world could see it- and protests across the world started, and have continued.
Of course, we shouldn't be gathering. But as one black protester said, "Whether we die from Covid, or from a cop- either way, we die." In fact, George Floyd has the Covid anti-bodies. He survived Covid- but he couldn't survive being black in America.
My first experience with police brutality was Rodney King. I remember the LA riots when the cops were acquitted. I remember watching the horrifying video of Rodney King lying on the ground being beaten to a pulp by cops. I remember being 12, seeing the video, and thinking that it wasn't right. And then, I remember the cops getting off- and I remember realizing how unjust that was.
But, people older than me said, "well, he was high on cocaine. We didn't see the 20 minutes previous, about how aggressive he was to the police." And, being that I was 12, I remember I bought into those explanations that Rodney King somehow deserved to be beaten to a pulp, even while he was lying completely helpless and unconscience on the ground.
Then, Trayvon Martin happened. A teenage boy, wearing a hoodie, walking home after buying some Skittles. Some guy decides he looks threatening and ends up killing him for absolutely no reason- except he is black. And, the murderer got off. Why? Because Trayvon Martin was carrying marijuana. Because Trayvon Martin resisted when the killer told him to stop and do everything that the killer wanted him to do. This one was much harder to explain away, because I don't believe that carrying marijuana is working of the death penalty, especially without a trial, but explain it away they did.
But George Floyd? The video is out in the world for all to see. The murder is undeniable.
And so, there are protests. Everywhere. For once, the country is united- every single state has had protests.
Things are changing. Unlike Rodney King and Trayvon Martin which could be explained away, this video can not be explained. And the world is waking up.
As for me? I am not a gullible 12 year old girl anymore. I watched the video, and I am ready to be anti-racist. I am ready to learn and ask the hard questions. I am ready to fight against a system that creates black criminals the day they are born.
Between this and the pandemic, the world continues to implode. It is a crazy time- we are literally living history right now. The pandemic and George Floyd will be in the history books someday. Hopefully, we will learn from both and be better as a result of both.
