On the evening of May 25th, 2020- Minneapolis resident George Floyd was murdered by members of the Minneapolis Police Department, one of whom knelt on the back of his neck for nearly 9 minutes while the other officers stood by and while Floyd he exclaimed he couldn't breathe and begged for his life. While this happened, witnesses were able to video tape the entirety of the incident which in turn sparked protests which were met with acts of aggression from local and federal enforcement officers. The resulting conflict caused destruction of businesses, area homes, in addition to the 3rd Precinct. Curfews were enforced for 2 weeks. Area businesses large and small, still rocked from the Coronavirus Pandemic shuttered and boarded windows as a precaution. The protests, by way of perspective, were largely non-violent and are still happening 9 weeks later. They are still happening nationwide. We won't touch Portland this week, but you can probably see a news story or seventy about it.
An immediate call to defund the reform law enforcement was made, the notoriety as mentioned sparked national outrage which was picked up and shared by news agencies and celebrities and has- in the last several weeks stalled to the point of inactivity while energies and focus get re-directed back toward controlling the ongoing pandemic. The police officers have been arrested and charged with only one jailed for the crime. The police officers union has made insensitive and tone-deaf remarks- and a spike in violence taking place over the Summer has caused a stall in momentum which has allowed parties politic to make armchair observations and calls to action that have been made following every civilian murder by the hands of law enforcement in our state. Murder of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color.
George Floyd was one Black man who was being detained for writing bad checks. Not some dramatic theatrical shoot out or drug deal gone awry with hostages like on TV. And his death was caught on a bystander's phone. One person. Providing the world with irrefutable proof that these people we want to imagine conduct themselves with pride, integrity, and respect of the communities they police were able to calmly and coldly end a person's life without an ounce of visible concern. It was bad enough that even white people in the 'Burbs were able to say the most damning condemnation they could muster, lacking any and all counter-argument: "WHAT THEY DID TO THAT MAN WAS WRONG AND THEY SHOULD GO TO JAIL!!!!"
But not *all* cops.
When I was ten, my father the cop using my brother and I demonstrated via role-play how two cops can "calm down" a male suspect by striking them unseen in the testicles while the other cop covers for them. We didn't talk about rights violation. We just all laughed when I was doubled over with a ball-hit tummy ache. Laughed.
We didn't talk about the larger issue of the emasculation of Black men being a historically potent and violent method of symbolic control.
One incident caught on film. How many aren't caught on film? How many beatings are left unreported because what's the point? How high of a tolerance do you have to that. Until you and your brothers and sisters have had enough? That the indignity of it all, of holding it back, until it's captured and shared like reality TV? It might- as a collective community- cause you to boil over.
And that's the bottom line. It's one cop it's the four with them and it's all cops and I'm really pissed off this has stalled and we're right back to where we started because I fucking knew we would.
(ahem)
But I'll remind you of this as long as I can. Until a sentence is handed down that provides justice for George Floyd...until Breonna Taylor's murderer's (who ARE walking free right now because "Oops, killed the wrong person better take some time before heading back to work this will all blow over" is *exactly* what is happening right now.) are brought in, until the racist commander-in-chief is voted out and his awful racist acolyte's never get within spitting distance and until we defund the police in the Twin Cities so that BIPOC people aren't unfairly targeted which- based on the current timeline, won't be happening in my lifetime.
But, that doesn't mean I won't speak out on it.
Be peaceful. Breathe. Read. Vote. Give money. Walk and stay active. Be kind. Think about others. And remember the platinum rule.
If you can spare money to help the donation sites for the homeless encampments and people./businesses effected by George Floyd's death it would be greatly appreciated and I'm happy to provide Venmo accounts for friends making weekly runs. They're running out of resources and support and they still. Need. It. Below are some helpful links to read.
https://blacklivesmatter.com/about/
An·ti·fa
/ˈan(t)ēˌfä,ˌanˈtēfə/
noun
a
political protest movement comprising autonomous groups affiliated by
their militant opposition to fascism and other forms of extreme
right-wing ideology.
"Saturday's rally had the support of Antifa, whose sworn enemy is the far right"
https://inside.augsburg.edu/diversity/george-floyd-initiatives/
https://justiceforbreonna.org/
