Week 12- Two Lessons

 George Floyd was murdered on Memorial Day, 2020, in South Minneapolis by members of the Minneapolis Police Department.  Minneapolis city (proper) is one mass, with outlying suburbs flowing into the West/Northwest/South part of the city.  North, South, Southwest, Southeast, Northeast are all city neighborhoods.  If you want a frustrating historical look at Redlining of neighborhoods, I may suggest checking out the TPT production of "Jim Crow of the North" to get your blood boiling as to how the city planners deliberately took aim to segregate the city.  Ergo, you may get misapplied commentary from those who do not live here as to whether a neighborhood is "good" or "bad".  And how badly can word of mouth affect a neighborhood in the city?  Pretty badly, actually.  I know people who wouldn't dream of coming into "the city".  

 

 

 

In North Carolina on August 9th, a boy named Cannon Hinnant was murdered by Darius Sessoms, Hinnant's neighbor.  There are no additional details that I've been able to unearth the motive, but Sessoms has been arrested and charged immediately with 1st degree murder.

That the latter isn't a horrifying crime, and it is.  The details are heartbreaking as they are senseless, but what has really came to light is the way the story has been presented.  Cannon's photo has been shown side-by-side with George Floyd's with a caption to the effect of "People have protested and destroyed property, but no one has mourned this poor boy who was murdered!!!!"  It will usually include Sessoms mug shot, and to make sure the public reading is aware-  including an unflattering photo, usually a mug shot taken after an arrest, is a dog whistle for racists that sends the message: 

Black = Bad

I had no idea about Cannon or his story.  Except that, like retired Saint Louis, MO captain David Dorn who was killed by people looting his friend's pawn shop, people have managed to gruesomely sensationalize their deaths in an attempt at driving home a point.  "This one random black guy's death was a tragedy, but the aftermath was destructive and violent and caused more harm than good!  Look at this poor kid!  I bet you won't share THIS image of retired Captain David Dorn!"

I didn't know about David Dorn either, until I saw a cousin share one of their friend's images of Dorn and Floyd with a similar caption.  I say gruesome and sensational because the images are meant to be shared and meant to be shared by like-minded people who tire of people like me saying "Black Lives Matter".  And here's where I define "FALSE EQUIVALENCE".

The only thing similar about Cannon and George is that they are both dead, and the circumstances around their death is extraordinary and tragic.  After that, they could not be further from each other even if they were in the same city.  Cannon's murderer was apprehended and charged without incident, awaiting trial.  George Floyd was murdered by cops.  4 cops were present, 1 performed the action that ended his life, the other three were released on bail and awaiting review.  

Police officers have extraordinary legal protections as well as union protection of their jobs.  If you've seen the Breonna Taylor case, she was innocent and murdered by cops during a no-knock warrant where they burst in and shot her to death.  No cops, none, have been arrested.  Still.

False equivalence has all the trappings of systemic racism that "All Lives Matter" has, while wrapped in a smug little bow of self-righteousness.  People pat themselves on the back for bringing cases like Cannon's to the fore, and seemingly pointing out the hypocrisy that (sshhhhhh *Black*) people use the death as an excuse to cause further problems...without taking a second to acknowledge the root cause of the issue:  Police running unchecked.  Police exhibiting overt racism, and being trained and led and function within a racist system.

Not to mention, there are a lot of death's happening that need called out and given widespread attention...houseless and transient sex workers, Trans Women, exploited children forced into sex trafficking, children in cages in the United States border states...want me to go on?

I guess, as a quick post script-  you ask anyone outside of the Midwest to tell you who Jacob Wetterling is, you may get blank stares.