8 minutes and 43 Seconds! That is the length of time it took for Derek Chauvin, the police officer charged with second-degree murder in connection with the death of George Floyd to cause death by knee-asphyxiation. The 3 remaining officers involved in George Floyd’s death have now been charged with aiding and abetting murder. It’s a bitter sweet victory mainly because it took a brutal murder to enact change in the justice system.
What is most disturbing is the officers callousness. The sheer determination to complete murder regardless of who was watching. The inaction of the 3 officers, the silence, the failure to stand against injustice was deafening. Actions really are louder than words! There also was an uneasiness when watching the smug look on Officer Chauvin’s face. The “I don’t give a damn who’s watching” attitude left the world knowing, I’m comfortable doing this. His false arrogance, his demeanor, his overall cavalier attitude signaled to me and African Americans around the globe, “I’ve done this before”.
Think about this, there is no way you can be that cocky if you haven’t exhibited actions such as these before, then got away with it! More importantly, there are many training officers just like then Officer Chauvin that have turned a blind eye to violence, racial profiling and excessive force against people of color. Yes! Officer Chauvin’s actions were reprehensible there is no question of that! But what about his accomplices? The Chief of police, where were they? What about the media that portrays only black men as drug dealers, gang bangers or as though men of color have zero intelligence? What about them? Or those that hold the highest office in our country that only speak out against racism when its popular. When will the vast majority see the real world around everyone of us?
Anyone with a beating heart can see that George Floyd did nothing to warrant death. Anyone with a conscience can see that the 3 accompanying officers sat back and watched silently as flat out murder was committed in broad daylight.
No longer can seeing eyes ignore the officers that stood by idly and observed. No longer can we bring up the past of dead black men to assassinate their characters to justify the many senseless deaths of black men around the world.
It is 2020 and this is still happening! How long must the African American populous have to stand by as predominantly black men are falsely imprisoned, plotted against, preyed upon, hunted down and eventually killed? It’s time to not only listen but learn How long will the vast majority remain silent?
“There comes a time when silence is betrayal.” “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” “Only in the darkness can you see the stars.”
Dr. Martin Luther King
Join the Me to We Talk Podcast in the 2-part series “I can’t breath” along with subject matter experts Dr. L. Wells and Elders Michael and Yolanda Bracey as we discuss how to overcome the stigma of racism in 2020. You don’t want to miss this polarizing episode! Someone has to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth…SO HELP ME GOD! Download, Share and Subscribe TODAY!