05/28/2020
I can't and don't comment on every societal issue, but I feel compelled to provide some of my thoughts based on the recent horrific act of violence against George Floyd in Minneapolis.
You undoubtedly know what occurred and have likely viewed the video surrounding the terrible and unnecessary use of force against Floyd by Minneapolis police. 3 officers pinned him down, 1 of whom restricted Floyd's ability to breathe with the pressure of his knee against Floyd's neck and another officer stood around acting like a coward, doing nothing. They were all cowards and hopefully receive the punishment that they deserve.
I'm not black and won't pretend to have an understanding of the pain that the black community feels in the latest act of violence against a black individual. From my perspective, I see the problem as being much larger than race. It's a societal issue.
We all simply need to have more respect for one another, irregardless of the color of our skin, the religious beliefs we practice (or don't), our s*x, etc. There is no place for bigotry against any race, class or gender in 2020.
I think it's important for everyone to speak their minds about the violence committed against Floyd, because there's just not enough that any one person can say about it. It is so troublesome to me that someone who said "I can't breathe," loud and clear, was ultimately killed based on the force of another. We need to be able to hold police officers to a higher standard and these 4 cowards make it more difficult for the many reputable officers around the United States to conduct their duties, which is mainly to protect society. That's also an unfortunate consequence of all of this.
Black people aren't inherently bad people. Cops aren't inherently bad people. We need to eradicate these stigmas altogether and start operating as a more unified society.
Put aside political affiliations on this matter and other issues like it; this is a fight for the sanctity of the human race.
There is no way to justify the use of force against Floyd, and I don't need to wait for "the facts" to come out. I've watched the video and the response by the Minneapolis police simply doesn't meet the eye test.
While I am a lawyer, I do not practice Criminal Law, so I am not going to opine as to what the charges should be against the police officers involved in the brutal act. But I do know that they should be swiftly punished and made an example of so that everyone understands that this type of activity cannot be tolerated in a society that prides itself on being better than what's available in other countries.
Floyd allegedly tried to pass a counterfiet $20 bill at a grocery store. Shame on him. It would have been nice to have him be reprimanded for the act, if the allegations were true. The problem is that, because of the brutality by the police, justice can't be served. He's no longer living. In fact, the opposite of justice occurred when excessive force was used against someone who expressed that he couldn't breathe. All over $20.
I know I may lose some followers for posting about an issue like this as opposed to the more traditional content that I post, but oh well. I'm hurt by the fact that society is suffering. I'm hurt that friends of mine feel a deep connection to Floyd and are concerned about their own wellbeing. I'm hurt by the fact that we can be better people, but choose to act in ways that are disgraceful and unethical.
It shouldn't take a man losing his life for us to wake up and realize how precious life is, for all of us. Let's be better as human beings and let's start today.
