What George Floyd's Murder Has Done For America

I’m going to be talking about both sides, in relation to the murder of George Floyd and will talk about the blatant, pathetic attempt to cover up the situation to make it seem not as bad as it really is. This mans unfortunate murder, has made a very big impact across the country.

The Arrest

Mr. Floyd was at a deli on May 25th, 2020. He went to buy a pack of cigarettes and paid with a 20 dollar bill. A employee that works at the deli called 911, accusing Mr. Floyd of paying with a counterfeit bill. The officers show up and here is where there grey area begins.

The police were trying to say that Mr. Floyd was resisting arrest. However, when viewing the videos bystanders took from their phones, security cam footage released by a Dragon Wok next door, and witness accounts, it can be safely said that Mr. Floyd was never resisting arrest. There are gaps in the footage, and the Minneapolis Police haven’t released and body cam footage yet. A separate department called Minneapolis Park Police, released heavily censored body cam footage from an officer who showed after Mr. Floyd was already detained.

The Autopsy

There has yet to be an official report. However, a statement was released saying that the medical examiner who viewed Mr. Floyd’s body, found no physical findings of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation. The examiner said that Mr. Floyd likely died from the combination of underlying health problems such as Coronary Artery Disease, Hypertensive Heart Disease and potential intoxicants, combined with the way he was restrained.

The family of Mr. Floyd don’t believe the examiner and are pursuing their own autopsy.

The Aftermath

It is no secret that Minneapolis is pretty much on fire, and that rage and heartbreak is starting to spread to other states.

Before the riots, it started out as peaceful protests from people expressing their feelings on the matter. It isn’t the first time that a black man has been wrongfully killed. I’ve already mention Eric Garner, there are also Tamir Rice, a 12 year old shot for holding a replica toy gun, Walter Scott, shot during a routine traffic stop, and the cop tried to lie about the story and gave a false testimony to investigators. These are only a few, believe me I can keep naming more. This article is for Mr. Floyd though, and we need to do what we can to learn from this and show everyone that it’s unacceptable.

There is a quote that has been thrown around a lot by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It makes too much sense to ignore and not bring up, “A riot is the language of the unheard.” People are tired of protesting, and nothing changing. MLK followed up that quote with “What is it that America has failed to hear?”

America has failed to hear the injustices that are caused by the people that are suppose to be protecting us. America has been protecting those individuals causing these injustices in the best way that they can. Such as lying, pathetic attempts that “disproving” evidence and denying blatant actions done by these pathetic individuals who abuse their power.

People are rioting, because they are done, they’re tired of not being heard. America will listen now. The question is, why did it have to take a city being burned down, riots in different parts of the country that are also damaging their city?

Is it that now it affects the governments wallet? Now they have less businesses to tax so they have to pay attention?

It’s unacceptable.

The Dark Side of These Riots

Lets address the obvious. COVID-19 is still here. It didn’t just go on break so that people can go protest, so that means the virus is probably going to spread more now, and a surge is probably expected.

Now lets talk about the fires. It is unclear as to the origin of the building that you see on fire in my post, There was articles claiming it was a precinct, a construction site, a business. From my own research, I believe that it was a affordable housing unit project, that was set to be opened later this year. 189 units were going to be available in that building, and now it’s gone.

Citizens looting businesses that have nothing to do with the situation. Citizens attacking other citizens for no apparent reason. Citizens having to take up arms and protect each other because who knows if the looters will go their way. The police aren’t helping so they have to help themselves. A precinct in Minneapolis was in fact burned down so that is less incentive for cops who are nothing like the individual that killed Mr. Floyd, to be able to help. They would more than likely get attacked because they wear the same uniform so theirs little reason for them to risk their neck when their life may very well be on the line.

I know it’s frustrating to not be heard, I just don’t believe harming your homes and each other is the way to show our frustration. Time and time again we get situations like to unify and somehow always end up fumbling the opportunity and falling short. Too many people have died because of these riots, and only more will suffer if another way is not discovered.

That being said, we cannot ignore the fact that a lot of have been cooped up in our homes and while I’m okay with being home, that obviously isn’t the same for others. I am almost completely positive that people are taking this opportunity to get out of their homes and release some of that tension they have been having, which is sick. This is a real thing that shouldn’t been used as a way of “having something to do”.

We need to be better.