George Floyd Tragedy

George Floyd Tragedy

Justice for George is needed. But the terrorism and riots post-Floyd murder need to be addressed, the perpetuators accounted for and action taken.  What transpired did more to harm race-relations.  Certainly George Floyd’s death was wrong.  The opportunity for those calling others racists had the opportunity to show they can heal, they are above the fray and can standup for the rights of others as well as themselves,  They did none of that. And those that wanted to were denied the opportunity as rioters took the stage overwhelming the issue, and making a new one.  Not to belittle the murder, the outcome may be worse.  Why target Target or other’s property, regardless of race.  It makes the whole nation nervous and worried about those that take advantage of tragedies to commit violent acts, as if “protest” is their cover for pillaging and marauding.  What they have done is criminal.  Arrests must follow and charges be brought against those involved, or any that may have funded and supported such sedition. 

A group, change.org, sent messages to millions, by email, asking the following “On Monday, George Floyd was murdered after a police officer used his knee to pin George to the ground. The violent assault was caught on camera, sparking national outrage. …Millions of supporters had to take action. Their petition is demanding charges and accountability for the four police officers involved in this horrific crime. Add your name….George Floyd was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer. George was handcuffed and restrained and being completely cooperative when this all went down. The officer put his knee on George’s neck choking him for minutes on minutes while George screamed that he could not breathe. Bystanders beg for the police officer to take his knee off George’s neck, but the officer didn’t listen and continued to choke him. Not that it would matter at all, but George was not even wanted for a violent crime. A grocery store said that he was signing a bad check. … Please help us get justice for George and his family!”

After a week with riots in 41 States, a national disgrace posed as protests, what about justice for all the victims from the violence and destruction.  In cities throughout the United States agitators, using the George Floyd murder as justification, took to the streets.  This is the tragedy.  We need mass incarceration for all those engaged and responsible for the destruction of personal property.  This is violence.  It was violent.  There was no justification.  The Floyd murder was but an excuse for criminals and haters to take advantage of an opportunity to steal, commit arson, break windows and harm fellow Americans.  

Where is the love?  Where is the peace?  Many of the actors are those that are the first to cry ‘racism.’  What they have committed has done more to harm their arguments, harm the black community and set back progress made towards better relations among all people. 

Inspired

One news report headline read, “How Anger over Floyd’s Death has Inspired Nationwide Unrest.” I take exception to the use of the term ‘inspired.’ That word to me signifies a positive outcome reflecting hard work and the execution of a good idea. Something creative, new and exiting is inspired. There is nothing good resulting from the thuggery disguised, or excused by liberal and racist protagonists, to include the Main Stream Media (MSM), as a response to ‘inequality.’  The policeman was wrong, had a history of abusive actions towards criminals or suspects and yes, blacks.  He does not reflect on all Americans, or all whites or those labeled anti-black or racist. There is more racism reflected in the intrusive destructive selfish actions of the rioters, wrongly credited as protestors, collectively, than our nation as a whole. 

The real word is “incitement’ not “inspiration.” Riots were incited. 

The author of that headline should be fired for a lack of journalistic knowledge of the meaning and intent of words used. 

Riots not Protests

Those blocking highways, torching police cars and precincts, breaking windows, running off with TV’s, liquor, other store inventory considered of value, leaving shelves overturned and debris everywhere, are not civil rights activists. They are evil racists.  They are thugs.  Some say they are anarchists.  

Carol Anderson, chair of African American Studies at Emory University, said, "We have a nation that consistently criminalized blackness, that has systematically denied the humanity of black people.” But I say great progress has been made and incidents such as this do little to alter a feeling those blacks looting and burning, the whites too, are criminals. I find what they are doing is disgusting. It does not help their cause or plight. Who is responsible for this outcome?  Whoever is must be identified, all of them, and if black, white, rich or poor, called out for what they have done. 

The tension and chaos created is unnecessary and uncalled for. There is no justification. This is not about blackness or inequality. The result, there will be more Americans fearful of American large cities and crowds. How many will have a mindset and concern as to questionable neighborhoods, entering, shopping or investing, even walking?  The presence of a well dressed white, black, asian, male or female, person, will generate cat calls, threats, and even acts that can cause harm. Same for police and military.

One protester, apparently a frequent protestor said, “There was no respect for his life (Floyd’s). With everything happening with the coronavirus and everything happening in the world, we need all lives to pull together, supporting one another.” Given this statement where is the mutual support for peace. It is more mob rule, support for evil, intolerance and hatred to be applied to anyone and anything they can get their hands on with little or no resistance. If there are peaceful protests the media is not showing them, they prefer stirring the fames. 

These looters are a menace to all peace seeking Americans, the vast majority of which are nor racist.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison supported protesters in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death and said black people have reason to fear Minneapolis police, while also calling out people from outside the state who he claimed contributed to “negative behavior” during riots in the city. Another question, do people have reason to fear blacks, especially in historically troubled areas?  In the past Ellison showed sympathy for ANTIFA and just the other day his son, a City Councilman, publicly announced his support.  This is indeed problematic in itself.

It all went down on May 25, 2020, a Monday.  At this writing it is June 1, a week later.  Protests, most labelled as riots, not protests, have occurred in 41 States, mostly large city areas, more depressed in nature, and many being rehabilitated with new stores and businesses and restaurants where there are jobs and items for consumers.  For most Americans the George Floyd crime is losing its notoriety as the destruction, the violence, even deaths and horrific beatings, of men and women, are taking place closer to where they live, not Minnesota. Blacks cry out fear of police brutality, the use of excessive force and unequal justice, but now all Americans are expressing their own fears and concerns about those prone to take selfish acts, harm others, destroy personal and public property, and steal, from beer to luxury goods, and more, whenever the opportunity seems to present itself when a person of color, is wrongly harmed, especially by a member of a police force.  

What Next

All rioters should be arrested, their names should be posted, age, schooling, other info. They should be classified as more than a felon, a rioter/agitator. They should be billed for damages. And work to clean-up the mess created.  Maybe they should be required to wear orange jump suits while doing public service. 

Today it was reported in separate instances the tossing of molotov cocktails at police vehicles by young men and one woman, all lawyers. They were arrested. This is not a game they are playing. Their lives forward should be sans a law license. Disbar them all, as they have proven they do not respect law. Why practice it? Who were the law professors that taught them that such actions are responsible, even justified.  Peaceful protests, yes, but not riots or the tossing of incendiary devices. 

A police officer in Raleigh announced he would not protect businesses, as that is not his job or that of his department.  What?  Police are there to protect us all.  Property taxes pay their salaries. Those that do not wish protect America’s property should not join any police force. All businesses are essential. All Americans matter. All properties matter.

The rioters are mixed, white, black and other races.  The areas under siege tend to be in closer proximity to black neighborhoods.  License pates from out of state are common.  Wherever one is noticed someone needs to take the plate number down, notify the police and post it.  The crowds are young, generally.  The rioters arrive with heavy trash bags prepared to carry away their loot, thus prepared.  Cars have been stopped by police having several looters and many bags of the stuff they managed to take. The Governors, the Mayors, the police need to protect those in harms’s way, not the rioters.  They gave up their rights as soon as they broke a window, tossed a brick, spit on another person, or stole anything that was not theirs. 

All Lives Matter.  

by Thomas W. Balderston, author and blogger.  Books on amazon.