I just don’t understand how you can put your knee on someone’s neck for eight minutes while that person says he cannot breathe and as people around you are imploring for you to show mercy.
So, I don’t know how you explain away the death of George Floyd with a clear conscience or any semblance of humanity.
All this happened recently after the shooting of Ahmaud Arbery, who was out for a jog, and the altercation involving Christian Cooper, who was out bird-watching, both of which also were captured on film.
Imagine the many incidents that happened that were not documented because smartphones didn’t yet exist? Imagine the incidents that happen today out of the view of mobile devices?
I don’t have any interesting insights other than to say that all of these events are incredibly saddening. And, I remember the words of James Baldwin: “To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time.”
Last, I want to share the video below, which a friend posted. It is a beautiful song. Haunting, plaintive. The singer is 12 years-old. As my friend wrote, it is sad that this song must be sung even at all.