Thoughts on George Floyd

Derek Chauvin And George Floyd

This commentary is not so much about the issue of racism – or even systemic racism – where it may or may not exist.  It is about the way we see and react to events through the lens of racism and racist narratives.  The Floyd case is a perfect example of the problem.

Virtually all the reports – those media narratives – we saw and heard throughout and since the trial were conversations about assumed racism.  It was the racism of one cop – who is said to reflect the inherent racism of the national police culture.

But whoa!  Was the Floyd killing an example of systemic racism?  Did Chauvin act out of a deep personal racism – a hatred against Black folks?

Virtually everyone on all sides of the political divide agree that what happened to George Floyd was wrong.  The video, the bystanders, the emergency medic and even the Chief of Police testified that what Chauvin did was very wrong – and a diverse jury that heard all the evidence quickly decided that Chauvin was guilty of murder in the death of Floyd beyond a reasonable doubt.

I know some believe that the mobs intimidated the jurors.  But most Americans – who witnessed the killing of Floyd on television – were satisfied with the verdict.  Chauvin’s actions were criminal, and he will pay the price.  Justice has been served.  That alone, should suggest that 12 Americans of diverse backgrounds and a legal system were not influenced by racism. 

While the cries of racism rung out across the land via our news services, the case was never about racism – not on the part of Chauvin or as a reflection of the greater American society. 

At no time during the trial did the prosecution ever call Chauvin a racist – or argue that his actions were motivated by racism. They never alluded or referred to any examples of racist history on the part of the defendant. There were no racist posts on any of the social media.  There were no accusations of racism in any of the past complaints against Chauvin by angry citizens.  There was no testimony by family, friends or co-workers that described racism.

Even more significantly, Chauvin was not charged with a hate crime – and it is inconceivable that the aggressive prosecutors would not have piled that charge atop the others if they had any evidence of racism.

In other words, the incident and the trial had NOTHING to do with racism – neither as an act of racism nor as evidence in substantiation of the narrative of pandemic racism in the American culture.

Based on the evidence, it was a case of a rogue cop committing a crime.  It was a singular act of evil by an individual.  Reading more into it defies the evidence.  To put this case on the scale of racism is wrong – and is being misapplied by those who peddle their racist narratives for political advantage.

There are elements of systemic racism in specific locations in America, but it is not widespread among the American people.  Even where systemic racism can be found, it is the product of political leaders who depend on race-baiting to maintain power – not in the hearts of the common American.

Even if you believe that racism is rampant in America, this case does not provide evidence.  The fact that Floyd was Black and Chauvin is White does not mean this tragedy was rooted in racism.  Where is the evidence that it was?

So, there ‘tis.

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11 Thoughts to “Thoughts on George Floyd”

  1. Den

    No such thing as racist.just cheap talk to start trouble!

  2. Lishia Robertson

    Yes it was all about recism,and everything else that is going on ,the system was afraid of riot,all over so they thrower him under the bus,yes he should of let him up but he didn’t cause his death,yes he contributed to it but he was on drug and enlarged heart,he was starting to have a heart attack when they was trying to get him in the police car ,even then he was saying that he couldn’t breathe the. , if he wouldn’t have fight the police and got in the car he would be alive he was his on enemy

  3. Festus

    I watched when that Chauvin feller was convicted. He stood up, got handcuffed and went to jail real peaceable like. Reckon that Floyd feller would be alive if he did the same??

  4. brian

    floyd was a drugged up criminal !!!

  5. Tom

    I, like anyone else do not profess to know what was in Chauvin’s mind before, during, or after the incident, so I will not comment on his perceived prejudices. What I do know is,
    If George Floyd had not commited a crime, AND if his health was not already compromised by drug use, AND if he did not try to fight the police, HE WOULD BE ALIVE TODAY!!
    Also, if the COP had been a black man, we wouldn’t have even heard about this case!

  6. Helen

    Chauvin did not murder Floyd. He caused his own death via drugs–ingesting all of them so as to hide them from the police, resisting arrest, already having a form of heart disease which didn’t help him when he ingested the fentanyl. Also, the procedure Chauvin used was an approved method of restraint so why, all of a sudden, do people want to convict him of murder?! Was turning his life around so some say. Really!? Then why was he passing counterfeit money, stealing an item from the store, and carrying drugs on his person? Chauvin should go scot free!!! And I am NOT a racist. I have a black newphe in-law and two nephews whom I love very, very much.

  7. Kenneth Hoffman

    I do not know if Chauvin is a racist but that is not what is bothering me. The media tried DESPERATELY to manipulate the video that showed much more than 9+ minutes of the incident — no matter what you want to call it. How many people — from the beginning — knew that Floyd was saying “I can’t breathe” from inside the police vehicle just like he was on the outside of the vehicle? How many times was that portion of the video shown? Another portion of the video showed Floyd lifting and turning his head from left to right. If someone is putting their weight on your NECK (vs upper back) how do you do that? How many people saw that snippet that has evidently disappeared? The whole incident has been limited from nearly 30 minutes to 9+ minutes but some rather interesting parts left out from the media’s approach. One last question — why were TWO medical examiners called in (happens quite often) if the local county examiner had already made a decision that Chauvin’s actions may have contributed to Floyd’s death but enlarged heart an drug exposure were the determining factors?

  8. stephen anderson

    2nd degree manslauter by a fucked up cop

  9. Tom Fedup

    Like the rest of the nation, I am getting sick and tired of seeing – and hearing about – this big, ugly-ass criminal who died of a combination of stress and drug use while trying to resist arrest! All you people who continue to honor this loser, while doing everything you can to dishonor ALL police officers for the acts of a few, because you want to run amuck and ignore the law unimpeded by the police, MAKE ME SICK! You can always recognize a real racist – they’re the ones calling everyone ELSE racists!

  10. Grampa

    how much crime will be stopped? how many lives saved? how many kids stopped from a life of crime? well none now because we have one more cop gone from taking the criminal off the streets. all because of a criminal who chose to steal from a store that its owner must support a family. a thief that steals to support a drug habit he chose to do. he alone resisted arrest to the point that force was needed to hold him down as help arrived. the fact he was black is a condition of nature not mindset. then blacks think themselves above the law. we know by the mindless actions of so many people that rioted not because of the cops actions but they saw the chance to loot and burn which has become their nature.——I resist!———-Grampa

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