Riot Irony
Derek Chauvin is a murderer. What he did to George Floyd is disgusting, terrible, evil. He should have been immediately arrested, as would have any civilian. The other officers should have stopped him before Mr. Floyd’s life was forced from his body, and for that reason they need to all be tried as accomplices.
Everyone is outraged by this. I have not heard anyone, in person of through media, defending the killer. Anger that has been building and bubbling over for years, seems to finally have hit full on explosion. Our nation is long overdue for reform of not just our police, but the entire justice system, and it looks like we will see it.
While I rest up for another big work week, there are people working overtime, both professionally and in grassroots efforts, to make these changes happen. Dedicated civil servants, and civilians, not willing to see another man murdered and his killers allowed to walk away. Then there are people who are using this time as an opportunity to push their own agendas. Or to simply loot an get high on mayhem.
As the Minneapolis Target burned the other night, I saw #BlackWallStreet trending. The Twitter-world (don’t get stuck there!) opinion seemed to be “You’re mad about Target being destroyed? Black Wall Street was worse.” What happened in Tulsa in 1921 was an absolute abomination. But in accordance with what seems to be the state of our world today, people would rather throw torches for the sake of seeing blaze, regardless of who gets hit, even themselves.
The irony of waging destruction on our city streets is that it ultimately harms the most vulnerable in our country more than anyone else. It’s a Black Wall Street across the country and across racial lines. The lifestyle of Target’s CEO is not going to be affected by rioting, but employees who may not have work to go back to will feel it. The Apple Store will get a new window and restock the phones and the laptops. But for the mom and pop restaurant already weathering an unbearable storm from a global pandemic, that Molotov cocktail may be their coffin nail.
This speech by Atlanta’s Mayor sums it up best. And yes, if what is happening in your cities and states is messed up, work for new leadership.
“So when you burn down this city, you’re burning down our community!…GO HOME!”
— Keisha Lance Bottoms, Atlanta Mayor
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