It seems inexcusable that the Minneapolis police officer who killed George Floyd on May 25th, 2020 was not charged sooner than Friday, May 29th. It seems inexcusable that charges still have not been filed against the other three officers.
Police officers are first responders. They are trained to effectively make spur-of-the-moment decisions in life-and-death situations. They carry weapons for a reason, and are supposed to be trained to exercise restraint in the use of force.
It’s inexcusable that apparently for over eight minutes police officer Derek Chauvin had his knee on George Floyd’s throat, apparently for over two minutes after Floyd became unresponsive.
Furthermore, the other three officers either didn’t notice, or chose not to intervene effectively. Why?
The right decision was made to fire all four. The right decision was made to charge Chauvin. Now the decision needs to be made to charge the other three officers with something. Perhaps criminal negligence? I’m not a lawyer or law enforcement officer, so I’m not sure what the specific charge should be.
Furthermore, it may be important to note that the officer who committed the murder apparently had been charged with eighteen previous misdeeds as an officer, only two of which received punishment, and those only received a “letter of reprimand.”
I don’t know if the two reprimands were for minor infringements. I don’t know if the other sixteen were things that deserved no punishment or were from false accusations.
However, I think more information, more disclosure, is better than less. And if it is found that the other eighteen offenses were things he was guilty of that deserved criminal charges or termination from his employment, the police department has some explaining to do. A lot of it.
Emotional Reactions
When emotions get out of control, bad things happen. What leads to out-of-control emotions? Sometimes it is perceived inaction or inappropriate action taken by persons in positions of authority. This inaction precipitates destructive emotional outbursts by others that can lead to even worse things than whatever the original situation was.
Too often laws and the legal justice system protect those who make and enforce the laws at the expense of others. Judges and police officers who empathize with their comrades too often cover up or minimize their misdeeds. Republicans, Democrats, liberals, conservatives, Caucasians, African-Americans, Hispanics, Freemasons, church members, etc., cover up or excuse errors by members of their group, while condemning those of others.
We need caring, compassionate justice that seeks to attain the best solution for the whole situation.
And I dislike violence, and have since childhood. In the seventh grade I even chose campus violence for the topic of the term paper I submitted in April 1971 for an English assignment.
Reasons Persons Become Law Enforcement Officers?
My guess (only a guess) is that police officers often seem to seek careers in law enforcement primarily for one of two reasons.
Many seem to desire to serve others, to see justice and fairness prevail. And I like to think this constitutes the majority of police officers.
Another group, I like to think a much smaller one, seeks the job maybe as a way to have power over others.
Some officers who enter for the right reasons, become jaded and change due to the bad things they experience on the job. Some other officers who enter the force for the wrong reasons learn from experience and training and become quality officers.
No Good or Bad People, Just Good or Bad Actions
There are no good or bad people, just good or bad things done by people. We need to help others. We need to help those officers, but we can’t allow them to abuse their authority, and they need to face consequences when they do.
Similarly, the looting, fire setting, property destruction, and violence committed by protesters are definitely wrong. It needs to cease. It’s counterproductive. Persons need to face consequences for this too.
Disagreements Between Liberals and Conservatives
Maybe cooler heads will prevail. Maybe even liberals and conservatives will recognize each side has strengths and weaknesses.
Maybe liberals calling for gun control will watch videos of looters destroying businesses with the police not interfering, while other businesses that were protected by owners and employees holding guns at the doors of their businesses avoided the destruction. Maybe they will recognize why many law-abiding citizens want guns. Maybe they will recognize the need to limit protests.
Maybe conservatives claiming police don’t commit abuses will watch the video of George Floyd’s death and urge that police who commit criminal actions be prosecuted. Maybe they will learn the history of past police abuses in Minneapolis and elsewhere that led to innocent persons being beaten, killed, wrongfully arrested, or harassed far too often for far too many years, and better understand how things build up to a boiling-over point. And seek improvements.
Nonviolent Resistance Can Be More Effective Than Violence
Over 2,000 years ago, when Jesus willingly submitted to crucifixion after preventing a follower from using a sword to defend him in the garden of Gethsemane, his religion did not die. Followers of Jesus now constitute the largest faith group in the world.
When Mathatma Gandhi urged nonviolent resistance in India, his works led to positive changes.
When Martin Luther King, Jr., led nonviolent resistance in the United States, positive changes came. Seeing his followers being beaten on that bridge in Selma, Alabama in view of television cameras in March 1965, likely made it evident even to children who watched the scene later on national television newscasts, which side was correct. Some say that nationally televised clash in which many unresisting protesters were badly beaten by law enforcement officials was the key turning point in the civil rights movement.
Discrimination hasn’t ended. But much progress has been made. Destroying groceries, banks, and other businesses isn’t helping matters. Sadly, many of the destroyed businesses probably belong to people seeking to help the underprivileged. In some cases they were even owned by African-Americans who worked hard to open and build up a business, rising from poverty to own a successful business.
Closing Thoughts
Let’s make sure we condemn the actions, not the persons committing the actions, condemn the sins, not the sinners.
Those police officers likely endured a lot of stress and strain in a tough job. Those protesters who committed the looting and set fires likely have a lot of pent-up emotions from decades of discrimination and suffering. The officers and the protesters may have witnessed situations in the past that no human being should have to see or be a part of.
We all need to unite for positive change. As a Christian, I am called to love others. Those police officers responsible for George Floyd’s death did not show love. Those protesters who looted and burned buildings did not show love.
Let’s seek to help those on both sides. We need accountability. But even more, we need love.
NOTE:
This article being submitted to Google Blogger on May 31st, 2020 is virtually identical to one the author submitted earlier the same day to Craft News Report, a website operated by his friend Paul Craft.
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