By Sarah Burnett
We are supposed to be living in a country where “all men are created equal.” But in recent light of events, it is quite clear that we still live in a world full of hatred, racism, and inequality. On Monday, May 25th, George Floyd, an unarmed African-American, died in police custody after a white police officer had him pinned to the ground by kneeling on his neck. His death has sparked a international Black Lives Matter civil-rights movement which has resulted in protesting, rioting, looting, anger, a social media firestorm, and the continuation of an important conversation about racism that is still alive in our country.
In the Minneapolis neighborhood of Powderhorn, George Floyd was a 46-year old father, brother, son, friend, and well-liked coworker at several local businesses. Tera Brown, his cousin , that “everybody loved him. You wouldn’t be able to find a single person who knew him who didn’t love him.” George Floyd’s friends and family say that he moved to Minneapolis to start a better life with his family, but little did they know what was coming.
On a seemingly-average Monday night, Floyd went to his local grocery store, Cup Foods, to buy a pack of cigarettes. He was a regular, store owner Mike Abumayyaleh told NBC. “He was a friendly face, a pleasant customer who never caused any trouble,” said Abumayyaleh. Floyd tried to pay with a $20 bill, but the store employee thought it was a counterfeit bill. Following store protocol, the teenage employee notified the police of the alleged counterfeit money. Several minutes later, the police arrived on the scene.
This is when things started to become violent. One of the police officers pulled out his gun and ordered Floyd to show his hands. According to two police officers dealing with the situation, Floyd actively “resisted being arrested.” When officers tried to put Floyd into the police car, he “stiffened up, fell to the ground, and told the officers he was claustrophobic,” (ABC News) according to reports. Shortly after, two more police officers arrived on the scene. This is when officer Derek Chauvin arrived on the scene. In attempting to stop Floyd from resisting arrest, Chauvin pinned George Floyd onto the ground by kneeling on his neck.
On cameras from bystanders, Floyd is heard to say “I can’t breathe.” “Please, please, please..” George Floyd was begging the officer to get off of his neck, yet Chauvin refused. Floyd was responsive for about six of the eight minutes he was pinned to the ground, but then lost consciousness. Bystanders were screaming and yelling at the officer to get off of Floyd, yet the three other officers surrounding him said nothing. After paramedics arrived at the scene, George Floyd was pronounced dead. All four of the police officers were fired, and Chauvin was later arrested and charged with third-degree murder and manslaughter of George Floyd. [UPDATE AS OF 6/5/20- All 4 officers have been arrested and charged of murder, and they are all awaiting trial.]
People are enraged with the death of Floyd. This is just a small look into racism that is still present in today’s society. Of course Floyd’s death isn’t sitting well with anyone; it was 100% wrong. People across the country have been expressing their lack of trust in the police force, and are starting to take their anger out by protesting and calling for reform to the justice system.
Protests and riots have broken out across the United States. Initially the protests were peaceful, but in a few places this didn’t last long. People have been destroying and looting businesses, buildings are being burned down, people are being teargassed and shot at with rubber bullets by police, historical monuments/buildings are being vandalized and destroyed, people are smashing and dancing on police cars that are set on fire, and there is so much more. It looks like something straight out of a movie, and many people can’t believe it’s actually real.
These events have raised the question as to whether or not these riots are essential in order to institute change to the justice system. One freshman from a Long Reach High School said that “the protesting is good, but setting a Target on fire is ridiculous. Yes of course there needs to be protests, but why has it become so violent? It has gotten too far.” On the other hand, a junior from Atholton High School said that “Some people see violence; I see American citizens finally united.”
Government officials are trying to bring a halt to the violence and destruction, with many states now calling up the national guard. They are also fearful that these protests will trigger a second wave of the corona virus due to the amount of people closely packed together. As an American citizen, you have the right to protest. You can voice your opinion and be heard, but it is also important to stay safe.
The protesting isn’t just physical, it’s becoming virtual as well. The Black Lives Matter Movement is sweeping across all social media platforms. People are posting links to sign petitions, sharing websites to donate money, posting videos of police brutality, and overall trying to bring awareness to the huge issues the world is facing- in regards to the oppression of African-Americans. Many celebrities are using their platforms to share their support towards the black community. Many are embracing the words of Archbishop Desmund Tutu, who said that“if you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.”
The death of George Floyd has also brought awareness to the quiet culture of hate and racism within Howard County. HCPSS students are using their platforms to voice their opinions on the social injustices different schools are facing. A senior at Oakland Mills High School posted a brief message to instagram which has caught the attention of thousands of HCPSS students. In the message he posted, he stated that “I am constantly hearing Oakland Mills, Hammond, and Wilde Lake constantly referred to as the “ghetto” schools or the “bad schools”…. We are not the “ghetto” schools because we are stupid, have drug problems, or high crime rates, because we aren’t any of those. We are the “ghetto schools” because we are majority POC (people of color).” This senior is one of many in HCPSS who have recently voiced their opinions about the inequalities and unfairness of treatment within Howard County. Others in Howard County wish to express their opposition in a protest scheduled to occur at the AMC movie theaters on June 2nd in light of the death of George Floyd.
In a year that is already dominated by uncertainty and worry, George Floyd’s death adds to the tumult that is engulfing our country. George Floyd’s death has led to a tremendous backlash. He did not deserve to die. Protests are continuing to break out across the United States. Please stay healthy and safe.