On Monday, May 25, 2020 a 46 year old Black man named George Floyd was murdered in broad daylight with spectators watching and recording as officer, Derek Chauvin of the Minneapolis police department killed Floyd by suffocating him with his knee pressed into Floyd's neck while Chauvin was on top of him applying more pressure.  The officer continued to apply pressure as spectators pleaded with him to let the man up and place him in the squad car, if he is arresting him. Some spectators even tried to walk over to help Floyd, but officers yielded them back and Chauvin even pulled out his mace and threatened that he would use it on the spectators if they came near him. Floyd even yells for help and let the officer know that "he could not breathe" as he lied on the ground gasping for air.  When Floyd was on the ground near the police car, he was not resisting arrest, he was already handcuffed and defenseless.  He was not a threat, yet Chauvin refused to get off of Floyd and remained on top of Floyd deliberately  pressing his knee into Floyd's neck for almost ten minutes.  

Several officers were on the scene as well, who did nothing to stop this horrible crime.  The other officers were, Thomas Lane, Tou Thao and J. Alexander Keung.  All of the officers were fired, including Derek Chauvin as the video became viral. Officers have to step in and stop injustice and inappropriate excessive force.  Wrong is wrong whether you are wearing a badge or not! To add to this tragedy, officer Chauvin has already had at least 17 complaints against him.  And, even with all the clear evidence, it is reported that the judicial system does not want to rush to judgment and imprison these men before full investigation, which we know could last long enough for Chauvin or any of the other now former officers to go and harm someone else or flee the country.

This is unfortunately, another black man killed at the hands of a white police officer and it continues to spark outrage in the community.  It is sad that his family had to see their loved one die this way.  It is sad that in this day and time, there is so much anger, fear, racism, and hatred in the multi-cultural world in which we live.  It is an outrage that leaves me furious and wondering where does it all stem from?  Are we taught fear and hatred by our parents, our friends, our families, our schools?  Most black people are taught to love everybody, even your enemy.  Although, this is not always an easy thing to do when you are mistreated.  African-americans who were enslaved still did not have this hatred towards whites; the fighting back isn't hatred or rebellion, it is defense.  It boggles my mind how and why some white people fear and have hatred for Black people as if Black people were the ones who enslaved them, stole their land, lynched them, separated, raped and murdered their families, and treated them unjustly.  As we mourn the loss of Floyd and other black men like him,  the world is outraged and the black community is so tired of injustice, police brutality and mistreatment.  As a result, in several cities, including Minneapolis, protest have become so violent that the national guards have been called in to defuse the situation.  Let just pray that more casualties will not be the end result.

Every police officer takes an oath to protect and serve, however, in the last few years, it appears that some feel that the oath does not apply to ALL people.  It does apply to ALL people.  We are ALL Human First!  This horrible crime brings to mind all of the Black men and women that we have lost at the hands of corrupt people in law enforcement and it is truly sad and has to stop.  Just think about the days when there were no body cameras, no dash cameras and no cell phone cameras.  Things like this could have been going on behind the scenes for years, before we even knew about it.  Now, that the world is watching, I hope that things such as this stops and it is going to have to start with everyone, including law enforcement officers and the court systems not having favoritism or prejudices towards anyone and treat ALL people like the HUMAN beings that they are.  When injustices occur, People cannot say, "You're pulling the race card," when it is clear on video, within companies, and on news television that there is an indifference of treatment among Blacks and Whites.  No one can understand the Black struggle, unless you've lived it.  Crime is crime and Murder is murder and should be handled as such, despite race or socio-economic status.  Former officer, Chauvin purposefully, unapologetically, and unempathetically murdered George Floyd, which is a crime and the other officers on the scene who witnessed the crime without stopping it are accomplices to murder.

Who teaches fear and hatred?  When you see a white person unjustly kill a black person, you can see the rage of hatred towards black people on the killers face.  If a black person hasn't done anything wrong to you specifically, where does the hatred and fear come from?  Is it taught to you?   Do not teach your children to hate or fear people that do not look like them.  We are All Human and have to co-exist in this world TOGETHER.  We have to wake up and stop killing each other.  Black Lives Matter.  Stop Killing Us.  All humanity should be outraged.

This senseless tragedy also brings Ahmaud Arbery to remembrance as well, who is another Black man, unarmed, shot and killed by two white men.  The two men were arrested and jailed.This has to stop and fair and ethical justice must be served!  On May 29, 2020 Derek Chauvin was arrested and charged with third degree murder and manslaughter.  We await to see what will happen with the other accomplices.  In Minneapolis, third degree murder, means that it was unintentional.  It looked intentional to me.  The aftermath has resulted in Cities like, Philadelphia, Atlanta, New York, and Minneapolis to engage in protests that began to turn into looting, destruction of businesses and setting police cars on fire. Rioting is not the answer, but it is getting attention.  People are shifting their focus from what happened to George Floyd to focusing on the looting.  As outraged as you are about the looting, you should be just as outraged about George Floyd's death. Don't just march in a protest, march in large numbers to VOTE.

Dear Black Man:
 

I Stand with you.
I Support you.

I Love you.

I Need you.
You Matter.

You are Important to me.

You add Value to this world.
I will Never trade you in
for anyone else in this world.
I will Never hurt you.

I will be Fair to you, when life isn't.
I Pray for you and with you.
You are more than a Conqueror.
You are a King.

Never forget that!

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I encourage women and men out there who cherish the black men in their lives to post this Dear Black Man statement on their social media page with your picture next to it.  Let's make this a challenge and make this go viral with the hashtag #dearblackman

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Condolences and prayers to their families and friends.  May justice be served and may they rest in peace.

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By Lynnette Clement