Updated: Sep 21, 2020
You know it when you see it. Call it the ‘Reasonable Man Theory’. What would any reasonable person, who is of sound mind and faculties, decide based on a complete review of the facts. Not supposition. Not hearsay. Present the facts.
His friends called him a gentle giant. Father to a little boy in Texas. Currently living in Minneapolis trying to start a new life for himself with his new girlfriend. But George Floyd isn’t a 5 foot nine 155 pound kid. He’s a 46 year old big man, once known for his basketball and football skills as a youth. An imposing physical force. He spent some time in jail but was trying to turn his life around.
He passed a fake $20 bill at a convenience store and the police held him down for nearly 9 minutes, with one cop kneeling on his neck. He begged to be let free - he could not breath. That extended hold would eventually cause asphyxiation which ultimately killed him. Abhorrent – much worse. Excessive force, without a doubt. All four of the officers need to be brought to justice. Someone had to be the responsible professional in the group and stop the excessive force. I saw the video. Nothing you can use as a defense.
It was wrong.
We live in a country where free speech is a right, as an amendment written into the most important document this country has, our Constitution. Another often misquoted but clearly stated document was the Declaration of Independence. It was written to the Governing Country, England, who claimed the original 13 colonies as its expansion colony but upon whom it had exacted completely intolerable rules, taxes and laws. The reasonable men who led those original colonies knew what was right and what was wrong. The Amendments are found in the Bill of Rights. It will take you 30 minutes to read all three documents. It’s what governs how we manage to live in the most sought after country in the world. But some would like to destroy this freedom because that freedom gives us incalculable power. It leads to innovation, and creativity and growth at a rate and success not experienced anywhere in history. It works, but it’s hard to make it so.
It is expected for everyone to voice their outrage over the obvious excessive force that caused the death of an already restricted man, regardless of his offense. It is. That voice will lead to justice based on a court system created to resolve such issues. It’s by far the best system in this world. Research what happens in any other country, especially in those countries where life has very limited value. It’s not very fast, but it does get the job done correctly more than 95% of the time. It’s not perfect, but it’s better than unreasonable rule and governance.
So in our country we get to voice our demand for justice, and we do it loudly.
It is not however acceptable that that same someone has the right to break the law and cause harm to another person, their property, or their rights, regardless of your position or belief on the first matter. Two wrongs don’t make a right. In a country reeling from the effects of a deadly pandemic, thousands have taken to the street to demand justice. Their message has a purpose and that message has been heard. The impact will affect the necessary change to correct the injustice.
But, this voice was infiltrated by another more sinister and much more dangerous voice. Anarchists. Discovered amongst the peaceful demonstrators an organized subgroup of outsiders intent on impacting an already emotionally charged group. In early arrests these individuals across the country mixed in with the crowds but with one intent, to incite violence, harm and destruction to innocent people, businesses and properties. Some of those businesses were only now getting the chance to open their doors after months of quarantine. These are the dangerous folks led by another force to destroy our liberties from within. The hundreds that have been arrested aren’t even from the cities where they were protesting, some not even from the same states. The peaceful demonstrators pointed them out to the police who were there to protect the protestors and protect their right to free speech.
In a world under unwanted and unexpected stress caused by outside forces this one could be the most dangerous. They seek to destroy our freedoms and to threaten our way of life by twisting and changing the message with distrust and chaos. These anarchist are driven by an organized leadership. Those individuals need to be discovered and brought to justice. If not, all of our liberties, our rights to freedom of speech and assembly, will be at risk.
Remember, dig deeper; there’s more at work here than what appears on the surface. Look for the facts and be the change.
I wish you well,
Dave