My 4 unpopular perspectives amid George Floyd protests

The wound that is George Floyd's killing is still raw. It hasn't gone away. Its impact is far-reaching and deep-rooted. From violent riots to peaceful rallies, prayer meetings to Facebook posts, thoughts and feelings are expressed passionately. I've limited my intake because I honestly don't want to feed on it all. But I have strong feelings of my own from what I have observed. Four things, in particular, are worthy of sharing.

1. I'm not a fan of the "Black Lives Matter" mantra. I see the T-shirts, hear the chanting, walk past the yard signs. And my reaction to it in the wake of George Floyd's tragic death is the same as it was when no one had ever heard of him: I'm no fan.

Why? Well, I don't believe it sends the intended message, assuming I even understand that message. As I see it, anyone who cares enough to be attentive to your voice already knows black lives matter. The people to whom black lives do not matter, the ones the message is geared to, couldn't care less how often and how loudly you scream "Black Lives Matter"; they still won't believe you. It'll take more than a phrase to convince them you're worth the cost of the ink on your sign.

Anyone who repeatedly has to tell the world they matter may not believe it themselves. Secure people who know their identity, know their value and know they have purpose don't spend time trying to convince others they matter. They just go ahead and matter and are often quite busy doing things that matter. They just "are." They just "be." Those screaming constantly that they're important, especially after someone has shown them exactly what they think of them is a futile attempt at significance, and significance cannot be given by others; it must be realized within ourselves. A gold chain would never yell, "I'm solid gold. I'm solid gold. I'm solid gold." It just is solid gold. Remember the line in Shakespeare's "Hamlet" "The lady doth protest too much"? Accusing others of not believing what they themselves have not yet grasped is my take on "Black Lives Matter."

So if you're expecting me to hashtag "Black Lives Matter" or carry a sign or wear a T-shirt, you'll be disappointed. I know I matter, the people who have sense know I matter and those who don't think I matter won't be convinced just because I say it a million times -- and, frankly, those opinions of me do not matter to me.

2. A lot of apologizing going on lately. So ...

Dear White People,

I appreciate the act of humility. However, you who have not done anything wrong, have not shot unarmed black people, have not used your knee to kill, have not broken into a home, have not engaged in police brutality, why are you apologizing profusely? You owe no apologies for being white, for not understanding what you have not lived, for occupying the planet. Unless you've been insensitive to the plight of black people or have been a racist, what is there to apologize for? You are who you are, just as black people are who we are. So the plethora of apologies ... why? No rational person is blaming you. Take note that I said: "rational." So I'm not sure if your apologies stem from ignorance -- and I don't mean "ignorance" in a derogatory way; I mean it in its original meaning: You just don't know. To me, when you begin to apologize and focus on what you didn't know before and how you feel now, you're unwittingly making it about you, though that's not your motive.

3. To those looking for your 15 minutes of fame, turn your clocks ahead, please, so we can get it over with. Observing videos of people antagonizing law enforcement 1,000 miles from Minneapolis, calling them racists and provoking them with profanity is disturbing, to say the least. We all know this is your shot to get on camera and your opportunity to act out because you're aware that officers know they're under intense scrutiny, and their hands are tied to a certain extent. I find this troubling. There are cops everywhere kneeling before protesters (which I find unsettling, by the way, but that's a topic for another day) as a sign of unity, yet folks armed with a Facebook or Instagram account want to scream obscenities at them, at cops who haven't done anything wrong, accusing them of racism just because they can. Just stop. Not only aren't you helping; you're hurting the cause.

4. Colin Kaepernick. Really? People are relating George Floyd, who was handled worse than an animal, to Kaepernick's situation? This is insulting; spoiled NFL player who used his fortune-inducing job, if we can call it that, as an opportunity to make a political statement is not to be compared to a man rendered helpless and reduced to begging someone for his life -- someone who might as well have been deaf. So, sorry, but I'm not buying all the connections and memes and renewed outpouring of love for the guy.

Now, you may disagree with me on any or all of these points, and that's fine. I'm not saying I'm "right." This is how Adrienne sees it. Feel free to draw your own conclusions and to be true to your own heart, as I am to mine.

Adrienne Ross is owner of Adrienne Ross Communications and a former Southeast Missourian editorial board member.