My six George Floyd reflections

I had written something different for this week, but I had to take a hard turn. As much as I did not want to weigh in, and as much I wish there was nothing of this sort to weigh in on, here I am. I have to speak because the George Floyd and all the George Floyds of the world deserve it.

Why did I not want to broach this subject? It’s just so painful. I don’t mean the killing. Yes, that’s painful, but what I mean here is that sifting through my own thoughts and feelings is painful. It’s emotionally and intellectually exhausting. I feel that way about many things I write about—a necessary process but one I have to steel myself to undertake. People don’t get that. They don’t get the process. They pick up the newspaper or type in the web address, read and criticize or praise—not understanding what it takes, if only internally, to tackle what are often hard subjects.

Before I go further, I want to be transparent and divulge that I have not watched the video of officer Derek Chauvin killing George Floyd. I have a weak stomach and avoid such things. I’ve seen the image of his knee on Floyd’s neck. I’ve listened to and read comments about the disturbing scene. I’m obviously not blind to what took place; I just don’t want to witness a man’s anguish, pleading and final breath.

This tragedy has elicited many thoughts, and though I’m not ready to articulate everything, this is what I can manage to put into words:

1. The answer to what is transpiring in our culture is not politics, opinions or protests; it’s love. And God is love. God is the answer.

2. While, again, protests are not the answer, they are an expression of justifiable anger, and, when peaceful, they have their place. Destroying property and tearing down communities are not helpful tactics. They’re unacceptable, irrational and solve nothing. Furthermore, they are also causing the death of innocent people, which is counterproductive and contradictory to the message that is supposed to be at the heart of the protests. If you’re outraged by the loss of innocent lives, why are you harming innocent lives? Having said that, there is strong suspicion that much of the mayhem is being perpetrated by “outside agitators,” not Floyd protesters.

3. Don’t exploit this time to score political points. I witnessed someone blaming Democrats and disparaging someone who commented on one of my social media posts. People like that worry me. Another man is dead, killed in such an unthinkable manner, and your response is to comment about Democrats? No matter where we stand politically, we are better than this.

4. Timing matters. When a bad cop kills someone, it’s not time to point out how much you love law enforcement and how “blue lives matter.” There’s a time to express support for officers, but when that’s the focus after an officer’s evil actions, it trivializes the value of a life lost. It takes attention from where it should be: the human being so callously killed. Look, every rational person knows not all cops are bad. It doesn’t need to be said now. I get it. I really do, but save it for another time.

5. Rational people also understand that families are concerned about their loved ones who are police. Cops do dangerous work, and at times like this, families worry about them even more. But these same people need to realize that mothers, spouses and children of black men carry that same worry for their loved ones — knowing the danger they face because of their skin color, knowing the “mistaken identity” possibilities, knowing the stereotypes that cause people to react differently to them than others and knowing that some people are just racist. These black folks love their families as much as the families of law enforcement officers love theirs. I hear moms of black young men say they don’t breathe easy until their sons walk in the door. That’s quite a weight to carry. We should empathize with one another on this front.

6. We should be as outraged by any act of injustice, not just those heaped upon someone who looks like us. Love causes us to ache for Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd, no matter their race. I understand that when increasing numbers of injustice affect a certain group, it garners a certain response, but if we are only moved when certain people are targeted and/or killed, we have to examine our hearts. Every single life has value and deserves honor.

I could go on, but this is enough for now. As I said, it’s a painful process sifting through all the thoughts that so many of us are dealing with. We may disagree politically, but I pray for all of you and for me — that we will be united, not divided, that the God Who is love will be the God of our hearts. What we’re dealing with is bigger than prevailing politically and winning an argument. May God help us stand together as one race — the human race.

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