We Can't Breathe: The Police Need to Stop Killing Black People
By Melisha Daniels - April 20, 2021Derek Chauvin has been found guilty for the murder of George Floyd.
For the preservation of true and correct U.S. History.
On May 25, 2020, George Floyd was murdered by Minneapolis Police Department, Officer Derek Chauvin.
Brought into many of our lives via a cellphone video that showed George Floyd face down on the concrete pavement with his hands cuffed behind his back. Former police officer, Derek Chauvin, kneeling on his back. Over a span of approximately 9 minutes, Mr. Floyd begged for his life, called for his already deceased mother and 28 times stated "I can't breathe".
During those sum odd 9 minutes, the police officer was planted full weight on George Floyd's back. His knee firmly placed on the back of his neck, restricting George's airway. The victim had trouble breathing, lost consciousness and ultimately died from the former officers' actions.
The murder of George Floyd took place while onlookers, concerned citizens and even medical professionals pleaded for the officer to stop. To get his knee off his neck. To let him breathe.
George Floyd Mural - Berlin (Picture: Getty Images)
As the verdict of guilty was read, the nation breathed a sigh of relief. The National Guard on standby for potential protests have been told to stand down.
Many believe the conviction of a police officer in a Black man's death closes the book on police brutality and the protests that follow many officer involved homocides.
I won't minimalize the death of a Black man, when so many have been killed at the hands of the law. Mr. Floyd was one chapter in a thick book of Racial Inequality and excessive use of force the United States can't seem to finish.
George Floyd was murdered by the police. The police officer has been found guilty. The family has received justice.
As much of the country breathes a sigh of relief at the guilty verdict. While we exhale, just a bit, at the conviction of a police officer in the murder of a Black man. We can't breathe.
Prior to the murder of George Floyd, police brutality had been declared a public health emergency in the United States.
An analysis of the trend that is U.S. fatal police encounters, found that people of color are murdered by the police at a significantly higher rate than whites. The data from police encounters occurring between 2015 and 2020 found that Blacks are killed by the police at a rate 3 times higher than other races. That rate is slightly higher at 3.46 for Blacks who are unarmed when they came in contact with the police.
The authors correctly surmise, the public health emergency of police involved murders of American citizens detrimentally affects the health of people of color.
Post-guilty verdict in one of many police murders, what remains is a country still infected by police brutality. A disease nurtured by systemic racism, spread by prejudice and discrimination. As with any disease, police brutality and all it's components must be cut out root and stem.
We celebrate the guilty verdict in the murder of George Floyd.
Until independent and unbiased committees are established to review every officer involved shooting - We can't breathe.
Until laws are established holding police accountable for police involved murders - We can't breathe.
Until police brutality is eradicated from American society - We can't breathe.
