Today is the one month anniversary of the killing of George Floyd.
Today all United States residents should take a knee.
We all need to look at our country, our nation, our society, and its systems and flaws - some so deep we are killing our brothers and sisters with them.
Whether we are killing directly, such as police "over-kill", or through our laws, policies, systematic bias, or individual ingrained prejudices, WE are killing our brothers and sisters in a day and age this should have been long behind us...
The deep pain and scars have not been healed, they have been scratched open.
Today I pray everyone living in the United States would take some time to contemplate our pledge and our national anthem. Think about how those words DO NOT cover all;
Liberty and Justice for All
Land of the Free
Mr. Floyd cried out "I can't breath!".
His dying words.
Aren't those words exactly what the African Americans have been crying out ever since they were shipped here?
They seem like the perfect words to symbolize asking for the God-given right to breath free, to BE free.
To live as our pledge states, to be sisters and brothers on equal terms, given the same privileges as the European Americans who conquered this land. I do not say they wish to be given the same rights as their Native American sisters and brothers, because they were stolen and never returned.
I love my country, where else could I enjoy such freedom to speak my mind and pursue my own path in life, among many other freedoms and privileges. This country has great potential.
However, it is not great.
I am very disappointed by my country, like a child I love dearly, it has fallen so short of its potential.
It is not great,
but it could be.
Today I think about the horrifying video of Mr. Floyd's final minutes beneath the weight of a U.S. police office, crushing the life out of his brother, his fellow citizen.
I surely feel if that had been me in Mr. Floyd's situation the outcome would have been so different; as a female European descendant the statistics show the officer would have assumed I did not know I was passing a fake 20 dollar bill.
He would have given me the benefit of the doubt -
as was his job to do with any one.
I would have been questioned, probably politely, and perhaps asked to make a statement at the station.
We now know Mr. Floyd and that officer had a past relationship. That is no excuse. The officer abused his power to communicate his hatred. That officer revealed to the world his need to hate and crush his brother.
This has happened too often, once was too much.
Even here in my own state, even in my own community.
February 25, 2015, Pasco WA, Antonio Zambrano-Montes was fired upon 17 times as he fled police. He was pursued and killed for throwing rocks at the police. I watched the video horrified as he ran with his hands up.
In 2006, in Spokane Otto Zehm was killed by police, a developmentally disabled man who was just trying to purchase a cherry soda. It was ruled a homicide, the officer was given 51 months in prison for "excessive use of force".
2018, Wayne Scott Creach was shot and killed by a police officer, 74 year old man on his own property.
Shonto Pete was shot in the head, and survived, in 2007, by an officer under questionable circumstances. An officer known for violations with use of force.
Our policing system/culture is NOT protecting us. We need to overhaul and change it.
This is a link to Aljazeer, where they have honorably listed, by name and details, as many of the wrongful police killings that the public has been made aware of:
List of African Americans Wrongfully killed by police
Let Me Breath
I ask our nation to come together, take a knee, humbly ask for forgiveness, and begin the walk forward with ALL our sister and brothers, towards a compassionate society where everyone has the right to Breath Freely,
the comfort of being in public spaces without fear,
able to breath easy knowing they can choose their future,
experiencing the freedom of life that our nation promises to ALL.
Because right now our black sisters and brothers are screaming "I can't breath!"
reaching out for fairness, justice, equality, compassion, freedom -
all the things the euro-American population takes for granted.
Black Lives Matter.
It is not a statement to belittle.
It is a call to awareness,
it is an opportunity to bring new breath into our country, fresh breath.
All lives matter, however it is NOT all lives that are being killed.
It is our Black sisters and brothers.
I love the U.S.A., that does not mean I cannot see it's flaws and needs.
This is what people call tough love - eh? Look at the truth and begin the work to correct it.
Let us make America great together
by resuscitating the dream;
“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed —
we hold these truths to be self-evident:
that all men are created equal.”
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
May we all begin dreaming such lofty worthy goals - together.
May we mourn for George Floyd's family and loved ones, and ask for his forgiveness for our lack of action on behalf of our Black sisters and brother.
Tomorrow is a new day. I pray as a nation, we accept the challenge, take a deep breath, and begin the hard work of change - together.
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/05/remembering-george-floyd-devoted-father-gentle-giant-200531070908430.html
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