These last few days have been very trying times here in America, and it has great merit. The death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis Police Officer, who had his knee forcefully on the neck of Mr. Floyd, while three other officers looked on has sparked a fire in this country, and deservedly so. Watching the video of Mr. Floyd being restrained in the street, and him going lifeless was chilling and very disturbing to see. It’s made me do a lot of thinking over these past few days, and I’ve been trying to think of what to say and how to say it.
I keep thinking about my friends CJ, Sheik, Claude, Sylvan, Kareem, and my other friends who are black. I think about my friend Mansa. I think about my former boss Carlene. I think about them because when I see that video I see them and it scares me. It scares me knowing that that could have been them. It scares me to know that it can still be them one day.
I’ve been in a car that’s been pulled over twice where my friend was driving, and they were black. The first time happened when I was in college and was probably around 2005 or 2006. We were pulled over in a shopping center parking lot, and being the stupid teenager that I was I really never understood the levity of this moment because the officer gave him a ticket and then we were on our way. It wasn’t until two years ago when a friend and I were driving from a convention in New Jersey back home to Maryland that I really felt it. I felt that nervousness. I felt that panic. I felt that fear.
I remember the officer asking my friend to get out of the car, and the entire time I’m nervous because I see the cop’s hand around his gun, which was also ironically located right next to the audio controls for the walkie talkie. I remember the officer asking me why I was so nervous and I explained to him that with everything that has been going on these last few years, and given how my friend is black, it made me very nervous for his well being, and I even noted about his hand being by his gun and how that made me feel uncomfortable too. The officer understood where I was coming from, but I was still nervous and worried about my friend. We got out of the car, they went through our stuff, and found nothing except nerd stuff that we got from the convention, they gave him a ticket and we went on our way. But it still lives with me to this day because it was the real eye opener to everything.
I know I don’t speak much when it comes to this stuff, especially politics, but Black Lives Matter period. They should never be afraid to go out of their homes to go shopping, or workout, or go to work, or go to a concert, and etc. We need to do better, and we need to hold those responsible for these senseless deaths accountable for their actions. Murder is murder, and those people who do murder need to be charged and sentenced for their crimes against humanity. No one should ever have to live their life in fear just because of how they look. They should be able to live a life of happiness, and free of persecution
To all my friends I want you to know I love you guys and I can’t to see you all again. Sheik and Claude, I can’t wait to hit the court and play hockey with you guys again really soon.
We as a society need to do better, and we as a society will do better.
Where you can donate:
Minnesota Freedom Fund – https://minnesotafreedomfund.org/donate
