L.A. Parker: A violent reaction to a violent death is wrong
George Floyd died in vain, at least for one night.
That observation resonated clearly as protests about his death turned violent Wednesday with widespread looting, fires, a shooting death and police deployment of tear gas.
Anger about Floyd dying Monday as he begged a Minneapolis police officer for air does not mean it’s open season on stealing. In fact, no doubt opportunists waited, hoped for a chance to get something for nothing all in the name of Floyd.
Reports noted that looters had breached an AutoZone store and a Target had been looted. Takers entered a Cub Foods store and a Dollar Tree. Plus, what would a night of trashing Floyd’s memory be without breaking into a liquor store.
Fortunate that Minneapolis does not have legal marijuana dispensaries or those socially-minded late-night shoppers would have succumbed to reefer madness.
Protests developed around the country days after a Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pinned Floyd to the ground. The officer pressed his knee against the neck of Floyd while three Minneapolis police officers, Thomas Lane, Tou Thao and J. Alexander Kueng did not intervene.
All four officers have been fired while an FBI investigation could produce other legal actions against the officers. Even if that occurs, no justification exists for what occurred Wednesday night.
Mayor Jacob Frey had every right to request that the National Guard move into quash the illegal activity.
“I cannot risk the safety of innocent people and so that is what
I’ve been sworn to uphold and that is what I am dedicated to do,” Mayor Frey told NBC affiliate KARE.
“We can have both things. We can have peaceful demonstrations, but I also have to ensure the safety of everyone in the city.”
Peaceful protests underscore Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King’s non-violent approach to impact change.
Dr. King said he had been “convinced that even violent temperaments can be channeled through nonviolent discipline if they can act constructively and express through an effective channel their very legitimate anger.”
One understands the anger after watching the video of Floyd asking for mercy and telling the officer he could not breathe. Yet, anger allows no free pas to burn, loot and deliver destruction to businesses or other peoples’ property.
Now, these knuckleheads have changed the discussion from law enforcement and how these officers dealt with Floyd to the behaviors of misguided people, most of them taking advantage of this man’s death.
One can imagine justifications being voiced — Minneapolis police killed that poor man, let’s break into the liquor store because we deserve a case of cold beer to drown our poor, unfortunate souls.
Rest In Peace, George Floyd.
L.A. Parker is a Trentonian columnist. Find him on Twitter @LAParker6 or email him at LAParker@Trentonian.com.