Enlight21

Author: Zoe Byun | Category: Reflections | Society | Date: 06-02-2020

On May 25, 2020 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, George Floyd was arrested for allegedly using a fake twenty dollar bill for his groceries. After the police came, he was held to the ground and was suffocated to his death. The police officer present (Derek Chauvin) pushed his knee on to Floyd’s neck for eight minutes as Floyd continuously pleaded with the officer to get off of him saying, “I can’t breathe.” The officers that witnessed this happening never said a word. Shortly after George Floyd’s death, investigators found out that the money was real. Because of this horrific event of injustice, many people around the country have started to protest and fight for the many innocent lives that were lost.

Personally, I think that Derek Chauvin’s actions should be considered as a murder because he did kill George Floyd. The policeman held his knee to Floyd’s neck for almost ten minutes and did not give him one breath. When one of the other three officers present informed Chauvin that Floyd had no pulse and that he should get off of him, Chauvin said no. Therefore, the officer suffocated Floyd until he was unconscious, which is not acceptable. 

But the thing is, this kind of behavior happens so often. Many innocent black people have lost their lives, which pains me and makes me so incredibly frustrated. Sometimes I’m ashamed to be living in America. Nobody should be looked down upon because of their skin color. I mean, come on! It’s 2020! 

Therefore, I think that all of the rioting is understandable. And I don’t think that anyone is in the place to tell an oppressed group how they should protest for their rights. People are angry and they demand justice because racism is still a big problem in society. Their voices couldn’t be heard when peaceful protests took place and I think that it’s important to try and put a stop to these discriminatory acts. These protests can raise awareness to this issue and may finally spark the start for change.

About: Zoe Byun