George Floyd was murdered by a police officer in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020. Derek Chauvin knelt on Floyd’s neck for thirty one seconds shy of ten minutes. The emotional pain sent to the family, the community, to us was deliberate.
Chauvin was convicted to 22.5 years in prison. Three other officers were also imprisoned for violating Floyd’s civil rights. The sentences sent the appropriate message to law enforcement.
The demonstration of force was deliberate and we watched it all in real time. And now we are once again being subjected to the same shocking situation by SCOTUS as women’s rights have been stripped with no warning. The thrust to inform by the media has taken a dark tone as articles attest to the women who without medical intervention, wait to die as medical help stand by un willing to risk their own lives to help.
The law requires that doctors and nurses must stand by helpless. We stand by with them, helpless. We have been here before.
In the absence of proper medical attention and procedures, many smart people, doctors and lawyers are creating work arounds to find ways to lawfully help women who need it. “Work arounds” for medical assistance is being created while help is denied. In reminder, the calendar says 2022 A.D.
SCOTUS is firmly kneeling on our neck. The media has joined in making the point. As attacks on LGBTQ community escalate by the Republican Party, gay and transgender rights are next. We know it. They have said it, over and over again and they mean it. The media thrives on strong emotion. Fear is one of the strongest and we all fear something.
There’s more that can be done. There’s more that we can do. One thing we can do is recognize the terror tactics for what they are no matter where they come from and get to work on the problems without making the response the story. Fear of what is coming is often the headline. Fear and strong emotion keep people looking and worrying. Worry makes you look. The tactics are authoritarianism in the making and we are being dragged down this road. It’s real, it’s happening. Creating fear as a tool is a winning tactic. It creates an impression that nothing can be done, game over, don’t struggle. Terror, threats, lies, bully tactics.
In Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s first presidential inaugural speech of March 4, 1933, he said:
So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is…fear itself - nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life, a leadership of frankness and of vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory.