By Kevin Devlin
The manner of which George Floyd died was horrific. It was inexcusable, beyond words. Disturbing to watch, and more so, impossible to explain in rational terms. People are angry. They are sad. We all are. It has left a scar on the hearts of many, many Americans. Police officers are supposed to protect us and those officers responsible for this heinous deed shall be held responsible in a court of law.
People throughout the nation have protested this horrific deed and that is their Constitutional right to do so. Yet to loot, destroy, and burn property is not. It’s unlawful and detrimental in bringing about positive change. It’s certainly not about remembering and honoring George Floyd; only casting an ominous shadow across America.
Without order we have chaos. Anarchy only breeds disorder and death. Some might die without cause because others are out of control. The nation’s soul is being torn apart not from without but from within, not by the majority but by a minority. Reason has thus been abandoned. But law and order must be re-established and must prevail.
And that brings me to another issue, a matter of utmost concern for everyone. All life is precious, but I wonder, and dare ask, why there isn’t an outpouring of grief for those murdered in our inner cities? Where are the protests for those poor souls who have been murdered on the streets, in their homes, in their backyards, at the parks? Why are the trumpets of change silent?
For instance, in Chicago, aka Chiraq, more than 80 people were shot and 21 fatally this past weekend. Over the recent Memorial Day weekend, 10 people died, and 39 others were wounded. Through the end of March, Chicago recorded 419 shootings, a rise of approximately 22 percent from the same period in 2019. In total, 93 people were killed in Chicago between January 1 and March 31, 2020. And this is only one city.
Where is the outrage? The anger? Where are the peaceful protests for those poor souls? They weren’t protected by anyone and nobody in government circles or in the media are seemingly seeking justice on their behalf. Or searching for answers, seeking solutions. I realize others will shake their heads in disapproval of this inquiry, merely asserting the argument invalid, simply apples and oranges. But those left behind suffering the loss of loved ones, and pleading for change in their lives, may beg to differ.
