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When I am happy I write. When I am angry I write. When I am sad I write. Often it is simply expressing myself via posts on social media of my own creation or by responding to posts of others that I either agree or disagree with. Today I write out of mental exhaustion, sitting in a suburb of Minneapolis where I raised my kids. Currently I have the luxury of being safe but who is to say how long this will last?
I remember as a child growing up in South Minneapolis that I felt lucky to have been born in the United States, fortunate to live in my city and blessed to be raised across the street from a library. I recall as I got older (when kids were into school rivalries) thinking how silly it was to judge a person based on where they were born or where their parents chose to live. It struck me later that economic factors clearly played a role in these situations but it was never grounds for liking or disliking a person. Wardrobes, cars and size of homes were not things that impressed me as making people better or worse human beings. The content of character, rather than color of skin concept of Dr. King resonated with me both then and now
Full disclosure, I am a white woman. Some may dismiss my musings as that of “a Karen” (an unfortunate misnomer based upon all of the lovely people I actually know with that moniker). I might be ignored with “OK Boomer”, a “hip phrase” coined by the children of actual Boomers that supposedly indicates their parents (who referred to those who raised them as the Greatest Generation) are idiots. Daily I’m inundated with the admonishment that white privilege is my ailment. It’s easy to critique people based on factors that divide or make us different. However it is wrong. I find sexism, ageism and racism abhorrent. Being dismissive of entire swaths of the population based upon factors they have no control over is not constructive, productive or helpful in any way. If one must judge others, at least base it upon the factors they control; how they treat others, their expressed personal opinions, biases they express that are in conflict with your own. Content of character and actions based upon that is a much better measure of a person than the year they were born, the car they drive, their anatomy or the genetics that determine the quantity of melanin they have. If a group of third graders in 1968, under the guidance of their teacher (Jane Elliot) were able to learn this via the Blue-Eyes, Brown-Eyes Exercise why does this folly of judgement continue?
My hypothesis is that we somehow think equality can be achieved not by obtaining whatever one perceives their opposition has but by taking away from the (perceived) opposition. The fallacy exists that if someone else gains something, I will somehow lose something. It’s a scarcity mentality and even though we have many examples that this is untrue in most scenarios, it seems to be our nature to embrace this. We know that women being able to vote did not take away from a mans right to vote (though it’s possible the outcome varies), Gay Marriage doesn’t prevent straight people from getting married, neither does the option of divorce. Your neighbor losing weight does not make you fatter. Me loving dogs doesn’t mean I hate cats. So while I recognize that I have through no effort of my own had advantages in my life (being raised by two parents, having healthy children, not wanting for food and shelter) it’s not reasonable or productive to be dismissive of my thoughts or opinions based on my gender, my skin color, my opportunities. Rather it’s more important to value and listen to everyone for ideas and solutions, not simply ignore people based on arbitrary factors. There is no purpose or nobleness in feeling guilty over factors over which you have no control or using those similarities or differences with others to either validate or invalidate their opinions.
With those thoughts expressed, I will dip my toe into the lake of tears created by the ongoing chaos in the City of Lakes. I was born and raised in Minneapolis, members of my family laid the original pipes that brought running water to the homes and businesses of the city. Lakewood Cemetery which is nestled into the picturesque “chain of lakes” holds the graves of my ancestors who lived and died in Minneapolis in the 1800’s. Both of my parents were raised in Minneapolis as well, my mother’s immigrant parents were naturalized while living in the city. It’s been a place that has attracted immigrants and others seeking a better life for themselves and their families. You’ll find the city included on all sorts of lists for livability, quality of life, biking, parks and recreation, the arts. It’s been mentioned in recent days that George Floyd made his way here from Texas for what has been described as a “fresh start”. Also documented on film (thankfully) this week is footage of this same man taking his last breath of Minnesota air, face down on the pavement, pinned by the knee of an overzealous Police Officer whose record shows he should no longer have had a badge. What’s been known as Minneapolis’ Finest in the past demonstrated to the world this week that four within their ranks are actually among the worst. Appalling misconduct does not even scratch the surface of what occurred. A family owned grocery store employee followed protocol upon realizing that he’d received a bad twenty dollar bill and called 911 to report it. It’s been said that if police do show up to such a call that typically if they can connect with the person who passed it, they try to identify the source of it. Routine stuff, not a rapist, murderer, kidnapper or pedophile that might ramp up the adrenaline of a responding officer. I have three twenties in my wallet right now, any one of them could be a counterfeit. We’ll likely never know if Floyd had any idea that the bill he used to buy cigarettes was a phony or was simply obtained through the normal financial transactions we all participate in during our daily routines. Regardless, nobody should lose their life in such a callous manner over such a trivial offense. The MPD has the responsibility to serve and protect, they are not judge and jury and regardless of how heinous a crime might be, Minnesota does not have the death penalty! What’s most chilling in watching the sequence of events is the cavalier attitude of all involved, not reacting to the pleas of bystanders or seeming to mind that they were being recorded. One can only wonder what has happened at the hands of these Officers that went undocumented. The disciplinary records of a couple of them demonstrate that surely the Department needs to change their policy regarding dismissals.
The visceral reaction to this repugnant act was swift and social media reacted with deep sadness, revulsion, demands for change, calls for action, condolences to his loved ones, profiles of a peace loving and gregarious man. Plans to mobilize protestors came immediately, in the midst of a pandemic they sought to peacefully gather to console, to grieve, to honor Floyd’s memory and demand that the perpetrators be brought swiftly to justice.
As we unfortunately have learned through past deaths of individuals via the MPD, it takes time for the wheels of justice to turn, for the information gathering to be done in a foolproof manner so charges will stick. While in the past the candlelight vigils, laying of flowers and speeches from community leaders have been peaceful ways to placate the masses, many factors this week have flipped the script.
We’re currently in week 10 of self-isolation, a contentious election year, dramatic unemployment and many are disappointed over cancellations of graduations, weddings, concerts and our State Fair. Couple that with division over wearing masks to shop or not wearing masks, resuming business as usual or remaining shut down. We have people working from home while simultaneously participating in new responsibilities educating their kids, while others are under the burden of going into places of work to ensure that others have medical care and access to food and medications but uncertain if they are safe. People have friends and family who are sick, dying or recovering from Covid19 a virus that we are getting conflicting new insights on every news cycle. The population as a whole was worn as thin as I have seen in my lifetime prior to the death of George Floyd.
I’m not a news reporter (though that is what I got my degree in) so I will not use this space to regale anyone with the minutia of bad behavior that has occurred in my hometown. While peaceful protestors have articulated their expectations, others have busied themselves with sweeping up glass, boarding up windows, scrubbing away graffiti created by hooligans, ruffians and tagalongs. Others are consoling the business owners who lost their merchandise and in some cases the very buildings which housed the goods and services they provided to the community. It’s like the sober person in the aftermath of a party; cleaning up the mess created by others who got too out of hand and never take responsibility for how their behavior impacts others. I’m willing to say that most of the people in Minneapolis are hardworking, kindhearted human beings, many who were experiencing perhaps the roughest stage of their lives a week ago. The others are people willing to push them over the edge for a night of thrill seeking, thievery and vandalism. If that’s the legacy you want to leave, so be it. As I said early on, it’s the content of character that I will judge a person on and the actions of those sorely lacking character unfortunately impacts the residents of the city of Minneapolis (and copycats in the surrounding communities) who do have personal integrity; the young, old, black, white, wealthy, poor, lifers and new arrivals. Unfortunately the already vulnerable are impacted the most by this chaos but the selfish don’t think much of anyone but themselves with their actions, denying their neighbors access to food, medicine, shelter and transportation.
As I referenced a MLK speech earlier, I have to address the current misuse of one his quotes that is literally everywhere on social media as a means to justify the looting, burning and ongoing destructive and misguided behavior in Minneapolis. As a little girl, when I did not know something, I would ask someone. If somebody else didn’t know, I would go to the library to find out more. Now most people have a phone in their hand but are often too intellectually lazy to use the tool available to them. Yes MLK in a speech did in fact say “A riot is the language of the unheard.” The part people are leaving out is bolded and stated prior to the cherrypicked portion: “Let me say as I’ve always said, and I will always say, that riots are socially destructive and self-defeating.” That certainly changes the meaning of his message.
Detroit knows this, Watts knows this, Ferguson Missouri knows this and over 50 years later, the city of Minneapolis knows this but apparently people don’t teach their children about the Long, Hot Summer of ’67 and the resulting impact on the city. That’s a shame, because history not learned tends to repeat itself.
Time to be constructive in lieu of destructive, which has proven to be an ineffective method of change. When you are center stage with a captive audience, don’t squander your opportunity to ask for what you need and want by wreaking havoc. It damages credibility. The adage “misery loves company” is not an invitation to intentionally create misery for others.
If stealing false eyelashes and a tube of lipstick from Sephora Uptown is your best strategy of how to appropriately pay homage to a crime victim, you have work to do on yourself that cosmetics won’t help.
There are stages to grief and we all pass through them at a different pace. I vacillate between sad and angry right now. The healing will begin when we stop judging all LEO’s by the actions of a few, when we learn to look at individuals as unique beings that are not to be lumped into categories of others with similar traits. Please recognize that the media is showing us less of the goodness and kindness going on right now and more of the truly hideous. Sadly, many previously law abiding residents stepped over the line and have participated in criminal activity for the first time. Please step back, the city needs more leaders than followers right now.
Name call, throw rocks, burn buildings, destroy businesses and the anticipated outcome? Step up, clean up and shape up. Use your words to make change because the recent method has a proven track record of NOT eliciting positive change. Don’t just take the word of a Boomer white woman, Dr. King offered the same message over fifty years ago.
nerpribyl 