Columns

I too am saddened and outraged at George Floyd’s senseless in-custody death by a Minneapolis policeman, which has ignited protests and riots in Minnesota, across the U.S. and even abroad.  

A protest is a peaceful public display of displeasure or disapproval, usually carried out by marching, chanting and/or holding signs with messages on them while a riot is a violent public disturbance. Too often protests are infiltrated by a small group of individuals who turn peaceful protests into riots during which they destroy public and private property, loot stores, and where injuries often occur. These infiltrators are not demonstrating their First Amendment rights — they are committing acts of terror. Unfortunately, the media tends to show the violence while the peaceful protestors’ message about the unchecked police brutality against people of color in this country may be diluted or even lost.  

Protests “yes,” riots “no.” 

Minneapolis has a persistent and rising Covid-19 infection rate as do many other parts of the country. Now the city must deal with an unjustified police killing, riot damage and a pandemic, which is disproportionally effecting the Black community. 

Meanwhile Trump is fanning the flames of the unrest over George Floyd’s death with no mention of the systemic racism in this country. After bringing troops to the District of Columbia, he staged a photo opportunity holding a Bible upside down in front of boarded-up St. John’s Episcopal Church.