George Floyd

Watching the ridiculously futile effort by police in places like Santa Monica, I just have to add my two cents, as I have been doing for the past 19 years. A newsman walking by saw stores being looted, he watched them inside picking out what they wanted with impunity. He actually witnessed an officer telling a loot filled car to move on. It seems every time a clear case of police brutality occurs rioting is soon to follow. I don’t place the blame on the police; it is the cowardly elected officials who make a show of force with no intention of stopping the chaos. It has been this way for many decades. To me this makes a mockery of their everyday purpose of keeping the peace. I, like you have seen the video many times of the knee on Mr. Floyd’s neck. As I understand it, even after he stopped struggling the officer kept his knee there for nearly three minutes. I agree, as I am sure you do, that this officer and the other three should receive the highest type of sentence for committing this heinous act of cruelty. Correct me if I am wrong but I believe the police were called after he presented a counterfeit twenty dollar bill. How many times have you given a twenty and watched the cashier run a crayon over it. Let’s say I did it without me knowing. Would the police have been called? I doubt it. This incident is so tragic because of the consequences. I understand the deep feeling of concern by people of color and the knowledge that they were kept in virtual bondage for 100 years after the end of the Civil War. If I were of color, I no doubt would react as they do. That does not mean that we should not take every means possible to stop the violence from those who take advantage of these occurrences to create disorder. I am one who believes these groups are financed and encouraged to create havoc. Most of the violent ones it seems are not from the cities being looted and burned. I am an old man but I still care about my country. I fear for our future if we cannot find a way to live together judged by the content of our character not by skin color as a great man once said. Jack B. Walters May 31, 2020