Don’t Read Me George Floyd’s Rap Sheet
A rebuttal to Candace Owens
Several of my white, thirty-something friends have shared and reposted a video of Candace Owens this week. Owens, a black, female, Pro-Trump activist details in her video why she won’t support seeing George Floyd as a martyr. She argues that protesters and the Black Lives Matter campaign are painting a picture of Floyd that isn’t accurate. She goes on in the video to point out Floyd’s previous convictions, character flaws, and struggle with substance abuse.
Owens is adamant that the entire movement, spurred into effect by George Floyd’s life is a step in the right direction. But, she insists over and over that she is tired of the black community praising George and calling him a martyr for the cause.
Now, I’ve been all over the media for the last two weeks and I haven’t seen anyone calling Floyd a martyr or sugar-coating his past. Maybe it’s happening somewhere, but I haven’t seen it. It’s been clear to me that Floyd struggled with addiction and had prior convictions.
Owens is very clear to point out that his past in no way excuses his death. She repeats it several times … but then keeps on digging up old offenses. She emphasizes that the whole reason the police were called was because of a counterfeit bill.
This is what I don’t get… who cares? Why in the world does it matter who was under the knee of that cop? As soon I saw that excessive and unnecessary force were used on a man who was literally pleading for his life for over eight minutes, his past no longer mattered one second to me. I don’t care if he was the Pope or a drug dealer. No one deserves to die in that matter. No one.
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Now I think Owens believes the same thing. And if she does, why did she publish this video? Who cares? Why are we wasting our time pointing out all of the things Floyd did wrong in his life? Who is this benefiting? Floyd’s family? The black community that is suffering? Those of us trying to unlearn the racism we’ve been fed our whole lives?
No. It benefits no one. No one but a power-hungry politician who wants to gain the votes and backing of white people who feel uncomfortable with their level of racism. The racism that doesn’t hate people, but that says “well I don’t think he should have died, but if he hadn’t of broken the law the cops never would have been called.” Or the ones that say “I’m okay with you protesting peacefully but as soon as you start rioting you’ve lost me.” Those types of racists don’t hate anybody, they just want the black community to peacefully and perfectly manage the anger that has been brewing in them for centuries.
Owens saw this opportunity to align with voters that could get her into office. These voters are the racists I just mentioned. The ones who want to support black politicians to make themselves feel better. If they support the first black female Presidential candidate in history, then they are SURELY not racist.
She seized the opportunity as an educated black woman to gain the confidence and support of the white voter. And, it’s working. The tag #owensforpotus is trending and I’m sure that’s exactly what she had hoped for.
Don’t let yourself get caught up in what this video is selling. It’s purely politically aligned and has no purpose in the fight that is happening right now. A man is dead. He was senselessly murdered under the knee of a cop. His past offenses have no effect on that fact. And they surely have no effect on whether the movement afterward has meaning.
George Floyd’s death is the catalyst to forward movement. It has caused us to look inward at our own prejudices and forward to how we can change the future.
Don’t get stuck in the past. Don’t look back at what George Floyd did or didn’t do during his life. Don’t speak of his past mistakes, offenses, and sins in order to make yourself feel a little better. And definitely don’t let a politician make you feel like a man’s past negates the significance of his death.
If George Floyd’s life didn’t mean anything to you, make sure his death does. Do not look at his past, look at yours.
Change. Be better. Work harder for social and racial equality. Quit mindlessly sharing other people’s videos on the internet until you truly sit and digest them. Make sure they align with your true core values and that they protect all of the human race.
People are saying the only wrong thing you can say is nothing. I don’t believe this is true. You can say nothing while you think and learn and pray and wade through all of the garbage that is out there.
And then, after you’ve put in that work. The work that makes you stop and ask yourself the hard questions. The work that makes you uncomfortable and that causes you to question your own past. Then. Then you can share the video. Or, even better you can make your own video and speak your own truth.
The only way to look now is forward. The past is full of racism, injustice, and sin. For and by all of us.
Don’t read me George Floyd’s rap sheet. It has no relevance to what happens next.
Don’t read me George Floyd’s rap sheet. It has no relevance.
Don’t read me George Floyd's rap sheet.
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