From the Desk of Supervisor Carson:
My Thoughts on Today's Verdict and George Floyd
The verdict announced today was justice for George Floyd and his family. A united jury announced that Derek Chauvin will be held accountable. The family of George Floyd will still need our thoughts and prayers as they navigate life without him.
Let me be clear, there is no victory in this verdict. George lost his life under the knee of a person who swore an oath to protect and serve. There is no victory in this verdict when we continue to witness the killing of countless other Black and Brown lives by law enforcement after George Floyd’s murder - including children.
There is no victory in this verdict when we see Oath Keepers and other White supremacists infiltrate and embed themselves within law enforcement in order to help carry out an insurrection and attempt to dismantle our government in order to deny the rights of communities of color.
There is no victory in this verdict when we reflect on history, over 30 years ago, four police officers who were responsible for the vicious beating of Rodney King - which was recorded for the eyes of the world to witness, were found not guilty.
What happened to George Floyd is a continuation of what has been happening to our communities for over 400 years. We live in a society where racism has been intentionally baked into every institution since the founding of this country. Our modern law enforcement system is no exception; we are not that far removed from the slave patrols which operated in the south during the days of slavery.
Today’s actions must not fade away into an anomaly – but only time will tell. We all must remain vigilant in propelling our country forward to dismantle – once and for all - systemic racism. Justice for George…for Daunte…for Philando…for Breonna…for Oscar…will never be fully realized until our sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, partners, and friends can live without fear of dying just because they are living.
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