What’s Next for Black People

Congratulations to the Floyd Family. They got right verdict for the murder of their loved one. The jury and the prosecutorial team managed to accomplish what rarely happens in our American justice system. They convicted a law enforcement officer for murder.

Not that this heinous act hasn’t happened in the past, but as George Floyd’s brother said,” We got a motion picture to show America what’s been happening to Black men for centuries.” The jury came back with the verdict, and it didn’t take as long as many expected. Well how could it! The comedic Eddie Murphy line, “ Who you gonna believe? Me or your lying eyes”? Didn’t play out this time because it wasn’t just Black people looking.

It took a movie

The World was looking, and this time they saw clearly. No cuts or edits! You see this man made pandemic had everyone feeling like Black folk – uncertain, unwarned, uncared for economically and socially.

Mr. Floyd’s murder happened at the right/wrong time. When Emmett Till, Fred Hampton, Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, Dr. King , etc. were murdered the time was wrong. Because too many Black folk were still in the slavery matrix or the Jim Crow era. Even  those who considered themselves allies were mentally bound. “Those poor Black folks keep having some very unfortunate incidents happening to them in their community.” Many in Middle America would say,” It’s just so unfair!” But never demand changes to the criminal justice system, or fight with us to close the economic disparity gap. And certainly they never gave our communities access to capital and resources. Even though we pay our taxes. 

So much that I could write and say on this day that many are calling historic. And it is an historic day. But we’ve been here before. We’ve had evidence before, and witnesses before. Pictures and even a video. But what we may not have had before was the look in Chauvin’s eyes. The utter evil and disdain for the man whose neck he was kneeling on. Not because George Floyd did something wrong but because he dared to be born at all.

Evil Eyes?

Yes, his eyes showed America and the world racism and oppression. What racism and oppression look like through the eyes and heart of the oppressor. They got a chance to look at the evil that lurks behind power and sometimes a badge. As a man of faith this time was different because we got a chance to see a movie about Good vs. Evil and whether as a country if God is really on our side or is it the other guy who was cast out of Heaven.

Related: Never Could Breathe

Where do we go from here? Do we wait until the next movie? The Second Coming? Or just the next obscure case that is not on film? What happens when there are not witnesses? When it’s just the cop’s word vs. the dead Black man!

George Floyd died, but do Black folk finally get a chance to live freely in a country they built.

Oliver Thomas