With around-the-clock news and social media, the world was watching as the United States (among others) federal government floundered epically in the face of COVID-19. The world saw armed protestors rally against their elected officials, because their need for a haircut or a meal out is apparently more important than preserving lives.
The world was watching as the news came to light that an African American man, Ahmaud Arbery, who was running through a residential neighborhood, was killed by two armed vigilantes while their friend filmed the attack, and the local prosecutors sat on the case for over two months before arresting the attackers.
The world watched as a white (now ex-)police officer kneeled on the neck of George Floyd, an African American man, ignoring his cries for help and beyond the point when he became unresponsive. Three other officers, also since fired from their jobs, allowed this murder.
And now the world watches as the response to peaceful protests against systemic police brutality against minorities is… systemic police brutality. Reporters have been arrested and assaulted, including being shot with pepper balls. A CNN reporter was arrested – on camera – while visibly wearing his press credentials. And they’re seeing the protests turn into riots each evening, as the crowd shifts from the legitimate protestors to the rabble-rousers.
What the world isn’t seeing – I couldn’t even find this on our national news sites, much less international ones – is the clean-up effort, as volunteers flock to the Twin Cities. These people, the helpers, are the ones to watch. They’re the ones who understand that they live in the community and need to help each other. (It also lends credence to the accusation by Minnesota’s governor that most of the damage was done by non-residents. Who would show up the next day to clean up what they destroyed?)
Watch the police officers whose immediate response is to condemn the murder for what it was, and are trained to de-escalate situations instead of intensifying them. Watch the officers who listened to the protestors and joined them, recognizing the validity of the complaints. These are the officers who signed up to serve and protect everybody. These are the officers we need.
It’s what George Floyd needed – if just one officer of the three watching had done something right, his murder could have been prevented.