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We Need Actionable Answers

Rock Hill, SC, May 30, 2020

I am repulsed by what happened to George Floyd. Physically repulsed.

There are so many questions that must be answered. For starters: Why was Mr. Floyd not rolled over or allowed to sit up after he’d been detained? Why was (former) Officer Chauvin's knee on Mr. Floyd’s neck for almost eight minutes, including more than three minutes after he appeared to lose consciousness? What was going on in Chauvin’s mind? And why did the other officer in the video fail repeatedly to intervene?

Justice WILL be served in this case, but remember, justice looks backwards… on what’s already happened. We need ACTIONABLE answers to these questions – and so many more – as our nation looks to heal and grow from this.

Let’s be clear though: the riots taking place around the nation are putting countless lives in danger and destroying property of others. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said it best: “The ultimate weakness of violence is that it is a descending spiral, begetting the very thing it seeks to destroy. Instead of diminishing evil, it multiplies it.”

Peaceful protests and demonstrations are extremely powerful. But rioting like this CANNOT be tolerated, and every reasonable step should be taken to suppress this violence and restore peace, including the use of National Guard forces where necessary.

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See also: Denouncing Assaults on Our Law Enforcement Officers