I was there with my friends at the front line of the BLM protests in London back in 2020. I am proud to have done so. George Floyd should not have died under those circumstances. It’s disgusting, devastating and so, so wrong. During the pandemic my racial justice warrior persona was at its strongest. I was posting, I was starting conversations, I was angry. I’ve studied my history, I’ve experienced day to day racism. I have family and friends with skin colour of all shades of brown which has made me more culturally aware than most. I am a strong advocate for change in the system, change in attitudes, unity and proper education on these issues.
Disclaimer aside… I don’t think George Floyd should be the martyr and household name that he has become either.
‘Just because he was a criminal doesn’t mean he shouldn’t have credibility as a martyr, he was a human being with a family and no man should die for petty theft.’
I agree wholeheartedly with the statement. Of course he is a martyr. It is my belief however, that the media has intentionally chosen someone who would cause controversy to become the face of the movement.
A martyr is someone whose death can create attraction for a cause.
Under that definition, someone like Breonna Taylor would make a much more effective martyr for the movement. Breonna Taylor, analysing at a surface level, was a hard-working woman, giving back to society and was murdered in her sleep because the police made a mistake. Please let the haters to the movement pull that apart. If you aren't familiar with the story, you can read it here:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-54210448
The opposition to Floyd comes because he was a criminal. He was already putting himself into a vulnerable position. Right or wrong, this reduces sympathy for him and in turn, the overall cause.
On the other hand, Breonna is proof that police brutality can and does happen to innocent people everyday. Black people can’t even be safe in their own homes. There is nothing Breonna could possibly have done differently to avoid her fate. I suppose you could argue that she shouldn't have been involved with a drug dealer but I think people have more sympathy for a woman who got involved with the wrong man rather than the actual criminal. Regardless, it makes for a much more compelling appeal for action.
So why has the media pushed Floyd’s story over Taylor's?
There are factors such as timing; Floyd was murdered after Taylor and the accumulation of injustice must have played a role. The 15 minute video available to watch as officers had ample time to not follow through with things also captured people's attention. I think there's more to it though...
Polarisation makes us weak and allows the powers that be to maintain stability. Intentionally choosing a controversial figure to be your mascot will create cynicism and division. People who may have been swayed to support the movement won’t.
I want to make it very clear: I'm not saying Floyd didn't deserve the justice he has received. The point here is to challenge his effectiveness as a symbol for the race movement.
The controversy around his morality weakens the movement and puts the focus on trivial things such as: ‘why is a criminal being idolised?’ This debate will then distract from the real subject matter: police brutality. If Breonna’s story, which I think is still incredibly attention grabbing and possibly more emotive than Floyd’s story, was given this level of traction, maybe things would be forced to change at a higher rate! God forbid.
Add comment
Comments