8 minutes 46 seconds & thereafter

by

Iqbal Hadi Zaidi

Poor George Perry Floyd, 46 years old a black American citizen accused of a petty crime has very extremely barbarously and inhumanly been killed by a policeman in Minnesota on  Tuesday 25^th May, 2020 which, honestly speaking, simply cannot even be properly condemned by whatever the words and expressions one can find in any dictionary, howsoever voluminous it could be, because none have ever been killed alike before.

Honestly speaking, the whole scenario should be very seriously, diligently and professionally studied and investigated in depth from different varying angles and perspectives to pin point deficiencies and lacuna found so as to either suitably amend the existing rules and procedures and or introduce new set of rules and regulations, whatever deemed fit, in the greater interest of not only for  US Am but humanity as a whole.

George bought cigarettes and gave US$2 bill which the shopkeeper took it as counterfeit so he informed police but it gives birth to some worries. Here George is found as an addict of cigarettes to the extent that he had no alternative but to use fake 20$ currency note which he gave to the shopkeeper and thus the problems started. Now the government, NGOs, voluntary organizations, teachers, preachers and volunteers, both men and women, must embark upon national awareness program throughout the country highlighting as to how dangerous could be an addiction be it tobacco or wine or drugs etc.

Next comes the question of fake currency note itself whereby many very relevant, pressing and urgent questions arise to be honest. First and the foremost question is to ascertain with hundred percent surety, if the bill was really a fake or not? What action to be initiated but against whom, the shopkeeper or the police or both, if the bill was found to be truly genuine and not fake? What gadget, if any, did the shopkeeper use to say that the note is a fake one or did he declare it fake as per his assumption? Say for example the currency note was fake but then shouldn’t the concerned authorities be alarmed to find out as to who is issuing the fake currency notes and since when? What are the other denominations of the fake currency notes or is it limited to only $ 20? How did George get the fake currency note is one of the most burning questions which cannot and should not be ignored come what may? Why police in general, and Derek Chauvin in particular, did not extract maximum information from George when he was arrested by police? Shouldn’t all the four policemen be subjected to investigation and punishment failing in unearth the gang engaged in producing fake currency notes?

Undoubtedly, all the different gadgets and instruments of mass communication namely television, videos, newspapers, magazines, mobile telephone, face book, twitter, internet etc have eventually become such an internal and integral part of our daily lives that we simply cannot keep ourselves aloof from them unless and until one turns blind, deaf and dumb not to know for what is happening outside his own four walls. No denying the fact that in absence of these facilities even the ugliest instance of George death had not been known to anyone at all including his next-door neighbor what to talk of all that what happened afterwards. 

99.9% who agitated and denounced brutal killing of George were alien to him, be it local or other cities, but ever since they all watched the video seeing with their naked eyes that George is handcuffed and pinned down on the ground while wild policeman Derek Chauvin choking him to death in itself was more than enough to ignite people to protest without any invitation from George family or from any other quarter for that matter. Big crowds of men and women carried placards worded ‘Police must be charged’ ‘Blood needs blood’ ‘George is American hero’ ‘Derek be hanged to death’ With each passing minute the crowd kept on increasing. Some, simply could not control themselves any more so they had tears in their eyes.

Having noticed such an unthinkable boorish barbaric and crude method of killing quite naturally thousands of other Americans in many cities and towns, far and near, also came out rushing towards the streets carrying different sized placards and banners sympathizing with George and in one voice they were condemning both the police and the government demanding that our lives must be protected and not endangered. Placards and banners read alike ‘discrimination between White American and Black American be stopped’ ‘George Perry Floyd is dead but alive’ ‘Super power don’t kill but saves its people’ ‘Death 2 police’ ‘we demand justice’ ‘we cannot be silent’ ‘Black Lives Matter’

Bulk majority of the protesters, both black and white, were civilized and law-abiding Americans, who had never even in day dream thought of vandalizing so the question of looting did not arise at all. However, some wicked people came with knives, hammers, lock cutters, saws, iron rods and bamboos etc to smash glasses, cut locks, hammer walls and remove shutters to enter show rooms, shops, supermarkets or whatever in sight to loot to maximum limits. The theory of mob mentality gets its life in such like situations and it was noticed that many who were peacefully agitating have also turned out to be looters and plunderers.

Time played very important role, rather decisive role, which must be admitted though it goes deadly against police which should have been in the streets much before the crowd could come so that damage and looting could be avoided but police not only came late but also in less number and therefore looters could be seen running away with the loot before they could be arrested.

None in the crowd had thought even for a minute that Corona is still not very much present in USA but too active too to the extent that now as per www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/ till 25^th May, 2020 people in seven digits at have already been victimized by corona while quite a big number have died as well. Now when thousands have protested hand in hand one can very well imagine as to how many additional people must have automatically been turned positive. Some percentage from the agitators will prove to be corona positive if not today then tomorrow or day after but very much certainly the figures will jump upward.

Some who are law abiding citizens and enjoying their lives but unluckily they have been picked up by police because of their participation in the protest so they are now lounging behind the bars cursing their fate to be locked up alike for the very 1st time in their lives but they invited the trouble themselves they must suffer.

Agitations denouncing the savage killing of George were held is so many countries proving that that element of sympathy is very much built in each and every individual and therefore we noticed what happened in Australia, Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Kosovo, Netherlands, Portugal, Scotland, South Africa, South Korea, Switzerland, Tunisia, and UK where people carried George photos, placards and shouting against police atrocities and in one voice they all demanded dispensing of justice.

Statutes and monuments in many cities have been vandalized, thrown off, hammered etc because the people maintained that they represent the olde days of slavery, coercion and colonial mentality. I will mention just a few of them to prove my point of view. (a) Alexandria: 113 years old statue of Appomattox. (b) New York:  Maj Gen Philip Schuyler (c) Birmingham: Charles Linn (d) Texas: Gen Lawrence Sullivan Ross (e) Dearborn: Orville Hubbard etc.

Boris Johnson, UK, Prime Minister showed his annoyance over dismantling old monuments and statutes saying they remind us of our glorious past. PM said Sir Winston Churchill is our hero and from its statue our younger generation gets inspiration. Statues erected at Guy’s and St Thomas Hospital, London where PM Boris was admitted when inflicted by corona shall be removed by the authorities.

White House had never even in its glorious history had witnessed any agitation or demonstration at its gates and it is for the very 1^st time that people have gathered around the most prestigious and fortified building in US whereby due to agitations President Donald Trump had to leave the main building and stay in the basement.

Police reforms are now being carried out ever since the crowds have very vehemently shouted against the police accusing it to be antagonistic towards black Americans and not treating them at par with their white American co-citizens.  Additional criminal and otherwise charges have also been added up now against all the 4 police official who dealt with George.

Many people just out of simple courtesy have voluntarily announced that they will help and defend those unfortunate blacks who are now behind the bars and facing the courts.

Blackout Tuesday is something new and being observed because it was Tuesday when George was killed.

Some most leading companies who products are very popular not within US but overseas are now using George photo on some of their products which in turn are much demanded by public to a great extent.

Street names have also been changed including the most important one leading to White House is now named as Black Lives Matter (BLM)

‘I can’t breathe’ (last words of George) have been written on facial masks and, therefore, just because of these words, human inner feelings are stirred ad therefore such masks have become so very popular and selling like hot cakes.

Joe Bidden, former 47^th Vice President during the period 2009-2017 and now aspiring to be the President replacing Donald Tump got big boost in his popularity not among black Americans alone but white as well since he not only called the aggrieved family but he also took his wife Jill and met the family of George to offer his condolences in person which has been viewed by all and hence everyone has very much appreciated his such humanitarian gesture which, of course, quite naturally will reflect when votes are counted to elect next president.

Summing up, I say that not only American authorities but society as well must inculcate the spirit of love, peace and tranquility between white Americans and black Americans professing that neither a White American is superior to a Black American nor a Black American edge over a White American rather both of them individually and collectively are equal and at par.

I very honestly pray that from this moment both White and Black live just as one entity and not two.