George Floyd

The death of George Floyd

Questions to ask

Was the death of George Floyd an accident, negligence or murder?

Was it the cause of the riots or was there an underlying cause growing for decades within the minds and hearts o the population?

While George Floyd seems to be the spark did someone fan the flames?

It is clear that the media continued the practice of sensationalizing and skewing reports to work on the emotions of the population but was that irresponsibility and incompetence or to promote an agenda?

Did provocateurs and politicians take advantage of the conflagration of hate and violence fanned and promoted by the media?

Was the deaths of people during the riots due to the media malpractice that clearly provoked unrest, anger, and violence?

What to believe and when

Supposedly these riots occurred because George Floyd was “murdered by Minneapolis police officers” because he was black. That is what the media outlets were repeating over and over. They said that George did not “resisting arrest” and was unarmed. But George Floyd did resist, there was witness to that and video of him resisting. Four officers could not get George Floyd to get into the patrol car and wrestled with him until he was finally restrained next to the vehicle on the ground.

He appeared to be injured while this professional bouncer was resisting arrest and refusing to get into the police vehicle. There was some blood in his mouth so the police called for an ambulance. Maybe they were going to transport him in the ambulance since they were unable to get him to get in the car.

We do not know. So much is not known and much of what was known was not reported. Instead a picture was painted by the media to millions of listeners and readers that the officers were racistly murdering a black man by “digging” their knee into his neck. How much pressure was applied by Derek Chauvin and did he believe George Floyd's life was in danger? It appears that Mr. Floyd and Officer Chauvin knew each other having worked at the same location at one time.

The preliminary finding from the official coroner stated "The autopsy revealed no physical findings that support a diagnosis of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation. Mr. Floyd had underlying health conditions including coronary artery disease and hypertensive heart disease. The combined effects of Mr. Floyd being restrained by the police, his underlying health conditions and any potential intoxicants in his system likely contributed to his death.” Of course lawyers for the family are already lining up reports by doctors to contradict that preliminary report.

After reading dozens of accounts I am reasonably convinced that the media was not telling the whole truth about what little evidence was available. They were not only displaying bias in what they were reporting and the way in which they were reporting the available facts they were rushing the people by the millions to an angry judgment as if they wanted to not only spark anti police violence drive a narrative of hate.

Did Derek Chauvin, Thomas Lane, J.A. Kueng and Tou Thao act in a manner to cause the death of George Floyd? Did they know about his heart condition? We know that there was an immediate investigation, firings rather than suspension, and charges and an arrest of Derek Chauvin. We also know there were protests followed by beatings and murders of innocent people by people who were worked up by irresponsible reporting, misinformation and in a manner to do just that. By this media malpractice of misrepresenting all the facts available in a way that encourages hate and violence is the media also guilty of the damages they have caused and the murders that have been done by angry mobs and thugs.

Just as we saw with the Covington boys the media pushed a narrative that was not supported by available video in the early stages of their reports. Their reports clearly created hatred which spawned hatred and threats of violence. They were sued by one boy for 800 million dollars and CNN has settled for an undisclosed amount. Others media giants are also being sued as well.

On the city streets of America innocent people are being robbed, beaten and murdered.

The media has clearly tried the officers in the press, found them guilty and often failed to report any evidence that might suggest that the death was more an accident or bad judgment.

What many, including what is posing as journalism seem to forget that is for a jury to decide. Everyone is supposed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

It was not yet, and could not be, clear exactly who is guilty of what until all the evidence is revealed and examined. These cases should not be tried in the press. Every citizen should reserve judgment until all the evidence is heard. Knowing the track record of the media for distortion and malpractice no one should rush to judgment until all the facts are revealed.

But still we do.

Riots often cause untold harm to the people who engage in them but still the mind of the mob or Crowd psychology wreaks havoc upon society as an almost uncontrollable force.

Riots should be avoided but the solution is not found in suppressing the flames but in cultivating a natural fire retardant of the heart so that no one can ignite the fabric of our souls and burn-down, destroy, and murder our own society.