Can We Really Breathe?

These past three weeks many of us have been glued to the television witnessing the long-awaited trial of former Minnesota Police Officer Derek Chauvin in the murder of George Floyd.  I can remember watching and listening to the testimony as the prosecution, in my opinion, laid out a powerful case. I watched the video of George Floyd pleading for his life for nine minutes and twenty-nine seconds. He uttered, “I can’t breathe,” at least twenty-eight times. Yet, Derek Chauvin continued to unleash excessive force by keeping his knee on George Floyd’s neck. Tears came to my eyes as I witnessed the pain and agony George Floyd was experiencing. Even when his body became lifeless and the paramedics arrived on the scene, the police continued to keep their knees on a now dead man, who by the way was also handcuffed in the prone position.  I admit, as I watched the trial, I still had many doubts in my mind that justice would be served. Even with this nine minute and twenty-nine second video that showed the murder, I still had my doubts that we would hear a guilty verdict. After all, for years I have become use to seeing corrupt and racist police officers get off for killing our black men and women. And when the jury began their deliberations, many of us probably had an uneasy feeling. And on April 20th when the judge announced the guilty verdict on all charges, many thought we can breathe now. But can we really breathe? Don’t get me wrong, this verdict is a step in the right direction. But can we really breathe now? My answer is, “No!” We still cannot breathe, until justice becomes a practice and not a one-time occurrence. We still cannot breathe, until policing in this nation is reformed. We still cannot breathe, until we shut down the legislation in Texas to allow anyone over the age of twenty-one to carry a gun like the Wild Wild West. Which by the way, means more of our black men and women will be killed. We still cannot breathe, until we defeat evil and racist politicians who want to suppress our vote. We still cannot breathe, until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness flows like an ever-flowing stream. George Floyd is breathing now in Heaven. He made history. And he is now in that great cloud of witness encouraging us to continue writing history.