“Our lives begin to end the day that we become silent about things that matter.” Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

These are very troubling times. We are in the midst of a global, deadly pandemic. Peaceful protests over the horrifying death of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, have devolved into senseless riots all over the country.

I stand for those who are protesting for equality and against racial prejudice, especially by the police against African Americans and other minorities. I saw the video of George Floyd, who was senselessly murdered. I was horrified that despite being in handcuffs, the police officer did not get off Floyd’s neck, and another officer stood by, as his life slipped away.

I believe that peaceful protests are necessary to bring (again) a spotlight to this ongoing problem that is still unresolved. There needs to be justice for Floyd and his murder. Violence only begets more violence. I for one, want to share my thoughts, standing in prayer with George Floyd, his family, and all those directly impacted by his death. I want to stand up for all the others like him who have died, been wrongfully mistreated, profiled, and have not received fair treatment by the police in this country.

We must hold law enforcement accountable, and apply punitive measures to balance the authority we have entrusted to those who are there to protect us, and keep us safe. It is still a long way off to prevent occurrences like George Floyd’s death, but if there is accountability when a police officer goes too far, then hopefully the punishment will make an officer think twice before they do something like this again.

– Jason