Execution

I read a post on Instagram that called George Floyd’s death an execution.
I read about how the police officer knelt on Floyd’s neck, as he begged them for help.
I read about how blood flowed out from his nose as he lay unconscious under the cop, who still had his knee pressed against Floyd’s neck.

I tried to watch the footage and I couldn’t get past the first minute of it.
I felt like I couldn’t breathe. I could only imagine the excruciating pain of fighting for air as my esophagus is slowly crushed. I could only imagine the fear I would feel if I lay, pinned, dying, screaming for help, knowing that no one would come to help me because the person who was supposed to be helping me was the one kneeling on top of me.

I didn’t know why it was so hard to watch. There have been so many other videos of killings done by police to black men. It was an execution. There’s no explaining it away. George Floyd was a man who took care of other people, who loved people and who was loved by people. All of it is evil…but it took a 10 minute video to show JUST HOW EVIL all of this is. Killing of teenagers and children and women and men were always explained away. But THIS could never be explained away.

And God sees it. He sees it. I believe He sees it. He does not stand still. He is a God of Justice. Oh Lord…forgive us for being humans who are quick to kill, hate, stand idly by, excuse, and silence the oppressed. But God you see. Please do something, God. And train us up to do something for your beloved children as well.

Oh Father. Oh Lord.