THE DAY
May 25th 2020.
A day that brought the world together in horror and grief, for the death of a man relatively few people knew: George Perry Floyd.
So few of us knew him. So many of us wept for him.
Hearing him cry for his mother, people wept real tears all around the world. For a moment in time, it felt like all of humanity was united to avenge this senseless death and to fix the system that emboldened the monster who perpetrated it. Change was in the air. The feeling was electric.
In the days that followed George Floyd’s murder, humanity rose up in over 60 nations, spread over all seven continents of the globe, to decry police cruelty and abuse. Finally.
That was unprecedented. Few world leaders are memorialized on such a scale.
THE BLANK STARE
It was the blank stare. That horrific blank stare. It was the blank stare of a sociopath.
People recoiled in horror as a man was murdered in front of them. Yet the eyes never wavered, never flickered with the least bit of humanity whatsoever.
The blank stare said, “It’s no big deal. Nothing to see here. Just a black man being murdered in the street by a white police officer.” There was almost a nonchalance to it. The monster feared no recriminations whatsoever.
As onlookers reminded the monster “He’s a human being” and other officers questioned the need for such force – even as Big Floyd himself, struggled just to breathe, used his dying breaths to call out for his mother – even as all that was happening, the monster remained on George Floyd’s throat until the end. The blank stare never wavered. Perry, as he was known in childhood, was dead.
The confusion Perry must have felt as he called out for his mother, the terror he must have felt as his life force was draining away, is truly unimaginable. He was a human being too – just like you and me. Larcenia, the mother whose name he invoked with his dying breaths, joined him in death 2 years later, haunted by the memories of May 25th, 2020.
THE HOPE
Amidst the horror, there was hope. The sheer number of people protesting, spread across the globe, who, after witnessing such an atrocity, took to the streets, gave hope to many. It turns out, we’re not alone, those of us who can feel the pain of others. There are literally billions of us. It restores some measure of faith in humanity.
But, closer to home, the hope was more basic. Any system that emboldens it’s police force in such a way that a single member believes he can make a snuff-film, with a live audience, in the streets of Anytown, USA and get away with it – well, that’s a broken system.
It’s not as if this was somehow an isolated incident, an aberration, something that rarely occurs. We all know, it happens a lot. And it has for a very long time. The difference here was the public nature of it, and the cold, callous eyes of the perpetrator.
Everybody thought, “Surely, something this horrific, this public, will bring about change.” Some people were so outraged there were even calls to abolish or defund the police! Four years later, little has changed. The statistics bear this out.
However, whatever present we are facing, we can never give up hope, or the future is lost.
THE REALITY
Short of abolishing the police, after May 25th, 2020 police reform seemed imminent.
Four years later, there is no statistical change in the number of police killings in the United States. Most are by gunfire, but a number of them are by choke hold, the controversial “police tactic” that killed George Floyd.
Rather than quote readily available statistics, you should do your own research.
Google “police killings” and “choke holds” and get ready to be shocked.
None of this is meant to impugn police officers in general. Remember, when viewing statistics related to police shootings, most of the shootings were justified. For example, if you point a weapon at a police officer, expect to be shot. This truism has led to a phenomenon known as “suicide by cop” or “law-enforcement assisted suicide.” This even applies to pointing a toy, or replica weapon at a cop. Expect to be shot.
The truth is, the vast majority of women and men wearing law enforcement uniforms are people of great honor and integrity. We should thank them everyday for the lives they allow the rest of us to enjoy. If any cop feels it’s “a thankless job” that’s on us – the public. I assure you, the citizens of your community thank you, even if they don’t express it everyday.
When it comes to police reform, we have to listen to the women and men in the trenches and find balanced, sensible compromises that address the concerns of all citizens. Legislatures must be ready to respond with adequate, responsible funding. The work has barely begun.
MULTI-LAYERED MISSION
May25th.com has a multi-layered mission.
The multi-layered mission of May25th.com is to negate, to educate, and to donate.
First, we want to negate all the biased, stereotyped programming that is all too common today by offering an alternative – positive programming.
Second, using positive programming, we want to educate – guerrilla educate, if you will – as many people as possible.
Finally, we want to donate a portion of our proceeds to worthwhile organizations striving for social justice and police accountability.
People’s minds are constantly inundated with images depicting negative, biased stereotypes. Enough is enough already. May25.com is an alternative. Only the best-of-the-best uplifting words and images will be featured and promoted.
We know that an uplifting message can change a life – can save a life. The source doesn’t – or shouldn’t – matter, whether it was spoken by a white, brown, black, or even a purple person. It shouldn’t matter.
When someone learns the source of an uplifting idea, and it’s not who they thought it was, they have been Guerrilla Educated.
And uplifted!
May25.com is an idea, a hope, a dream. If you have the same dream, join the team! Help spread positivity. Help educate the ignorant.
When you’re ready to make new friends by spreading positivity in your part of the world, click “Enter the Shop” and make your selections. Help us make May25th.com mean something.
When you wear our apparel you’re making a statement. You are standing up for social justice. You are standing up for empathy and empowerment. And you’re remembering George Perry Floyd, and all the others.
We welcome you to our team. You’re not alone.