America is Crumbling

The past week, peaceful protests have turned into hatful riots. Sadly, another African American man was killed at the hands of white police officers, this time in Minneapolis. George Floyd was unarmed and pinned to the ground by officers for several minutes while he pleaded for his life shouting, “I can’t breath.” The officers would not let go until his was dead. Marchers and protestors have stood outside for hours on end, in cities all around the United States. It is devastating to see people peacefully standing with signs and demanding social change and equality amongst all races, whereas others are taking this opportunity to cause a commotion.  When the starts to fade away, rioters and looters lash out. Thousands of small and large businesses have been shattered and broken into. Glass is shining on the sidewalks of major cities like New York, Las Angelos, Chicago, Washington, Las Vegas, Atlanta and countless others. It has been just over a week since Floyd died, and a painful week for America. In the midst of a pandemic, thousands of people are out expressing their emotion and others taking the vulnerable state of America to steal. It looks like a battle scene outside. Police departments, military personal, sheriffs and other countries armed men and women are outside lined up pushing protestors away. These people are armed with guns and threaten to spray protestors with tear gas or shoot them with rubber bullets. It is dark humor to laugh about the fact that the officers are wearing masks to protect themselves from Corona underneath their gas masks and shields. Fires have broken out and set police cars on fire. Stores are ransacked and I literally watched people casually stealing from stores without worry or care. One person even stole mattresses from a store and tried to safely drive away as they slid off of the compact car roof. It is almost surreal to see the streets I once walked with friends and family completely destroyed. In the midst of cities north, south, east, and west being torn to crumbles, the President is no where to be found. It took over three nights of severe looting and rioting for the President to speak up. The country is falling apart at our fingertips. Some believe that it is anarchy whereas other’s believe it is tyranny.  As the President spoke yesterday, he deployed military personal to attack the peaceful protestors outside the White House. It is one thing if the protesters were violent, then I understand the need to take action and attack. However, as he was speaking, people were calmly sitting and chanting, there was no need for precautionary tear gas and rubber bullets. And once again, this is all happening at the same time as a pandemic. Social media is booming with chains and posts about Black Lives Matters and countless controversial opinions. I believe the cause of the extreme looting and rioting is due in part by the lockdown. People are fed up with the pandemic and so they are using their anger to destroy shops. Even the express way near my was shut down last night in fear that rioters from the city would try and move to the northern suburbs and attack. It is extremely difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel right now. It is as if the over 100,000 deaths from Covid is not enough, that lives are now being lost by racism. Hundreds of protestors have gotten arrested over the past several days. Curfews have even been implemented in hundreds of cities, but that is not stopping people. What has this country come to? Is devastating that the first time in the three months that Corona is not constantly talked about on the news, that is because of chaotic protests, riots, and looting. Don’t get me wrong, I am all for equality and the rights of African Americans. What bothers me is that there are peaceful protestors who fighting for rights, while others are taking the opportunity to destroy shops which is making the protestors look bad. I really hope this country comes to fruition, however that means that the President must set the platform to move forward which is unreliable. We must come to together as one like we did when the pandemic started and move forward, not backward.

A news report by CNN of protests that have turned in riots in Minneapolis, where the whole story stems from 

Police forcing protestors away while they hold up their guns as a symbol of their superiority. 

Rioters destroying a police car 

Peaceful protestors 

Peaceful protestors 

Officers in LA ready for battle 

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