George Floyd’s Greatest Legacy Was Being Human
He was no myth, nor was he perfect. His death has resonated all the more as neither are we.
It took 8 minutes and 46 seconds for one man to change the world.
His death resonated to the point where I received this call the other day:
“So what do you think?” my friend asked. “Will George Floyd go down in history as our new Jesus?”
I am neither religious nor a believer, but I have read The Bible and have to admit I found the question keenly provocative.
George Floyd was imperfect, but who among us truly holds the opposite distinction?
Not a damn one.
Anyone with a computer connection or a television set can read of both Mr. Floyd’s tough past and hopeful future. It is not my job here to rehash; it is my job here as a writer to continue to open eyes.
He was from most indications beloved by family and friends, so many of whom have been working to heal the world since his passing.
Today was Floyd’s funeral in Houston. The word “love” had been repeated most frequently.
His past truly did not matter today. The man is dead. The world is talking.
Police reforms beckon as do whole other tactics of handling racism.
Our protests are being heeded.
There is no other choice in the matter.
The President of the United States and his divisive retweet of controversial political commentator Candace Owens’ tweet last week — losing her GoFundMe page for a local business owner who called Floyd a “thug” due to the damage to his business — just may have cemented voting results come November.
Around the world the fight for justice continues. #BlackLivesMatter and it’s far past time for radical change.
The fact that a regular man who has struggled, paid debts, and incited global transformation is mourned so widely today is commendable.
Says a great deal about the innate decency of most of us.
George Floyd’s fate will one day be repeated. Those words are as difficult to write as they are to consider. The frequency of such incidents will be determined based on whether our fight leads to sustainable change.
No one further such incident can be accepted, however, as many of us will pick up and fight once again.
For all of those reading this piece who unlike me are religious, I will conclude thusly: There but for the grace of God go I.
He was imperfectly human. So are we.
He changed the world. So can we.
He lost his life. We fight for him and the future in which he can no longer share.
Thank you George Floyd, for everything, as you have proven the sum total of a human being is comprised of equal parts life and legacy.
Thank you all for reading.
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