Eight minutes and forty-six seconds. That’s how long it took Space X and NASA to reach Second Engine Cut Off (SECO) on the launch of two humans into low Earth orbit on their way to the International Space Station ISS). It might have been four seconds longer.
Eight minutes and forty-six seconds is how long a Minneapolis Police Officer kept George Floyd pinned to the street with a knee on his neck. George Floyd died during that eight minutes and 46 seconds on Monday May 25th. George Floyd was arrested for allegedly passing a fake $20 bill.
At least four Minneapolis Police Officers considered forgery a violent offense against the public welfare and treated the suspect as such. Four Minneapolis Police Officers become Judge, Jury, and Executioner. One through his action and the other three through their inaction.
The death of George Floyd in the custody of Minneapolis Police has prompted protests against Police brutality across the country. Those protests have then literally set off a firestorm in metropolitan areas across the nation.
Protesters have a point, what was done to George Floyd was brutal and excessive. Following on the outrageous death and initial cover-up of Ahmaud Arbrey, by a former police officer in Georgia, there is justification for protests to highlight the treatment of some Citizens by some Police.
This is not a justification for violent outcomes of protests. Just as anti-gun advocates never let a tragedy go to waste, thugs and anarchist don’t miss an opportunity to steal and burn. The people who come to gatherings to steal are opportunist and they exist and will exercise their will to steal when they think the opportunity to steal and not get caught is present.
Anarchist, like moths drawn out of the darkness, only come to destroy. It is their nature to destroy what others have created. Their favorite tool is fire and they will burn anything they can without regard to the race, creed, or national origin of the owners.
Anarchist, like Socialist, don’t understand, or refuse to process the logic of their actions. Socialist will run out of other peoples money, Anarchist will run out of other peoples accomplishments.
While thousands of people were involved the the real work of furthering exploration, demonstrated by the liftoff of DEMO-2, thousand more are involved in the destruction of urban centers. Some business owners are resisting, showing firearms and declaring their intent to protect themselves.
Corbo’s Bakery in Cleveland had a window broken, but potential looters did not enter when the owners displayed firearms and made know their intent to protect themselves. A Scottsdale Arizona jewelry store stopped potential looters by being armed inside the store and making their presence know.
However, there is a distinction between a “Castle Doctrine” and “Stand Your Ground”. SYG supports the right to defend yourself where ever you have the right to be. As described by a Minneapolis Police spokesman John Elder “The Castle Doctrine says that if you’re in your home you have the right to stand your ground. It’s my understanding that for business owners you do have a duty to retreat. Your business is not the same as your home.”
A pawnshop owner in Minneapolis who reportedly shot a looter with a shotgun has been arrested and charged with murder. The alleged looter was outside the store on the sidewalk. In Minnesota it wouldn’t have mattered if the body was found inside the store. The owner had a duty to retreat.
34 states have Stand Your Ground or expanded Castle Doctrine laws. Factor that into your calculation of how “Business Friendly” a state is. If you can’t protect the brick and motor storefront you’ve built, is the State really that friendly?
All lives matter is taken as an affront to a movement that is elevating their agenda. Until BLM acknowledges the value of the life of David Dorn, who was killed by looters in St. Louis on June 3, I only hear hypocrisy. There are no posters for David Dorn because he was allegedly murdered by a young man whose skin is some number of shades darker than the policeman who killed George Floyd.