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George Floyd: R.I.P.
The Rebirth of America?
WARNING: Some of the following may be offensive. It is not offered to hurt, but to help heal. Nonetheless, please be cautioned about some of the language.
In the aftermath of all the Black Lives Matters protests, calls for defunding the police, and the massive mobilization of anti-racist forces throughout the country, I interviewed a long-distant acquaintance about what’s been going on. He left California years ago and moved elsewhere. We were not friends, but we loved arguing with one another. This mini-interview has a horrible tone, but I have to share it.
Q: When you saw the picture of George Floyd, what did you think?
A: When I looked at that picture of George Floyd, I felt an immediate dislike.
Q: Why?
A: It shows a black man, with a very wide nose and excessively-thick lips. They used to call them liver lips. His eyes were droopy, as if he were on drugs. To me, his picture was ugly. I don’t know; he just looked crude, stupid, and lacking in the qualities that would make him my friend.
There was no sign of intelligence or awareness there. He just looked like he was existing, but not really aware of anything important.
Q: Wait a minute. Aren’t you judging a book by its cover?
