With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Gaslighting America On The Murder Of A Black Man Didn't Work This Time
Across the U.S. people reacted emotionally to news that disgraced former Minneapolis officer Derek Chauvin was convicted of murdering George Flloyd.
(
Spencer Platt
/
Getty Images North America
)
For the first time in a long time, tears rolled down my face Tuesday over good news.
Listen
• 49:56
Listen To Our Special On LA's Reaction To The Derek Chauvin Verdict
It took about 10 hours for 12 Minneapolis jurors to convict former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin of murder in the death of a Black man, George Floyd. I was surprised. My friends and family were surprised.
We should not have been surprised.
Support for LAist comes from
No reasonable person could have watched former police officer Derek Chauvin kneel on the neck of a man who called out for his mother as he was dying and thought the act was justified. Yet, over the past year, that’s exactly what Black Americans witnessed with incredulity in season 244 of America.
The brutal killing of George Floyd last May split a pandemic-weary nation, ending friendships and sparking long-overdue come-to-Jesus conversations with loved ones. Many people did their homework and came out as allies. They marched, they posted on their social media feeds, and they donated both time and money.
But others dug in their heels, convinced by the sitting president and far-right provocateurs that police brutality is a delusion, and that the racial reckoning that erupted in the wake of Floyd’s death was the result of a liberal ploy orchestrated by Democratic puppet masters. It was a thesis that ignored not just historic facts, but the experiences of an overwhelming majority of black Americans.
A bad guy lost Tuesday. A jury of his peers told the world exactly what America would no longer accept.
The shortsighted gaslighting by ratings-hungry opportunists was disappointing but not unexpected. As long as there have been Black Americans, there have been people all too willing to benefit from our subjugation. And, to be sure, there were many who, over the past year, peddled white supremacy under the guise of American values to those hungry for a return to those days before the economy went global and the nation grew increasingly diverse.
Today, I imagine, they’re hard at work packaging this conviction as a radical decision made under the threat of social unrest. Predictable. Sad.
Police are supposed to be the good guys. Many are. Many are not. And all too often, the bad guys have won in America. Laws have protected them, leaving families to mourn. People of color have come to expect it.
Support for LAist comes from
A bad guy lost Tuesday. A jury of his peers told the world exactly what America would no longer accept. A Black man was killed, and we did something about it.
Millions of people, bereft of hope for their nation, might feel a glimmer of pride today. My advice: lean into it. The Great American Gaslighting is over. The fight for justice is well on its way. White supremacists be warned: A new America was born today.
Updated April 20, 2021 at 6:45 PM PDT
This story updates to clarify what we meant by a pre-global society.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
What do stairs have to do with California’s housing crisis? More than you might think, says this Culver City councilmember. -
Doctors say administrator directives allow immigration agents to interfere in medical decisions and compromise medical care. -
The Palisades Fire erupted on Jan. 7 and went on to kill 12 people and destroy more than 6,800 homes and buildings. -
People moving to Los Angeles are regularly baffled by the region’s refrigerator-less apartments. They’ll soon be a thing of the past. -
Experts say students shouldn't readily forgo federal aid. But a California-only program may be a good alternative in some cases. -
Distrito Catorce’s Guillermo Piñon says the team no longer reflects his community. A new mural will honor local leaders instead.
Best of LAist