Anniversary

Author: Sophia Trott

A LETTER TO GEORGE FLOYD ON THE ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF HIS DEATH MAY 25, 2021

Dear George:

It has been one year since our minds were seared with that horrible video showing the heartless police officer kneeling on your neck for over 9 minutes. We viewed the life being drained out of you as you called for your mother and continually said “I can’t breathe”.

We were all stuck inside our homes because of the Covid 19 Pandemic and we could not help but watch our television sets because we had no place to go. Blacks, Whites, rich and poor all watched as you died before our very eyes, over and over again. It was one of the most painful sights that i personally have ever seen. No longer, were we just hearing about these things happening somewhere in America, we had a first hand view. It could not be denied and we could not make any excuses. It was a day of reckoning. The Black man and woman finally felt vindicated that what they were saying all these centuries was in fact true. We could no longer fool ourselves to believe that we as a people had arrived because we had a Black man elected President of the United States and many people of color elected to some of the top positions in our government.

I am so sorry George Floyd that you had to die for us to come to this realization. You did not choose to be a matyr. You were a father, a son, and a brother just simply living your life out in the universe with plans for your future. You did not willingly give up your life but it was taken from you for $20.00. Was your life not worth more than $20.00?

There are many matyrs that went before you. There was Dr.Martin Luther King, jr., Ghandi and Malcolm but they chose that life of sacrifice knowing that they were placing their lives in danger each time that they protested, led marches and spoke to the masses. Their lives were being threatened on a daily basis, yet they continued the struggle because they believed that this was the only way to affect change. It is because of their sacrifice of life and limb that we even have some of the basic rights such as voting and the Equal Rights Amendment.

You did none of this. You did not march, you gave no such speeches to the masses and led no nonviolent movement. You were simply living your life and taking care of your family.

Your death has caused a “firestorm” in these United States. People have woken up and are protesting for change in the laws. We finally see a chance for meaningful change in America.

I am not sure how many more deaths it will take for this Country to change. Sadly to say that many more will die.

I am sorry that you had to die. We

Love

SOPHIA