EDITOR’S NOTE: Ron Moton Sr., the author of this letter to the editor, was elected president of the Mansfield chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People on Jan. 7, 2019.
When is it patriotic to kneel? If you kneel for acknowledgement of police brutality you are not American. Yet if you kneel on the neck of a black man for over nine minutes, you can be a peace officer.
In most cases there are alternatives to excessive force, but the first is the simple regard for human life. It is unfortunate that lives are being lost for trivial reasons because their lives are not of high value to those designated to protect and serve.
Fundamentally, you cannot serve or protect something you do not value. No clearer evidence can be provided to the lack of reasoning shown in the video of the murder of George Floyd.
What indicators are the officers looking for to determine the submission to arrest or control by subject being taken, to trigger the next step? What is the next step in the arresting process after the subduing the subject, when is appropriate to move on to the next step of completing the arrest?
I imagine that you would pick the human being up off the ground and put them in the back of the cruiser, not choke them until their last breath is exhausted.
This is more than a trend; it is a systematic methodology on how law enforcement deals with African American citizens.
Understandably, there are hazards and dangers intrinsically embedded in the job, which should require individuals with high tolerance and confidence in their abilities to perform a noble duty. First responders as a profession are a heroic and honorable part of society’s culture, but we are not employing people with those values to do the job.
Not enough research or vetting is going on prior to the admission to Team Blue. There should be substantial changes made to the recruitment, and training process of law enforcement because the current model seems to only protect the archaic belief system of racism.
No other community has been assaulted by law enforcement like that of the African American, so are the laws that are being enforced inherently racist?
The proof is in the actions and the culpability is with leadership to first care, then to act accordingly.
I fear that during a crisis those who should be calming and providing a sense of community are elevating the pandemonium of an event during a global pandemic no less.
There is no reason Mr. Floyd should be dead. This is unbelievably tragic and permanent.
God be with the family of the fallen and with the decision makers to bring forth change. Rest in peace George.
Elder Ronald E. Moton Sr.
President of the Mansfield Branch 3190
State Religious Chairperson
