George Floyd Protests: Conservatives Abhor Political Violence

‘An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind,” said Gandhi, whose philosophy of peace helped shape the American civil-rights movement that changed the world. But the video footage now emerging from the riots across the country shows anarchy and carnage: beatings, fires, the smashing up of private property. Above all, death: In addition to the initial brutal incident in which George Floyd died at the hands of Minneapolis police officers, a 77-year-old retired police captain named David Dorn (who happened to be black) was killed by looters. He lay on the sidewalk and bled to death — all streamed live on Facebook. A federal security guard, Patrick Underwood (who also happened to be black), was shot and killed while defending a federal office building in Oakland. Four officers were shot in St. Louis when they tried to disperse rioters who were pouring gasoline on them and hurling rocks and fireworks. Six police officers fired Tasers at two college students in the middle of a protest in Atlanta (two officers have been fired, and all six now face criminal charges). Dozens more have been struck, injured, or mowed down by cars as drivers faced protesters jumping on their vehicles and smashing their windshields.

But what is the purpose of this bloodshed? What are we actually fighting over? I have yet to see anyone make the case that George Floyd’s killing was anything other than criminal and horrific, and that those responsible should be held fully accountable. Quickly after the incident, the officers responsible for Floyd’s death were fired. The Justice Department has opened an investigation into the case. Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar indicated in a tweet that the charges against Derek Chauvin — the officer who kneeled on Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes — will be upgraded to second-degree murder, while the other officers at the scene will also face charges. Peaceful protesters who seek to dignify his memory and decry the scourge of racism are, of course, morally and constitutionally justified (though they are not socially distancing and are thereby defying governors’ edicts in many states). But arson, looting, and cries of “defund the cops” and “f*** the police” are overshadowing the legitimate, important protest. At least that’s what Floyd’s own brother, Terrence, said on Good Morning America. He said, emphatically, that violence and destruction is “not what my brother was about.”

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Madeleine Kearns

Madeleine Kearns is a former staff writer at National Review.

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‘An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind,” said Gandhi, whose philosophy of peace helped shape the American civil-rights movement that changed the world. But the video footage now emerging from the riots across the country shows anarchy and carnage: beatings, fires, the smashing up of private property. Above all, death: In addition to the initial brutal incident in which George Floyd died at the hands of Minneapolis police officers, a 77-year-old retired police captain named David Dorn (who happened to be black) was killed by looters. He lay on the sidewalk and bled to death — all streamed live on Facebook. A federal security guard, Patrick Underwood (who also happened to be black), was shot and killed while defending a federal office building in Oakland. Four officers were shot in St. Louis when they tried to disperse rioters who were pouring gasoline on them and hurling rocks and fireworks. Six police officers fired Tasers at two college students in the middle of a protest in Atlanta (two officers have been fired, and all six now face criminal charges). Dozens more have been struck, injured, or mowed down by cars as drivers faced protesters jumping on their vehicles and smashing their windshields.

But what is the purpose of this bloodshed? What are we actually fighting over? I have yet to see anyone make the case that George Floyd’s killing was anything other than criminal and horrific, and that those responsible should be held fully accountable. Quickly after the incident, the officers responsible for Floyd’s death were fired. The Justice Department has opened an investigation into the case. Minnesota senator Amy Klobuchar indicated in a tweet that the charges against Derek Chauvin — the officer who kneeled on Floyd’s neck for more than eight minutes — will be upgraded to second-degree murder, while the other officers at the scene will also face charges. Peaceful protesters who seek to dignify his memory and decry the scourge of racism are, of course, morally and constitutionally justified (though they are not socially distancing and are thereby defying governors’ edicts in many states). But arson, looting, and cries of “defund the cops” and “f*** the police” are overshadowing the legitimate, important protest. At least that’s what Floyd’s own brother, Terrence, said on Good Morning America. He said, emphatically, that violence and destruction is “not what my brother was about.”