Celebrating for Justice Not Vengeance

I feel compelled to use this platform to clarify the celebrations we have seen for the Derek Chauvin‘s conviction.

People of all nationalities, ages and backgrounds have been seen crying for joy, shouting, clapping, even dancing. Some may say that, by celebrating someone going to jail we are no better than Mr. Chauvin.

I want to explain that, for the majority of us, our celebrating is not based on vengeance of Derek Chauvin. It is all about the justice system finally acknowleding, through this conviction, that George Floyd’s life was taken without justification and holding the person accountable who is responsible for his death. We are not celebrating a man’s conviction and being remanded to jail for 40 years or more as much as we are this moment in history.

unless you are African-American you cannot possibly understand the years of systemic racism that we have endured. You may empathize but unless you lived it you cannot understand the physical, mental and psychological pain and anguish experienced by never knowing when you or a member of your family could become a victim of police racism. This conviction sets a precedence that change is possible.

sadly, it is only one case. So many others were ignored in the past and additional cases of alleged unjustified killing of blacks have happened since Mr. Floyd. We can only hope and pray that justice will be served in every future case.

So do not criticize or hold this moment of apparent rejoicing against us. We are celebrating the potential for a new generation of justice that can make the latter statement of our Pledge of Allegiance a reality. That is, “With liberty and justice for ALL.”