Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald reflected in an essay in The New York Times upon George Floyd’s death and the ensuing protests in Minneapolis. Fitzgerald is a Minneapolis-native, and therefore titled the essay, “This Is Not the Minneapolis of My Youth.”
He discussed the city’s redeeming qualities, including its cultural and racial diversity. “For as long as I have known it, Minneapolis has been a city of peace, family and contentment. But not right now,” Fitzgerald wrote.
Fitzgerald contends the city has changed since the death of Floyd, who died in police custody after former officer Derek Chauvin, who has been charged with second-degree murder, put his knee on Floyd’s back and neck for almost nine minutes. It sparked protests in Minneapolis — and around the world.
Here’s a look at a particularly moving passage from Fitzgerald’s essay:
“People of color across this nation are screaming to be heard.
“Stop killing our sons and daughters. Stop terrorizing our communities. Give us justice. When those screams fall on deaf ears the pain of being unheard bears down on your soul. Have you ever been frustrated at being in an intimate relationship where you feel your concern is unheard and disregarded? When you try to communicate but your voice does not get through? In those moments the wounds of disrespect can lead us to raise our voices and behave in less than civil ways. Our intrinsic need to be understood intensifies our reactions. Our desperation to be heard can override our better judgment.”
Be sure to check out Fitzgerald’s essay in The New York Times.
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