U.S. Melting Pot Boiling Over Again

If you have not been following the news, a few days ago a man in Minneapolis died after being arrested by a city police officer. As the handcuffed man was on the ground and the officer had his knee on the man’s neck, and with the incident being video-taped by a passerby, you could hear the man say he couldn’t breathe. The police officer failed to react to the man’s pleas even though there were three other police officers standing nearby who could have assisted if the man was resisting arrest. The man was eventually taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead. An autopsy was unable to categorically attribute the man’s death to asphyxiation as there were indications the man had other health problems. At first glance, it would appear the officer likely used excessive force and should have reacted to the man’s pleas for air. One fact is clear though. The officer’s restraining measures were contrary to established procedures. 

The fact that the police officer was white and the man black immediately changed the narrative on what happened. Demonstrations, riots and looting broke out in cities across the United States. Rather than treat the matter as a possible use of excessive force, in many areas it has become a white versus black issue. While the police officer may have acted the way he did because the man was black, he did have a history of other problems and his actions may have been the same for any other person who may have been resisting arrest, regardless of their colour.

Over the last few nights, people have been looting stores and burning buildings/cars. The police officer was fired and charged with manslaughter. As the investigation unfolds the public may learn more about the police officer’s actions and whether there were any racial considerations. In the meantime, there are those that simply want to use this opportunity to vandalize and steal, a common default reaction for dealing with many of the frustrations that happen in the United States. Unfortunately, the American melting pot continues to simmer and will occasionally boil over until they are able to properly address its unstable temperature.