To Gianna Floyd On The Anniversary Of Your Dad's Murder — You Both Deserved So Much More
George Floyd was so much more than a martyr. He was your dad.
Floyd Family As a Black woman, with a Black father, I can’t imagine what you’re feeling, Gianna.
I am a daddy’s girl at heart and I remember riding on my dad’s shoulders as a child. I would pretend to be a giant that towered over everyone.
"Before he was a hashtag, he was a man, a father, a son, a brother. Before he was world-renowned because he took his last breath at the hands (and knees) of a racist thug, he was here, living. He should be here." - Luvvie Ajayi Jones, Awesomely Luvvie
Gianna, remember your father as your dad, not a martyr fighting for injustice. He enjoyed playtime with you and he was a hard-working man who always provided for his family.
The world may see him as a step toward justice for the Black community, but he was your dad first — you are his greatest achievement.
Today marks the first anniversary that George Floyd became an involuntary martyr for an age-old cause.
On May 25, 2020, George Floyd went to a convenience store to make a purchase in which a counterfeit 20 dollar bill was used.
When several officers arrived on the scene to find themselves facing a tall black man, it was determined that excessive force was “necessary” to subdue and arrest him. George Floyd remained fatally pinned to the ground by Derek Chauvin for 9 minutes and 29 seconds.
Gianna, your dad involuntarily became a hero that day. I'm sorry our nation neglected to remember that George was a father first.
Gianna, you deserve to have your dad. It wasn’t his responsibility to become a martyr in the fight for civil rights.
Over the years, Philando Castille, Trayvon Martin, Sandra Bland, Tamir Rice, and so many others have become household names. Although we create murals and memorials of those that have fallen victim to police brutality, we don’t stop and think about the role each of these victims played in the lives of their families.
Their families didn’t want them to be called a hero, not at this cost.
The fight against police brutality has gone on far too long.
So many Black and brown men and women have lost their lives to further the cause. “No justice, no peace” is our war cry, but how many more casualties does it take before the fight ends?
There are so many ways in which Black people can easily become martyrs for this movement. Driving a car can turn you into a martyr. Selling CDs and DVDs can turn you into a martyr. You can even become a martyr by sleeping in your apartment.
I’m tired of hearing and seeing the same narrative that's playing out on loop throughout our nation.
To be brown or Black in America is to be both enraged and fearful at all times.
As we continue the uphill battle against police brutality, we hope that all people will continue to stand in solidarity with the Black community.
Gianna, your father left a legacy he didn’t write.
That legacy, although created too soon, is one that spurred change within our nation.
George Floyd deserved to be a dad, Gianna — not America’s hero, nor a martyr.
You both deserved so much more.
LaShawnte Burgess is a freelance writer at YourTango that writes Entertainment and News articles.