- Thoughts about the Murder of George Floyd and its Aftermath -
L’havdil, “To make a difference,” is the expression Israelis and others use to indicate “Just the opposite is/should be the case!” You’ll note the connection to Havdalah, the separation of the days of the week from Shabbat in that how wonderful it would be if Sunday through Friday would have the spirit of Shabbat.
I’m using L’havdil with regard to the protesters who demonstrated with civility over the unconscionable murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police, and those who for all intents and purposes probably didn’t even know Mr. Floyd’s name but took advantage of the situation to loot, destroy and harm.
There was good reason to protest even after the perpetrator was charged with murder. There’s NEVER a good reason to do what the mob did; stealing is stealing, destroying is destroying, and harming is harming, all three far from kosher under any and all circumstances!
Wilmington, Delaware sat under the cloud of the National Guard’s presence in our community longer than any time, anywhere in the history of the country after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. For nine months in 1968 their presence was felt, and as some believe “the city has never been the same.” I’m not sure whether there hasn’t been growth – though there was looting in the past few days – but how can any community be the same for a very long time when the rule of law is spit upon?
Remember a few days ago when I wrote that society is in potential turmoil when there are no laws, when “freedom from” can lead to an uncertain, wild and crazy future? On the other hand, “freedom to” adopt and live by laws is a sign of civilization. In the Prophet Micah’s words (as well as three other places in the Hebrew Scriptures), “but they shall all sit under their vine and under their fig trees, and none shall make them afraid…”
How can we question the fury of the African-American community when these incidents of police brutality have been happening it seems more and more in the past few years? What would you think if such were the case of the government harassing and hurting Jews?
But I also don’t question the reasonable response of the police in confronting the looters. “You shall not stand by as your neighbor bleeds” is also biblical, and fear of reprisal is no reason not to have “reasonable” responses from law enforcement. Our neighbors bleed when their businesses are needlessly destroyed by hoodlums (a good old-fashioned appropriate term), or when their property is burned or their windows broken (remember Kristalnacht, the Night of Shattered Glass?!?).
When my son-in-law requested a response he could use for angry and confused colleagues of color who counsel students in the Philadelphia School System, I wrote, “After three months of forced isolation by an enemy we cannot see, an enemy that doesn’t distinguish between white and black, men and women…we need to do what we can to see each person as a child of God. As our tradition states, ‘In a place where decency doesn’t exist, do your best to be that source of decency.’” (Actually, “In a place where there is no man, strive to be a man.” You can substitute the word “mensch” for “man” as well)
That was from Hillel whose wisdom continues to be relevant.
(Speaking of the Army, National Guard and the like, many years ago an executive of some network received this email: “I hate war. It’s all we ever see on television!”)