MNA and Nurses Respond to the Killing of George Floyd by Police

[tnbutterfly - Mary]

We have all seen on the news the terrible scene that played out in the streets in Minnesota when George Floyd, an unarmed 46-year-old black male, was arrested by the Minnesota Police for attempted forgery at a convenience store. The action was caught on video as George Floyd, handcuffed and pinned to the ground face down by an officer who pressed with his full weight with his knee on Mr. Floyd's neck for more than 8 minutes. We watched and heard George Floyd crying out that he couldn't breathe. We heard him calling for "Mama". We watched as his body went limp with the officer still holding him down. This will be a scene I shall never forget.

The following are quotes from the Minnesota Nurses Association's response to this heinous crime.

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As nurses, we see the horrific effects of racism in our hospitals and community every day. We cannot remain silent as yet another black man has died at the hands of police...

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George Floyd's last words were "I can't breathe.” George Floyd died shortly after arriving at the hospital."

Nurses jump into action when they hear someone say "I can't breathe", instead of standing there watching them die. Their goal is to save lives, not kill people

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In the case of George Floyd, Minneapolis Police took no care or life-saving measures. Instead, they left him pinned down to the ground until paramedics arrived. Police ignored the pleas of George Floyd and he died.

Nurses care for all patients, regardless of their gender, race, religion or other status. We expect the same from the police. Unfortunately, nurses continue to see the devastating effects of systematic racism and oppression targeting people of color in our communities. We demand justice for George Floyd and a stop to the unnecessary death of black men at the hands of those who should protect them.

As a nurse, or as a compassionate human, how has this horrific event affected you? We have seen protests (some peaceful and some that have erupted into riots), vandalism, looting, and more. What is going on in your community? What actions can nurses take?

Let us stand together and let our voices be heard. Post your comments below.

[NurseBlaq]

4 hours ago, nursemarion said:

You know that is uncalled for. You do not know me. I would have shot her because she was about to murder an unarmed person who was terrified and needed help. I could care less about the color of her skin. It was her actions. You need help with this paranoid state that you have yourself convinced that everyone is racist. How sad it must be for you and I feel for your coworkers who must be always on eggshells around you.

Nope. Just reading your post on racial issues including your constant asinine labeling, ahem "paranoid state" and your dismissive need of "how sad it must be" for me and you "feel for your coworkers". Because Black people can't recognize inherent racism unless you tell them that's what it is huh? ? I don't' have these problems at work because my coworkers don't find any and every way to offend Black people and excuse/validate injustices done to us. Go on, keep exposing yourself. You can't help it. Be you.

I'm not the only one who notices this about you, I just flat out said what is being thought. I didn't say you had to do anything but I have experienced racism enough to know it when I see it and it's ingrained in you through and through.

[DesiDani]

I was just watching the case about that girl with dwarfism who was accused of being an adult. She was placed in 30 foster homes before she got adopted out by that family who didn't want her. She was 11 yrs old with a disability when the family abandoned her. I am sure there are many youths that are placed in more homes than that.  Not all people who are foster parents are good people. Some do it for the money. 

 

[Workitinurfava, BSN, RN]

On 5/9/2021 at 12:39 PM, NurseBlaq said:

Nope. Just reading your post on racial issues including your constant asinine labeling, ahem "paranoid state" and your dismissive need of "how sad it must be" for me and you "feel for your coworkers". Because Black people can't recognize inherent racism unless you tell them that's what it is huh? ? I don't' have these problems at work because my coworkers don't find any and every way to offend Black people and excuse/validate injustices done to us. Go on, keep exposing yourself. You can't help it. Be you.

I'm not the only one who notices this about you, I just flat out said what is being thought. I didn't say you had to do anything but I have experienced racism enough to know it when I see it and it's ingrained in you through and through.

You seem racist, like no matter what you don't like her because she is white and is just calling it how it is. It's not just white people that feel the murder was justifiable, it's your own people. See you want to call her racist when it's all you have left to try and win an argument but this racist thing is starting to go both ways in 2021 (not including her). You turned a justifiable death into a racism issue. 

[toomuchbaloney]

43 minutes ago, Workitinurfava said:

You seem racist, like no matter what you don't like her because she is white and is just calling it how it is. It's not just white people that feel the murder was justifiable, it's your own people. See you want to call her racist when it's all you have left to try and win an argument but this racist thing is starting to go both ways in 2021 (not including her). You turned a justifiable death into a racism issue. 

Is the United States a racist country?

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It is almost as if simply saying America is not racist, but then turning the other cheek and saying it is racist in subtler terms and that racist things have been done to you makes it OK. It is confusing to Americans and the international community. To supporters, these comments are disappointing. To others, they were shocking. For me, the cognitive dissonance of some of our elected leaders is real and explainable. There is an oversimplification of racism in America, because as sociologist Eduardo Bonilla-Silva notes, there can be systemic racism without racists.  

If people sympathize with or defend the institutional language and actions of racism does that make them racist or just apologists for racism? 

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Systemic racism inhibits (rather than prohibits like in the past) people’s ability to actualize all aspects of the American Dream. This occurs even for highly-educated Black people with high incomes and no criminal record. In fact, research documents that white people with a criminal record are more likely to get called back for a job than Black people without one.   

Research documents that hard work (or lack thereof), intellect, or criminality do not explain these outcomes. Instead, it is the racism embedded deeply within our social institutions’ policies, rules, regulations, and laws that segment people’s experiences along racial lines. It is the same for gender. Women can achieve but have a much harder time doing so. If not, America would have had a woman vice president and speaker of the House sitting behind the president long before 2021.   

Maybe you don't know what a racist "seems like" to the rest of us, @workitnurfava.

 

[NurseBlaq]

8 minutes ago, toomuchbaloney said:

Is the United States a racist country?

If people sympathize with or defend the institutional language and actions of racism does that make them racist or just apologists for racism? 

Maybe you don't know what a racist "seems like" to the rest of us, @workitnurfava.

 

I muted that poster because they're just as bad as the one I last responded to. Who the hell is "your people" as if they know my race. My bloodline is multiracial but just like the bigots I see IRL, I'm not the picture, nor of the mindset, of white folks so I get the BS racist banter and when it's not accepted and called out they're somehow the faux victim and I'm the racist. You know, one of the go-to tactics of racists. It's old and pathetic. You can't change the mind of folks with hatred embedded in them. After so long in a conversation, they solidify who they are and it's time to move on. My time is too valuable to keep wasting on willful ignorance.

[Workitinurfava, BSN, RN]

17 minutes ago, toomuchbaloney said:

Is the United States a racist country?

If people sympathize with or defend the institutional language and actions of racism does that make them racist or just apologists for racism? 

Maybe you don't know what a racist "seems like" to the rest of us, @workitnurfava.

 

The reason the girl was killed is not due to racism, you can pull up whatever data you want which is irrelevant btw. It's time to move on and accept that her actions got her killed. How can they teach those around them especially their daughters if they are in such denial? They will teach those around them  that no matter what white people are racist and that's why the girl was killed. That's a shame.You don't even care that she was going to kill another woman. That's why their communities are so dysfunctional and violent because no matter what, it's the white cops fault.

[toomuchbaloney]

2 hours ago, Workitinurfava said:

The reason the girl was killed is not due to racism, you can pull up whatever data you want which is irrelevant btw. It's time to move on and accept that her actions got her killed. How can they teach those around them especially their daughters if they are in such denial? They will teach those around them  that no matter what white people are racist and that's why the girl was killed. That's a shame.You don't even care that she was going to kill another woman. That's why their communities are so dysfunctional and violent because no matter what, it's the white cops fault.

You might notice that I didn't mention "the girl" yet you seem driven to make these patently racist comments...like the highlighted words. You can't help yourself because the racists who lived with and around you accepted and even promoted that specific social dysfunction of the white community.  That cognitive dissonance of the bigoted and angry working class white community likely contributes to their over sized contribution to mass shootings and acts of domestic terrorism, don't you think? I mean, how else do we explain the rise in violence from right wing extremists groups like the proud boys, the oath keepers and the openly white supremacist groups? Did the black people make them angry and violent?

[Workitinurfava, BSN, RN]

3 hours ago, toomuchbaloney said:

You might notice that I didn't mention "the girl" yet you seem driven to make these patently racist comments...like the highlighted words. You can't help yourself because the racists who lived with and around you accepted and even promoted that specific social dysfunction of the white community.  That cognitive dissonance of the bigoted and angry working class white community likely contributes to their over sized contribution to mass shootings and acts of domestic terrorism, don't you think? I mean, how else do we explain the rise in violence from right wing extremists groups like the proud boys, the oath keepers and the openly white supremacist groups? Did the black people make them angry and violent?

The proud boys have nothing to do with the girl that was shot holding a knife about to kill someone. You calling me racist won't make me change my mind, that may work with others but not me. Accountability may have saved the girls life, but due to no one making her see the reality of her actions and act accordingly, she is dead now. It's more like those around her made excuses and even helped her fight. Sadly she did stand a chance at living.

[Workitinurfava, BSN, RN]

23 minutes ago, Workitinurfava said:

The proud boys have nothing to do with the girl that was shot holding a knife about to kill someone. You calling me racist won't make me change my mind, that may work with others but not me. Accountability may have saved the girls life, but due to no one making her see the reality of her actions and act accordingly, she is dead now. It's more like those around her made excuses and even helped her fight. Sadly she did stand a chance at living.

Didn't stand a chance 

[toomuchbaloney]

1 hour ago, Workitinurfava said:

The proud boys have nothing to do with the girl that was shot holding a knife about to kill someone. You calling me racist won't make me change my mind, that may work with others but not me. Accountability may have saved the girls life, but due to no one making her see the reality of her actions and act accordingly, she is dead now. It's more like those around her made excuses and even helped her fight. Sadly she did stand a chance at living.

As I said, I am not talking about the girl.  I'm also not interested in trying to change your mind, that would likely require an in-person intervention.  

[Workitinurfava, BSN, RN]

2 hours ago, toomuchbaloney said:

As I said, I am not talking about the girl.  I'm also not interested in trying to change your mind, that would likely require an in-person intervention.  

So why are you talking to me? You are the one that made the choice to respond to something not directed at you. Now you are acting like you don't know what is happening.

[toomuchbaloney]

1 hour ago, Workitinurfava said:

So why are you talking to me? You are the one that made the choice to respond to something not directed at you. Now you are acting like you don't know what is happening.

I'm talking to you because of the nature of your remarks.  Are you acting like you don't know what I'm talking about?