
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">We have just passed the fifth anniversary of the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers. His death set off a series of demonstrations and riots across the nation – some violent. A jury would later convict Officer Derek Chauvin of murder and two other officers of related lesser crimes.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The death also kicked off a call for police reform and gave rise to a national defund the police movement – and to some extent, the Minneapolis police department was defunded. That was also true of police departments in other cities. ; Proposed partisan reforms were included in what was titled the “George Floyd Justice in Policing Act of 2021”. ; Despite the zeal of the moment, the George Floyd Bill never passed in Congress. ; ; ;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">At the site of the murder, an impromptu permanent memorial was established with the street being blocked off and a large portrait of Floyd painted on a wall. The memorial in Minneapolis remains, but local merchants are calling for the reopening of the street. A police defunding movement (a nutty idea promoted by radical left-wing Democrats) dissipated due to common sense and a strong public opposition. Floyd’s death also empowered a general anti-police movement. It remains the legacy of the left ever since,</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The left-wing establishment deemed Floyd to be a hero – almost to the point of canonization. ; But was he really? ; Personally, I never saw Floyd as a hero. ; Yes, he was a victim of a terrible crime. ; He did not deserve to die. ; Videos of his death were heart wrenching.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">However, a hero is a person who ACTS with bravery on their own volition for the benefit of others. ; They are distinguished by their good deeds and positive accomplishments in harrowing situations.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">As tragic and unwarranted as his death may have been, Floyd is not known for doing anything heroic in his lifetime. He was not involved in a heroic act at the time of his death. If Floyd were to have a short descriptive tag to his name, it would more appropriately be “petty criminal”—and in one case, not so petty. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Floyd had a criminal record that included multiple arrests and convictions. ; His offenses included drug charges, theft and robbery. ; ; In 2007, he was sentenced to four years in prison on a plea deal for aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon during a home invasion. ; Floyd had held a gun to the stomach of a woman while two cohorts searched the house for drugs and money.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Floyd was arrested in Minneapolis on suspicion of passing a counterfeit $20 bill. ; The clerk at Cup Foods was suspicious and notified police. ; Due to his death, that charge was never litigated – and whether the accusation was true or not has never been determined. ;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The food store clerk also stated that Floyd seemed “under the influence” and “was not in control of himself”. Floyd had a history of substance abuse. Postmortem toxicology reports showed that at the time of his death, Floyd had both fentanyl and methamphetamine in his system. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Characterizing Floyd as a hero is purely a partisan political narrative. ; To declare him a hero, however, demeans the courageous actions of real heroes. ; There is nothing wrong with using Floyd’s death to engage in a dialogue on police brutality. ; But that does not make him a hero any more than the few others who were victims of police brutality, excessive use of force, or even general racism. ;</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">On the fifth anniversary of his death, the media were filled with memorial reports and interviews with politicians, civil rights leaders and family members. In reality, Floyd is no more of a person or a story than the few others who died inappropriately at the hands of police. And yet they remain anonymous. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">I am more bothered by those on the left who repeatedly elevate criminals and characters of dubious reputation to some sort of noble victim status. ; We saw that in the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia and so many of the other illegal border crossers who have been deported.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Floyd’s death was a notable – albeit rare &#8212; example of excessive force by police. It was neither representative of the vast majority of police, nor did it make a hero of Floyd.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">So, there ‘tis.</p>

George Floyd: Victim or hero?
