What Happens Now?

The United States as a nation, keeps ignoring defining moments in its young history as a sovereign nation to live up to the words recorded in its Constitution. Defining moments do not come as often as we like them. When they come, they are to be recognized as an opportunity for an individual or a nation to do something that will either change the trajectory of its history, or follow the course of others that have failed before it. The United States may well be the last of the many nations that stood out among other nations with what it was bestowed with in its inception. Nations such as Egypt, Greece, Italy (Roman Empire), England((U.K.), and others throughout history all rose and fell. They all fell from internal strife or a stronger opposing enemy, but somewhere God had a hand in their downfall. Pride and arrogance always come before the fall. The United States may very well be in its last throes of its grandeur as a great nation simply because it was brought down by those in positions of influence and leadership who only looked out for a “select few” instead of all. These “defining moments” only happen at a time when a nation must show the character of what it says defines it from other nations, that set it apart from those that rose to great prominence, only to see it fall into the abyss of time. The Unites States prides itself on the “goodness” of its people and the capacity to do “what is right” before its global neighbors, and in the “eyes” of God. The death of George Floyd, that those who are protesting call murder, some might say that God has put the U.S. on the world’s stage to show that the principles of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” are not just empty words written to impress, while seemingly denying it to others. Though the U.S. is a secular nation, not a Christian one, laws are one of the things that truly define what a nation really is. The laws of the U.S. are once again on trial.

When George Floyd died at the knee of a white police officer in Minnesota, it was broadcast to the world. When the four officers who were there when Floyd died were fired, many believed that somewhere justice would prevail, because why fire four officers if what they did was “justified”. The video of Floyd held face down, hands tied behind his back with a knee on his neck, while he pleaded with the officer that he couldn’t breathe, has to affect those who have a passion for life, had no idea that Floyd’s life was about to end. It didn’t have to end. A man is dead. One officer (as of press time) is charged, anger from a community that has seen this played out too many times, a president that can’t lead leaves us wondering what happens next. Where is the “law”, an angry community asks? How long (or slow) will the wheels of justice turn in this loss of black life at the hands of white police officers? Many people have expressed their outrage over Floyd’s death, and truth be told, not all of them are coming from the black community. Nor are all of the protestors in the streets black. There are some white people walking the streets alongside black people who want to see justice prevail. Nevertheless, protesting can only go so far. It will be the actions of prosecutors and judges whose oath given responsibility is to see that justice is done no matter who it is. As this writer said, this is a defining moment for the U.S.

This is a defining moment for President Trump to stop looking out for himself because the honor and integrity of the office that he holds is at stake. The Department of Justice is at stake, as well as the standing of the nation as a “nation of laws”. More importantly, it will be the voices of those who say this nation was founded on religious principles to speak up forcefully, but those voices are silent. No one is quoting Romans 13 about being “subjected” to government authorities. None of them, the high-profile ones who are quick to talk about constitutional rights, abortions and gay people, are saying nothing. What is their agenda? Doing what is right will not come from the White House, but from the pulpits, from those whose calling is to speak righteousness to a nation that is moving ever so closely to the exact opposite of justice for everyone. They said that the “blood of the innocent” cries from the ground. That will be the last image that we will see of George Floyd’s life. On the ground pleading for his life. What happens next is in the hands of more of those who have been silent, those who haven’t walked a mile in the shoes of black Americans. Remember, the world is watching. So is God.