I attended another protest Saturday. This one was organized by students. One of them asked us to take a knee and observe silence for eight minutes and forty-six seconds. That's the length of time a police officer kneeled on George Floyd's neck - even though Mr. Floyd was prone, had his hands cuffed behind his back, and was offering no resistance.
Eight minutes and forty-six seconds is long enough to become uncomfortable on one knee. It's also plenty long enough for your rage to cool; for good judgment to return; to realize what you're doing is a bad idea; for your buddies to intervene; to hear a man pleading for his life and for empathy and mercy to kick in. There was plenty of time for these things to occur, but they didn't. Instead a man's life drained out under the knee and in the presence of the people's sworn protectors.
Eight minutes and forty-six seconds is time enough to change your heart.
Eight minutes and forty-six seconds is long enough to become uncomfortable on one knee. It's also plenty long enough for your rage to cool; for good judgment to return; to realize what you're doing is a bad idea; for your buddies to intervene; to hear a man pleading for his life and for empathy and mercy to kick in. There was plenty of time for these things to occur, but they didn't. Instead a man's life drained out under the knee and in the presence of the people's sworn protectors.
Eight minutes and forty-six seconds is time enough to change your heart.
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