The Broader Symbolism of George Floyd

The police officer applied his knee to George Floyd’s neck. For over 9 minutes that officer casually maintained his position. Bystanders, to no avail, exhorted him to stop. What was he waiting for?

By any measure, the case is a tragedy. George Floyd died, four police officers had the course of their lives changed forever, and countless others were impacted by the subsequent tsunami of emotion and reaction. Anger. Despair. Wondering how such an occurrence could happen without someone pushing forward to set things right. The opportunity existed to save both George and the officers.

The case has served to symbolize issues we see over and over and over again between law enforcement and people of color. The symbolism, however, expands much further — all the way to both your doorstep and mine.

Imagine George as symbolic of the entire world of life about us, all the plants and creatures and fellow humans with whom we share planet Earth. The officer represents us, the human race, and our constant striving for control. Due to our numbers and our technology, we have become the “elephant in the room.” Where and how we apply our weight has consequences.

There are people off to the side, the scientists and documentarians and children, observing and recording and exhorting us to comprehend the consequences of our actions. They see the accumulating damage — entire ecosystems being altered or crushed beneath our weight — and how continuing current activities will ultimately destroy our own future.

We wonder what the officer was waiting for; ditto for our observers.