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Ivan G Thompson
a book bubble about
The Making of A Great America Uprooting the Spirit of Racism
Religion & Spirituality
Author Insight
Angry Black Man Defense for Chauvin
Derek Chauvin is the former Minneapolis police officer charged in the death of George Floyd. Washington Post Robin Givhan, Senior critic-at-large March 30, 2021 “Defense attorney Eric Nelson has made anger central to his argument for Chauvin’s acquittal. In his version of events, the anger of the growing crowd on the street that May afternoon distracted Chauvin from the man he had pinned under his knee. Floyd, who had been accused of circulating a counterfeit $20 bill, was in Chauvin’s custody, which meant that he was also in his care. But the crowd — that dangerous, unruly mob, according to Nelson — had distracted Chauvin so that he could not attend to Floyd’s well-being. He could only concern himself with his detainment… The defense’s narrative makes use of one of the culture’s most damaging and enduring stereotypes about Black men — and women, too. These people ooze anger, and Black anger is inherently menacing. It isn’t justified or understandable or controlled, even when it is all of those things. It most certainly is not righteous. And when it rises, it must be tamped down, defused and crushed.”
Book Excerpt
The Making of A Great America Uprooting the Spirit of Racism
This is an excerpt from the chapter "African Americans and the Police":
African Americans and the Police
“Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.”
Jude 21-23
I believe the Holy Spirit gave me this Scripture to guide me as I appeal to people about the plight of African Americans and their treatment by the police in America. Everyone won’t be reached in the same way. Some will be reached in one way, “others” perhaps in a different way. As I trust the leading of the Holy Spirit in sharing the burden that I believe He has put on my heart, I trust that He will help me to be “a gifted artisan” (Ex 31:6) a “skilled craftsmen (Ex 28:3) as I strive to “speak the truth in love.” (Eph 4:15). Luke 12:11-12 says, “When you are brought before the synagogues, rulers, and authorities, do not worry about how to defend yourselves or what to say. For at that time, the Holy Spirit will teach you what you should say.” Through this Scripture, I believe the Holy Spirit is telling me that I don’t have to get caught up trying to defend myself or any point in this book. All I have to do is trust that I am touching on the points that the Holy Spirit is leading me to touch on, continue to pray for the grace and mercy to hear what I believe the Holy Spirit is telling me that I “should say.”
In these next few chapters, I will strive to keep myself “in the love of God,” “looking for mercy” for myself and others, walking in “compassion” with some and “pulling others out the fire,” all while hating the spirit of racism and all of its manifestations as it pertains to African Americans and the police...
... A 2016 article from Forbes shows that African Americans were more likely to be roughed up by police in New York, even while complying with instructions:
“In contrast with his analysis of police shootings, Fryer found consistent and robust racial differences in the use of nonlethal force, such as grabbing a suspect, slapping him, or pushing him into a wall. Based on the New York Police Department’s data, he found that blacks ’are more than fifty percent more likely to have an interaction with police which involves any use of force.’ The difference was smaller but still statistically significant after Fryer took into account various other factors that might affect the use of force. ’Even when officers report civilians have been compliant and no arrest was made,’ he writes, “blacks are 21.3 percent more likely to endure some form of force.” (Sullum, 2016)
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