We all must work to eliminate prejudice

It was with a heavy heart that I watched another black person, George Floyd, die while being detained by law enforcement officers in Minneapolis on May 25. This tragedy is merely the latest instance of minority deaths while engaged in interactions with the police.

The protests that have followed have been largely peaceful, with tensions at some locations being elevated by various instigators and the crowd control units' response. While the violence and property damage is regrettable, it pales in comparison to the triggering event, another death occurring under the color of law.

This abuse of power should never occur and it must be stopped now. With the rollback at the federal level of initiatives to reform police departments, it is incumbent that necessary actions be taken at the state and local levels. Citizens should demand that law enforcement officers be properly trained, poor conduct swiftly dealt with and services that can be better handled by agencies outside law enforcement be transferred there.

In the year 2020, it is startling to me that we have to highlight what people of color have been screaming for decades, a cry for fairness and true equality. The current protests center around another black death. But this is only the most extreme example of what they have experienced.

While I can in no way fully appreciate what the black community has felt, I do recognize that they have experienced various forms of racial inequality. It is incumbent on all of us to work to eliminate prejudices and discrimination based on race. For the good of society, we must stay vigilant and actively pursue this goal. All lives don't matter until Black Lives Matter.

Will Bachman

St. Charles