Mixed Feelings [controversial]

When I heard that the jury found George Floyd's murderer guilty, my first reaction was of relief. However, on almost immediate reflection, I was horrified that such a feeling of relief was necessary. The world watched George Floyd's murder. We watched as his murderer acted without remorse in broad daylight, fully aware that he was being recorded and yet still certain that he would get away with his crime. 

I should not have felt relief. The jury's guilty verdict should have been assured. That there was doubt in my mind about this conviction indicates how little faith I have in our criminal justice system. Worse, this verdict came for a murder that happened to be caught on camera. Our history is replete with similar incidents with very different results. For example, the two men who killed Breonna Taylor did not even face charges.

Even worse still are the people who have spent the past year justifying the actions of George Floyd's murderer. I'm not talking about the defense attorneys--they were doing their jobs to provide the best possible defense for their client. I mean those who denied the evidence in front of them, who attacked the victim by suggesting it was his fault, and who deny that racism is still a present danger to our nation.

I'm bothered that I felt relief at this verdict.