I am not misreading you. This is what YOU wrote:
"Of course "force" was justified. He was a suspect in a crime who had multiple felony convictions including weapons and assault. Since when don't police use force to arrest a potentially dangerous suspect?"
MY POINT: force was not, in fact, justified. No matter what his criminal history, once he was subdued force was not justified. Put another way, he was no longer dangerous once he was on the ground. (If he ever was). On this point everyone seems to agree - except you.
Next, YOU wrote:
"But as I clearly said, it was a case of police brutality, which naturally means excessive force. For that reason alone, I understand the third degree murder charge. Upping it to second degree means they are turning it into a racial act."
MY POINT: The racist nature of this crime -- and it was racist -- is not the reason they are upping the charge. The statutory language of the criminal statute does not mention race. Rather, the difference between 2nd and 3rd degree murder is INTENT: the fact that Chauvin had his knee on Floyd's neck for that long demonstrates an intent to murder, justifying the second degree charge. The charge itself stands apart from whether Chauvin is a racist. For you to suggest otherwise means that YOU believe these decisions are somehow politicized, when they are instead based on fact.
Next, YOU wrote:
"Otherwise, my major point remains. There is a gigantic gray area about the death of George Floyd. Intentionally inflammatory articles like this one only make a tragic event even worse."
MY POINT: This is the statement that makes you irredeemable. There is no gray area - which is, in fact the only point of this piece that you've described as "inflammatory." The facts remain that he was intentionally killed. There is no debate. The video makes it obvious.
As for your insults -- accusing me of misreading you, of mangling your words, of being outrage or incensed -- I'm used to gray-haired white men so desperate to cling to power that they have to resort to rhetorical tactics like this. It's nothing new.
