1319: The Killing of George Floyd, the Protests, and Russell M. Nelson’s Reaction Pt. 1

Yesterday afternoon I sat down with eight super-thoughtful Post-Mormons of color to discuss the unlawful killing of people of color by law enforcement officers and white citizens in the United States of America.

While these killings happen on a monthly basis in the United States, and have been occurring for centuries -- three of the 2020 killings that seem to be invoking particularly strong reactions are those of:

- George Floyd (46) - Killed in May in Minneapolis by police officer Derek Chauvin, while fellow officers watched.

- Ahmaud Arbery (25) - Killed in South Georgia by Travis McMichael, while his father watched.

- Breonna Taylor - Killed in March in Louisville by narcotics detectives after they knocked down her apartment door

We are aware the killings of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery only because they were recorded by smart phones. As summarized by actor Will Smith, “Racism isn’t getting worse. It’s getting filmed.”

These killings have led to numerous public protests throughout the United States, including this past weekend in Salt Lake City. In some instances, it has been reported that white supremacists have infiltrated some of the protests to stoke violence and disorder.

We also discussed LDS Church president Russell M. Nelson’s recent statement in reaction to the killing of George Floyd, and the corresponding protests surrounding public awareness of Floyd’s death.

Our panelists included the following:

Cecile Shellman

Spencer Nugent

Darron Smith

Jason Ball

Kimilyn Poulson

Mark Nugent

Solange Renfroe

Victoria Denise