Finding Derek Chauvin Guilty is Important

At the time of this posting a jury has just convicted former Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin of murder in the death of George Floyd. Police who kill suspects under questionable circumstances are rarely charged or convicted of a crime. This has been especially true of white officers who kill blacks. The guilty verdict in this case may be more significant than people realize. Chauvin could spend years in prison. For the first time someone is being held accountable for their actions. 

There's been a lot of discussion and controversy about solutions to racism and policing. There have been calls to defund police and reinvest money in services that help the poor, mentally ill, homeless people, and those battling substance abuse. Others advocate disbanding or abolition. They view law enforcement as a tool of racist and capitalist oppression. Critics of all these measures view them as radical. They argue it will lead to lawlessness and disorder harming the poor and minority communities advocates claim to represent. More importantly opponents of these reforms say they aren't politically possible. All this breaks down along racial and ideological lines. Blacks want far reaching and immediate change. Conservative whites see the demands as anti police. Moderate and liberal leaning whites are torn between sympathy for blacks, and concerns about losing white voters who consider these ideas too extreme. Any of these things would take a long time, and none it will be exactly what advocates want. The democratic process doesn't work that way. Everyone needs to remember this. 

The guilty verdict matters right now. If there are more trials and convictions like this maybe fewer blacks will be brutalized or killed by police. Prosecutors must be more willing charge police officers in these cases. They must do the hard work to get a conviction. Jurors must recognize not just racism in policing, but law enforcement is given power to deprive people of life and liberty. They must be held to a high standard, and those who misuse that power must be punished. The trial and conviction of Derek Chauvin can send that message. 

We have to start somewhere even while demanding long term solutions. There's nothing wrong with fighting for big systemic changes. Our history as black people and as Americans has shown the difference ordinary people can make through mass movements and social struggle. However none of this is easy, and there are no guarantees. For now we needed simple justice, and finding Derek Chauvin guilty was just that.