I am a middle-aged white woman who lives in Fair Haven’s arguably idyllic community, and I attended the Asbury Park vigil on June 1 to protest the blatant murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, who was killed after an officer knelt on his neck for about nine minutes. I heard calls for unity, for voting, for a commitment to speak up and stand up about this contemporary lynching and other injustices directed at people of color and the disenfranchised.
I was heartened by the diverse crowd, where almost everyone was wearing a face mask. I left before the march through Asbury Park, but learned later that on Main Street, police officers from several departments, including some from the Two Rivers area as well as the county prosecutor’s office, knelt with protesters, eliciting applause from peaceful protesters.
Is this symbolic gesture enough to end systemic racism in the United States? No, of course not. But it is something. This gesture, as well as the statement from the Monmouth County Sheriff’s office denouncing George Floyd’s murder, suggest that law enforcement saw the injustice and chose not to look away. We have much more to do, such as training officers to de-escalate situations and root out police who break the law instead of adhering to the blue wall of silence.
But I am writing here today to note that while I am disgusted and disheartened by people who turn away from racism and police brutality, I am deeply grateful for those who are willing to start to improve our society by even this simple gesture. I hope it is the beginning of more significant changes for a more just society.
Liz deBeer, Fair Haven
The article originally appeared in the June 18-24, 2020 print edition of The Two River Times.
