For whatever reason, the execution of George Floyd has touched a nerve that the murders of Eric Garner, John Crawford, Philando Castile, Walter Scott, Tamir Rice and scores of others did not.
Despite my cautious optimism, I am distressed that so many white Americans, and a surprising number of African Americans, are more outraged by the violence that has attended some of the recent protests in response to Mr. Floyd’s execution than they are to the execution itself.
A kind of collective cognitive dissonance has bedeviled Americans into eschewing certain types of violence, even as we gleefully embrace others.
Speaking of which, some form of violence plays a major role in eight of the top ten grossing movies of all time.
Consider, for example, the contrast between white Americans’ response to Cliven Bundy, Randy Weaver, David Koresh and others who threatened — or even engaged in — violence with law enforcement officers.
