Bill Newby Eight Minutes and Forty-Six Seconds In memory of George Floyd (1973-2020)
Eight minutes and forty-six seconds is enough time to unload a dishwasher, walk around the block, say your vows, kiss your bride and walk up the aisle.
It’s sufficient for deciding what’s right and wrong, asking for a breath, speaking to your mother, and changing your mind.
In this span one can light a fire, acknowledge systemic racism, recite the names of victims, and decide that enough is enough.
During the ticking we can remember that America is a fragile idea, peaceful protest is a right, police are not above the law, and empathy knits communities together while only bullies seek to dominate.
There’s room in eight minutes and forty-six seconds to tell a complex story, decide that the future must be better, and start to make that happen.