Last weekend, Mayor Bob Whalen and I took a knee with 17 other Laguna friends in front of City Hall. It was our way of demonstrating support for people protesting the death of George Floyd at Main Beach and around the world. Not surprisingly, we took photos with our iPhones.
When Steve Jobs unveiled the first iPhone, he said, “we are all born with the ultimate pointing device — our fingers — and iPhone uses them to create the most revolutionary user interface since the mouse.”
I doubt Jobs envisioned the iPhone ever would capture the image of a man begging for his life, but it has. I think the reason people all over the world are protesting systemic racism and social injustice now is the fact we watched a helpless George Floyd, under the knee of a local police officer, suffocate to death right before our eyes.
The iPhone captured Mr. Floyd’s last words and breath in real time. It was as gruesome a death as any public lynching ever was in our nation’s history. People coast to coast know there have been thousands of George Floyds murdered while in police custody for decades, but none were videotaped like the one we witnessed in Minneapolis two weeks ago.
The same is true for people around the globe. From family members disappearing in the dead of night to protesters being gunned down in broad daylight, millions of people in Europe, Asia, South America, Africa and the Middle East know what can happen to someone who publicly disagrees with a foreign despot. Sometimes they search for years to find the remains of their loved ones or friends. When they do, I doubt they feel like there is “closure.”
Actually, I think just the opposite is true. Because they have known their own version of George Floyd in their native lands, they come away disillusioned and angry. It’s no wonder people around the world are protesting today.
Steve Jobs was unique. He helped launch two products that literally changed the world: First, the personal computer; and second, the iPhone. If he was alive today, I’m guessing the late Apple icon would be disgusted at what he saw on the videotape from Minneapolis; but, wouldn’t be surprised. Those fingers he initially talked about, clearly did their job two weeks ago. Now, it’s up to everyone to make sure that gruesome video never disappears.
Long live the memory of George Floyd, both here in Laguna and around the world. Given the public outrage over his death, I am confident his passing will not have been in vain.
Denny Freidenrich, Laguna Beach
