House Speaker Nancy Pelosi faced blowback from both sides of the political aisle Tuesday after she thanked George Floyd for “sacrificing” his life for “justice” following a Minneapolis jury’s decision to convict former police officer Derek Chauvin in his death.
“Thank you, George Floyd, for sacrificing your life for justice,” the California Democrat said at a press conference with members of the Congressional Black Caucus.
“For being there to call out to your mom — how heartbreaking was that?” Mrs. Pelosi continued. “Call out for your mom. ‘I can’t breathe.’ But because of you and because of thousands, millions of people around the world who came out for justice, your name will always be synonymous with justice.”
Prominent liberals and conservatives on social media slammed the speaker for claiming Floyd sacrificed himself, when Chauvin had just been found guilty on all counts in his murder, which sparked worldwide protests last year.
Mrs. Pelosi further explained her comments following the backlash, tweeting: “George Floyd should be alive today. His family’s calls for justice for his murder were heard around the world. He did not die in vain. We must make sure other families don’t suffer the same racism, violence & pain, and we must enact the George Floyd #JusticeInPolicing Act.”
An absolutely bizarre statement from Nancy Pelosi about a man murdered by law enforcement pic.twitter.com/LEmFYHpWtW
— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) April 20, 2021
Oh, that is very bad. Very, very no. https://t.co/EmvBv0XMUl
— Julia Ioffe (@juliaioffe) April 20, 2021
Sacrifice implies he had a choice. https://t.co/Bdb8W9UC2Z
— Marissa 💃🏾 (@marissaaevans) April 20, 2021
This type of lunacy is what happens when you view people as nothing but pawns for your cause https://t.co/hZR5Ny3crl
— Annika H Rothstein (@truthandfiction) April 20, 2021
I was at a rally for a victim of domestic violence recently. Someone said the woman gave her life in the name of justice.
No.
Her life was taken from her. His life was taken from him. Come on. Don’t do this. https://t.co/RQpgTR93mw
— Kamila Hinkson (@kamilahinkson) April 20, 2021
Pelosi thanking George Floyd for his “sacrifice” continues the tradition of White people in power seeing us as Black pawns on their ivory chess boards. George Floyd’s life mattered before he was murdered.
— Albert Lee (@AlbertLee2020) April 21, 2021
