When Derek Chauvin was found guilty of murdering George Floyd, many people heralded the concept of"accountability."
Yes, Derek Chauvin was convicted of murdering George Floyd, as he should have been, but this is not accountability, this is just punishment. The criminal justice system conflates these two concepts, but we cannot follow suit.The false equivalency between punishment and accountability has been dished-out to society through our dysfunctional justice system. We've been led to believe that punishment will solve all our problems, but it won't.
When I took an individual's life, it didn't matter what my intentions were — whether it was an accident or self defense or a rash moment of confusion — I had chosen to do a robbery and during that robbery I had taken a human life. I needed to be accountable for that harm. I could serve a hundred life sentences, but that wouldn't make me accountable, nor would it do anything for those I've harmed.
Over the last decade, I have committed myself to understanding accountability and how to best hold myself accountable for the harm I've caused. I've learned how to do this while also taking into account those I've harmed: my community, my loved ones and myself. Building these skills while facing the harm I had caused didn't happen overnight, and I'm still working on it. I will be for the rest of my life.
ChrisWBlackwell thanks