Michaelangelo’s Pieta

Two new pieces of art are on display at the Catholic University of America, in Washington, D.C., that depict George Floyd as Jesus Christ lying in the arms of the Virgin Mary – a reimagining of Michaelangelo’s famous Pieta.

In my May 29 post entitled “Canonization”, I stated that any black man who dies in a confrontation with police is immediately elevated to sainthood by black activists and the left-wing media.  The victim’s background and criminal history is of little consequence.

I cannot judge George Floyd’s merits.  He was my brother human being and like me an imperfect child of God. This unfortunate man died from a combination of illegal drugs and police abuse, and he deserves our compassion;  but this artist decided to raise him beyond sainthood and picture him as the sinless Son of God.  Is that a bit too much?

Derek Chauvin, the policeman who for some unfathomable reason kept his knee on Floyd’s neck as that poor man expired, probably spends the rest of his life in prison.  Any artist who painted him would probably show him as the Devil incarnate.  Yet, I seriously doubt that this man is the monster many believe him to be, and I’m convinced that it was not his intention to kill George Floyd.  Stupid and pigheaded would probably be better adjectives with which to describe Chauvin’s conduct.

But if I had been on the jury, I too would probably have voted to convict Chauvin.  Under the circumstances there appeared to be no other choice. 

It is a strange and broken world.