George W. Bush finally steps onto the right side of history

But several recent, earlier steps brought us to this place.

First May 25: On that day, George Floyd was killed by four police officers in Minneapolis.

Because too often white Americans hear about a police shooting of an unarmed black man, woman, or child and begin by asking: what did the dead black person do to provoke the police?

(Of course, a significant exception here is the Minnesota police union chief, whose repulsive comments tell their own cynical story; I will not dignify discussion of them in this space.)

We heard Floyd say "I can't breathe." We saw him in handcuffs and we saw his body appear to go limp.

On Monday evening President Donald Trump made the fateful decision to send law enforcement to put down a gathering of peaceful citizen protesters in Washington, with rubber bullets and tear gas, which was covered live, on split-screen news reports while the President gave his press conference.

They gave the presumptive Democratic nominee, former Vice President Joe Biden, the national stage the next morning and an opportunity to look presidential.

But the real shocker came Tuesday evening: Trump's behavior caused former President George W.

And he's right.

2020 means all Americans are deciding whether to be on the side of the race-baiting President, or the American people who are protesting to make our democracy inclusive for black Americans.

This article has been updated to reflect new charges in the George Floyd killing.