Civil unrest.. my two cents

[Andrew]

I posted this earlier on facebook

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A few comments concerning some things I've seen on facebook lately....

So I've seen some posts from both friends and strangers alike that don't understand "civil unrest".. and that's likely because they probably haven't seen the actual footage of that mans slow and torturous execution and most likely have only seen the aftermath footage of riots and thinking "what idiots.. so this is how they're handling it? ..by looting Target and burning everything down like heathens?"

Question. Since when do you care about some mega store company's "lively hood" or some building from SomewhereElse, America burning down?
Since when do you start caring even about a small business in some other state losing it's lively hood?

Believe me you don't.. but you ARE afraid of it spreading towards you and that's completely understandable.

Don't make it all about you and your needs but think of why this is happening.. who started this? You can't judge the 'unrest' if you can't relate, obviously this shock gives some people a degree of unrest and others not so much... or any at all.. again though.. who or what started this unrest in the first place?

Another thing, this was not an act of split second decision making that caused an accidental fatality nor was it in self defense, it was a public lynching from start to finish.. doesn't matter who is what color or even what political party they might support.. this is anything BUT political, these pictures being posted of "the cop at a Trump rally" or 'wearing a "Make America White Again" hat' are already long debunked and it's so easy to just hit "share" isn't it? ..stop falling for sharing only what you want to believe because it supports your team, please take the time to do some quick homework before blindly posting whatever, have some dignity and act like a journalist if your going to share news, if it turns out you were wrong and it goes against your belief then just don't post it.. better than flooding your friends facebook feed with lies for them to spread.

Literally individuals from both parties are out their protesting.. not just that but people from all around the globe are chiming in their support for justice in America.

So leave the division of parties completely out of this, we already know how that method of political tribalism has not done us any favors. Be blessed that the blinders of politics have been lifted in this particular case... doesn't matter who is president or who should be president when it comes to this matter, the president can't bring George Floyd back to life.

I end this rant with words of support from various law enforcers within the Police community

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Ends with videos of individual police officers responding to this event from their point of view as law enforcement and their sorrow and their frustration in the wake of this murder

 

[JRT]

Right from the earliest times racism has always been a problem in America and that continues unabated to the present time. For several recent decades racism was not politically correct and people became careful of overtly expressing their hatreds. The racism became hidden or muted. Then came Donald Trump whose comments have enabled and encouraged the radical elements in society. As an old white man I simply cannot understand the depth of frustration and resentment felt by communities of colour. But I do understand their anger and hatred when they see video of one of their own violently murdered in the street by the very police who should be there to serve and protect.

Are they wrong to riot and burn and loot? Yes they are but I also understand it.

Those who try to whitewash such atrocities and sweep them out of sight need to be condemned. And if they are in positions of authority they need to be removed, if necessary at the ballot box.

 

[NewCreation435]

I think this latest incident just provoked anger because many people of color feel unjustly treated by the system including the police. In this case, I think that anger is justified, though not burning down innocent people's stores and looting. The police officer had his knee on the man's throat and he said "I can't breath" numerous times. I hope these officers are charged with a crime.

 

[tango]

I think this latest incident just provoked anger because many people of color feel unjustly treated by the system including the police. In this case, I think that anger is justified, though not burning down innocent people's stores and looting. The police officer had his knee on the man's throat and he said "I can't breath" numerous times. I hope these officers are charged with a crime.

However justified the anger towards specific police officers may be it's hard to see how looting unrelated stores helps the situation.

 

[Andrew]

However justified the anger towards specific police officers may be it's hard to see how looting unrelated stores helps the situation.

There are bad apples in every batch

 

[tango]

There are bad apples in every batch

True, and the sad thing is that when people get lumped into groups the people who have a perfectly valid reason to be angry end up losing the moral high ground.

 

[psalms 91]

One thing I disagree with is the idea this was big stores, it wasnt there were small business owners that lost their livlihood and that is not right nor is it justified. Yes what happened was murder but the violence is not right either

 

[Lamb]

People tend to follow others. It started off as peaceful protests and then turned into something more violent after someone decided to take it to that level. People followed. I'm sure not everyone went that path but it was easy for them to get caught up in the emotions at the moment and everything unraveled from there.

Now in other states it's happening too. Is it an accident or planned?

 

[tango]

One thing I disagree with is the idea this was big stores, it wasnt there were small business owners that lost their livlihood and that is not right nor is it justified. Yes what happened was murder but the violence is not right either

Even if it was big stores that doesn't make it OK. I saw a meme earlier that showed a guy "expressing his anger at the police killing by stealing some liquor".

The problem is that some members of the police are far too heavy handed and often don't face appropriate consequences for going far beyond appropriate boundaries. Looting stores, big or small, doesn't do anything to address the problem but does sacrifice the moral high ground.

 

[Josiah]

I find it.... IRONIC.... that a tiny few of the protesters are SHOUTING about equal justice while they are committing crimes. OBVIOUSLY, they do NOT want justice to prevail, OBVIOUSLY they do NOT want justice to be equal. They want justice to prevail SOMETIMES, when it suits them... they want the very thing they protest.

On the other hand, IMO protest is critical. And (especially for the disinfranchised) it can be VERY difficult to do that (think the Jews in Nazi Germany or the slaves in some US states 200 years ago). MARTIN LUTHER King accomplished this by marches of ENORMOUS size; nothing new about marches but he did it on such a scale that it could not be ignored and sent a powerful message. But I "get it", it can be very difficult to get heard.



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[Lamb]

Some cities start out peaceful. That's good.

But then the news is reporting that outside instigators are joining in and causing the violence and crime. That's the problem.

 

[tango]

It's curious to see a few things we've learned from the media's reporting lately.

People can be arrested for opening a business to feed their families but not for looting and destroying a business.

People who peacefully protest a stay-home order are reckless, irresponsible and endanger lives but people who violently riot are apparently none of those things.

 

[NewCreation435]

Some cities start out peaceful. That's good.

But then the news is reporting that outside instigators are joining in and causing the violence and crime. That's the problem.

The Minnesota sheriff was on television yesterday stating that 80% of those arrested were hometown folks and not outsiders

 

[tango]

Curious how the anti-lockdown protestors (many carrying guns openly) managed to protest without setting fire to businesses and looting, and how the media described them compared to how the media describes the looters.

It's as if COVID-19 suddenly isn't a threat any more.

 

[tango]

The Minnesota sheriff was on television yesterday stating that 80% of those arrested were hometown folks and not outsiders

I'm not sure that necessarily proves anything. If you've got a large local crowd intent on a peaceful protest and a few agitators from elsewhere it's not beyond belief that the agitators are good at getting a crowd riled up before disappearing. Or it might just be that there were no agitators, and a peaceful protest turned violent without any outside help.

Still, if 20% of those arrested weren't hometown folks it suggests at least some people were coming in from outside and causing trouble.

 

[Lamb]

The Minnesota sheriff was on television yesterday stating that 80% of those arrested were hometown folks and not outsiders

I think other cities are showing similar stats. As tango suggested, it could be that the outsiders are very good at riling people up which coincides with what I initially said about people being followers. They're quick to jump on the bandwagon if they see others doing it too.

 

[tango]

Interestingly, the news channels are providing a regular reminder of the answer to the question "why do you need an AR-15 and 30 round magazines?" that they themselves were asking earlier.

 

[Lamb]

Interestingly, the news channels are providing a regular reminder of the answer to the question "why do you need an AR-15 and 30 round magazines?" that they themselves were asking earlier.

Ha I just posted in the Off Topic forum about wanting to buy a gun. I think more and more people will be doing so.

 

[tango]

Ha I just posted in the Off Topic forum about wanting to buy a gun. I think more and more people will be doing so.

I saw an article earlier that suggested the Minneapolis police were retreating and basically leaving people to fend for themselves. If that isn't all the proof of the need for privately owned firepower I don't know what is. The people who claim "the police will protect you" and "you don't need 30-round magazines" were proved wrong in a single statement.

 

[tango]

Interesting article in which Tucker Carlson criticizes Trump's response.

Frankly it's tedious seeing headlines from the Washington Post and the New York Times and their rabid anti-Trump rhetoric. When a Fox News anchor has something to say about Trump that's less than gushing praise it's probably worth a read.

Fox News’ Tucker Carlson goes after Trump and Kushner over protests

The host criticized the president’s handling of demonstrations sweeping the country, and laid into his son-in-law and adviser over how to respond.

www.politico.com