BLM Protests Across The World

[Schlosser85]

How is everyone's stress levels with all of this? This is...a lot. Really feels all the anger of the past 3 1/2 years, mixed with with the stresses of months of lockdown have boiled over into this incredibly tumultuous moment.

I've seen so much horrifically disturbing and violent imagery of unprovoked violence on cops against protesters. I've also seen some incredibly touching images of police marching with protesters, an officer hugging a black child for minutes, cops kneeling with protesters, protesters giving cops water. I've seen footage of smart protesters singling out white rioters and stopping them in their tracks. It's all happening at once, and right now it feels like we are unable to fully process the enormity of this moment, all the good and bad of it.

There are a few trends for this with me that I'm concerned about. I find it worrisome that there seem to be so many attempting to defend the rioting and looting as if criticizing it is somehow criticizing the peaceful BLM movement. I find this reprehensible. Those people are NOT helping the movement. They are not friends of the movement. In many cases they are the exact opposite. They have destroyed minority-owned businesses and low-income housing. A 77 year old retired (black) police chief was shot dead. There is no way to justify that. Stealing a PS4s from GameStop has nothing to do with justice for George Floyd. To ignore this and sweep it under the rug is wrong in my view, and it accomplishes nothing but giftwrap all of this to the right to weaponize.

And unfortunately, I feel the same about the shocking silence from the health community about people gathering shoulder to shoulder by the thousands. Masks or no masks. People have lost their livelihoods. People have buried loved ones and been unable to grieve with their families. And suddenly nobody is talking about the virus as masses gather by the thousands, in defiance of every guideline we've made such an effort to adhere to over the past several months. And the health community has been far too quiet about the risks. This kind of a double standard is sheer fodder for Trump and the right to gleefully exploit. All of this only increases the chances of a second wave, and the hand wave this seemingly has been given by the health community could potentially undermine their credibility in the coming months when we will need to heed their advice more than ever to prevent a deadlier second wave ala 1918.

The protests by and large have been beautiful demonstrations and will no doubt be in the pages of history books some day. We are already seeing some police departments announcing plans for reform. That's incredible and wonderful, and necessary. But I find myself hoping that this will soon simmer down and people will remain safe in their homes as much as they possible can. The longer this continues, the more people are going to die and get hurt-- most of which being the actual protesters, unfortunately. We still are dealing with a pandemic that has claimed 105,000+ American lives that is in no way, shape or form gone. And we have an election in November where we are attempting to remove a pseudo-fascist from power. And historically, authoritarians like him thrive on widespread social unrest like this. Our own saving grace here (as always) is his ineptitude and inability to truly wield power, but nevertheless I think it's more crucial than ever that we keep our eyes on the prize.

You pretty much summed up my every thought.

 

[BatLobster]

1) Cops hugging kids, marching with protesters doesn't mean much. It's just the whole "they're not all bad" argument that's always touted about. a) even if the cop themselves aren't doing the BS. They're still complicit in a system by not speaking out and doing so much more to reform police departments. I, of course, don't know every police department in the world; but I've never heard of any internal police-community relations team that has done much. I haven't seen much public outcry for officers who condemn racist or just corrupt actions. There's no BLM movement within police forces that I've heard of. What they're doing is as empty and meaningless as "thoughts and prayers" after a mass shooting

2) If they would've solved the problem before the pandemic, we wouldn't have to deal with it in a pandemic. Let's just look at the high profile police killings or at least shady deaths in police custody in the last 5 years. Just the some of high profile ones
-Freddie Gray
-Sam Dubose
-Philando Castile
-Alton Sterling
-Walter Scott
-Sandra Bland
-Botham Jean
-Jason Washington (by freaking armed Campus security)
-Atatiana Jefferson
-Stephon Clark

A majority of them unarmed, and a majority of them are people of color. And again that's just within the last 5 years. America has had hundreds of opportunities to do the right thing and they didn't So crying now about "But but but...the pandemic" just kinda rings hollow. They let it get to this point where people still have to protest for basic human rights during a pandemic. A pandemic where a lot of predominately black, hispanic, etc. areas are getting ignored when it comes to COVID resources
Any way the pandemic worsens is on the American government for lack of action on this police brutality issues AND even our pandemic response. If they didn't protest, nothing would have happened and even then nothing still might happen. Even the social distancing protest ideas I've seen, don't seem that viable or impactful. So do people want persons of color to sit at home and take it?

3) We've had plenty of elections where nothing was changed for people. I'm voting for Biden, but have any of the primary candidates in how many years actually done anything or had any good concrete plans for police reform or demilitarization of police? Biden or Trump the police problem isn't going to be fixed. The racial injustices aren't going to be fixed. So the "prize" is still being treated like dirt due to the color of our skin, sexual orientation, etc? For sure go out and vote, but let's not pretend that voting fixes everything

I want to be clear, I completely sympathize with injustices that are being protested and I can absolutely recognize the anger and hunger for justice and the need for immediate reform. And you're right, the fact that they're willing to do it during a pandemic speaks volumes of the depth of the pain in the black community. None of that should be minimized whatsoever. I just really, really think we really need to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time and prepare for some of the negative consequences this could have in addition to the positive. As you said, the pandemic is disproportionately effecting the black community. I do not think it is invalid to have legitimate concerns about prolonged gatherings, both the impact this could have on said communities, and the political consequences of turning a blind eye to it while we chastised right-wing protesters for the same thing just weeks ago. The optics of that are a political gift, that I can promise you. We are supposed to be the party of science, right? Some seem okay with ceding that in this case because they've reached that boiling point. And I get why. I'm just dreading what the consequences of that might mean for how the rest of this pandemic plays out, or any other time we try to claim the scientific high ground. Because the relative quiet of the health community is very conspicuous here. It contributes to a fuzziness in the mind of the average person.

And as far as the rioting and looting goes, I have a friend who lives in very Dominican area in Inwood, NY. Nearly all locally/minority-owned businesses. They got word that rioters and looters were heading up there a few nights ago. The community coordinated with the police to hold watch and ended up preventing anything from happening. It's actually a rather impressive story. Yet this story was turned into a negative one by some of the far-left on Twitter, and the people who worked alongside the cops were criticized for wanting to ensure that their neighborhood wasn't turned into a warzone. I'm sorry, what? Are people literally supposed to welcome rioters and bad actors into their neighborhood and let them wreak havoc and cheer them on for it? Is that the only appropriate response here? That's where the disconnect is for me. And you can be rest assured a bunch of the people tweeting negative things about that were doing so from the comfort of their white, suburban neighborhoods, sipping a latte. It's....not a good look, at all.

November is still incredibly important for all downballot races, we're not just deciding the President. It is vitally important.

 

[Teelie]

I wonder what's the count for all the cops arrested, fired or suspended during these protests so far. Must be getting pretty high

Doubt it. Unless their acts are caught on video and their names are discovered and made public, I don’t expect repercussions.

Far lower than it should be. Even the ones caught on video will probably quietly return to work after a paid vacation of a few weeks or maybe months.

 

[Man in the Suit]

 

[Teelie]

Why not just fire them since they are so concerned with allowing their fellow brothers in blue to assault people with impunity? We don't need those kinds of police. They are literally what these protests are about.

 

[chamber-music]

Nothing of value was lost with them quitting IMO.

Standing by fellow officers when they do wrong and not caring about the harm they inflict on the general public is part of why people are marching in the first place.

 

[chamber-music]

You guys talking about Candace Owens? Cuz that lady "proudly" self-identifies as an "Uncle Tom". So I'm gonna take everything she says with at least a suspicious eye.

Candace Owens is the real life Stephen from Django Unchained

 

[kvz5]

Two Buffalo cops are suspended after shoving elderly man to the ground — Daily Mail

Fifty-seven resigned in disgust because of the treatment of two of their members, who were simply executing orders,' PBA president John Evans said.

I’m sorry, whaaaatt??? So their orders were simply to push anyone in their way? Even an unarmed elderly man? Can’t they think for themselves? Forget the conscience, don’t they have common sense?!

 

[Lily Adler]

Two Buffalo cops are suspended after shoving elderly man to the ground — Daily Mail

Fifty-seven resigned in disgust because of the treatment of two of their members, who were simply executing orders,' PBA president John Evans said.

So their orders were simply to push anyone in their way? Even an unarmed elderly man?

So this here is why people don't like the police.

 

[Shinobi Shaw]

Two Buffalo cops are suspended after shoving elderly man to the ground — Daily Mail

Fifty-seven resigned in disgust because of the treatment of two of their members, who were simply executing orders,' PBA president John Evans said.

I’m sorry, whaaaatt??? So their orders were simply to push anyone in their way? Even an unarmed elderly man? Can’t they think for themselves? Forget the conscience, don’t they have common sense?!

Following orders, how Eichmann of them.

That man did not deserve that at all.

 

[MadVillainy]

I want to be clear, I completely sympathize with injustices that are being protested and I can absolutely recognize the anger and hunger for justice and the need for immediate reform. And you're right, the fact that they're willing to do it during a pandemic speaks volumes of the depth of the pain in the black community. None of that should be minimized whatsoever. I just really, really think we really need to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time and prepare for some of the negative consequences this could have in addition to the positive. As you said, the pandemic is disproportionately effecting the black community. I do not think it is invalid to have legitimate concerns about prolonged gatherings, both the impact this could have on said communities, and the political consequences of turning a blind eye to it while we chastised right-wing protesters for the same thing just weeks ago. The optics of that are a political gift, that I can promise you. We are supposed to be the party of science, right? Some seem okay with ceding that in this case because they've reached that boiling point. And I get why. I'm just dreading what the consequences of that might mean for how the rest of this pandemic plays out, or any other time we try to claim the scientific high ground. It contributes to a fuzziness in the mind of the average person.

And as far as the rioting and looting goes, I have a friend who lives in very Dominican area in Inwood, NY. Nearly all locally/minority-owned businesses. They got word that rioters and looters were heading up there a few nights ago. The community coordinated with the police to hold watch and ended up preventing anything from happening. It's actually a rather impressive story. Yet this story was turned into a negative one by some of the far-left on Twitter. I'm sorry, what? Are people literally supposed to just invite rioters into their neighborhood and let them wreak havoc and cheer them on for it? Is that the only appropriate response here? That's where the disconnect is for me. And you can be rest assured a bunch of the people tweeting negative things about that were doing so from the comfort of their white, suburban neighborhoods, sipping a latte. It's....not a good look, at all.

November is still incredibly important for all downballot races, we're not just deciding the President. It is vitally important.

Who said that "it is invalid to have legitimate concerns about prolonged gatherings" *looks around* No one said that. That's a strawman. OR at least that's a small minority that don't even need to be brought up
What I and others are saying is that this could've been avoided if the powers that be a) were more clear on their stance on the virus (a lot of state's reopening plans are just as bad when it comes to the virus as the protests) and b) did something about racial injustices when they had so many chances years before the virus was a problem. The only real solution is for people to stay home, sit there, and take it. Is that what we want people to do? The only other solution I saw is protest in your car which just isn't feasible on a large scale. And a lot of protest organizers are promoting wearing masks or protesting in their car.
No one is downplaying the virus, no one is saying it's invalid to virus. But again, this could've been avoided. They chose to ignore it and now...

And as far as the looters, that's such a small percentage of what's happening and it's been said so many times that at least some of the looting is being done by people that don't have Black Lives Matter top of mind. And even the ones who are BLM and looting, I'm not condoning it, but once again this could've been avoided. And also, I can't be the only one who in anger has smashed something. Even if it's something I own. This unfortunately is the large scale version of that. And I wish that the large amount of people I see complaining about these rioters do the same for these ones. Because it seems like when it's only national news and shown as a tragedy when it comes to POC issues.

And of course, there are more elections than just presidential ones...and yet it's still the same no matter when they vote? So my point still stands. People should go vote, but let's not pretend that voting for whatever position is gonna be a cure all.

EDIT: And why bring Twitter into this? I don't get how people don't seem to know that Twitter is such a tiny microsm of actual people on Earth or even the US, that even if a lot of people are saying something on Twitter...it's such a small percentage of the conversation so much of the time

 

[Zorro]

The police department should feel ashamed and embarrassed. Show the community that they are better than that instead supporting their own no matter how despicable.

Executing orders!?..Are they stormtroopers? I also doubt that was exactly their order

 

[C. Lee]

D.C. mayor has huge 'Black Lives Matter' name painted on street leading to White House

 

[squeekness]

D.C. mayor has huge 'Black Lives Matter' name painted on street leading to White House

It looks great.

 

[Steyin]

Very informative video that I highly recommend everyone here give it a watch.

I follow Legal Eagle. His video the other day on the whole Bible photo op stunt was heartbreaking. I share a lot of his sentiment.

 

[MadVillainy]

Old but I just saw it West Virginia correctional cadets who gave Nazi salute in photo will all be fired

Let's not forget that the prison industrial complex is all kinds of messed up too

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Yeah, the chances of there being more good cops then bad cops are becoming smaller by the second.

 

[C. Lee]

Old but I just saw it West Virginia correctional cadets who gave Nazi salute in photo will all be fired

Let's not forget that the prison industrial complex is all kinds of messed up too

And it's important to note that the mysterious "police force" that appeared in DC to reinforce the law (and who wouldn't tell the protesters nor the reporters who they were) turned out to be correctional guards.

 

[kvz5]

Wow.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Racists have the most creative ways of getting around admitting they are racists. But this one takes the flippin cake:

Temecula’s Mayor Steps Down After His Answer to a Police Brutality Question

The mayor of Temecula has resigned after responding to a question about police violence with an answer that included the phrase "I don't believe there's never been a good person of color killed by a police officer," a response that sparked backlash.

......

Stewart said in a Facebook post Wednesday that he doesn't know how the word "good" got into his voice text response to an email he dictated Tuesday to a resident asking what the city was doing about police violence and racism against black people. He went on to say in his voice text answer that "racism is not (accepted) or tolerated in the City of Temecula" and that he has "several good friends who are African-Americans, and they love living here because how safe it is for them and their families."

Stewart said on Facebook he is "very well known for my dyslexia so I voice text everything" and he "did not take the time to proofread what was recorded."

He added that he "absolutely did not say" what came out in the voice text. He said that his message was "I don't believe there has ever been a person of color murdered by police (in) context to Temecula or Riverside county. I absolutely did not say 'good.' I have no idea how that popped up."

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Wow.

It just took him 30 years....

Also before you get too excited, just imagine how expensive the new Jordans are going to be. It is going to be a massacre at your local department store.

 

[C. Lee]

 

[MadVillainy]

Wow.

For a second I thought that said 100,000 and almost burned my Jordans and deleted The Last Dance from my DVR
That's 2 million Virgils though

But good for Jordan. PR move or not, Jordan grew up in North Carolina in the south in the 60s he's not blind to racism. That and being BFFs with Spike Lee. I don't know what he does behind the scenes, I know he built a hispital, but I like this move

.

 

[Detective Conan]

All Hail King Mike.

 

[MadVillainy]

All Hail King Mike.

A king is nothing to a God...Looking at you LBJ....