Because we all MUST care

[LJay]

I may have missed it, though I have searched, but I find it odd that we have not taken at least a moment in these forums to share concerns about the death of George Floyd and the events in its wake.  Worldwide, the demonstrations, burnings and other reactions to the killing are calling us to stop and think about this tragedy.

Please take a moment to reflect on what this event means to all of us and how we can go about making this a better world.

The LGBTQ community has good reason to stand against oppression and to advocate for a peaceful world.  Please feel free to share how we can do our part.

[eastofeden]

I think everyone can do their part if they look inside themselves and figure out what they contribute to the problem. 

Being gay does not mean that we aren't as likely to be racist and sexist and ageist and xenophobic and yes- HOMOPHOBIC - and in my opinion any chance you have of making a change starts inside of you. If everyone did this you would see a change in the tide much more quickly and it is something everyone can actually do. You can't actually change anyone else so I think becoming the change you want to see in someone else is the best course of action.

[InbetweenDreams]

There has been a very disturbing trend here lately. There was the murder of Ahmed Aburey, the murder of George Floyd, the video of the white woman claiming to 911 dispatch that she was being threatened by a African American. It took months before charges were made against Gregory and Travis McMichaels and was it two weeks before they finally arrested police officer? They really thought that firing him was going to be enough? Not to mention all the racist posts and comments on social media, some I try to respond to. It's sickening.

You can reach people who don't know better. I see a lot of ignorance (from white people) as they've never had to face racism the way that black men and people of color often do. White people simply don't think about it and therefore they don't understand why there are protests and riots. You can fix ignorance, but I don't know how I can fix hate.

I don't think riots, setting buildings on fire and looting are good things...where do you go when peaceful protests don't work? You riot.

When it takes protests and riots to bring justice there is a problem and it's just more of the same crap. I could go all day looking up cases, heck there was a story posted on Facebook locally where back in 1978 a black man was murdered at the trash dump because he was dating a white woman. I just don't understand the hate and the mentality that goes with all this. It's downright insane. How the hell can you call this a free country with shit like this going on and still going on today?

[Emiliano]

This world is so exhausting.

[Cridders88]

I have seen a lot of people jumping on the "Black Lives Matter" slogan saying "All Lives Matter". Yes, they do, but these people are just missing the point. It reminds me of the "why don't we have straight pride" brigade. Sigh.

I get the riots. The looting? Not so much. People just taking advantage of the smokescreen of the rioting to steal from others.

And yeah @InbetweenDreams , Derek Chauvin should have been taken into custody on the spot. Firing him was a clear admission he did wrong, so why was it taken no further until the rioting started? And that people, is why the aftermath is happening.

@"Emiliano" , couldn't agree more.

[Emiliano]

I'm just so grateful that at least we have such calm, compassionate leadership in America to guide us through these difficult times.


He starts talking about 11 minutes in, but he gets to the point closer to 14 minutes.

[InbetweenDreams]

@"Emiliano" yes it is and it shouldn't be.

@Cridders88 yeah exactly. The charges the did make, 3rd degree murder is bullshit too. Here's what 3rd degree murder is, "the unlawful killing of a human being, when perpetrated without any design to effect death, by a person engaged in the perpetration of, or in the attempt to perpetrate, any felony. So basically that would like I punched someone in the nose and somehow they died as a result.

That cop knew what he was doing. Was it premeditated? Probably can't prove that. 2nd degree murder would have been the appropriate charge. Problem is getting a jury to convict him on a higher charge. The problem with 3rd degree murder charge is it doesn't carry as heavy of a penalty, him being a cop, he'll be out in 10 years...He'll probably be sentenced to 25 years but we'll see what happens. If a civilian did that, they would have been arrested immediately, if it was a white guy who got killed they would have been arrested immediately, they would have got the 1st or 2nd degree murder charge. Most of the time these cops get away with this crap without facing any consequence. They go around harassing innocent people, beating the shit out of people, planting drugs in people's cars and on and on...preaching to the choir I know....

When my sister and I were kids just starting to work we had an incident where I believe the cops were going to try planting a bag of weed in the car. My sister had pulled out turning left out of the McDonald's parking lot where you're not allowed to turn left. This was during the Georgia Mountain Fair, so there was tons of traffic. So she squeals tires in this big Buick LeSabre... people behind her had to slam their brakes (we were like 16 and 17 at the time). City police saw her do that and followed us to the bank (payday). The commenced to do an illegal search of the car, claiming their K-9 went off (I was sitting in the car). The cops said "Oh you guys can go inside and cash your checks." As if they hoped that neither of us would pay any attention to them.

Does this compare to the currents, nope not at all, but this is what most cops do. Find any reason they can arrest you, charge you with something or find a way to fine you with something. Highway patrols love pulling people over from states like Colorado and California hoping that people have weed on them. Places like Kansas do this crap. It's petty crap like that. Is it justice? No. It's just revenue. They could care less that you getting arrested ruined your life. I don't know how many stories I've heard where people file a restraining order against their ex husband and the cops either refuse to come out or if they do they "can't do anything."

I think I'll have to side with George Carlin on cops. I'll quit ranting now.

---

I'm just so grateful that at least we have such calm, compassionate leadership in America to guide us through these difficult times.

He starts talking about 11 minutes in, but he gets to the point closer to 14 minutes.

So in other words Trump is planning a massacre.

All I can say folks, vote this pile of orange excrement out of office come November. Make sure everyone votes, everyone.

[Bhp91126]

This is going to be about me, me, me. I’ve been in the US for a little over 20 years, now on a Green Card, but it is moments like this where I can’t imagine ever becoming a US citizen. There is so much everyday racism, institutionalized racism, exploitation of the lower income classes, misogyny, homophobia, greed, graft, corruption etc. that is considered normal, that I don’t want to belong, become a part of this insanity (even though I already am, I live here and pay taxes).[It is not like we Germans are innocent, didn’t commit the worst Genocide in history and are again allowing Nazis back into Society] It is the acceptance of and/or apathy against those social ills of my fellow caucasians that makes me feel like I don’t want any piece of this. The American Society has gigantic problems and not enough people care to fix them. Reading online and watching videos of the protests and riots tells me that I can never trust the government. Especially not in a situation like this when they are an interested party.

[LJay]

I take your point @"Bhp91126." I've only been outside the US for ten days in my 72 years but it feels like I grew up in a different country. Looking back I can see that the hatred and racism and violence were there, but I did not feel them. I was an innocent kid in a small, Midwestern town. Yet here I am now and I feel that my only choice is to swim upstream and do what I can. The kind of stuff that Trump spewed in the video above is not mine. Nor do I have such a platform to use for influencing others, but I have to care. That much I can retain from my childhood and hope that it gets me, and hopefully a few others, out of the maelstrom.

[InbetweenDreams]