George Floyd

[RZehr]

I’m so sick of police brutality and senseless killing, and the “thin blue line”, the unnecessary force in restraining people, and the “stop resisting” pretense, and their freedom to lie to the public with no consequences.

I do respect our local deputies, but there is major problems in way to many police departments.

[barnhart]

I'm not so sure the problem is "in the police departments." Maybe the police are just reflecting the values society holds, but not out loud. Policing is just where reality comes to the surface.

[Grace]

I’m so sick of police brutality and senseless killing, and the “thin blue line”, the unnecessary force in restraining people, and the “stop resisting” pretense, and their freedom to lie to the public with no consequences.

I do respect our local deputies, but there is major problems in way to many police departments.

The response to this horrible tragedy is burning down businesses that have nothing to do with the death of George Floyd. How is the domestic terrorism we are seeing right now any different than police brutality?

[QuietlyListening]

Grace wrote:

The response to this horrible tragedy is burning down businesses that have nothing to do with the death of George Floyd. How is the domestic terrorism we are seeing right now any different than police brutality?

Neither one justifies the response of the other. The police brutality and how they treat people they have power over, especially people of color is wrong and should not be tolerated.
The response of many some angry some using it as an excuse to do what they want is also totally wrong and should not be tolerated.

Both should have to suffer the consequences of their behavior.

[joshuabgood]

I’m so sick of police brutality and senseless killing, and the “thin blue line”, the unnecessary force in restraining people, and the “stop resisting” pretense, and their freedom to lie to the public with no consequences.

I do respect our local deputies, but there is major problems in way to many police departments.

The response to this horrible tragedy is burning down businesses that have nothing to do with the death of George Floyd. How is the domestic terrorism we are seeing right now any different than police brutality?

Police brutality is domestic terrorism. We shouldn't be surprised, when the "pitchforks come out" in the face of deadly and systemic oppression. Who do you go to when the cops are the oppressors? How do you call the cops on the cops? Property destruction in the face of that is as old (and ill advised) as the Tea Party celebrated in the Am History books.

And when you think about it...it isn't different, in its essence, from bombing the tarnation out of Dresden, Tokyo, Nagasaki, Hiroshima, or Baghdad. Burn it to the ground is what "the power" did.

[MaxPC]

I’m so sick of police brutality and senseless killing, and the “thin blue line”, the unnecessary force in restraining people, and the “stop resisting” pretense, and their freedom to lie to the public with no consequences.

I do respect our local deputies, but there is major problems in way to many police departments.

The response to this horrible tragedy is burning down businesses that have nothing to do with the death of George Floyd. How is the domestic terrorism we are seeing right now any different than police brutality?

I agree. Indeed many of those businesses serve the African American communities. Rallies can be successful but the credibility of the effort is undermined by those who use it as an excuse to steal from and destroy local businesses, a particularly loathsome form of domestic terrorism.

[Szdfan]

I’m so sick of police brutality and senseless killing, and the “thin blue line”, the unnecessary force in restraining people, and the “stop resisting” pretense, and their freedom to lie to the public with no consequences.

I do respect our local deputies, but there is major problems in way to many police departments.

The response to this horrible tragedy is burning down businesses that have nothing to do with the death of George Floyd. How is the domestic terrorism we are seeing right now any different than police brutality?

Police brutality is domestic terrorism. We shouldn't be surprised, when the "pitchforks come out" in the face of deadly and systemic oppression. Who do you go to when the cops are the oppressors? How do you call the cops on the cops? Property destruction in the face of that is as old (and ill advised) as the Tea Party celebrated in the Am History books.

And when you think about it...it isn't different, in its essence, from bombing the tarnation out of Dresden, Tokyo, Nagasaki, Hiroshima, or Baghdad. Burn it to the ground is what "the power" did.

Colin Kaepernick peacefully protested police violence a couple of years ago and it was so offensive that the backlash arguably destroyed his career. It doesn’t matter whether the protest is peaceful or violent, “the power” can’t abide any of it, especially when it comes from people of color.

At a time when heavily armed white men can enter a state legislature while it’s in session without any arrests or violence by the police, we have three high profile examples of black unarmed individuals who have been murdered for no reason at all — Ahmed Arbery, Breonna Taylor and George Floyd. This is appalling.

[Szdfan]

I’m so sick of police brutality and senseless killing, and the “thin blue line”, the unnecessary force in restraining people, and the “stop resisting” pretense, and their freedom to lie to the public with no consequences.

I do respect our local deputies, but there is major problems in way to many police departments.

The response to this horrible tragedy is burning down businesses that have nothing to do with the death of George Floyd. How is the domestic terrorism we are seeing right now any different than police brutality?

I agree. Indeed many of those businesses serve the African American communities. Rallies can be successful but the credibility of the effort is undermined by those who use it as an excuse to steal from and destroy local businesses, a particularly loathsome form of domestic terrorism.

Because what matters most is capitalism.

[Grace]

Because what matters most is capitalism.

I am confused. What does capitalism have to do with horrible police brutality and then the backlash from those who burn their own communities down?

[Bootstrap]

The response to this horrible tragedy is burning down businesses that have nothing to do with the death of George Floyd. How is the domestic terrorism we are seeing right now any different than police brutality?

Both are real threats to our ability to do society together.

But we shouldn't confuse all police with those who are brutally abusing people, and we shouldn't confuse all protestors with those who are damaging businesses.

Blessed are those who mourn.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness.
Blessed are the peacemakers.

How can we mourn and grieve and hunger and thirst for righteousness in ways that lead to peace? How can we avoid pouring gas on these flames?