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George Floyd
On Memorial Day, May 25th, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, George Floyd was at a store when a staff member noticed he was using a counterfeit bill. Going by the usual store protocol, the store employee called the police. According to the owner, when the police are notified about a counterfeit bill, the police usually just asked the person where he/she got it from. Most people don't know they're using a counterfeit bill, and the police usually just want to trace where it came from.
see the interview with the store owner
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAFe6xUAwvw
The police got aggressive with George Floyd, bringing him to the ground. Had the police just put the handcuffs on him and put him in the police car, this would've been a small story that might only merit a short paragraph in the local newspaper.
However, the police officer arresting George Floyd did much worse. He put his knee on Floyd's neck for 9 minutes, cutting off his air supply and killing him.
George Floyd was African-American. The police officer, Derek Chauvin was European-American.
The other 3 police officers (2 Europeans and 1 Asian) on the scene didn't even attempt to get Chauvin's knee of Floyd's neck
This was caught on video which went viral and revitalized a movement against racism and abusive policing.
This got people on the street after months of mandated "stay at home" orders and social distancing.
Many of the protests were peaceful.
But some did get violent, with people looting & burning stores.
Some "woke" activists felt that criticisms of looting, arson and other forms of vandalism were somehow "talking down to black people". But if you actually watched many of the videos, it wasn't just African-Americans involved, there were many European-Americans involved too. In fact, many of the African-American peaceful protesters confronted the European-American Antifa rioters/looters to tell them to stop.
African-American activists begging European-American Antifa to stop looting and destroying public property during demonstrations.
White Antifa vandals confronted by peaceful African-American protesters
outside an LA Starbucks
The Antifa had to realize they have to take a back seat to all this. They have to realize that their quest to re-enact fantasies of violent revolution isn't helping the situation at all.
The rioters, looters & arsonists think they are "Fighting The Power".
Actually, The Power isn't really hurt by the rioting, looting, and arson at all.
The people who are hurt are the innocent lower-income people in the community. The people who were employed by the stores. The people who relied on the stores and have no way to access stores in other communities because public transportation has been shut down. The people with disabilities and other medical issues that can no longer go to the pharmacies & clinics that got burned down.
The "woke" so-called "justice" warriors demand we listen to the voice of the rioters, looters, and arsonists.
I say we listen to the voices of African-Americans who were harmed and outraged by the rioting, looting, and arson,
Stephanie Wilford, a woman with disabilities spoke out about how the looting has made it hard for her to access essential items.
article about the same situation :
"I live in the high-rise right back here," the woman said, pointing to the building behind her. "And I seen them as they came down Lake Street but then they turned and started coming over here. And I'm sitting here looking out my window and they went straight to Office Max, [inaudible] the store and every other store around here that I go to.""I have nowhere to go now. I have no way to get there now because the buses aren't running," Wilford said through tears. "These people did this for no reason. It's not going to bring George back here. George is in a better place than we are. And last night – I'm going to be honest – I wish I was where George was because this is ridiculous. These people are tearing up our livelihoods.""This is the only place I could go to shop and now I don't have anywhere to go," she said. "I don't have anyway to get there."
Here, an African-American woman Desiree Barnes made a powerful speech on the streets of New York about how the looting & rioting has hurt her community
K.B. Balla, an African-American bar owner in Minneapolis, shown crying after his bar got looted and burned
And in response to all those "woke" so-called "justice" warriors who keep quoting Martin Luther King Jr's "riot is the language of the unheard" while taking that quote out of context
Zaid Jilani, “America’s Black Communities Are suffering. Violent Protests Will Make the Suffering Worse,” Quillette, May 30, 2020, https://quillette.com/2020/05/30/americas-black-communities-are-suffering-violent-protests-will-make-the-suffering-worse/
These consequences were actually foretold by some in the Civil Rights Movement, including the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. It is common on social media to see people quoting King’s statement that a riot is a “language of the unheard.” But in the same remarks from which this popular quote is drawn, King also stated that “riots are socially destructive and self-defeating.”In February 1968, nine months before Richard Nixon’s election, King warned that increased rioting would lead to a “right-wing takeover.” He pointed to segregationist George Wallace’s presidential bid, saying, “Every time a riot develops, it helps George Wallace.”
Peaceful protests are being ruined by looters.
=================== And for every over-reaction, there is an opposing over-reaction!
The police came out in full force pushing anyone that gets in the way. They also used tear gas and rubber bullets against anyone who is in their way, and even against those who just happen to be around.
To those cops, they don't care about "protect & serve", they care about being the biggest, baddest gang on the streets!
Videos of police brutality during George Floyd protests shock U.S.
Atlanta police officers using tasers against an African-American couple that didn't even resist
George Floyd protesters met with violence from police across US
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQIOXuwh9vo
Police Escalate Violence at George Floyd Protests Across the U.S. | NowThis
Reporter shot with pepper bullets on live TV during Louisville protest over death of Breonna Taylor
Minneapolis police shooting at people filming them from a balcony
Police caught slashing tires
https://reason.com/2020/06/08/video-shows-cops-slashing-tires-across-minneapolis-during-george-floyd-protests/
And those police officers were destroying water bottles and first aid supplies set up by protesters
Asheville Police surround a medic station created by protesters as they stab water bottles with knives and tip over tables of medical supplies and food June 2, 2020. The medic team, made of EMTs and doctors, said the medical station was approved by the city. 📷 @angwilhelm
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And in response to the police's over-reaction, there is another over-reaction.
There are calls to get rid of police departments.
Good luck with that.
Even people like Ice-T (who got controversy over the "Cop Killer song) have said you should call the authorities if you know a terrorist is boarding a plane or if someone in the neighborhood is raping little girls.
We need the existence of police.
But police need to change. They need to change their mentality from being the baddest warriors on the streets to serving with the community.
Police who get caught using violence against nonviolent protesters should be sentenced to prison with no protective custody! They can't share cells together.
I know some people advocate that wannabe cops should take college courses in de-escalation, mental health, sociology, ethnic studies, and more before joining the police academy.
I would also add that before they join the police academy, they should work at least 3 years as either a substitute teacher or a teaching assistant where they would have to deal with tough situations without having a gun, taser, pepper spray, batons or even self-defense lessons.
I have worked as a substitute teacher for 13 years. The first year is rough. I had to deal with tough situations that I never experienced before, and I had to learn from my mistakes in dealing with those tough situations. The people who knew me from those first year would've been amazed by how much I have grown in the position since then.
I also find it interesting that those who are advocating the de-funding of police happen to be on the left-liberal end of the political spectrum.
I also find it interesting that in the last few years, it is the people on the left-liberal end of the political spectrum happen to be the ones who wanted the government to enforce bans on plastic bags, plastic straws, and styrofoam.
And that is the problem.
People keep saying "there ought to be a law" in response to many problems.
But many times, we don't need extra laws.
We have to remember that laws are rules enforced by violence.
If a person breaks the law, the person who enforces the law would use any means necessary to stop the person that is breaking the law.
Laws are tools of intimidation.
That's why people resort to bans on plastic bags. They want to use intimidation against people who use and offer plastic bags.
The nonviolent way of reducing the use of plastic bags including making bags from non-plastic materials, mention non-plastic bags in advertising, and boycotting those who use or offer plastic bags.
But too many activists and politicians think that's not good enough. They want laws so that police can intimidate people. That's the whole purpose of laws.
my previous blog posts about laws are rules meant to be enforced by violence
https://pablowegesend.blogspot.com/2014/12/laws-are-enforced-by-violence.html
https://pablowegesend.blogspot.com/2017/07/you-cant-evade-fact-that-laws-are.html
and my video speech "Laws are Rules Enforced by Violence"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yokkGFrXP94
And in this society, police intimidation isn't distributed equally.
Those who are rich can just pay off the authorities. Those who are poor can't and therefore easy targets of intimidation.
Those who are of non-European ancestries are also easy targets of overly aggressive police officers whose minds are dripping with Trump's deplorable correctness.
And this is where Black Lives Matter comes in.
Historically, the police have been more aggressive towards African-Americans than towards European-Americans.
Too many have been encouraged, whether consciously or sub-consciously, to view African-Americans with suspicion.
It doesn't matter how well-educated, religiously conservative, or well-behaved an African-American person is, they have long been treated with suspicion by society in general. But that suspicion is dangerous when it's coming from a police officer, who has the legal authority to use violent force.
But you shouldn't even have to prove that you're well educated, religious, or perfect in any other way to be treated humanely.
People like Rodney King and George Floyd did struggle with addiction. That's no excuse for the police to be overly aggressive with them. The video-recording of their brutal arrest triggered memories within African-Americans from all walks of life about dealing with racist & abusive treatment.
The Black Lives Matter is revitalized!
And unlike the 1992 LA riots (which predates the current Black Lives Matter movement), the response to George Floyd's death hasn't generated that many publicized attacks on people with non-African ancestries.
The movement realizes that they need all the allies they can get.
Many are also willing to stop rioters, looters, and arsonists from ruining their movement.
The movement has gone worldwide.
Even here in Hawaii, there has been a march in one of the largest protests in recent history. Those protests were peaceful and multi-racial.
I just happened to briefly stop by the rally at the State Capitol last Saturday and it was all love. People of various ethnicities and from all walks of life were there. Nearly everyone there was wearing masks out of concern of COVID-19.
There were a few skeptics who expressed comments online on Hawaii media outlets about "why is this our problem?"
Activist Ashley Dee, stated it beautifully
https://www.staradvertiser.com/2020/06/06/breaking-news/honolulu-police-warn-of-traffic-between-ala-moana-and-downtown-for-black-lives-matter-protest/
Ashley Dee, who helped with previous demonstrations, spoke to the crowd prior to the march about police brutality against the black community.“Stop allowing people around you to tell you that this isn’t their problem. Newsflash: If they love our music, it’s their problem. … If they love to copy the styles of our hair … it’s their problem,” she said.
I would also add if they are fans of NFL & NBA teams, then this should also be their cause. If you're going to cheer on African-Americans when they score points for your team, then you should cheer them on when they fight for their basic human rights.
As Martin Luther King Jr stated
"injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere"
