Now I'm Under Lockdown Due to Protests and Looting

[MyNameIsTerry]

In my area, the protests have been people of all colors. Whites, Asian Americans, Mexican Americans, other Latinos, blacks, African Americans... My Armenian American neighbors have a BLM sign in their front yard for support. Makes sense, socal only about 30%, non-Hispanic white. The other 70% has background from all over. At least in my area, from what I can see, and from what I've seen on the local news, pretty much everyone believes Floyd was killed by police brutality.

I know there were further protesters in downtown today, but they've all been peaceful so far. Our local police force took a knee with protesters today before they started work.

Who knows, maybe this will turn into a issue that ends up uniting us?

Vee, I hope so. It will only push things further that way I expect.

The trouble is it becoming looked on casually as your mass shootings are. Old news, America again, etc. A massive deal to you guys but to many of us it can end up as apathy watching a country that doesn't change. At least that's an attitude I see loads with any mass shootings now i.e. if they won't sort their gun issue what do they expect?

I think it's great it's a cross community thing so the rest aren't forgotten in this.

[AntsyVee]

Protestors? Did someone say protestors? I saw three of them running down the street the other day. One of the protestors had a 41" Sony Smart TV. Another protestor had a Kitchen Aid 12 Speed Mixer. And the third protestor had a 16" MacBook Pro. I'm trying to figure out what exactly they were protesting with all that new electronic equipment?

Maybe the high price of electricity?

N.

Theres a difference between protesting and looting.

N, do you think that police officer should have put his knee on George Floyd’s neck?

[AntsyVee]

Vee, I hope so. It will only push things further that way I expect.

The trouble is it becoming looked on casually as your mass shootings are. Old news, America again, etc. A massive deal to you guys but to many of us it can end up as apathy watching a country that doesn't change. At least that's an attitude I see loads with any mass shootings now i.e. if they won't sort their gun issue what do they expect?

I think it's great it's a cross community thing so the rest aren't forgotten in this.

Yes, tonight, in my area/county at least, the protests were all peaceful. No looting, and many officers took a knee with protesters today. We’ll just have to see how it goes.

[Noivous]

Theres a difference between protesting and looting.

N, do you think that police officer should have put his knee on George Floyd’s neck?

No.

There is also a difference between protesting and rioting, Vee. MLK, Gandhi, they knew how to protest peacefully and properly...and with great results I might add.

Also, I don't believe police brutality by and large is racially driven. It's more of a power trip problem. How does anyone of us know that this most recent incident was done by someone who has hatred in his heart for blacks. But it's obvious he was on a total out of control power trip. Everyone of us has seen cops abusing their position. Give people a gun a badge and all that authority and a fair amount of them will behave poorly. And most of them don't care what color you are. Certainly there are racist cops...of all colors. There are racist teachers too, and racist librarians, racist house painters....


N.

[FrankT]

He's got a point.

[pulisa]

I agree that there are racists of all colours in every walk of life.

[KK77]

Sigh. My shipment of nukes still hasn’t come in yet. Damn customs.

I have an old water cannon Bozzo gave me in my garage....is that any good? I could have DHL deliver it forthwith

[KK77]

No.

There is also a difference between protesting and rioting, Vee. MLK, Gandhi, they knew how to protest peacefully and properly...and with great results I might add.

Also, I don't believe police brutality by and large is racially driven. It's more of a power trip problem. How does anyone of us know that this most recent incident was done by someone who has hatred in his heart for blacks. But it's obvious he was on a total out of control power trip. Everyone of us has seen cops abusing their position. Give people a gun a badge and all that authority and a fair amount of them will behave poorly. And most of them don't care what color you are. Certainly there are racist cops...of all colors. There are racist teachers too, and racist librarians, racist house painters....


N.

Quite right. This is about disproportionate force and abuse of power. But unfortunately divisions in society frequently become toxic after tragic incidents like these - and the US is no exception.

But to add insult to injury, innocent people suffer as a consequence of civil unrest too.

[Hollow]

These "protests" seem to be pre-planned with pallets of bricks just lying there in the streets waiting for the "protesters". Both Floyd and Chauvin reported to be working in the same place previously for many years. Looks to be another staged event pushing the race war and divide and conquer agenda.

[pray4me]

I think a distinction must be made between individual and systemic racism. I agree that racial prejudice exists among all racial/ethnic groups and across all walks of life. Often this manifests in one-on-one interactions. But its effects are cataclysmic when racism against specific groups is condoned and even encouraged by systems and authority figures based on faux notions of racial superiority. Saying that cops in America don't care what color you are when exercising their authority is denying the existence of systemic racism.