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Injustices happen every day, either due to race, position, religion, gender, disability, or other things that are different from others.
These are always wrong. They should be confronted, but not with violence. There are such things as peaceful confrontations.
These are always wrong. They should be confronted, but not with violence. There are such things as peaceful confrontations.
Remember how a parent would pull you aside and tell you that you did something wrong? While many parents would be angry, others have been peaceful, reasoning with the child about the situation.
This can happen with other people as well. We don't have to use anger.
This can happen with other people as well. We don't have to use anger.
This, too, can apply to protests. Remember, you're trying to spread a message. But the instant you resort to violence, the message you're trying to spread is lost to the message spread about the violence.
Plus the protests turning violent isn't protected as free speech.
Plus the protests turning violent isn't protected as free speech.
The first amendment protects nonviolent protest. Rioting is violent. Graffiti is vandalism. Crimes during a protest destroy how the protest is perceived.
For those protesting because of the murder of George Floyd by a police officer, you do have every right to be angry.
For those protesting because of the murder of George Floyd by a police officer, you do have every right to be angry.
But you have no right to destroy and steal because of that anger. Don't hurt innocent people because you were hurt. A lot of people have been forced out of work due to businesses being destroyed. Target closed it's stores in the twin cities, meaning employees can't earn money.
And they can't support their families if they are employed, but without the means to earn anything. And if Target employees earn a bonus regularly based on performance, all of them lost a huge chunk, if not the entirety of that bonus. Let's not forget the businesses destroyed.
They and their employees lost their livelihoods. Some even lost the very building as well. Who knows if they will be able to bounce back?
I beg everybody reading this to show love for their fellow man and please keep the protests civil. Not just for your sake, but for others.
I beg everybody reading this to show love for their fellow man and please keep the protests civil. Not just for your sake, but for others.
If your message is that we should all show love to each other through equality, than please be fair to your neighbors, many of whom actually want the same thing as you.
Please keep this in mind moving forward. Thanks for reading.
Please keep this in mind moving forward. Thanks for reading.
Returning to this thread, there needs to be more discussion on preventing these things from happening again, be it with regular, mandatory screenings of the mental well-being of officers(including use of equipment to detect how they view threats based on race),...
... regular review of their social media posts, or the guarantee of immediate suspension without pay for any officer involved in the death of unarmed people, and kept in holding until the evidence can conclude charges should or shouldn't be filed.
These murders need to stop.
These murders need to stop.
But unless we present achievable solutions to bring them to an end, what good is any of this for? We can't expect change if we can't agree on how or what.
Don't be discouraged, however. Instead, use this time to organize, plan, and strategize.
Don't be discouraged, however. Instead, use this time to organize, plan, and strategize.
For instance, a protest can assign specific things to wear to help make it clear who's who. Someone gets arrested not wearing the item agreed upon, they clearly weren't actually protesters. Of course, communication about the agreed item would need to be secure or given in code.
Planning is crucial as well. You need contingency plans to prevent things from turning south or for when they do turn south. I have no experience in this area, but know that the police have plans. So should you. Again, secure communication is very necessary.
As for strategize, having countermeasures as well as support teams for health issues(including tear gas) is just common sense. People with health issues may take part and getting them emergency aid is difficult when the protests themselves shut down access to the area.
I know, being white, my opinions aren't gonna be the best ideas or possibly even helpful, but I frankly don't want to see anybody else get hurt. I prefer to talk things out and help find a solution. Still, I'm in no position to actually do anything. I don't hold any authority.
There's only one thing I can say for an absolute certainty: When we as a people don't love our fellow humans, we all suffer. We are people. And while it shouldn't matter what color, it does now more than ever.
That's why we NEED equality. We NEED unity. We NEED love.
Thank you.
That's why we NEED equality. We NEED unity. We NEED love.
Thank you.
