racist flip-flops

[amw]

Yesterday i posted something on Facebook about how cynical you have to be as an American politician to cheer Hong Kong protestors fighting back against police brutality in their city, but call for "peace" when black protestors do the same in the United States

Comments

[sathor]

While I'm all for a revolution in collective mindset (which must come first before any positive change happens) I'm not so sure the destruction of whatever little remains of law and order in western civilization will lead us to a better place. Chances are any power vacuum will be seized by even more dangerous and evil folk; ones that Trump would pale in comparison to. Riots and burning buildings and looting all serve to destabilize an already destabilized, even crippled, nation...these are the worst things which could happen in a time like this.

But they are to be expected after so many years of oppression at the hands of an elite, I suppose. It's just too bad that we can't use our energies to build better systems, ones that bypass those that oppress us, as opposed to destroying things.

[amw]

One thing doesn't preclude the other. People can use their energies to build better systems, while also letting other people express their anger at the years of oppression.

I think it's a bit extra to see these latest round of protests as the destruction of what little remains of law and order in western civilization. Western civilization on the whole is doing just fine. The vast majority of people in the western world, and in fact the vast majority of Americans, are not getting their police stations firebombed.

Honestly, i think if political leaders were a bit more humble and showed more understanding, if they stood the cops down when shit started escalating, there would be a lot less property destruction. Give people the confidence that they will actually have their grievances heard, show them that things are legit going to change, start to rebuild the trust, then the anger will subside.

[fflo]

There've been some reported cases of cops standing down, or joining in to march with protesters. Spokane, WA got coverage for a row of cops agreeing to take a knee in front of the protesters. In Camden, NJ, cops joined the march. I think it was in Seattle that I heard of a negotiated conversation after which the line of cops opened up and the protesters marched down the road through the gap.

I did let up an internal cheer when the White House turned off external floodlights last night. The logical suggestion is that it made it easier for lookouts on the roof to see what was going on, and the symbolism is sad and all, but the inference of they/Trump scared appealed to my petty yet righteous fist-shaking soul.

[happysponge]

Sadly I've heard a lot of that is propaganda, that they'll take a knee with protesters for a photo, and then authorize tear gas.

[tsuki_no_bara]

i only know about camden, but the cops marching with protesters there isn't propaganda. the county kicked out the policeman's union, essentially demolished the police department, and rebuilt it from scratch. camden pd has worked very hard to build and maintain trust within the community, and while the city is still depressingly poor at least the relationship between the cops and the people is much better than it used to be. i can't say what it's like in other cities, tho.

[happysponge]

Omg, that warms my battered heart. I hope Minneapolis is on its way to doing that too.