Minneapolis (and spreading) Riots, Civil Unrest

[Kak]

The other day my wife and I took a drive up to this high end ranch community to take a look at some acreage lots to build on. We weren't really ready to start a building project or anything, but this place in particular piqued out interest.

They had a 6 acre lot that backed up to a national forest. It was 5 minutes from a major interstate and closer, time wise, but not mile wise to the city and the airport than we are currently. Quite frankly an upgrade in every way. It was nice to think about what could be.

On the way home it was kind of sobering... We were both thinking the same thing... If America was on the upswing. If the majority was excited about the future. If the majority got behind freedom and capitalism. If taxes were falling and government was getting smaller... I would have written a check and been a happy man. We would build our dream home.

Instead, we feel as though we are in a bit of limbo. Not sure if we should stay in this country or just leave. Both options will be difficult. It certainly doesn't seem like the time to build the dream house.

The reality is however, we are becoming a country of jealousy and authoritarianism. The same sort of authoritarianism that took Cuba from a once prosperous nation and made them into the pile of rubble they are today. The same sort of authoritarianism and jealousy that turned Venezuela from a once prosperous nation into the pile of rubble they are today.

We feel STOLEN FROM. We grew up with people touting freedom and liberty... We were propagandized about how better America is than the rest of the countries in the world because we are "free" and they are not...

What did Floyd even do to deserve an interaction with police?

Did Floyd get due process? No... They didn't even give him the right to breathe air.

If ANYONE here thinks they have unbreakable rights... You are wrong. You Commit Three Felonies a Day

If they want you in a cage, they will put you in one. If they want you dead, they will call you a terrorist and you'll disappear. They have more guns and resources than you as long as the people are on the side of the government's definition of lawfulness.

I sympathize with what he and other victims of government over reach, brutality, and corruption have been through and continue to go through.

This wasn't some straw that broke the camel's back for us, but it is an example of the government ruining the place we used to love. It sucks.

Now... Rioting? Looting? Vandalism? Stealing? Come on. That is just ruining more of it.

I can understand a fight. A real fight back against authority. Our founding father's did that, but stealing from fellow citizens that are likely as concerned about the circumstances as you are... Ridiculous.

I am with @Ocean Man I am starting to think this is more about just getting free stuff and being part of some camaraderie than it is about honor for Floyd. Destruction doesn't honor anything.

 

[Vigilante]

This forum can’t foster this type of discussion without it eroding.


I got run out of a park by a cop. I was there kicking a soccer ball around with a young kid. The power thirsty a**hole with a gun decided it would be a good day to pick a fight with an unarmed Dad. Cry me a F*cking River. Respect is earned, not an entitlement. When we were kids we looked up to law enforcement. If they refuse to purge criminals like the Minneapolis murderer from within their ranks they deserve to be met with suspicion and hostility until such a time as people in position of authority can be trusted in all circumstances, not just sometimes.

 

[GIlman]

Yeah, change your tune. Bad man.

Here are your very fine "minority thugs"...

Wow, really. So I say “a minority of the protestors are thugs”, and you dishonestly quote “minority thugs” as if I was saying minorities were thugs. That’s outright dishonest and manipulative on your part. It shows bad intent simply to shape a narrative, not to have an honest debate/discussion, and goes to show my point in my last post that you appear to emotionally react to and not actually read what people post.

There are lots of bad thug protestors of every race out there right now. I don’t care about their skin color, if they are committing criminal acts of violence against people or businesses they are thugs. I have seen lots of thuggery by white people, some of them cops, I don’t care who does it. I’m consistently against them all.

 

[Strategery]

Gun sales are getting ready to skyrocket again.

Built her a couple months ago out of boredom. I call it the quaran-bine.

 

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[Envision]

It's Bullshit.

Everyone is against what that cop did and against police brutality. It was murder.

He was charged, and he will be sentenced.

Burning down your cities, destroying local businesses, striking fear into your neighbors in the name of "righteous action" is disgusting and quite literally the opposite.

It's not what George Floyd would want, and rather than coming together - we're dividing farther apart

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

Yeah, change your tune. Bad man.

Here are your very fine "minority thugs"...

Nice try at manipulating and twisting a comment to give it another meaning, kinda like CNN does.

Congrats man, first person gone from the thread.

 

[MJ DeMarco]

There were two threads about the civil unrest which have now been merged -- I doubt it will remain open long as it is a discussion that cannot steer clear of every hot button issue on the planet; guns, racism, police brutality, politics, injustice -- pretty much a powder keg of stuff that won't do well on a business forum.

 

[Ocean Man]

This is absolutely ridiculous.

Peacefully protesting, cool.

Tagging buildings and cars with graffiti, setting cars and buildings on fire, and breaking/looting businesses... Not cool.

I get it, you’re mad. Mr. Floyd shouldn’t have died. It’s terrible. But it doesn’t mean we go ahead and destroy our city. This is OUR city, are we going to shit in our own beds?
Next week we’re going to come into downtown and be like what the hell happened here?

Pretty sure these riots aren’t even about Mr.Floyd anymore, and more about trashing and getting free stuff.



They say, if you’re not with us then you’re against us. F*ck that, I’m not going to be a part of something like this.

This is literally 20 minutes away from me.

 

[Thoelt53]

I’m not racist and I don’t agree with the knee to the neck while you have someone in handcuffs on their belly.

However, these riots and looting are nonsense. What does looting have anything to do with raising awareness? MLK is rolling in his grave right now.

It’s not about raising awareness, this is what happens when people are fed up with oppression. Doesn’t matter if it’s taxes, police brutality, lockdown, etc.

Eventually you hit a boiling point and that’s where we’re at now, with a culmination of multiple points of oppression.

 

[GIlman]

Shocking a city of 200k would have this happen.

This comment will probably get removed, but I’m gonna post it anyway.

These scenes in my mind point to one of many reasons that the right to bear arms shall not be infringed was put in the constitution. Next time you hear that there is no legitimate reason a person should own an AR15, or high capacity clip, remember these times, and realize it can get so so much worse.

The angry mob can descend on your home, threaten your family, destroy or steal your property. During these times the police will be no where to be found. Protection is your right, and I believe your duty to your family and loved ones.

If this continues much longer, I fully expect to see some heavily armed counter protestors emerge to protect their communities and families from these marauders since the police can’t/won’t. Probably somewhere like AZ or TX where gun rights are strong. I hope it doesn’t come to that, things could get truly ugly if that happens.

 

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[Trevor Kuntz]

If you’re not armed you had better get working on it.

And if you do get armed, don't be a F*cking idiot like the guy in the photo below.

He drove his car to the SLC protest, got out of the car while surrounded by hundreds of protesters, nocked an arrow (took him a good 15 seconds to nock it), let the arrow loose (seems that he didn't hit anyone), and then got bloodied up by everyone around him. Later, his car got tipped and burned. Don't be like this moron; don't try to win a Darwin award.

 

[Ocean Man]

The other day my wife and I took a drive up to this high end ranch community to take a look at some acreage lots to build on. We weren't really ready to start a building project or anything, but this place in particular piqued out interest.

They had a 6 acre lot that backed up to a national forest. It was 5 minutes from a major interstate and closer, time wise, but not mile wise to the city and the airport than we are currently. Quite frankly an upgrade in every way. It was nice to think about what could be.

On the way home it was kind of sobering... We were both thinking the same thing... If America was on the upswing. If the majority was excited about the future. If the majority got behind freedom and capitalism. If taxes were falling and government was getting smaller... I would have written a check and been a happy man. We would build our dream home.

Instead, we feel as though we are in a bit of limbo. Not sure if we should stay in this country or just leave. Both options will be difficult. It certainly doesn't seem like the time to build the dream house.

The reality is however, we are becoming a country of jealousy and authoritarianism. The same sort of authoritarianism that took Cuba from a once prosperous nation and made them into the pile of rubble they are today. The same sort of authoritarianism and jealousy that turned Venezuela from a once prosperous nation into the pile of rubble they are today.

We feel STOLEN FROM. We grew up with people touting freedom and liberty... We were propagandized about how better America is than the rest of the countries in the world because we are "free" and they are not...

What did Floyd even do to deserve an interaction with police?

Did Floyd get due process? No... They didn't even give him the right to breathe air.

If ANYONE here thinks they have unbreakable rights... You are wrong. You Commit Three Felonies a Day

If they want you in a cage, they will put you in one. If they want you dead, they will call you a terrorist and you'll disappear. They have more guns and resources than you as long as the people are on the side of the government's definition of lawfulness.

I sympathize with what he and other victims of government over reach, brutality, and corruption have been through and continue to go through.

This wasn't some straw that broke the camel's back for us, but it is an example of the government ruining the place we used to love. It sucks.

Now... Rioting? Looting? Vandalism? Stealing? Come on. That is just ruining more of it.

I can understand a fight. A real fight back against authority. Our founding father's did that, but stealing from fellow citizens that are likely as concerned about the circumstances as you are... Ridiculous.

I am with @Ocean Man I am starting to think this is more about just getting free stuff and being part of some camaraderie than it is about honor for Floyd. Destruction doesn't honor anything.

We grew up with people touting freedom and liberty... We were propagandized about how better America is than the rest of the countries in the world because we are "free" and they are not...

I often travel to neighboring countries whenever I live in South Korea and I meet a lot of people staying at hostels. Honestly, it's embarrassing to hear how other countries think of us. And they honestly have a point. America thinks it's way is the right way even though it may not be or there are better ways of doing things. Really resonated with me when you said We propagandized how much better America is better than the rest of the countries but seriously, I find that people hide behind that propaganda. They know America isn't as great as it really is or what it portrays itself as, but people have such a difficult time admitting it.

Not sure if we should stay in this country or just leave. Both options will be difficult. It certainly doesn't seem like the time to build the dream house.

I highly recommend traveling outside of the US for anyone. See the world, different cultures, and ways of life. Traveling alone has led me to question whether I want to live in this country or not. There's so many different places on this planet. And the current situation in America, doesn't help convince me to stay in America either.

I don't have much to say other than that and you really hit the nail on the head with this post, @Kak

 

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[Thoelt53]

Media is blaming these riots on systemic racism.

Not to say that systemic racism doesn’t exist, it is the byproduct of government oppression.

We could debate all day whether or not the cop was racist, and what he did was racially motivated. At the end of the day it’s most likely just speculation. It’s a distraction.

The essence of the problem is that we have government thugs who are entitled by law to exert dominating force on the populace their discretion.

Rather than acknowledge that, the media paints the issue as black vs. white.

Regardless of your skin color, no ‘officer of the law’ should in any way be able to do what we saw happen to George Floyd.

Blaming race shifts the blame away from the government’s oppressive tendencies. Don’t fall for the narrative.

 

[Rivoli]

This is what happens when you close an economy and have 40,000,0000 people unemployed. I tried to warn people.

 

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[MoneyDoc]

I’m not racist and I don’t agree with the knee to the neck while you have someone in handcuffs on their belly.

However, these riots and looting are nonsense. What does looting have anything to do with raising awareness? MLK is rolling in his grave right now.

 

[Thoelt53]

Continuing my previous post...

The media is blaming racism and police brutality as the cause for the riots.

In reality, the death of George Floyd was the final catalyst leading to the current civil unrest.

The underlying cause, as said before, is government oppression. The lockdowns are the most recent and most severe oppression the US has seen in recent times, perhaps ever.

The lockdowns resulted in record unemployment, food shortages, and the upending of people’s lives.

People aren’t looting and rioting over systemic racism. They’re F*cking pissed because they’ve been physically, financially and socially oppressed by the lockdowns.

Looting and rioting are an outlet for the anger built from this oppression, catalyzed by the police state.

 

[GIlman]

And where do you believe that this will lead to? Do you think 1 side of the civilian population will use guns against the other side... and the other sides won't do the same ?

Good luck with your plan - btw, I suggest you get to it - don't talk about it, be about it. Hop to it, people are itching, ready and waiting. Lots of online tough guys that make threats about shooting people all the time (usually from the right) - the uprising have been going on for 5 days - when are all those online tough guys going to act?

Do you read what people write or just emotionally react?

I never said I intended or encouraged those things. It is what I expect will happen because people won’t sit idly forever while innocent people and businesses are attacked by thugs. Not all protestors are thugs, but anyone using the protests as cover to vandalize, steal, or destroy property by definition are criminal thugs. It seems from what I’ve seen that a minority of the protestors are thugs, the majority are curious participants that want to be where the excitement is. But even small numbers of thugs working together, especially with the cover of a large crowd, can cause massive destruction.

The purpose for being armed is protection, not aggression. It is defense, not offense. It is not being a tough guy to protect your family and property from eminent threat from criminals intent to do you harm. If they bring the problem to you, threaten you and your family directly, standing and protecting your family isn’t being a tough guy, it’s being a man.

Also, for the record, I think cops very often act like a$$hole thugs too. The dangers of giving one person nearly unlimited authority over others. What they did to George Floyd and countless others, black/white/hispanic/etc is inexcusable/criminal and should be routinely prosecuted. Protest (peacefully) against the cops all you want. But attacking innocent people and businesses is inexcusable, and flat out criminal.

 

[Trevor Kuntz]

I mean, you could buy a gun. OR, you could buy a Pepsi and give it to a cop and end racism, oppression and violence forever.

Think smarter, not harder.

 

[wade1mil]

There's enough evidence online that shows that police mistreat the public. If you choose not to pay attention that's your problem. But you are witnessing the outcome of ignoring police brutality with the riots.

If you want to choose not to pay attention to the 99.9% of police that treat the public fairly, that's your problem. Just like with any large group of people, some will be bad. Most of the protesters are good. Some of them are bad. Let the police and protesters do their thing, and put the crooked cops and terrorists in prison. Handle these people on a case by case basis.

This is how police interact with the public.

To suggest that police as a whole interact with the public this way is ignorance. Just like the idiot who tweeted, "This is what he meant by #MAGANIGHT."

 

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[Thoelt53]

This is not a racial issue, though the media and government is trying to make it one as a divide and conquered tactic. This is a police brutality issue.

It’s a government oppression issue.

Government perpetuates racism.

Government empowers gestapo pigs.

 

[Ocean Man]

This comment will probably get removed, but I’m gonna post it anyway.

These scenes in my mind point to one of many reasons that the right to bear arms shall not be infringed was put in the constitution. Next time you hear that there is no legitimate reason a person should own an AR15, or high capacity clip, remember these times, and realize it can get so so much worse.

The angry mob can descend on your home, threaten your family, destroy or steal your property. During these times the police will be no where to be found. Protection is your right, and I believe your duty to your family and loved ones.

If this continues much longer, I fully expect to see heavily armed counter protestors emerge to protect their communities and families from these marauders since the police can’t/won’t. I hope it doesn’t come to that, things could get truly ugly if that happens.

This. But also I believe that it’ll only be a short amount of time that the people start going up against the police and national guard with their own firepower. There’s a ton of clips besides the one I attached that show police blatantly shooting at people, even if they’re on their own porches do nothing but watching.

I feel like the next couple of days is going to be a huge turning point in how things will turn out.

We need the right to bare arms against people looting and hurting us, but also against our own police and military which should be protecting us but seem to be doing the opposite.

 

[InspireHD]

..the blue line gang...
...
Those that live in low income neighborhoods irregardless of race are treated like shit by the police. While in the more affluent neighborhoods the police are nicer and calmer.

Let's start with, "Blue line gang?" This is the frame of reference for your mentality toward police. Do you even know what police do on a daily basis apart from what you see, hear, or read on the news? Only the bad things make the news. Do you really want to read about how police went to the little old lady's home and helped put her on the toilet? Yeah, that doesn't make the news.

Secondly, police are often dealing with a very, very, very, very, very small subset of the population. Many times it comes down to handling reports involving low income neighborhoods or people with lower incomes. When people get desperate, they do bad things. They do what they need to do to survive. Sometimes that means they break the law because their attempts at surviving outweigh the cost of the punishment. Remember, legislators dreamed up the laws, not police. Police didn't decide that stealing was against the law. Your elected officials did.

It's a police vs the public issue. The police are trained in a us vs them mentality.

No, they aren't trained in an "Us vs Them" mentality. Police are trained to enforce the law among other things. The "Us vs Them" mentality comes when the public's perception of police is so negatively skewed that police have to self-preserve (sorry if that's not the right word). Police are at an increased risk of suicide because of what they deal with on a daily basis - some of which the general public doesn't know about and absolutely would never, ever want to see.

Here's a list of white people that were killed by police. In all instances the police walked free.

I didn't look at these because it doesn't prove anything. Yes, it happens. What looks bad to you might not actually be criminal in the eyes of a court system. Just because you didn't get the outcome you wanted, doesn't make the police bad or corrupt or whatever else you want to believe is unjust. That isn't for you to decide.

Police militarization, police think they're at war with the citizens and role play as soldiers.

Again, do you know what police do on a daily basis? Every police officer in the United States, every day, every call they handle, every interaction they have with people. And I mean EVERY. ALL. Every single frickin' call, report, incident, investigation. I don't mean the singled out stories that get blasted on the tv. I mean the 20,000 reports for one department, the 132,000 reports from the other, the 2,000 reports from the backwoods, tiny department, or the however many reports major metropolitan police departments handle. The US is currently dealing with 1 very bad incident. Yes, it's bad. 1. ONE. How many reports did the US have that day that didn't go reported?

Police fear for there lives, any sudden movement and they think you're trying to kill them.

I don't know what you do and I don't need to know but I'm going to guess it doesn't require you to put on a ballistic ("bullet-proof") vest in the morning with the potential that you might get killed over the course of your shift. Some police officers wake up in the morning, leave to go to work, and never come home. Take some time to consider the families they leave behind. What if that was your brother, sister, wife, child? Are you willing to put on that vest in the morning?

No community. Most police are random people from around the county, state or city. They have no connection to the places or people they patrol.

This is mostly true. Not always. Doesn't make the idea of police patrolling your neighborhood any less safe. The majority of police understand the oath they took to protect that community and they understand the duty that goes with it.

Police are not the sharpest tools in the shed. Most departments only required a high school diploma. Training is minimal just a few weeks.

This is where you are dangerously wrong. Becoming a police officer is one of the most difficult things to do. In some departments, hiring takes upwards of a year and every aspect of someone's life is ridiculed. For the most part, "most departments" require a 4-year degree, prior experience, or some type of military.

Training is not just a few weeks unless you're some reserve officer. I don't know where you heard of that. Academies can be several months to a year long. Eight hours a day, five days a week for several months. No trainingis going to make you a completely educated person in anything. Do doctors go from medical school directly into brain surgery? No. Some of what they do is on the job training, observing, listening, talking, researching. Same with police. No classroom can prepare a police officer for what they are going to deal with on the street. I will put it this way and I don't know your background or what you've experienced in your life, but, for a general person, you can't even begin to imagine what you don't know about what the police deal with. Again, it's not always what you see on tv.

But how do you enforce the law if you don't know the law? Police need to be on the same level as judges and lawyers because they're at the forefront of the legal system.

I get the sense that you feel like police officers are just mindless nobodies who don't know anything, like they are some kind of bodybuilding meat-head at the gym walking around whacked out on stimulants and steroids. Many police are highly educated individuals with thousands of hours of training in specialized fields.

Maybe you've run into some who aren't but I can tell you that police have a very important job to do that requires them to know more than just the laws. They have to know how lawyers work because they have to know how to direct a court hearing. Police have to try to think 10 steps ahead of a lawyer to try to figure out what objections they are going to make or how they will try to pick a hole in an investigation and any evidence. Trust me, being a lawyer isn't some grand achievement in life. I've met some very smart lawyers and I've met some who make you scratch your head. There is more that goes beyond the judges and lawyers, but I'll leave it at that.

One last thing that you (read: many people) seem to forget. Police are people too. Yes, some do bad things and make mistakes. Nobody is perfect, but holy hell, man. There is a person on the other side of that badge who has to wake up everyday to being hated by everyone because of a job they do. How the hell would you feel dealing with that every single f'ng day.

 

[Ocean Man]

On mobile so having a difficult time editing that last video clip. But that’s in Minneapolis. National Guard going through neighborhoods and suburbs during mandatory curfew. Didn’t know they could just shoot you for being on YOUR porch. But we can’t shoot them? Feel like the next few days are going to be really difficult.. it’s only time before another civil-like war between government and people.

 

[AFMKelvin]

Reading the news, it seems the situation that happened with George Floyd was the spark for all of this.

But what do you think are the real root reasons for this? I'm interested to hear what the Americans on this forums point of view.

Police militarization, police think they're at war with the citizens and role play as soldiers.

Police fear for there lives, any sudden movement and they think you're trying to kill them

No community. Most police are random people from around the county, state or city. They have no connection to the places or people they patrol.

Police unions. Unions will go to the end of the world to protect their members and keep them working.

Police are not the sharpest tools in the shed. Most departments only required a high school diploma. Training is minimal just a few weeks.

 

[PizzaOnTheRoof]

Not really riots, more like uprising.

People are fed up.

It's a white/black thing. Because whenever black cops murder/kill white civilians, there are consequences.

When its a white officer that murders a black civilian - all of a sudden the excuses come out:

"blue lives matter... "
"cops have a very dangerous job"...
"they only have a split second to think..."....
"feared for my life..."
blah blah blah blah.

When its a black officer, the blue lives matter crowd as suspiciously quiet, the police union has nothing to say and the black cops always, always, always get punished for doing the EXACT same thing white ones do.

These two cops accidentally shot a child while he's father was threatening their lives with a car. No blue lives matter crap, no police union.... nothing from the "non racists" that would normally support cops.

Compared to this ...

Eric got choked to death, all the cops present watched it happen, nothing happened to them. The medics on the scenes just stood and watched him die. Nothing happened to them either.

This officer feared for his life and shot someone in the dark.... he was locked up, oh and it didn't take YEARS and it didn't protestings or burning for the "injustice system" to punish him either.

Etc. etc. etc.

There's a pattern, anyone that denies the racial element is part of the problem.

Its like the injustice system is ready to punish people - when they are black, but when they are white - all of a sudden, its time for slaps on the wrist. People are just fed up of that BS. So they are burning down white businesses - because when the people that have money / power to influence the politicians - things MOVE.

And its sad that people have to go out and protest everytime to get justice. Why can't the white judge, the white DA, the white prosecutor, the all white jury treat the white cops that murder black civilians the exact same way they treat black cops that murder white people?! Is that an unreasonable request on black people's part?


ALSO.... it doesn't matter what black people do -even if they were protesting PEACEFULLY.... All the "I'm not racist but..." would still have a problem with it (like they do with people peacefully taking a knee). So it doesn't matter HOW they protest - its the fact that they complain about racial abuse that is the problem. They should just be good little negroes and take the abuse with a smile, like in the good ol' days. -_- well this new generation don't think so, they are saying F*ck YOU, Let's burn this mofo down.

The only mofo these people are burning down is their own community.

I haven’t done anything to oppress anyone.

Burn down public property if you want, but come try this shit at my house you’ll leave with a third eye socket.

 

[WabiSabi]

Cops are a necessary evil of society. You NEED someone to enforce the laws, so society can function. That said, cops get shot and stabbed at daily, that can breed discrimination and hatred. It's just a messy situation all round...

What I see now is mob "justice", people won't be satisfied until the cop is dead. Guilty until proven innocent (If that's what they're rioting about at all). Let the arrested cops go through the system, laws are there for a reason. I don't think we've heard the full story of the situation.

George Floyd is just a pretext for political rioting now.

 

[Thoelt53]

By now I’m sure everyone is aware of the riots going on nightly.

Hopefully no one here lives or has a business in any of the areas where the riots are taking place. It seems they are only going become more widespread and severe.

We live an in increasingly divided nation, both politically and economically, coming out of a 10 week lockdown, and rolling into the summer.

It’s pretty much a recipe for massive civil unrest, regardless of the catalyst. In this case, a gestapo pig choked to death a handcuffed man face-down on the ground. Media driven racial tension only exasperates the issue, and the powder keg is set to blow.

Just like ‘officials’ are predicting a second wave of COVID, I’m thinking there will be a second wave of civil unrest leading up to and after the election.

If you’re not armed you had better get working on it.

 

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[andrewsyc]

I’m not racist and I don’t agree with the knee to the neck while you have someone in handcuffs on their belly.

However, these riots and looting are nonsense. What does looting have anything to do with raising awareness? MLK is rolling in his grave right now.

Yeah, absolutely, but beyond closed doors you mention something even mild like that in today's social climate you risk your professional reputation.

 

[AFMKelvin]

By now I’m sure everyone is aware of the riots going on nightly.

Hopefully no one here lives or has a business in any of the areas where the riots are taking place. It seems they are only going become more widespread and severe.

We live an in increasingly divided nation, both politically and economically, coming out of a 10 week lockdown, and rolling into the summer.

It’s pretty much a recipe for massive civil unrest, regardless of the catalyst. In this case, a gestapo pig choked to death a handcuffed man face-down on the ground. Media driven racial tension only exasperates the issue, and the powder keg is set to blow.

Just like ‘officials’ are predicting a second wave of COVID, I’m thinking there will be a second wave of civil unrest leading up to and after the election.

If you’re not armed you had better get working on it.

This is not a racial issue, though the media and government is trying to make it one as a divide and conquered tactic. This is a police brutality issue.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1266957878927261696

View: https://twitter.com/joshencinias/status/1266957878927261696

 

[daniel_m]

It's just a total mess from top to bottom. The people who protest violently are only hurting their own communities and shooting themselves in the foot. And sadly, in many parts of the US it will actually fuel racism even further, on both sides. It's just a complete meltdown. Some people are saying it's ANTIFA and paid instigators but that's for another discussion.

And the worst part about all this is that it will very likely be for nothing, in terms of real tangible change within the government. Sadly.

Violence through police force is the single greatest strength that any government holds over its people. The reason you pull over when a cop is behind you with their lights on, the reason you pay your taxes on time, and the reason people are even afraid to be late on a parking violation is that there's a GUARANTEE of eventual physical violence by the government via the police, upon people who do not play by the rules. So it is in the government's best interest for the police to be violent (freely) and even better - for citizens to fear their police. Anybody who thinks that the senate will pass some new law that restricts the polices' ability to be violent is in for a big disappointment. I don't know what the answer is but it's not looting Target and Louis Vutton, and it's DEFINITELY not destroying small business and burning up private residences in your own neighborhood. The rage and disgust is justified, but these actions are not.

 

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