Running racism in America thread

The comments on this are as bad as one has come to expect, sadly.

'White Lives Matter' sprayed on Arthur Ashe memorial

 

Atlanta DA charges felony murder among 11 counts against the officer who killed Rayshard Brooks. Three counts less severe against the other officer, who has agreed to testify for the state.

 

oh my

 

And this is why racism will never go away. Because no one can just let anything lie. It's like a freaking competition.

If somebody says "Black Lives Matter," or spray-paints it somewhere, someone has to say and do the same about how "White Lives Matter" or "Back the Blue," etc.

If a white person apologizes for insensitivity, or a stupid or wrong-headed remark, whatever is said going forward is never good enough, and they're called out for condescension and/or paternalism, or else, tabbed as a racist for life.

Etc.

There will never be an end to separatism unless comparisons stop, and until there is an end to "us" and "them."

 

Until cops can be properly trained on how NOT to escalate non-violent situations (passing a fake $20, sleeping in your car at a drive-through) we're going to have these problems. I don't know what it would cost to have a massive psychological profile of every law enforcement agency in this country to figure out how to weed out the guys who think they're Chuck Norris but are actually closer to Barney Fife (and packing) but it might be less than the civil suits.

 

Disclaimer: I'm all in on defund/reorganize/rethink police to eliminate systemic racism and police brutality.

But the guy wasn't just taking a nap. He was passed out drunk, right? Isn't that a situation where we've always wanted cops to intervene, so he doesn't wake up 2 minutes later and kill someone himself while driving home drunk?

He didn't get killed for falling asleep at the wheel. He got killed for stealing and shooting a taser at police. Did the cops escalate it or did he? I don't know.

We need to train police to better determine when their lives are really, truly at risk. This cop should have realized how likely it was he be hit and incapacitated by the taser, to what degree his life was at risk even in the worst-case scenario, given that he had a partner with him, and once the taser missed, he should have realized there was no more threat, even if that only happened a fraction of a second before he fired. That'll take a ton of work reevaluating the role police play in our society now, and I'm all for it. But we haven't done that yet, and I'm stunned these cops are being held to that standard.

 

The thinking is probably that you overcharge now - to keep peace in the streets - then plead him down later, when things have cooled off.

 

Cream of Wheat’s history is as bad as Uncle Ben’s

Aunt Jemima, Uncle Ben's Updating to Remove Racist Branding

 

I said on here a week or so ago that all the mobs tearing down one set of statues can't act surprised when another mob goes after something important to them. Did anyone really think that will all the toppling of Lee and Columbus that Ashe was safe? I'm obviously not saying it's right; it was just inevitable.

 

So? I expect the white supremacists to be angry no matter what. I am not going to fail to do what's right because some racist asshole will get his feelings hurt.