All purpose news and politics thread part VI: This Is Not The Time For Posing

[XPac]

I’d really like to hear from Republicans on here, or conservatives, or even libertarians about what their solutions are to the problems of police brutality and systemic racism.

I think putting more resources into better training and more oversight is all you can really do. Maybe take away some of their legal protections under certain circumstances.

You can tweak the system, but ultimately human error will bleed into it.

I certainly don't agree with any notion to NOT have police. They serve a necessary function in society and anything you replace it with will have the exact same issues.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

The looting and the coronovirus are both issues at hand... it may not be aspects you care as much about, but because people are dying or will die from them, they're issues at hand too.

As far as violence occuring from professional sports teams losing... no, I haven't really complained about that on social media. If something like that was occuring in my city where people I personally know are being put in danger, like we're seeing in these riots I would. I don't know anyone personally who was murdered... but I certainly know a few who have their livelihoods destroyed and likely are going to have a lot of difficulty coming back from it. If the same occured during the loss of a professional sports team I'd be complaining pretty vocally about that too.

BUt yeah, I know outside the US people care a lot about soccer for example and will riot over missed shots or whatever. BUt it doesn't quite hit home to the same degree, so yeah... don't feel the same need to discuss it. My sympathies goes to that, but it's less on my radar.

But proximity aside, the riots also have the potential to have Trump execute the Insurrection Act, which scares me a bit even if it's not in my city. THat's a whole other aspect to the issue, but again it effects me more even if it's not in my backyard and directly effecting people I know.

To be honest, I don't think Trump has the balls to go that far, otherwise, he would've already done so earlier in the week when the looting and violence was at it's peak in cities like New York, Philly, Chicago et al. To do so now when things have quieted down for the most part would be seen as foolish at best, and a wanton abuse of his powers at worst.

[Maine Starfish]

This is a discusson board. People will occasionally discuss topics you might not want to talk about. It happens.

And people are going to respond in ways you may not like occasionally, you’ve spent over a week complaining about looting and riots as if that’s the only thing happening, you say it’s your immediate concern, the immediate concern is over TVs and Xboxes, not on police brutality? That says it all, you place more value on objects than you do on human life.

There hasn’t even been much of any looting in several days now, and still that’s all you talk about. Still you deflect from the real issues. Most of the conflict in the last several days has come from the police instigating attacks, if you’re concerned about criminals then why are you not concerned when police act as criminals?

[XPac]

And people are going to respond in ways you may not like occasionally, you’ve spent over a week complaining about looting and riots as if that’s the only thing happening, you say it’s your immediate concern, the immediate concern is over TVs and Xboxes, not on police brutality? That says it all, you place more value on objects than you do on human life.

There hasn’t even been much of any looting in several days now, and still that’s all you talk about. Still you deflect from the real issues. Most of the conflict in the last several days has come from the police instigating attacks, if you’re concerned about criminals then why are you not concerned when police act as criminals?

No, it's not about TVs and xboxes. That assumption is exactly why it needs to be discussed more. People were hospitalized and even killed when rioters were attempting to rob them. Or do their lives somehow not count?

[XPac]

To be honest, I don't think Trump has the balls to go that far, otherwise, he would've already done so earlier in the week when the looting and violence was at it's peak in cities like New York, Philly, Chicago et al. To do so now when things have quieted down for the most part would be seen as foolish at best, and a wanton abuse of his powers at worst.

I hope you're right. Wouldn't exactly surprise me if you weren't ... but if things are quieting down then hopefully that aspect of this whole tragedy does down with it.

[aja_christopher]

To be honest, I don't think Trump has the balls to go that far, otherwise, he would've already done so earlier in the week when the looting and violence was at it's peak in cities like New York, Philly, Chicago et al. To do so now when things have quieted down for the most part would be seen as foolish at best, and a wanton abuse of his powers at worst.

Never underestimate a psychopath.

[Maine Starfish]

for those concerned that the protests will lead to more Covid-19 cases.

https://twitter.com/WesleyLowery/sta...379010049?s=20

there’s also several videos of police destroying water bottles and medical supplies at medical stations for the protests.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Never underestimate a psychopath.

It's Friday. Trump is itching to hit the links as soon as he can. He's not going to risk a weekend of golf by being forced to hunker down in the Oval Office to act presidential while troops are in the streets.

[aja_christopher]

It's Friday. Trump is itching to hit the links as soon as he can. He's not going to risk a weekend of golf by being forced to hunker down in the Oval Office to act presidential while troops are in the streets.

I was speaking more in the long-term given the authorization of armed and unmarked "police" appearing on our streets and gassing, shooting and attacking peaceful protesters and members of the international media just so that he can get a campaign picture in front of a church.

And with Barr involved it's not as if Trump is the one who has to put in the effort regardless.

[aja_christopher]

Not my opinion so much as a perspective I found insightful.

Especially in an era of social media and video cameras.

[Godzilla2099]

I focus on the looting, because that's the aspect of this that bothers me the most.

Firstly for the obvious reason that people are being robbed, having their homes burned down, and even murdered. That should speak for itself. And the fact that many of these people are minority business owners shouldn't be ignored. It's occuring during a pandemic, where plenty of small business are already suffering. They're the biggest tradegy of this IMO because they're not being harmed fighting rioters or police... they're being harmed simply because criminals want free stuff. They have nothing to do with any of it.

Secondly this bothers me because the rioting has the potential for Trump to invoke the Insurrection act without the invitation of the state government... and that scares me for a variety of reasons. Not just the obvious, but the potential political ramifications of it.

But on a purely personal level, it bothers me as a guy who at one time was a pretty active protestor. In college I helped organize dozens of peaceful protests which ended up getting hijacked by criminals who used them to commit crimes. It brought down the police on us, got us negative media attention, and ultimately derailed what we were trying to accomplish. It turns what we hope was going to be a powerful political message into something ugly.

The riot aspect ultimately is the most immediat concern to deal with. That needs to be stopped first because the underlying issues can be dealt with and any real progress can be made.

I'm focused on the looting, businesses being robbed, properties being burned down, and people being murdered. Even a black police officer was killed and the media barely acknowledged him.

I have to help my wife move to Philadelphia later this year so she can finish her fellowship. I'm nervous as hell for her safety. I'd feel far safer walking the streets with Police/Military than I would rioters

[CaptainEurope]

I'm focused on the looting, businesses being robbed, properties being burned down, and people being murdered. Even a black police officer was killed and the media barely acknowledged him.

If the police murdering their own won't bring reform, what will?

[aja_christopher]

And people are going to respond in ways you may not like occasionally, you’ve spent over a week complaining about looting and riots as if that’s the only thing happening, you say it’s your immediate concern, the immediate concern is over TVs and Xboxes, not on police brutality? That says it all, you place more value on objects than you do on human life.

There hasn’t even been much of any looting in several days now, and still that’s all you talk about. Still you deflect from the real issues. Most of the conflict in the last several days has come from the police instigating attacks, if you’re concerned about criminals then why are you not concerned when police act as criminals?

It's the usual right-wing response to any kind of uprising regarding civil rights because the civil rights of others are relatively unimportant to them.

They deny people their civil rights through obstruction and voter suppression then act as if it's a surprise when people rebel against said inequality.

If they devoted half as much energy to addressing the root of the problem -- authoritarian abuse and white supremacist attitudes -- then they would have already resolved the issue about two hundred years ago.

[Godzilla2099]

If the police murdering their own won't bring reform, what will?

What the heck are you talking about? This was a retired officer in his 70s that was murdered by looters because he was protecting his friend's Pawn Shop. David Dorn made an actual difference.

Retired St. Louis police captain killed by looters while trying to protect friend's shop

This makes my blood boil

[shooshoomanjoe]

WTF is going on with the police? Two cops confront a peaceful 75 year old protester and one shoves him. The man falls down and starts to bleed. One cop was going to help him but another cop prevents him then a swarm of cops just pass the man and ignore him. Here's the video. Tough to trust cops after all the violence they've inflicted on peaceful protesters these past few days.