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

[InformationGeek]

And here's Tom Cotton with him wanting to hurt fellow Americans.

GOP @SenTomCotton: "If local politicians will not do their most basic job to protect our citizens, let's see how these anarchists respond when the 101st Airborne is on the other side of the street."

[A Small Talent For War]

If you are one of the minorities that are routinely targeted and killed with hardly ever any justice or real repercussions for the murderers. And are constantly told that "now isn't the time", or that this way or that way isn't the "right kind" of protest. If "they" would only do as they are told.

With an important election later this year, yet another slaughter in the streets of a black man and a hesitant arrest AFTER protesting began of a murdering cop I certainly cant criticize the anger and need to protest. Again not condoning violent protest at all.


Whats the right way to handle it then? I am not arguing its safe to congregate in groups. I am not arguing its the best thing to combat the virus. But, people are fed up. Do they just offer "thoughts and prayers" once again? IF they didn't start protesting would the murdering officer even be charged with anything yet?

However, there is much stronger justification for telling people now is not the time. This isn't like when there is a school shooting and people say that it is inappropriate to take advantage of tragedy to push a political agenda. This is a serious pandemic. Over 100,000 people have died from the disease in this nation from it. The same people protesting now were making fun of the protestors against the shutdown.

Now is not the time because there is strong external threat to lives of everyone - and this disease is far more dangerous to minorities as well. The protestors will be the people most at risk when it is spread.

In two weeks, if there is a spike in deaths among people of color from this, will the people who supported and joined these protests take responsibility for putting those lives at risk?

If the protests maintained social distance, wore masks and organized with the virus in mind, it would make a lot more sense, but apparently we can't rely on people to behave responsibly and when that happens it undercuts demands for responsible behavior from the authorities.

[XPac]

And here's Tom Cotton with him wanting to hurt fellow Americans.

Wow ... that's like a line straight out of a freaking movie.

[jetengine]

And here's Tom Cotton with him wanting to hurt fellow Americans.

I'll take "Thats a war crime" for 300, Alex

[WestPhillyPunisher]

I do see Black community leaders and civil rights leaders talking about change but it should not be up to black people alone to change white racism.

I head the several mayor, governors, and police chiefs saying this is a tragedy that shouldnt have happened but are any of them introducing social programs, insight from independent sources, looking at the records of problem cops and getting them off the streets? if they have I havnt heard or read about it.

That damn sure didn't happen in Minneapolis since Derek Chauvin was said to have had a whopping EIGHTEEN complaints filed against him, but was still allowed to keep his badge when he should've tossed out on his ass. Between the city's PD and it's union, there was plenty of blame to go around for Chauvin, and that's unacceptable.

[babyblob]

That damn sure didn't happen in Minneapolis since Derek Chauvin was said to have had a whopping EIGHTEEN complaints filed against him, but was still allowed to keep his badge when he should've tossed out on his ass. Between the city's PD and it's union, there was plenty of blame to go around for Chauvin, and that's unacceptable.

And the public did not hear about any of them until it was too late. That is what bothers me. I mean hell just try going to your local police station and ask to see a record of officer complaints and see how far you get. Look at how the press has to jump through hopps to get records. An average citizen. No way. I think that the police being the force whose job it is to protect the people should have transparent records. People should be able to get information on police complaints on any officer. If that is done by an independent review board, or by being released by the police information officer I dont know. What ever works best.

Im a felon. The police can pull up my criminal history without thought without problem. I should be able to do the same.

[kidfresh512]

That damn sure didn't happen in Minneapolis since Derek Chauvin was said to have had a whopping EIGHTEEN complaints filed against him, but was still allowed to keep his badge when he should've tossed out on his ass. Between the city's PD and it's union, there was plenty of blame to go around for Chauvin, and that's unacceptable.

And it happens all over the country too. At some point we cannot rely on individual cities, towns and governments to handle issues like this. At some point I would expect a functioning Justice Department or something to take these issues up as a civil rights issue.

All the minorities in the South for example trapped under GOP leadership in a lot of levels. Yes there are some Democratic cities etc with Dem and liberal mayors and leadership. But, we see how hard it is to get convictions or get these people fired that don't belong on police forces. Be it from unions, or any police criticism as ANTI police anti America. There has to be some kind of unified federal top down response to clean up imo. I don't see another way really.

[PaulBullion]

George Zimmerman Arrested In Atlanta On DUI Charges

At around 2:00 am Saturday night. Zimmerman was pulled over by a Fulton Sheriff. After smelling marijuana in Zimmerman’s vehicle the sheriff called back-up and attempted to have Zimmerman submit to an on field sobriety test. He was visibly intoxicated according to the arresting officer and due to a Fulton County ordinance on refusing breathalyzers, the officer was able to arrest George Zimmerman on DUI charges.


Zimmerman told the officer that he had just been coming from the club. Which made little sense to the officer considering all clubs and bars are currently closed during quarantine.


...


Zimmerman was searched on scene before being arrested and was in possession of 4 pocket knives, a small container of fireball whiskey, and 9 pills of Clonazepam in his shorts pocket. Zimmerman claims he has a prescription for the Clonazepam but until that is proven to be true the officers charged him with possession of a controlled substance.

...

The initial lab results of Zimmerman’s blood test showed a BAC of .13, large traces of benzodiazepines, THC, methadone, and small traces of cocaine.

[babyblob]

George Zimmerman Arrested In Atlanta On DUI Charges

They will come down hard on him for this. Because being drunk behind the wheel and having drugs is a much larger deal then killing a black man.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

For anyone who thinks I'm making up stuff about Chauvin out of whole cloth:

CNN: The Minneapolis police officer who knelt on George Floyd's neck had 18 previous complaints against him, police department says

The Independent: Minneapolis police officer who knelt on George Floyd’s neck had 18 previous internal complaints against him

MSN: Derek Chauvin had 16 complaints made against him that were closed with 'no discipline.' A former member of the police review board says that's proof of a broken system.

[XPac]

It's one thing to deface Confederate monuments ... don't condone it, but I won't lose sleep over it either. But hearing people vandalize the Lincoln monument struck a little close to home.

This is just getting crazy.

[Tami]

For anyone who thinks I'm making up stuff about Chauvin out of whole cloth:

CNN: The Minneapolis police officer who knelt on George Floyd's neck had 18 previous complaints against him, police department says

The Independent: Minneapolis police officer who knelt on George Floyd’s neck had 18 previous internal complaints against him

MSN: Derek Chauvin had 16 complaints made against him that were closed with 'no discipline.' A former member of the police review board says that's proof of a broken system.

It's pretty common knowledge, now. Only wish it had been common knowledge years ago.

[kidfresh512]

Obama posted a response on his social media

As millions of people across the country take to the streets and raise their voices in response to the killing of George Floyd and the ongoing problem of unequal justice, many people have reached out asking how we can sustain momentum to bring about real change.
Ultimately, it’s going to be up to a new generation of activists to shape strategies that best fit the times. But I believe there are some basic lessons to draw from past efforts that are worth remembering.
First, the waves of protests across the country represent a genuine and legitimate frustration over a decades-long failure to reform police practices and the broader criminal justice system in the United States. The overwhelming majority of participants have been peaceful, courageous, responsible, and inspiring. They deserve our respect and support, not condemnation – something that police in cities like Camden and Flint have commendably understood.
On the other hand, the small minority of folks who’ve resorted to violence in various forms, whether out of genuine anger or mere opportunism, are putting innocent people at risk, compounding the destruction of neighborhoods that are often already short on services and investment and detracting from the larger cause. I saw an elderly black woman being interviewed today in tears because the only grocery store in her neighborhood had been trashed. If history is any guide, that store may take years to come back. So let’s not excuse violence, or rationalize it, or participate in it. If we want our criminal justice system, and American society at large, to operate on a higher ethical code, then we have to model that code ourselves.

Second, I’ve heard some suggest that the recurrent problem of racial bias in our criminal justice system proves that only protests and direct action can bring about change, and that voting and participation in electoral politics is a waste of time. I couldn’t disagree more. The point of protest is to raise public awareness, to put a spotlight on injustice, and to make the powers that be uncomfortable; in fact, throughout American history, it’s often only been in response to protests and civil disobedience that the political system has even paid attention to marginalized communities. But eventually, aspirations have to be translated into specific laws and institutional practices – and in a democracy, that only happens when we elect government officials who are responsive to our demands.
Moreover, it’s important for us to understand which levels of government have the biggest impact on our criminal justice system and police practices. When we think about politics, a lot of us focus only on the presidency and the federal government. And yes, we should be fighting to make sure that we have a president, a Congress, a U.S. Justice Department, and a federal judiciary that actually recognize the ongoing, corrosive role that racism plays in our society and want to do something about it. But the elected officials who matter most in reforming police departments and the criminal justice system work at the state and local levels.
It’s mayors and county executives that appoint most police chiefs and negotiate collective bargaining agreements with police unions. It’s district attorneys and state’s attorneys that decide whether or not to investigate and ultimately charge those involved in police misconduct. Those are all elected positions. In some places, police review boards with the power to monitor police conduct are elected as well. Unfortunately, voter turnout in these local races is usually pitifully low, especially among young people – which makes no sense given the direct impact these offices have on social justice issues, not to mention the fact that who wins and who loses those seats is often determined by just a few thousand, or even a few hundred, votes.
So the bottom line is this: if we want to bring about real change, then the choice isn’t between protest and politics. We have to do both. We have to mobilize to raise awareness, and we have to organize and cast our ballots to make sure that we elect candidates who will act on reform.

Finally, the more specific we can make demands for criminal justice and police reform, the harder it will be for elected officials to just offer lip service to the cause and then fall back into business as usual once protests have gone away. The content of that reform agenda will be different for various communities. A big city may need one set of reforms; a rural community may need another. Some agencies will require wholesale rehabilitation; others should make minor improvements. Every law enforcement agency should have clear policies, including an independent body that conducts investigations of alleged misconduct. Tailoring reforms for each community will require local activists and organizations to do their research and educate fellow citizens in their community on what strategies work best.
But as a starting point, I’ve included two links below. One leads to a report and toolkit developed by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and based on the work of the Task Force on 21st Century Policing that I formed when I was in the White House. And if you’re interested in taking concrete action, we’ve also created a dedicated site at the Obama Foundation to aggregate and direct you to useful resources and organizations who’ve been fighting the good fight at the local and national levels for years.
I recognize that these past few months have been hard and dispiriting – that the fear, sorrow, uncertainty, and hardship of a pandemic have been compounded by tragic reminders that prejudice and inequality still shape so much of American life. But watching the heightened activism of young people in recent weeks, of every race and every station, makes me hopeful. If, going forward, we can channel our justifiable anger into peaceful, sustained, and effective action, then this moment can be a real turning point in our nation’s long journey to live up to our highest ideals.
Let’s get to work.

https://www.facebook.com/barackobama/

[InformationGeek]

Trump had a call with the governors today. It has gone as well as you can expect.

NEW- In ongoing call with Governors- President Trump is scolding their response to the crisis.
Trump blamed protests on "radical left" and then said:

“The only time it's successful is when you’re weak and most of you are weak.”

And this...

JUST IN: President Trump unloads on the nation's governors on a call, calls on them to step up enforcement: "You have to dominate, if you don’t dominate you’re wasting your time. They’re going to run over you, you’re going to look like a bunch of jerks. You have to dominate."

[kidfresh512]

Trump had a call with the governors today. It has gone as well as you can expect.



And this...

I mean none of that is surprising. https://twitter.com/andylassner/stat...966909952?s=20

But, he has no responsibility its everyone else's fault.