All-purpose news and politics thread: Two Steps Beyond!

[Shawn Hopkins]

I don't know, where I live conversations don't work where I can only say things if they're contrary to what someone said earlier.

I don't have to justify what looters are doing to know that they're not a problem that actually needs attention for fixing.

Right. It's not like there are spontaneous riots. Yes, people get out of control during race riots. But race riots don't happen without outrageous racially motivated injustices, so how about stopping those? You know, the root cause?

[lancerman]

Attempts to refocus the issue on the looting are just the right wing's way of trying to obscure and avoid the real issue. They are also blatant racism, pointing to the looting as if that shows what black people are capable of and justifies the fact that the police treat them like an enemy in an occupied war zone. It's just as offensive, racist and irrelevant as painting Trayvon as a "thug.

Or it's possible to condemn bad behavior and not remove focus from the issue. And for someone to claim that bad behavior that came out of a protest directly related to the issue that's being discussed, that has harmed people, that even the kids parents had to acknowledge because of how erroneous it is, is irellevant and that it shouldn't be talked about because it distracts from what happened is stupid. First off no person with a reasonable attention span and morality is going to ignore the initial alleged offense because they are condemning something else that is bad going on that's related to it. Second, the people that are using this as an excuse to loot, effectively tied it to the entirety of the situation. And that's 100% on them. From now on when this is discussed it is disingenuous to talk about the protests and riots without bringing up the violent looting. That doesn't detract from whatever the facts of the case are.

And let's be honest, there are racist people that have an agenda to ignore this and will use the looting to discredit the what initially happened. They are jackasses for doing that. The people that looted completely enabled that and gave them the excuse they needed. Which is unfortunate, but ultimately they take some of the blame.

[Mr. Mastermind]

You guys just don't get it, the real problem in America is that black guys get away with crimes too much.

[Kid A]

Interesting, where I live people are capable of focusing on multiple issues at the same time.

If you mean focusing on multiple issues where they don't exist, sure. Or else every crime in America all the way down to WalMart shoplifting should be an "issue" for "focusing" with your logic.

[Darrell D.]

Right. It's not like there are spontaneous riots. Yes, people get out of control during race riots. But race riots don't happen without outrageous racially motivated injustices, so how about stopping those? You know, the root cause?

No, it is just easier to say, 'LOOTERS! THUGS!'

[Darrell D.]

You guys just don't get it, the real problem in America is that black guys get away with crimes too much.

Michael Brown could have been signaling for a lightening strike when he put his arms up in the air. That cop had to put him down, for fear of his life.

[Shawn Hopkins]

No, it is just easier to say, 'LOOTERS! THUGS!'

Thug means the n-word now, by the way. The wider meaning has been washed away by right wing racism.

[Surtur]

Thug means the n-word now, by the way. The wider meaning has been washed away by right wing racism.

It's not racist to say people shouldn't use this as an excuse to loot. So just so we are clear, it is not okay for us to discuss the looting. But..it IS okay to act ignorant and call people racist for mentioning it?

[lancerman]

It's not racist to say people shouldn't use this as an excuse to loot. So just so we are clear, it is not okay for us to discuss the looting. But..it IS okay to act ignorant and call people racist for mentioning it?

Yeah I know it almost sounds like some people have an agenda and want to dictate what should and shouldn't be talked about.

[Kid A]

If someone reported a looting incident without the riots and murder, no one would be talking about it. "Some guys stole stuff" isn't the headline. So when you try to make that an "issue" within the context of an actual problem, it's basically deflection.

[Shawn Hopkins]

It's not racist to say people shouldn't use this as an excuse to loot. So just so we are clear, it is not okay for us to discuss the looting. But..it IS okay to act ignorant and call people racist for mentioning it?

For trying to shift the focus and use it as evidence to justify the police reaction, yes. That's racist.

[Surtur]

Yeah I know it almost sounds like some people have an agenda and want to dictate what should and shouldn't be talked about.

Yep, and here I thought the topic was titled "all purpose news and politics" but apparently it's "only discuss what issues we want to discuss and if you mention anything else you are a racist who feels this looting justifies the murder even though not a single person said that".

For trying to shift the focus and use it as evidence to justify the police reaction, yes. That's racist.

But..nobody used it as evidence to justify the police reaction, so I'm confused. At least, nobody in this thread has said anything like that.

[Darrell D.]

If someone reported a looting incident without the riots and murder, no one would be talking about it.

"Some guys stole stuff" isn't the headline.

For some, that is the only headline.

[lancerman]

For some, that is the only headline.

And it wasn't for anybody in here who brought up the looting, so in this discussion it's irrelevant.

[Darrell D.]

so apparently two reporters were arrested in Ferguson, reportedly one from the Washington Post

also Ferguson police are trying to keep as much media out as they can

Quoting this, because the looting deflection is bullshit, and this is far more relevant.