Irvine511
Blue Crack Supplier
if you have 14 minutes to kill, this is completely batshit bonkers:
US Politics XXIII: Law & Order SOU (Stupid Orange Unit)
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LemonMelon
More 5G Than Man
I have mostly stayed out of this thread, but I posted a letter elsewhere online that I thought I should share with you guys to get my thoughts in one place. Spoiler tagged because it's quite lengthy.
These are troubling, challenging times. Over 100,000 dead from COVID-19. Over 40 million on unemployment. Fires rage from coast to coast. The nation, the idealistic concept that I was raised to love has resulted a shitshow, a global embarrassment, and coping with the realities of this fallout has been a challenge. I can't begin to lay out here the mood swings that have personally struck me over the past few months and how difficult it has been as a man with a history of anxiety and depression to manage my emotions. Coming from a middle class background of privilege, I can't begin to imagine how much a struggle it must be for those who have lost loved ones and livelihoods.
But the first thing I want to stress in this post is that while it's fine to feel angry, sad, even vengeful, never allow yourself to feel defeated. That is how they want us to feel. But if we are united, we can leave this hellish period stronger and healthier as a community that we ever have been. Budgets are in flux. The whole world is listening. It's time to start not just talking, but disrupting.
Now, to make my feelings clear on a few key matters. First, the protests: they are deeply necessary and come from a justified position. If no one had made the video available to the public, Chauvin would have gotten a slap on the wrist and the status quo would have carried on. The police serve us, not the other way around, and if we need to police the police, then so be it. These protests are meant to plant a seed of trepidation in the heads of officers all over the country.
What I want to encourage above all by writing this post is empathy. Before labeling someone a thug for behaving in a manner that does not match your moral code, consider what systemic and social factors may have led to that behavior. The frustration and disenfranchisement that inspired the riots has been a reality of African Americans for centuries, and it's being affirmed by the behavior of law enforcement.
Now, how do I feel about law enforcement? I will admit that am sheltered by white privilege on this matter, so I can only speak for myself. While I have long felt that law enforcement and the military should be partially defunded in order to bolster education and social reform, the behavior that I have witnessed from cops over the past week is beyond the pale. Disgusting. I have been radicalized not through literature and concepts but through footage. I encourage everyone to share what they have been seeing.
It's a damn shame that trust has been shattered between cops and the because there are indeed some good cops in the world who seek to keep their departments clean. We need them more than ever. But if you're allowing abusive, prejudical treatment to continue, you aren't just "doing your job." You are part of the problem and should humbly resign before infecting your departments further. Those who choose to take on great responsibility should risk something for their behavior. Licensure, pension, employment, etc. Cops should not experience immunity. They should not be militarized. They are citizens with a little extra training than the rest of us, training that too frequently encourages unnecessary force. And these trained citizens ultimately work for us. The system as it is churns out way too many bad ones and then proceeds to militarize them. You can turn a blind eye to these realities when they don't affect you, but I don't want to raise my daughter, who I love more than anything, in such an unjust and intimidating environment.
As for the looting: I'm tired of looting being the central issue. That's not me defending looters across the board; scumbags on discord organizing U-Hauls to rob stores and not saying a damn thing about George Floyd is not OK. The protesters are beginning to rail against this too because they know their platform is being muddled and diluted. But if all you are doing is talking about looting on social media, you got taken. That's just the fact. It's a Republican talking point that is further incited by the opposition. They can organize just like we can, and if you give them that satisfaction, you are a pawn.
The biggest mistake that the police are making is attacking the protesters and media instead of guarding storefronts from masked white bastards stirring up trouble. They shouldn't be anywhere near the protesters. But the sad fact is that some of them like it. You can see it on their faces. They like beating up on the unarmed and getting easy victories. They see them as the enemy. The looters are stirring up discord in a way that undercuts the protests, so why prioritize them?
Pro-tip: Antifa is a MAGA boogeyman and hearing people bring them up like they are in any way relevant to this situation is exhausting. They have as much to do with the murder of a 77 year-old black cop as Obamagate has to do with the COVID-19 pandemic. Antifa supports these protests ideologically and there is absolutely no reason whatsoever that they would try to derail them. Do not take the bait.
As for what we can do to help, the citizenry should never take their power for granted. We can enable police brutality by rationalizing it and turning a blind eye. We can contribute to the cleansing of law enforcement through legal and democratic means. We can protest. We can give. Personally, I have chosen to cut some subscriptions out of my online budget to make room for monthly donations to organizations that improve black lives in LA. It's not a huge move on my part, but it's a necessary one. I stress that it needs to be a monthly concern because we can't forget and we can't let anyone else forget. These problems will persist long after initial victories.
Here in southern California, if you want to be a mentor to black and brown kids in the area, we have an organization called Peace4Kids. My wife has been going over to Compton for years to work with kids on Saturday mornings. They read, do music and crafts, ball on the playground, organize community cleanup, etc. They ask a lot of you, but if you're real about it, it's something you can do to make a difference.
I work in education, and I could tell you all the horror stories I've heard and experienced over the years of being an IA and student teaching, all the kids sleeping at school, all the times we barely had enough food for the lunches we set out, the crappy playground equipment, etc. Even a small defunding of law enforcement and a redirection to education would make a huge difference for kids.
Everyone needs a purpose. I would recommend the tremendous documentary Hoop Dreams to everyone because it shows you what a goal can do for kids and young adults who have basically no opportunities afforded to them by American society. Their lives are brutally hard but they keep it together because they aren't thugs. Rather, they are people with lives and dreams and they deserve as much of an opportunity as people like me with two degrees and a teaching credential. It's about damn time that we give them that opportunity to shine.
It's been a rough year, the roughest of my lifetime. Sometimes life feels downright apocalyptic. It's easy to lose faith and hope. Truthfully, it has long been time to give up hope in our federal government. When the president tells the states to go find their own ventilators and PPE, it's time to take stock of how important our local communities are to our survival. I implore everyone to research, organize and vote. Don't treat the November elections as Trump vs. Biden (although Trump absolutely should not return to office under any circumstances). Create your own space on earth where justice and progress is evident. My hope is that these protests are only the beginning, not necessarily because escalation is the answer, but because there is so much that can be done within our current system to improve law enforcement.
Lastly, I want to encourage all of you to not give up on your fellow man and your local communities. Find examples of people doing good for others to edify yourself and find some way to help. It's easy to love others when you love yourself, and it's easier to give yourself a break and practice self-care when you know you've tried. So go out and make an impact, even if you aren't protesting. We all see you and appreciate sincere efforts for change. Please don't let the legacy of these historic protests be discord, death and the damage that looters, who didn't give a fuck about George Floyd, caused to storefronts. Keep pushing, keep working, keep spreading knowledge. We can make something happen this time.
But the first thing I want to stress in this post is that while it's fine to feel angry, sad, even vengeful, never allow yourself to feel defeated. That is how they want us to feel. But if we are united, we can leave this hellish period stronger and healthier as a community that we ever have been. Budgets are in flux. The whole world is listening. It's time to start not just talking, but disrupting.
Now, to make my feelings clear on a few key matters. First, the protests: they are deeply necessary and come from a justified position. If no one had made the video available to the public, Chauvin would have gotten a slap on the wrist and the status quo would have carried on. The police serve us, not the other way around, and if we need to police the police, then so be it. These protests are meant to plant a seed of trepidation in the heads of officers all over the country.
What I want to encourage above all by writing this post is empathy. Before labeling someone a thug for behaving in a manner that does not match your moral code, consider what systemic and social factors may have led to that behavior. The frustration and disenfranchisement that inspired the riots has been a reality of African Americans for centuries, and it's being affirmed by the behavior of law enforcement.
Now, how do I feel about law enforcement? I will admit that am sheltered by white privilege on this matter, so I can only speak for myself. While I have long felt that law enforcement and the military should be partially defunded in order to bolster education and social reform, the behavior that I have witnessed from cops over the past week is beyond the pale. Disgusting. I have been radicalized not through literature and concepts but through footage. I encourage everyone to share what they have been seeing.
It's a damn shame that trust has been shattered between cops and the because there are indeed some good cops in the world who seek to keep their departments clean. We need them more than ever. But if you're allowing abusive, prejudical treatment to continue, you aren't just "doing your job." You are part of the problem and should humbly resign before infecting your departments further. Those who choose to take on great responsibility should risk something for their behavior. Licensure, pension, employment, etc. Cops should not experience immunity. They should not be militarized. They are citizens with a little extra training than the rest of us, training that too frequently encourages unnecessary force. And these trained citizens ultimately work for us. The system as it is churns out way too many bad ones and then proceeds to militarize them. You can turn a blind eye to these realities when they don't affect you, but I don't want to raise my daughter, who I love more than anything, in such an unjust and intimidating environment.
As for the looting: I'm tired of looting being the central issue. That's not me defending looters across the board; scumbags on discord organizing U-Hauls to rob stores and not saying a damn thing about George Floyd is not OK. The protesters are beginning to rail against this too because they know their platform is being muddled and diluted. But if all you are doing is talking about looting on social media, you got taken. That's just the fact. It's a Republican talking point that is further incited by the opposition. They can organize just like we can, and if you give them that satisfaction, you are a pawn.
The biggest mistake that the police are making is attacking the protesters and media instead of guarding storefronts from masked white bastards stirring up trouble. They shouldn't be anywhere near the protesters. But the sad fact is that some of them like it. You can see it on their faces. They like beating up on the unarmed and getting easy victories. They see them as the enemy. The looters are stirring up discord in a way that undercuts the protests, so why prioritize them?
Pro-tip: Antifa is a MAGA boogeyman and hearing people bring them up like they are in any way relevant to this situation is exhausting. They have as much to do with the murder of a 77 year-old black cop as Obamagate has to do with the COVID-19 pandemic. Antifa supports these protests ideologically and there is absolutely no reason whatsoever that they would try to derail them. Do not take the bait.
As for what we can do to help, the citizenry should never take their power for granted. We can enable police brutality by rationalizing it and turning a blind eye. We can contribute to the cleansing of law enforcement through legal and democratic means. We can protest. We can give. Personally, I have chosen to cut some subscriptions out of my online budget to make room for monthly donations to organizations that improve black lives in LA. It's not a huge move on my part, but it's a necessary one. I stress that it needs to be a monthly concern because we can't forget and we can't let anyone else forget. These problems will persist long after initial victories.
Here in southern California, if you want to be a mentor to black and brown kids in the area, we have an organization called Peace4Kids. My wife has been going over to Compton for years to work with kids on Saturday mornings. They read, do music and crafts, ball on the playground, organize community cleanup, etc. They ask a lot of you, but if you're real about it, it's something you can do to make a difference.
I work in education, and I could tell you all the horror stories I've heard and experienced over the years of being an IA and student teaching, all the kids sleeping at school, all the times we barely had enough food for the lunches we set out, the crappy playground equipment, etc. Even a small defunding of law enforcement and a redirection to education would make a huge difference for kids.
Everyone needs a purpose. I would recommend the tremendous documentary Hoop Dreams to everyone because it shows you what a goal can do for kids and young adults who have basically no opportunities afforded to them by American society. Their lives are brutally hard but they keep it together because they aren't thugs. Rather, they are people with lives and dreams and they deserve as much of an opportunity as people like me with two degrees and a teaching credential. It's about damn time that we give them that opportunity to shine.
It's been a rough year, the roughest of my lifetime. Sometimes life feels downright apocalyptic. It's easy to lose faith and hope. Truthfully, it has long been time to give up hope in our federal government. When the president tells the states to go find their own ventilators and PPE, it's time to take stock of how important our local communities are to our survival. I implore everyone to research, organize and vote. Don't treat the November elections as Trump vs. Biden (although Trump absolutely should not return to office under any circumstances). Create your own space on earth where justice and progress is evident. My hope is that these protests are only the beginning, not necessarily because escalation is the answer, but because there is so much that can be done within our current system to improve law enforcement.
Lastly, I want to encourage all of you to not give up on your fellow man and your local communities. Find examples of people doing good for others to edify yourself and find some way to help. It's easy to love others when you love yourself, and it's easier to give yourself a break and practice self-care when you know you've tried. So go out and make an impact, even if you aren't protesting. We all see you and appreciate sincere efforts for change. Please don't let the legacy of these historic protests be discord, death and the damage that looters, who didn't give a fuck about George Floyd, caused to storefronts. Keep pushing, keep working, keep spreading knowledge. We can make something happen this time.
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womanfish
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
Thanks for sharing that. I have felt shitty this week. There has been such a convergence of everything over the past 3 months. It's insane to make sense of it all. And if there was some light at the end of the tunnel, well that would help. But I don't see it yet. When the protests have quieted, campaigns will start in earnest. And it will be a shit show. I'm hoping that late fall will be a new sign of hope and normalcy, and positive change.
womanfish
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
So an obvious polling trend going on.
Two high quality polling outlets on the National race mirroring each other:
ABC/Post poll - March - Biden +2
June - Biden +10
Monmouth - March - Biden +3
June - Biden +11
Two high quality polling outlets on the National race mirroring each other:
ABC/Post poll - March - Biden +2
June - Biden +10
Monmouth - March - Biden +3
June - Biden +11
LemonMelon
More 5G Than Man
Hang in there. We all have to find small victories when the big ones seem distant or unrealistic. Yesterday, Los Angeles County agreed to redirect $250 million away from law enforcement to struggling black and brown communities in profound need of social reform, to be officially passed June 8. Little steps like that make a difference for my mental state.
MrsSpringsteen
Blue Crack Addict
That's an excellent letter
Moonlit_Angel
Blue Crack Addict
It's almost like Americans don't want this country to turn into a dictatorship or something.
I agree with both you and Jerry here. And I definitely agree that if we are fortunate to get a Democratic sweep this November, they may not be able to resolve every single problem overnight, no-there's a shitton of crap this administration will have left behind that they'll have to clean up, and that's gonna take a while.
But I also agree that they should work on making whatever big strides they can make on some of the biggest issues that this country's most concerned about right now. If the right doesn't like whatever changes the Democrats make to improve healthcare/enforce gun control/make immigration easier/etc., well, that's just too damn bad. They're done, they can shut up and sit down and let the adults handle things now.
Pretty much sums it up. Their stupidity will be what leads to their ultimate downfall, and it's glorious to watch
.Honestly, I think, once we get Trump out of here, there needs to be a new law in place that explicitly states that if the president and/or anyone else from their administration approves tear gassing/abusing their own citizens, or pushes for and creates camps/cages to put people in, that is automatic grounds for removal from office, and they are not allowed to run for a second term or any other sort of office ever again (well, preferably, a president that promoted such awful things would be in jail, which would render the chances of them running for other offices moot, but, yeah). If we need to get tougher, or make better/clearer the wording in our existing laws, in order to stress how unacceptable this kind of behavior from a president is, let's do it.
Excellent post in general
. Those organizations you mention sound fantastic and worthy of support. I'm going to be doing some donating, too, and I'll continue to mention any groups I hear about that are doing good things to help people with stuff like this when possible, too. I fully agree that we citizens can do wonders, and I hope the momentum from these protests and this awareness continues to lead to all kinds of good results, both big and small. I've heard that there are protests happening in all 50 states, and in 18 other countries. That's just...amazing. That gives me so much hope
.
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womanfish
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
Trump's puppets on the warpath!
https://twitter.com/VicStoddard/status/1268620623489560576
p.s. - If he had gone after my daughter like this, I would have removed his fucking head.
Hopefully he's found soon.
https://twitter.com/VicStoddard/status/1268620623489560576
p.s. - If he had gone after my daughter like this, I would have removed his fucking head.
Hopefully he's found soon.
Irvine511
Blue Crack Supplier
Irvine511
Blue Crack Supplier
And oh my god Fox please stop talking about ANTIFA ANTIFA ANTIFA.
womanfish
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
A fake, weak little coward, wannabe strongman his whole damn life
https://twitter.com/michikokakutani/status/709570919463780353/photo/1
https://twitter.com/michikokakutani/status/709570919463780353/photo/1
Welp, it's not the dumbest thing they've said today.
https://twitter.com/revrrlewis/status/1268516859042807808?s=19
We've seemingly mostly forgotten about this crime against humanity as we buy cheap crap from China and rely almost entirely on China for almost all our supply chain needs. The one bright side of COVID is that we will rethink that.
Do you know what they did with the thousands of dead bodies in Tiananmen? They sent out the tanks to literally roll over them time and time and time again until they were basically turned into the consistency of ground meat and then brought out water hoses to wash them down into the city sewage system.
That's what Trump was praising.
mikal
Blue Crack Addict
mikal
Blue Crack Addict
Oh but he only tripped!
LuckyNumber7
Blue Crack Addict
Moonlit_Angel
Blue Crack Addict
Holy shit, fuck that cretin. I'd punch his lights out if he tried to pull that shit on me.
Regarding the story about the elderly man, in the replies to that Twitter link, there's mention that those cops were suspended and an IA investigation is underway.
Throw every last one of these asshole cops in jail and get rid of the key.
...uhhhhhhhh...
There's also a link in the replies to those about his thoughts on coal miners/their families. You know, those rural, working class folks that his supporters kept insisting he cared about.
DaveC
Blue Crack Addict
womanfish
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
If anyone wants a good laugh, or possibly throw your laptop against the wall..
https://twitter.com/ComplexSports/status/1268551040074383361
https://twitter.com/ComplexSports/status/1268551040074383361
MrsSpringsteen
Blue Crack Addict
I saw that video on Instagram this morning. I just couldn't believe what I was seeing. I read that he's in critical condition.
I bet some white people (especially older) who are critical of these protests (on that other forum I post on they called it covid privilege and even criticized the George Floyd service yesterday for lack of masks and distancing. Forum has lots of older white female Trump supporters, thankfully balanced out by those with views like mine) would be all up in arms about the horrific treatment of this white elderly man.
Obviously I'm not saying they shouldn't be, we all should be. But white privilege be like. ..
womanfish
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
Ok, these new unemployment numbers are complete bullshit.
10 million people lost their jobs in 2008 - unemployment 10%
30 million people were out of a job at the end of April 2020 - unemployment 14.7% (seemed low then)
40 million people out of work at end of May 2020 - unemployment rate 13.3%?????
Experts were estimating 8 million lost jobs and it ends up 2.5 million gained? WTF is going on here.
10 million people lost their jobs in 2008 - unemployment 10%
30 million people were out of a job at the end of April 2020 - unemployment 14.7% (seemed low then)
40 million people out of work at end of May 2020 - unemployment rate 13.3%?????
Experts were estimating 8 million lost jobs and it ends up 2.5 million gained? WTF is going on here.
MrsSpringsteen
Blue Crack Addict
I've always been an admirer of Drew Brees as an athlete and person. What he said was so tone deaf and obviously so poorly timed right now. I posted on his Instagram page that my father is an Army Purple Heart recipient, and he didn't fight for a country that is systemically racist and unequal. I highly doubt he ever has felt or feels disrespected by kneeling athletes. Even with dementia, I bet he'd understand why they're doing it.
My belief is that a flag is a completely meaningless piece of cloth unless it truly represents the ideals that it claims to represent. Same for anthem. What disrespects our troops and our country is to pretend otherwise, keep sticking our heads in the sand, and focus on symbols instead of human beings.
It's just like when Trump was doing that weird flag hugging. With all the crap that comes out of his mouth, and what he tweets, his flag hugging is repulsive. But it works for people who like things to be simple and spoon fed.
womanfish
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
New Fox News polls out today
Arizona:
Biden. 46%
Trump 42
Kelly (D) 50%
McSally (R) 37
Ohio:
Biden 45%
Trump 43
Wisconsin:
Biden 49%
Trump 40
Arizona:
Biden. 46%
Trump 42
Kelly (D) 50%
McSally (R) 37
Ohio:
Biden 45%
Trump 43
Wisconsin:
Biden 49%
Trump 40
The loans were working to allow small businesses to keep more people employed and there have been a lot of reopenings and near reopenings... so of course there will be a bump on the other direction.
This is not a real depression/recession (for now at least). It's entirely connected to COVID. As COVID eases, the numbers will to back up.
The issue is what happens when the funds dry up if we aren't fully out of this yet? And when the inevitable bump that comes from a COVID recovery happens, do we respond stupidly in an attempt to "supercharge" the recovery that will ultimately lead to a crash a few years down the road (yes) or will we take a more measured, cautious approach (nah).
womanfish
Rock n' Roll Doggie ALL ACCESS
I guess my question is. If 10 million people filed for unemployment in May, how does the number come out to 2.5 million jobs added? Is that saying that 12.5 million people went back to work? 12.5 - 10 = 2.5?
I just don't see how these numbers add up. I can see there being 2.5 million jobs coming back, but that would also be in the midst of 10 million more losing their jobs.
Obviously I wouldn't normally doubt these types of numbers but Trump has managed to infiltrate and corrupt pretty much every department of the government, so I think skepticism is warranted.
At this point i trust nothing that comes out of our government. I agree that there is to be an expected bump with some reopenings but it’s hard to really know what the actual numbers are or could be when these people lie about everything.
I expect come October we’ll be at 0% unemployment, all time record highs in the stock, and Hunter Biden before Congress to confess to starting WWII
I expect come October we’ll be at 0% unemployment, all time record highs in the stock, and Hunter Biden before Congress to confess to starting WWII
Jerry Dunk
Refugee
What makes you think this system can be tweaked into working for everyone?
MrsSpringsteen
Blue Crack Addict
Govt says partial reopenings led to rehiring and new hiring in restaurants, hospitality, medical, and other areas.
What also needs to be factored in one day is jobs that will be lost in public education, state and local governments due to future budget cuts. Unless they think they can raise taxes sky high -that won't go over well. Plus they've lost sales tax revenue, lottery proceeds, and other sources of revenue.
What also needs to be factored in one day is jobs that will be lost in public education, state and local governments due to future budget cuts. Unless they think they can raise taxes sky high -that won't go over well. Plus they've lost sales tax revenue, lottery proceeds, and other sources of revenue.
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