JFlorio Loc: Seminole Florida

LOL. Great minds and all that.

straightUp Loc: California

I agree with most of what you said here, but if you are using the 12 year mark (as in when Obama took office) I disagree with your accusation that it's the government's fault. I agree that when Obama took office the nation started to see the divisions open up, but that's not because of anything the government or Obama did. It was the people themselves that divided, specifically the hung-up racists that would rather see the U.S. burn down than be led by a black man. I was in North Carolina when Obama won in 2008 and I remember the reactions on local radio... I was shocked. I had no idea there was so much racial hatred.

Of course Trump saw that as an opportunity and has been trying to harness that hatred for his own political gain. It's an old trick for which fascists are well-known, but it was effective enough for Trump to be the first president to get endorsements from white supremacists since the Democrats were still the party catering to Southern racists.

So, I guess now you can say the government is involved in dividing the nation but that didn't happen 12 years ago, it happened 4 years ago.

This is verifiable BTW Linda... Just search through the public statements issued by both presidents. You will find many statements from Trump over the past 4 years that vilify Americans based on their ethnicity or there ideology. You will not find one single such statement from Obama in all the 8 years he served. Obama treated ALL law-abiding Americans with respect.


Incorrect. The protests were triggered by the Floyd incident but they were always focused squarely on police brutality and systemic racism in law enforcement, the demand is for reform and that has not changed since day one.

I think you are being misled or confused by all the noise around it including the looters who unfortunately appear anywhere there is unrest to take advantage of the chaos, the bandwagon idiots that see the excitement and get involved without really understanding the cause and the detractors who are desperately trying to sabotage the cause by encouraging violence and vandalism. Neither BLM nor the greater cause has anything to do with these people and their activities, but that line is too easy for right-wing media to blur in their effort to sabotage the cause.


No, I call that an escalation into chaos in three steps...

1. a peaceful protest assembles.
2. an intolerant president creates tension by confronting the protests with militant forces and threats.
3. people excited by that tension rush in for the thrill, the loot and for some the hope of starting a revolution.

So, I would blame Trump for that chaos before I blame BLM, but in all fairness I would say the American people are ultimately to blame for perpetuating a divided nation.


The daily shooting and random attacks, no. But like I said, once the Trump Administration violated the 1st Amendment rights of the protesters with with Nazi-style threats he sparked a bigger fire. As for the attacks on federal buildings, I get that. I understand it. I hate to see it come to this but Trump overstepped his bounds when he sent federal troops to Portland. The protests were actually dying out before Trump pulled that idiot move, now he's sparked a bigger fire which is probably just what he wanted.


That's because you don't want to see it. I already mentioned the efforts to reform the police, which are currently underways in numerous cities across the nation. That's a shining moment that you don't want to acknowledge, I get it.


A pathetic bunch of ignorance? LOL

The protesters have succeeded in bringing the issue to legislation and your refusal to recognize that only highlights your prejudice. BLM has also become an inspiration to the world where we are now seeing similar protests from France to Brazil. The mayors and governors have done pretty well considering the difficult position Trump has put them in. I can't think of any that are guilty of what you accuse them of - you're more than welcome to point them out. I kinda doubt that you will.


I've been fed up and sick of Trump and his racist supporters for a few years now. So, I guess I find this massive resistance to his fascist BS energizing and hopeful. But I'm glad the election is just around the corner, once Trump is escorted from the White House and the Bidens move in, things will settle down.


Are you actually saying that temporary pacification while governments try to get a handle is a bad thing?


I can't disagree with your overall assessment. I think you're right in suggesting that government policies can't fix racism itself but they CAN change what racism is allowed to get away with. I do realize that any such policy will enrage the racists but I don't think that should stand in the way.

I refuse to accept unfair systems just to avoid the temper tantrums of white supremacists. If that temper tantrum results in violence, so be it. I'll just fast forward to the extreme here... if every last person in America who's racism extends to the unfair treatment of Americans has to be killed to establish a fair system... I will have no problem with it. I really don't want to see it come to that but we've done it before 155 years ago when we had to kill half a million racist Americans to free the slaves and we will do it again if we have to.


I think you missed something on the first day... the fact that BLM was very clear about their demands being specific to police reformation. They were demanding legislation. This does not constitute a war. It's a political process prescribed by the Constitution.

However, in the minds of white supremacists, any legislation that punishes officers for killing black people is part of the same race war they've been perpetrating since Jim Crow.

So I guess it depends on your perspective.


Well, the dick is failing miserably. His blundering compulsions are only throwing gasoline on the fire, which is actually, I think, a fair analogy for his entire brainless administration.

RandyBrian Loc: Texas

Folks, I would like to add something here about racism. Racism is a variety of tribalism. It's the natural normal instinct BUILT into each of us to group together with our own type, be it by skin color, hair color, economic class, school, town, etc. It is natural, normal, and very human. Each of us is born with it. That does NOT make it right. It is also natural normal human behavior to be selfish, inconsiderate, to just take what you want, to use force if persuasion doesn't work, and to hate those who disagree with you. I could go on all day with these kind of examples, but you get the point. All of these things are bad for society, and they are contained or modified by education and training, primarily at home by parents. Racism is part of that. If children are not taught to be tolerant and accepting, they won't be. Just as they will not be kind or caring, or honest or considerate unless they are taught. Any parent knows this to be true. The continued racial strife is primarily (but not totally) a result of minorities NOT being taught to be tolerant at home, and instead being taught that all whites benefit unfairly from society, that all whites hate blacks, that police are to be disrespected and feared, that they are victims and do not have a chance in America, etc. This indoctrination has been going on since the late 60, and the democrat party is knowingly complicit in the process. The strife that is going on today is exactly what the democrat leadership has been working towards, as one of their steps to gain permanent power in America, with little or no credible opposition.
That is my informed opinion, for what it is worth, and to whatever degree it is relevant to the current thread.

SWMBO

I have a different way of deciding which people I want to associate with. Group 1 is those people who like and take care of animals, and subdivided further to those who like dogs, and those who prefer cats.Those who like dogs, and particularly those who share their lives with one or more dogs are generally the people I choose to spend my time with, but many also have cats. The group of people I am polite to but not interested in having as friends are those who do not like animals, except as dinner. I am sure that many here are much like me, and there are also posters here who have no love for animals except as dinner. Which are you?

RandyBrian Loc: Texas

I love both cats and dogs, and have raised many dogs in my life. The best was a white and blond beagle named Misty. It surprised and tickled people that I had her trained to get into a "penalty box" when she misbehaved. A teacher friend laughed and said, "Did you just put that puppy into a time out??" Misty lived a long and happy life and died in my arms a few years ago. Still hurts. We do not have a pet at this time, unfortunately, because both my wife and I have developed allergies to pet dander.

straightUp Loc: California

I agree 100%


I agree that what you describe is part of the problem but I think it's a bit ridiculous to presume it's the primary cause. Especially considering how most hate crimes are committed by white people. And BTW this whole business with police reform is in response to the reality that black people have damned good reason to fear the police whether they deserve it or not.


No, the indoctrination started as soon as black people were allowed to walk through society without chains creating fear and resentment among white people. It's a cultural problem and there's not much that political parties can do about it. As lindajoy recently suggested, you can't expect the government to fix racism.


Well... I don't know how "informed" that opinion really is. You're making some pretty big assumptions about the intentions of others. I'm not going to make any mind-reading claims about intentions here but we can certainly see the effect of what is happening and I agree this could play out very well for the Democrats.

We are basically witnessing a reasonable demand (largely supported by Democrats) being met with unreasonable hostility (largely supported by Republicans). Like it or not, this is going to be the common narrative in the end because when all the distractions and excuses fade away, records will show the legislation that answers the reasonable demands and history will remember how the Trump Administration resisted with militant threats and a complete disregard for state sovereignty.

But the advantage for the Democrats has been building up throughout Trump's diabolical reign of bigotry. Right from the beginning, Trump's misogynist attitude toward women triggered the largest demonstrations of female unity since the 70's and in the next election the Democrats took the House with a record breaking number of females elected to office.

Trump's bigotry and stupidity has also resulted in the largest membership increases for the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) in it's 100 year history.

These are just two examples of how the Trump effect is backfiring.

Moral of the story... If you don't want the Democrats to gain power, don't try to control them with a raving lunatic.

straightUp Loc: California

LOL - I love it! And I agree, you can tell a lot about a person by how they react to animals. I love all animals and have always shared my life with dogs and cats.

JFlorio Loc: Seminole Florida

Damn, we finally agree on something, I even had a 12 foot Python (of course named Monty), donated him to Miami University, of Ohio. Was afraid he'd eat my cats.

straightUp Loc: California

Monty the Python - that's awesome!

SWMBO

When I was a kid I had two large black snakes as pets, although they lived in the barn and kept the rat and mouse population down. When I want to the barn to feed calves and kids,and collect chicken eggs. they came over to visit and get a large beatel as a treat, the rats and mice they had to get on their own, but they liked being scratched on the top of the head, unlike the toads which prefer being scratched under the chin. My dad was a country vet and I learned how to give shots, worm livestock, and trim hooves. I am almost 80 now but still help the neighbors with their vet type chores. Farmers don't go to the vet for most things, they learn to do it themselves,

SWMBO

Great name, and Monty Pythons Flying Circus was great too.

JFlorio Loc: Seminole Florida

He was pretty awesome. I had a key to one of the animal Science labs and we'd sneak in and swipe rats, bring em home and feed em to Monty. Let the games begin. Monty was undefeated.

lindajoy Loc: right here with you....

Yes

Radiance3

===============
They take drugs like George Floyd. Most of the low levels prefer to burglarize, loot, steal, and join the BLM'S. Check Chicago. They kill their own people. 77% of black women have many kids without husbands.
Then when their kids grow up they join the BLM'S.

Few blacks work hard, and go to college. Those are my black friends. They are Christians.

moldyoldy