Blue Lives Matter

[Justabirdwatcher]

This discussion really is a great example of people who have convinced themselves they are on opposing sides of an issue because they are talking past one another and focusing on two different problems. We see it all the time.

So many discussions these days turn into "zero sum game" arguments. It's frustrating. People act as if we can't have social justice AND give our police the support they deserve. It blows my mind to imagine a world where both goals are not achievable at the exact same time.

I'm sorry but I want both. I want social justice and equality for every person AND I want our police to get the resources and respect they deserve to do one of the toughest jobs on earth. Nobody should be satisfied with only one or the other, and we likely won't have one without the other.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

Nothing like stupid meme to try and encapsulate a complex subject.

Fair, honestly meme quips derail threads.

I do it a bunch, on other threads it's funny, it wasn't appropriate here. Would like to issue an apology to all for doing so earlier.

 

[Wildabeest]

This discussion really is a great example of people who have convinced themselves they are on opposing sides of an issue because they are talking past one another and focusing on two different problems. We see it all the time.

So many discussions these days turn into "zero sum game" arguments. It's frustrating. People act as if we can't have social justice AND give our police the support they deserve. It blows my mind to imagine a world where both goals are not achievable at the exact same time.

I'm sorry but I want both. I want social justice and equality for every person AND I want our police to get the resources and respect they deserve to do one of the toughest jobs on earth. Nobody should be satisfied with only one or the other, and we likely won't have one without the other.

 

[get-n-birdy]

Grew up in ne mpls dirt poor. Slept on a couch in a one bedroom tiny house with my folks and brother. My brother slept in an unheated porch. Had friends of all nationalities and races. Personally don't envy low income people of any race stuck in a cycle that's "hard" to get out from underneath. Yet a lot of people do escape it, and once they are out don't want a lot to do with communities full of the cyclical problems. Some self induced, some governmentally so.

Was car shopping with the wife when we were younger in ne mpls at a lot my dad had bought a couple vehicles from. A group of Somalians had backed into my dads truck we were borrowing. Owner of the lot saw it, called the cops and detained the group. The cop listened to the group talking in Somalian and interrupted them after listening to them for a while. He started speaking their language and they all just about crapped their pants. No insurance, not even their car. Once they knew the cop knew what they had been talking about miraculously they could all of a sudden speak perfect English. Filed a report and the cop said just go fix it cause you ain't seeing a dime out of them. He was old, bitter and crusty.

Cops deal with a lot of crazy ch!t on a daily basis. Not sure how you bridge that gap? Some have a god complex and have dealt with some that are great and some that are bat ch!t crazy.

Grew up roaming the streets and never felt the kind of hatred that permeates the inner cities now. People are frustrated from a lack of leadership, yet keep electing the same side of the aisle that's been in control of most inner cities for half a century. Am fairly middle of the road person, but soiled bed sheetz, how long do you do that before you start thinking things are getting worse not better? Escaped the city 27 years ago and there's already a mass exodus of the inner cities by people who want little more to do with what's happening and what's to come.

Heard a saying the other day something to the affect of, don't waste your time explaining stuff to people who are committed to misunderstanding.

Really feels like both sides are so committed to misunderstanding and grinding their political party's axe, that this isn't going to get better or even remotely resolved till people start communicating openly and honestly. And the hard part about communication is the illusion it happened in the first place.

 

[Justabirdwatcher]

get-n-birdy,

Lots of truth there. I'm not ready to give up yet though. I think what we're seeing are the death-throes of generational racism in this country. We're seeing retaliation against the idea that people of color are in fact equal to whites. We as a nation are realizing that we are actually lagging behind much of the developed world when it comes to equality. Of course it's going to be ugly. Death-throes usually are. But the last generation to be raised before segregation is passing on, and their children (like me) will undoubtedly be a little less racist than them (generally speaking) and our children, even less so.

I can see this very clearly when I look at my grandparents and their views on people of color, compared to my mom's views, compared to mine, compared to those of my kids. It's a very clear gradient to me. But that is just one family line. There will be many gradients and even some backsliding in some families.

Watching my kids interact with their multi-racial classmates and friends, and thinking of how different it was from my experience 30 years prior, makes it clear to me that regardless of who likes it or not, things are changing and I personally think they are changing for the better.

But for right now, the old guard is still in control, and what we're seeing is them desperately trying to cling to that control by any means necessary. And it's getting ugly. But it will get better.

We grew up in similar situations. Single mom. 5 kids. poorest "white folks" that any of neighbors of color ever knew. My mother would routinely be offered help from the hispanic and black families on the streets we lived on. We were all poor and I was raised having much more in common (and being treated much better by) people of color than the white kids I went to school with. The worst names I was called in school were by other white kids. Not by kids of color.

Having said that, I had a huge advantage that most of my neighbor kids did not have. I was still white. So when it came to working my way through college, I was offered jobs that they would not have been offered. I started a small business to pay for my college, and I found work for that business largely because I was white. A black or brown young man or woman in that very conservative town would not have gotten very much of the work I did, because it was a "go around the neighborhood and knock on doors" kind of business. And I would be a fool not to recognize that. If those eyes peering through the peephole had seen a person of color, many of those doors would never have opened, and that's a fact.

It doesn't mean I haven't worked my arse off to get to where I am. It just means that I had a distinct advantage others do not have, and it had nothing to do with money or last name.

But yea, I am still hopeful. As tough as it has been, is, and will be to watch, this is the sausage-making, ugly side of progress. But I believe it's progress. I just hope and pray that as few people as possible get hurt along the way.

 

[Randi]

I have a question for those who are older, and more knowledgeable than I

The officer may or may not have seen a weapon and may or may not have reacted properly or improperly, but nobody has waited for all the facts to be told, instead business have been destroyed and more people hurt and the police, in some peoples eyes are at fault and wrong--all of them !

A father and his daughter were shot and killed in cold blood in South Carolina yesterday or today by a young man of color, because of a minor auto accident. Does anyone believe anyone in that area will be rioting tonight. Possibly a candle light service, but I will bet, no rioting. Instead, the people in that area will let the courts handle it. Which in my humble opinion is what should have happen AND still should happen in regards to the man who died by gunshot from a LEO. If found guilty, they go to jail.

Obviously, my thinking is simplistic ---I feel like Forest Gump . I dont see how rioting helps. Legislation, protest, being active in the community does not ( IMHO ) mean destroying it ????????

 

[FI460]

I have a question for those who are older, and more knowledgeable than I

The officer may or may not have seen a weapon and may or may not have reacted properly or improperly, but nobody has waited for all the facts to be told, instead business have been destroyed and more people hurt and the police, in some peoples eyes are at fault and wrong--all of them !

A father and his daughter were shot and killed in cold blood in South Carolina yesterday or today by a young man of color, because of a minor auto accident. Does anyone believe anyone in that area will be rioting tonight. Possibly a candle light service, but I will bet, no rioting. Instead, the people in that area will let the courts handle it. Which in my humble opinion is what should have happen AND still should happen in regards to the man who died by gunshot from a LEO. If found guilty, they go to jail.

Obviously, my thinking is simplistic ---I feel like Forest Gump . I dont see how rioting helps. Legislation, protest, being active in the community does not ( IMHO ) mean destroying it ????????

The difference is simple as well. Those people in South Carolina were killed by a citizen that everyone agrees is a criminal.

The man in Wisconsin was shot in the back by an agent of the state. That's the issue.

 

[Justabirdwatcher]

I have a question for those who are older, and more knowledgeable than I

The officer may or may not have seen a weapon and may or may not have reacted properly or improperly, but nobody has waited for all the facts to be told, instead business have been destroyed and more people hurt and the police, in some peoples eyes are at fault and wrong--all of them !

A father and his daughter were shot and killed in cold blood in South Carolina yesterday or today by a young man of color, because of a minor auto accident. Does anyone believe anyone in that area will be rioting tonight. Possibly a candle light service, but I will bet, no rioting. Instead, the people in that area will let the courts handle it. Which in my humble opinion is what should have happen AND still should happen in regards to the man who died by gunshot from a LEO. If found guilty, they go to jail.

Obviously, my thinking is simplistic ---I feel like Forest Gump . I dont see how rioting helps. Legislation, protest, being active in the community does not ( IMHO ) mean destroying it ????????

Let me ask you something.

I don't know if you have kids or not, but if you do... think for a moment how you would react if a police officer shot your son or daughter 7 times in the back. Would you remain calm? Would you speak softly? What if it was the child of your best friend from High school who was shot, or your niece or grandson? How do you think you'd react? What if it was that best friend from high school. What if you had watched things like this happen to people you know over and over again. What if it happened to your parents, and their parents, and their parent's parents, and it seemed like nothing was changing and those who were doing it were not being held accountable?

Are you saying you would remain calm and rational and not come together with others in your community to demand change?

If after having come together with others in your community over and over again, and nothing was being done, how long would it take before you acted out? How long before you or others in your community felt like just talking and marching wasn't getting enough attention from elected officials?

You see, until and unless we are willing to put ourselves and our loved ones in others shoes, it will always be hard to understand.

Nowhere above did I excuse violence. But I also am not naive enough to think that many here would not become violent if these things were happening to them.

 

[Wildabeest]

I have a question for those who are older, and more knowledgeable than I

I’m likely older, but very well may not be more knowledgeable

but nobody has waited for all the facts to be told,

I think “nobody” is a bit of an exaggeration. It just appears that way because you don’t see the countless people who are waiting on TV. I’d suggest that the vast majority of people are waiting and open to having their opinions on the matter change as more information comes forth.

Does anyone believe anyone in that area will be rioting tonight

No, they will not. And there’s a reason for that which has been discussed here already (maybe in another thread). In the SC example, who would people be rioting against? Riots are almost always against some group that has some legitimate authority or control over another. You riot against the government or the police. You strike against your employer. If there’s not an “authority” who is perceived to be responsible, then people don’t tend to riot.

And to be clear, I think most of us think the rioting is wrong. The systemic racism in this country in wrong. The murder of innocent people in SC is wrong. Vigilante justice is wrong. What’s most wrong, though, is when all of these things are conflated together by people wanting to polarize and inflame the populace for political or other reasons. I don’t have to EITHER be against systemic racism or for the police. I can be both. I refuse to let TV or social media deny me my independent thought and force me into one camp or the other. We all have that choice. We just need to choose to exercise it.

 

[Randi]

I’m likely older, but very well may not be more knowledgeable


I think “nobody” is a bit of an exaggeration. It just appears that way because you don’t see the countless people who are waiting on TV. I’d suggest that the vast majority of people are waiting and open to having their opinions on the matter change as more information comes forth.


No, there will not. And there’s a reason for that which has been discuss here already (maybe in another thread). In the SC example, who would people be rioting against? Riots are almost always against some group that has some legitimate authority on control over another. You riot against the government or the police. You strike against your employer. If there’s not an “authority” who is perceived to be responsible, then people don’t tend to riot.

And to be clear, I think most of us think the rioting is wrong. The systemic racism in this country in wrong. The murder of innocent people in SC is wrong. Vigilante justice is wrong. What’s most wrong, though, is when all of these things are conflated together by people wanting to polarize and inflame the populace for political or other reasons. I don’t have to EITHER be against systemic racism or for the police. I can be both. I refuse to let TV or social media deny me independent thought and force me into one camp or the other.

Fair enough and nicely stated on all three points

Could the white people in that town in S. Carolina decide no black people were allowed in their town because of this, just like the people who are in charge in Seattle --LET---people take over an area of Seattle and no police were allowed. Is my first example against the law and/or just wrong ( which btw I believe it is ) or was my second example wrong, but the authorities in Seattle thought it was a good idea--with no input from the business owners, the residents of the area--no meetings, no discussions.

I DO understand your point ( S) and for the record I agree with them AND I dont have a solution or a magic wand --but the people who support these rioters have still not given me an answer I can agree with.

Last but not least, I dont have children but I wonder if the mother who had her son shot feels more loss and sadness than the mother who lost her daughter . The son was in a confrontation with LEO, the daughter was standing in her front yard, but I am sure you know the mother that lost her son had a reason to "react" and "not be calm" ( your words ) but the mother who lost her daughter has no reason to react and not be calm, but we will watch and she if she organizes any type of destructive protest tonight, or if anyone organizes one for her. Yes the circumstances were different and from what I know now ( which is not all the facts ) the daughter was doing absolutely nothing. Do you think they both have the same rights and do you think they should both follow the law ?

I feel bad for both mothers and their families.

p.s. if my post sounds harsh, let me make sure everyone knows I am not upset at any one on the forum and openly admit, most, possibly all of you are older and smarter than I

 

[FI460]

Fair enough and nicely stated on all three points

Could the white people in that town in S. Carolina decide no black people were allowed in their town because of this, just like the people who are in charge in Seattle --LET---people take over an area of Seattle and no police were allowed. Is my first example against the law and/or just wrong ( which btw I believe it is ) or was my second example wrong, but the authorities in Seattle thought it was a good idea--with no input from the business owners, the residents of the area--no meetings, no discussions.

I DO understand your point ( S) and for the record I agree with them AND I dont have a solution or a magic wand --but the people who support these rioters have still not given me an answer I can agree with.

Last but not least, I dont have children but I wonder if the mother who had her son shot feels more loss and sadness than the mother who lost her daughter . The son was in a confrontation with LEO, the daughter was standing in her front yard, but I am sure you know the mother that lost her son had a reason to "react" and "not be calm" ( your words ) but the mother who lost her daughter has no reason to react and not be calm, but we will watch and she if she organizes any type of destructive protest tonight, or if anyone organizes one for her. Yes the circumstances were different and from what I know now ( which is not all the facts ) the daughter was doing absolutely nothing. Do you think they both have the same rights and do you think they should both follow the law ?

I feel bad for both mothers and their families.

p.s. if my post sounds harsh, let me make sure everyone knows I am not upset at any one on the forum and openly admit, most, possibly all of you are older and smarter than I

The murderer in South Carolina didn't show up in a car that had "To protect and serve" on the side. Of course that murder should be condemned, but it's a red herring argument.

 

[Wildabeest]

I DO understand your point ( S) and for the record I agree with them AND I dont have a solution or a magic wand --but the people who support these rioters have still not given me an answer I can agree with.

Can’t help you there. I don’t support them. I do support peaceful protesters. They are not one and the same as some would lead you to believe.

Last but not least, I dont have children but I wonder if the mother who had her son shot feels more loss and sadness than the mother who lost her daughter . The son was in a confrontation with LEO, the daughter was standing in her front yard, but I am sure you know the mother that lost her son had a reason to "react" and "not be calm" ( your words ) but the mother who lost her daughter has no reason to react and not be calm, but we will watch and she if she organizes any type of destructive protest tonight, or if anyone organizes one for her. Yes the circumstances were different and from what I know now ( which is not all the facts ) the daughter was doing absolutely nothing. Do you think they both have the same rights and do you think they should both follow the law ?

I’ve never experienced the loss of a loved one to violence, so I can only imagine how traumatic it is. I do believe, however, that how one might process the emotions of the situation would not only depend on the specifics of the incident itself, but also on whether justice was served on the back end of it. Current public opinion is that justice may not be served equally across those two situations. I’m not making a judgement on either one, as I prefer to let the investigations and evidence unfold first. Just saying that historically this seems to have been the case.

 

[Justabirdwatcher]

I DO understand your point ( S) and for the record I agree with them AND I dont have a solution or a magic wand --but the people who support these rioters have still not given me an answer I can agree with.

Who are these people? I have not seen them here or elsewhere. I've seen the rioters and anarchists be universally condemned across the board. Even the mother of the latest victim spoke out against the rioting within hours of losing her son. That took strength.

What burns me is that people are allowing themselves to be distracted by the rioters and looters and losing sight of the cause of those symptoms. Some are even amplifying the distraction because they don't want things to change. That's what burns me. We should be able to look past the distractions and agree to work on the root causes. Rioting and looting are not the cause. They are an unfortunate symptom. Don't fall for the distraction.

 

[Handlebar]

and losing sight of the cause of those symptoms

This is where I struggle, what are those causes? Is it completely the fault of law enforcement, do young men bear any responsibility for their actions, do the politician who inflame opinion, how about academia and the social activists who have pushed the idea that everything in this country is a result of racism.
Also where I really struggle, I have heard many times (in fact I think Biden said something similar this morning) that we are going to have to have a hard discussion. We can't have that talk when one side is afraid to voice their opinion for fear of being labeled a racist, losing their job etc. etc. Early in this discussion there was a reference to statistics of the number of African-Americans vs White killed by the police. I don't know if the numbers were accurate or not but they seemed realistic, and I hear similar statics on mainstream media. But I never hear it pointed out 13% of the total population , is responsible for over 50% of the crime in this country or that the rates of interracial crime are overwhelmingly shewed towards black on white particularly sexual assault. I think many people fear being perceived as being racist., and if we don't have open and frank talks we will get no where. Quite frankly I am hesitant to even post this.

 

[Wildabeest]

Just a couple of responses to make a point, not to attack the post or @Handlebar.

pushed the idea that everything in this country is a result of racism.

Please name one person that you know of who have stated that everything in this country in a result of racism. I call this out simply to make a point that statements phrased in this manner only serve to inflame the polarizing rhetoric and prevent that “real” conversation that you appear to be wanting.

do young men bear any responsibility for their actions

Yes they do. And they are often paying with their lives, without the benefit of due process.

We can't have that talk when one side is afraid to voice their opinion for fear of being labeled a racist, losing their job etc. etc.

I’d submit that so long as it’s done in a respectful and constructive manner, then those risks are minimal. Which you have done in your post and I respect and appreciate that.

Regarding black crime rates being higher, I agree that it’s an issue that our society needs to address. The big question is how. Do we lock them all up, or look at the root causes and try to address it there? Or something in between - which is what folks don’t seem to be willing to want to consider in our new either/or culture. We have crime issues that need to be addressed. We have minority issues that need to be addressed. We have systemic racism issues that need to be address. We have police use of force issues that need to be addressed. The media and politician perpetuated fantasy that solving for any one of these will make things better is just that - pure fantasy. Complex problems require multi-faceted solutions.

 

[VikingsGuy]

We as a nation are realizing that we are actually lagging behind much of the developed world when it comes to equality.

I work daily with folks on 4 of the 5 continents, from developed to developing, and this statement could be no further from the truth. Every ethnic majority group has its issues with its relevant minority groups. The big difference in the US is we wear it on our sleeve and are moving forward, while folks in the Netherlands still openly celebrate “Black Pete”; and the muslims ghettos in Europe rival the worst living conditions anywhere in the developed world; and Brazil has major issues between the indiginous, decendants of African slaves and the white post-Europeans; and China and the Uighurs; and the national xenophobia of Japan; etc; etc. The human race is broken, and has been broken for all of time. At least in America, many are trying to make it better.

 

[Justabirdwatcher]

But I never hear it pointed out 13% of the total population , is responsible for over 50% of the crime in this country or that the rates of interracial crime are overwhelmingly shewed towards black on white particularly sexual assault. I think many people fear being perceived as being racist., and if we don't have open and frank talks we will get no where. Quite frankly I am hesitant to even post this.

Okay, this is a good example of what I'm talking about. To get to the cause, and not just talk about a symptom, we need to be asking WHY the data show 50% of the crime is committed by 13% of the population. It's not enough to just stop right there and assign blame. That's not what we do with our kids is it? I mean, if we have a child (usually the middle child - just sayin') that is creating 75% of the drama in our house but is only 33% of the children, maybe there is an underlying reason for that? Do we just say, "well, it's the child's fault" or rather do we as parents look to see what is creating that drama in the first place? Good parents probably do the latter.

That's what I'm saying. Maybe not the best analogy, but I personally see every human being as a child of God and as I'm called to be my "brother's keeper" I feel responsible to some degree to look at the cause of the problems, and not just the symptoms, and then do what we can to address the causes. I mean, that's just logic 101 to me.

 

[Justabirdwatcher]

I work daily with folks on 4 of the 5 continents, from developed to developing, and this statement could be no further from the truth. Every ethnic majority group has its issues with its relevant minority groups. The big difference in the US is we wear it on our sleeve and are moving forward, while folks in the Netherlands still openly celebrate “Black Pete”; and the muslims ghettos in Europe rival the worst living conditions anywhere in the developed world; and Brazil has major issues between the indiginous, decendants of African slaves and the white post-Europeans; and China and the Uighurs; and the national xenophobia of Japan; etc; etc. The human race is broken, and has been broken for all of time. At least in America, many are trying to make it better.

Fair call. I appreciate that reply. I was thinking mainly of Europe, but I can see your point about many other places in the world.

We pride ourselves on being the example to the world, right? Then let's be that beacon on the hill.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

This is where I struggle, what are those causes? Is it completely the fault of law enforcement, do young men bear any responsibility for their actions, do the politician who inflame opinion, how about academia and the social activists who have pushed the idea that everything in this country is a result of racism.
Also where I really struggle, I have heard many times (in fact I think Biden said something similar this morning) that we are going to have to have a hard discussion. We can't have that talk when one side is afraid to voice their opinion for fear of being labeled a racist, losing their job etc. etc. Early in this discussion there was a reference to statistics of the number of African-Americans vs White killed by the police. I don't know if the numbers were accurate or not but they seemed realistic, and I hear similar statics on mainstream media. But I never hear it pointed out 13% of the total population , is responsible for over 50% of the crime in this country or that the rates of interracial crime are overwhelmingly shewed towards black on white particularly sexual assault. I think many people fear being perceived as being racist., and if we don't have open and frank talks we will get no where. Quite frankly I am hesitant to even post this.

Say you have a long day at work, get a speeding ticket on the way home, go to the grocery store stand in a super long line, then forget your wallet and have to just walk out even though you had a full cart, come back do it all again, then you get home and your dogs crapped all over the house.

Your wife walks in asks what smells and you loose it...

Did you have a justification to be in a bad mood... totally.

You basically have two paths, refused to apologize, cite all the reasons your deserve to be angry and why your behavior was warranted... probably get a divorce. Alternatively, you can take a breath, apologize full stop, no excuses. Then think about how you set yourself up for a bad day and then about strategies so it doesn't happen again.

^ Kinda feels like we as a country are at this point. There are problems, both sides feel justified and both probably are in a lot of ways. So how do you move forward, do you just own it and think about constructive ways to move forward or do you burn it to the ground.

I'm not endorsing either party here, I there is a lot of burn it to the ground happening literally and metaphorically on both sides.

 

[Big Fin]

This is where I struggle, what are those causes? Is it completely the fault of law enforcement, do young men bear any responsibility for their actions, do the politician who inflame opinion, how about academia and the social activists who have pushed the idea that everything in this country is a result of racism.
Also where I really struggle, I have heard many times (in fact I think Biden said something similar this morning) that we are going to have to have a hard discussion. We can't have that talk when one side is afraid to voice their opinion for fear of being labeled a racist, losing their job etc. etc. Early in this discussion there was a reference to statistics of the number of African-Americans vs White killed by the police. I don't know if the numbers were accurate or not but they seemed realistic, and I hear similar statics on mainstream media. But I never hear it pointed out 13% of the total population , is responsible for over 50% of the crime in this country or that the rates of interracial crime are overwhelmingly shewed towards black on white particularly sexual assault. I think many people fear being perceived as being racist., and if we don't have open and frank talks we will get no where. Quite frankly I am hesitant to even post this.

That's a very interesting comment to read, concern about being labeled a racist. Causes me to think.

As a white guy who has very little real life context to adequately understand what black people experience, I find that when I listen, I have very little likelihood of being labeled a racist. In an instance like this, I feel compelled to listen and learn, not try to pretend I have answers or that I understand, because I don't understand.

I do know that my rural-white life, lacking any context for understanding these issues first hand, has been bombarded with media and entertainment images of black people as the most common reference points I've acquired. For my young life, the only positive images sent to me that showed black men in a positive light was when they were wearing a uniform with a number on the jersey, a logo on the helmet, or a ball in their hand. Movies I saw or TV shows, fit every possible stereotype the media found useful.

Even through my adult life, I have come to realize that even though my continued rural-white life has a bit more context as a result of some personal relationships, but still lacks much for understanding. And as I've studied media, both news, TV, print, digital, and entertainment, I've come to see that the final picture, the final story, the final draft, is normally approved by a white person, usually a white male, who gets to put his stamp of approval on the final product we consume in media and entertainment. Yeah, we have the occasional black reporter or journalist, but the final say of how the story is told falls to editors, editorial boards, publishers, or senior executives. As such, I've been spoon fed imagery of the black male experience in America through the eyes of white people who have final say in the message.

Do these white folks who have the power that comes with these media and entertainment platforms really understand the black experience in America? Does the final message that we get to consume, a message that sometimes makes up the majority of influence rural-white folks like me will be exposed to, give us any context to understand the reality for black Americans?

I suspect I am not alone among Hunt Talkers or folks in this country who have little personal experience to give context. I suspect a lot are like me in how their view of the black male experience is limited to what we read, see, learn from media and entertainment. When all of that messaging is created through the lens of white males in those industries, I've come to doubt how accurate that messaging is. I would go so far as to say that my reliance on that messaging has made my understanding of these issues even more difficult, as after 55 years I have to put my mind in reverse to try not view this discussion based on the white-centric media, entertainment, or information that got me to this point. I don't feel guilty about that or blame anyone. It is just a reality of how, and from what source, this issue has been presented to me, a person born in 1964. Accepting that as a reality allows me to question things when those media, news, and entertainment images are shown today.

I now purposefully seek a portion of my media consumption that from start to finish is from people of color to try give me a better understanding. I don't need the Ted Turner or Roger Ailes version. I wouldn't piss on Tucker Carlson or Rachel Maddow if either of them were on fire and I don't need their bullshit, "produce for ratings" versions of this complicated topic. I don't need the version of white dominated Hollywood movie funders who are unabashed in their effort to make the greatest profit off whatever narrative can be converted to seats in the theater. I don't need the NTY or WaPo versions that too often come across as the token person of color so the editorial board can check the box. I seek the real life experiences to read and listen to that will hopefully augment my bigger view of the world.

I don't feel I need to have the answers. For me to provide the answers is like asking me to build a house - it's gonna be a bad outcome. I need to learn. I need to listen. I need to be willing to take some risks to do what little my actions can do to help things improve. None of that gives me the slightest concern about being labeled a racist.

Trying to learn doesn't seem like I am at risk of being labeled a racist. I worry that I could let those fears be a cop out for listening and trying to being part of the solution. I support more funding for better training of LEOs and I don't expect I'll be labeled a racist for supporting better LEO pay, training, and selection. If others want to kneel for the national anthem, I don't give a damn and I respect that they have every right to do so. I won't kneel and I don't expect that I'll be labeled a racist for not doing so. I wouldn't be apologetic for supporting police or not kneeling, as there are some very powerful parts of my life experience that form my views on those topics. If somehow a claim of racist is made for that, I suspect that claim would be from someone not interested in progress. Such possible claim is not going to prevent me to try do things in my life toward that collective citizen effort of progress.

I hope to listen, learn, and understand. As my Grandma would say, in reference to the old transistor AM radio next to her ash tray, "Some folks need to stop broadcasting and do more receiving." I'm gonna follow Grandma's advice.