Why are they still protesting? What do they want?

[libbeylu]

I am an elderly hippie from the sixties and remember the protests of the Viet Nam war…then later after 1968, the MLK protests…a song “What’s Going On” by Marvin Gaye enters my mind…good words to ponder…inequality of race? Mmmm, after fifty plus years of racial protests, it seems that race maybe is not the issue…cause can there ever be a race equality…I don’t think so…“Let there be Peace on Earth and let it begin with Me”…

 

[Poet]

A conversation with a person of color about why they are frustrated. One in which we listen more than we talk. A conversation is at least a beginning towards action. Speaking of action…

Pick ten people of multiple races (other than white of course) and you’re likely to get twenty different answers. They aren’t a monolithic group who all think the same. Some are going to say their frustration is with the hyper focus. I can tell you in my neighborhood there are black kids who are going to tell you their frustration is the other black kids ridiculing them and calling them ‘white’ if they do well in school, or acting and dressing like thugs.

It also raises the question of: does a person being frustrated mean that their perception is entirely accurate or that another person or society as a whole must change?

For instance, if I’m frustrated with the liberals on this board or social media, are they obligated to stop posting so much because I’m frustrated?

And I have no issue with conversation or listening. But at this point, the conversation has been going on for decades.

Poet:

I will state and support my position forever on abortion because unborn babies have value and worth.

Excellent. I’m glad you have a position on the matter (one in which we violently agree BTW). You believe that unborn babies have value and worth. What are you actually doing about it? Are you giving sacrificially to causes that support single mothers? Are you spending time with kids of single parent homes - mentoring them and picking up the slack for their parent? Are you volunteering at women’s health clinics?

Belief is one thing, doing is another. As St. James says:

“You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder.”

And for the record, I’m terrible at the whole “live out your faith” thing - but I get a pass because I’m a Protestant and we believe in “faith alone”.

Well, you’ve shifted the goal post. My statement had to do with someone saying they wouldn’t tell us what it is the protesters or rioters want because we should just know. My point was that if one cares about a cause or a group of people, why in the world would one NOT explain to others what they want to see changed?

So what was the point of giving me a little lecture on all I should be doing (without having any clue what I actually do but in words that seem to assume I do nothing to help anyone)? Was it an attempt to try to discredit my words?

 

[Peeps]

But it’s not the protesters’ job to hand over that list to you for your approval.

Defunding police militarization, more rigorous training and hiring standards with higher salaries (funding shift! - see what I did there?), and a more transparent and external review system are just some of the ideas on the table. It doesn’t matter whether you agree with these ideas or feel a knee-jerk urge to hit REPLY and pick them apart. The point is that activism by protest is invariably followed up with activism by community organizing, lobbying, drafting legislation, etc. THAT is the time to discuss possible solutions.

Hopefully, however, this thread isn’t representative of national opinion at large. Where over half of these posts are denying that there’s even a problem, clearly this thread won’t be where anyone agrees on any solution.

We have a good representation by African Americans on our city council. (About a quarter of the council is African American.)

All of our black alderpeople have spoken up about the protests in our city, and ALL of them have expressed strong disapproval of the looting, vandalism, and especially of the horrible comments about the police force.

I saw a sign yesterday that compared our police to the KKK–this is an awful thing to say and think. We have not seen a policeman/woman hang a black person in a tree.

Anyway, this morning, one of our black alderwomen released a statement that said, “We support your right to protest, but where have you been?! Do you realize that we (the city council) are already working on projects that will accomplish what you are demanding? We have been investigating and pricing body cams for the police for the last several months, and we will NOT be hurried into making a decision about this very EXPENSIVE item! After this protest is over, I invite you to come to our table and tell us in person what you want.”

I was cheering for this alderwoman, whom I admire greatly even when I disagree with her! Her family has lived in the same home for over 100 years, even though it’s now in one of the most crime-ridden neighborhoods in our city. She is the most educated person on the City Council, a lawyer who also holds a doctoral degree in law.

Our City Council meetings, unless otherwise announced in advance, are always open to the public, and people are invited to submit a request to speak at the meeting. All of our city council people have email addresses and phone numbers. My husband and I have phoned our alderman several times (he was my neighbor growing up, and also a member of the same Protestant church that I attended through my high school years).

I would be willing to place a bet that once the furor has died down that NONE of the people who are protesting now will ever bother to attend a City Council meeting or contact their alderperson. It’s a lot more “fun” being out in the warm spring weather marching and shouting and waving a sign than coming to a meeting in the cold months, standing up, and speaking a piece that you have probably written in advance so you won’t get nervous.

I hope I’m wrong about this.

 

[blackforest]

All of our black alderpeople have spoken up about the protests in our city, and ALL of them have expressed strong disapproval of the looting, vandalism, and especially of the horrible comments about the police force.

But this is a thread about legal protesting, not illegal rioting.

“We support your right to protest, but where have you been?!

They’ve been marching in solidarity with the late George Floyd. That’s wonderful that the city is working on improvements. It would be a capital idea if they could better communicate them all along.

After this protest is over, I invite you to come to our table and tell us in person what you want.”

Yes, that’s generally how it works - protesting first, policy-making later.

I hope I’m wrong about this.

I hope you are, too. But one way or another, I’m optimistic that we’re going to see some great changes. As Voltaire stated, “Nothing is more powerful than a movement whose time has finally come.”

 

[Funvod]

Some people are simply jumping on the hashtags about the protests to get lots of followers then sell the accounts.
It’s disgraceful, and it’s undermining the legitimacy of the protests.

 

[Adamek]

The whole premise of this thread - all but demanding a a mission statement, goals, and objectives from protesters - is preposterous.

This is a rather cute contention. If you come at night to burn down my house, I musn’t ask why you are doing this. I must, according to the sentiments you express, exhibit compassion and remorse, for living in the house you are burning down.

And, btw. In case you haven’t noticed, the adults out there are going about the business of cleaning the mess, restroring order and trying to rebuild the lives that have been turned upside down.
It is the white priviledge kids that are sill hyperventilating.

 

[Freddy]

blackforest:

The whole premise of this thread - all but demanding a a mission statement, goals, and objectives from protesters - is preposterous.

This is a rather cute contention. If you come at night to burn down my house, I musn’t ask why you are doing this. I must, according to the sentiments you express, exhibit compassion and remorse, for living in the house you are burning down.

Why are you conflating rioting, carried out by a tiny minority of criminals, with protesting. Which is carried out by an immense proportion of concerned citizens.

What purpose does it serve? What on earth is your aim in doing so? To denigrate this almost world wide movement? To suggest that there is no problem? It can’t be political as both sides of politics are generally for some change. Even Mitt Romney joined the protests yesterday with a Christian group.

 

[Adamek]

Why are you conflating rioting, carried out by a tiny minority of criminals, with protesting. Which is carried out by an immense proportion of concerned citizens.

What purpose does it serve? What on earth is your aim in doing so? To denigrate this almost world wide movement? To suggest that there is no problem?

You omitted the last sentence of my original statement, which reads: It is the white priviledge kids that are still hyperventilating. After carefully reading your post I come to the conclusion that its author belongs to this group of protesters.

When I started this thread I wanted to understand what the protesters wished to achieve by continued protests. This question remains largely unanswered and seems to cause offense. I find this attitude less than constructive. The impression I have is that the current protesters are not interested in a solution. Any solution. They want to protest.

 

[Freddy]

I guess we can include Romney as a ‘white, priviledged kid’ in that case. And you must be limited in your access to news if you don’t know about changes that are already being implemented. If you can find some information about them then let us know what you think.

 

[TULIPed]

So what was the point of giving me a little lecture on all I should be doing (without having any clue what I actually do but in words that seem to assume I do nothing to help anyone)? Was it an attempt to try to discredit my words?

You’re right. My post was a bit preachy. We tend to preach to others about what we could do better ourselves. I’m sorry. I should’ve said - I need to do a better job of getting out and actually doing things for that which I talk about.

I am violently pro-life. I talk a good game, but I don’t do nearly enough to play the part of the Good Samaritan. Similarly, I am violently anti-racism. And yet, I don’t talk to enough people of different races to see what’s really driving them. I assume I know - but I don’t.

I’m going to figure out how to have more conversations and to get involved.

 

[Welshrabbit]

I guess we can include Romney as a ‘white, priviledged kid’ in that case.

Willard “Mitt” Romney is the epitome of white privilege…

 

[Freddy]

Freddy:

I guess we can include Romney as a ‘white, priviledged kid’ in that case.

Willard “Mitt” Romney is the epitome of white privilege…

So can we include Trump and almost all Republicans as privileged white guys if you want to paint with such a broad brush?

I see people from all walks of life and from all ethnic backgrounds and all political backgrounds protesting. To suggest that there is some enclave of well to do white kids supporting this movement for some obscure reason flies in the face of the honest determination of so many people joined together to encourage change.

 

[Welshrabbit]

So can we include Trump and almost all Republicans as privileged white guys if you want to paint with such a broad brush?

I mean yeah…

Although in Trump’s case it’s more “orange privilege” than white privilege. Are you talking about Republican politicians or citizens who are members of the Republican party?

I think you’re reading too much into my comment about Romney. I wasn’t making a statement about his motives, which I’m sure are purely for political gain. I simply wanted to point out that he, is the absolute epitome of white privilege.

 

[Freddy]

Freddy:

So can we include Trump and almost all Republicans as privileged white guys if you want to paint with such a broad brush?

I mean yeah…

Although in Trump’s case it’s more “orange privilege” than white privilege. Are you talking about Republican politicians or citizens who are members of the Republican party?

I think you’re reading too much into my comment about Romney. I wasn’t making a statement about his motives, which I’m sure are purely for political gain. I simply wanted to point out that he, is the absolute epitome of white privilege.

I think this is the problem. Romney supports the protest and it’s for political gain. I support the protest and I’m a priviledged white guy. Black citizens support the protest and they’re Marxists. A 70 year old Catholic supports the protest and he’s a fascist insurrectionist. Honest people support the protests and they’re rioters. I see people from all ethnic backgrounds supporting the protests and I get told there’s no problem to protest against.

May God help America. It certainly needs it right now.

 

[Welshrabbit]

When did I say any of this?

Literally everything any politician does in the United States is for political gain in my opinion. I made no comments about the motives of any of the other participants in protests.

 

[Adamek]

Why are you conflating rioting, carried out by a tiny minority of criminals, with protesting. Which is carried out by an immense proportion of concerned citizens.

At least 600 buildings across the Twin Cities have been vandalized, looted or had doors and windows smashed. Some have been reduced to rubble, and at least 67 have been destroyed completely by fire. Others have reported extensive water damage or severe fire damage.

A “tiny minority” must have been very busy if they managed to destroy at teast 600 buildings in Minneapolis alone. I can’t help but wonder how the “tiny minority” did in LA or NYC. They must be really proud.

 

[TULIPed]

A 70 year old Catholic supports the protest and he’s a fascist insurrectionist.

Literally laughing out loud.

 

[blackforest]

When I started this thread I wanted to understand what the protesters wished to achieve by continued protests. This question remains largely unanswered and seems to cause offense.

Your tone has taken an angry turn. The question has been answered multiple times. Your personal dissatisfaction with the answers doesn’t mean they’re not there. And believe me, I’m not offended by your question. But I will challenge its premise.

It is the white priviledge kids that are still hyperventilating.

How is your ad hominem attack helpful to this discussion? Are our bishops and clergy also “white privileged kids?”

http://bellevillemessenger.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Racial-Divide-Revisited.pdf

An open letter to my fellow white Americans | America Magazine

More Catholic bishops, laity join in ‘Black Lives Matter’ protests | America Magazine

 

[Theo520]

No more Trump?

While that’s a given, Trump has had zilch to do with how urban centers have managed their police for decades.

I suspect daily marching is just a great excuse to escape the lockdown.

 

[goout]

A huge element of the “protestors” simply wants violence and chaos, just for the sake of violence and chaos, and the effects those have on our culture and social structure.

It’s part of the basic playbook to destabilize a society, not an accident.

Oh by the way, were any poor black women killed this week?

Missing white woman syndrome - Wikipedia