On May 25, 2020 George Floyd was murdered by a Minneapolis policeman who kneeled on his neck for 8 minutes and 46 seconds while others stood by and watched. On June 13, 2020 Rayshard Brooks was shot and killed by an Atlanta policeman as he escaped from being detained and fled through a parking lot after stealing the officer's taser. There is video of him pointing the taser at the officers before he was shot. These two events are not related but they sparked widespread protests.
Since then things have deteriorated. You've seen it. Rioting and looting have been common. The Black Lives Matter organization and movement has taken over as a face of the demonstrations. Unfortunately there are making outrageous demands like defund the police, among others, that tend to drown out any rational thought toward dialog and progress. There have been "autonomous zones" set up in various cities in which there is no order and police will not venture. Seattle and New York City seem to be the epicenter of takeovers, defacing and destruction. Peaceful protest leading to constructive dialog which leads to change seems to have gone away. At least for now. I keep thinking (hoping) that we will get past this craziness and start talking...but I'm not really sure.
Politicians have become as polarized as I've ever seen them. Senator Tim Scott, who is black, tried and failed to get some police reform measures implemented. The Democrats wouldn't even talk about it. The Democrats also refused to vote for a measure condemning violence and looting. They are on opposite ends of the spectrum and I'm not sure what reconciles them. Trump seems to have lost control. He continues to be his own worst enemy (especially on social media) and his combative, arrogant attitude is not playing well. The Dems are pulling out all the stops to find and accuse him of everything under the sun. Because of his personality he takes everything personally and goes high and right. And that usually only harms him. I'm not making any predictions because it's impossible to tell, but he better get his shit together or he'll be defeated in November. And if that happens we'll have the weakest President in history right when, in my opinion, we need steady strength. But honestly so many people seem just exhausted by the Trump show and may just vote for a change. Who knows.
Add in the reemergence of Covid 19 at frightening proportions and life can be overwhelming. We are returning to shutdowns, restrictions, and dramatic impacts on our way of life. The state and local governments most greatly impacted seem to be a choosing a piecemeal, inconsistent and sometimes incoherent approach. Closing of bars and beaches makes sense but allowing thousands of protestors in close proximity is okay? Incoherent. And I’m not sure what they are doing but the federal government seems to be not very present. I’ve heard some state officials say that their hospitals are approaching max capacity and PPE is becoming a problem. So what have they been doing the last few months? Wouldn’t it have made sense for state and federal governments to have been working together to ensure they have excess capacity? Obviously rhetorical questions but pretty relevant. Don't know where we're going now but in my circle of friends and in my family, it's all about the kids. How do we ensure that the kids can get back to school and experience school as it's meant to be? That is our priority. I hope that the school districts and the teacher's unions are listening...but I'm not sure they are.
But back to the racial issues. Like so many things I think it comes down to personal action. You can watch and listen to all the various news accounts, you can be heartened or outraged by the latest actions of those out on the streets, you can write your political representatives til you're blue in the face. But really it takes each individual taking whatever action they can to really understand the issues and then working to help others and try to impact your little corner of the world. As I've said before on this blog, I've been inspired and hopeful at times and disgusted and disappointed at times. But I've decided I can do two things. I can be open to learning and understanding and I can use that understanding to perhaps work in areas where I can make a difference. My wife and I are seeking information and are open to broadening our horizons. We took a class this morning called "Dismantling racism...one insight at a time". The instructor provided some really thought provoking questions and sprinkled in some history and relevant facts. He provided some resources for us to explore which might provide more insight and understanding. And that couldn't hurt.
But I have to say that it's difficult to get past the destruction and radical actions of some of the protestors. I don't think I'm untypical of many people in society today who want to live in a better country when it comes to race relations, but doing something becomes problematic in the face of violence, wanton destruction, and outrageous demands. I can't even pay attention when mobs are roaming the streets. I can't even consider actions when police and governmental leaders are being demonized and even killed. I can't even pay attention when statues and memorials are being destroyed and defaced with no regard to who or what they memorialize. So while I will quietly work for more personal understanding, I'm not sure I can get to the next step of action in the face of such anarchy.
I'm not sure where we go from here. Until things quiet down and we can get to constructive dialog there are two things I'm holding onto. The first I heard today and the second is timeless. I heard this quote in the class today. "Not all are guilty, but all are responsible." I and so many others aren't guilty of past sins, but we are responsible to fix what we can and do better in the future. Many, many people want to do that, if we can get to a dialog. I understand that many don't and we'll just have to live with that and hold people accountable.
The second is a speech I refer to periodically and it actually gives me hope. It's Lincoln's second inaugural speech and is copied below. Lincoln is by almost any measure our greatest President. That is because of two things. He held the Union together and he freed the slaves, although as I'm learning there are an awful of of flaws in the 13th Amendment that have resulted in terrible unintended consequences. This speech lays out where we need to go. He died before he could get a good start. Maybe it's time we finished the job.
Since then things have deteriorated. You've seen it. Rioting and looting have been common. The Black Lives Matter organization and movement has taken over as a face of the demonstrations. Unfortunately there are making outrageous demands like defund the police, among others, that tend to drown out any rational thought toward dialog and progress. There have been "autonomous zones" set up in various cities in which there is no order and police will not venture. Seattle and New York City seem to be the epicenter of takeovers, defacing and destruction. Peaceful protest leading to constructive dialog which leads to change seems to have gone away. At least for now. I keep thinking (hoping) that we will get past this craziness and start talking...but I'm not really sure.
Politicians have become as polarized as I've ever seen them. Senator Tim Scott, who is black, tried and failed to get some police reform measures implemented. The Democrats wouldn't even talk about it. The Democrats also refused to vote for a measure condemning violence and looting. They are on opposite ends of the spectrum and I'm not sure what reconciles them. Trump seems to have lost control. He continues to be his own worst enemy (especially on social media) and his combative, arrogant attitude is not playing well. The Dems are pulling out all the stops to find and accuse him of everything under the sun. Because of his personality he takes everything personally and goes high and right. And that usually only harms him. I'm not making any predictions because it's impossible to tell, but he better get his shit together or he'll be defeated in November. And if that happens we'll have the weakest President in history right when, in my opinion, we need steady strength. But honestly so many people seem just exhausted by the Trump show and may just vote for a change. Who knows.
Add in the reemergence of Covid 19 at frightening proportions and life can be overwhelming. We are returning to shutdowns, restrictions, and dramatic impacts on our way of life. The state and local governments most greatly impacted seem to be a choosing a piecemeal, inconsistent and sometimes incoherent approach. Closing of bars and beaches makes sense but allowing thousands of protestors in close proximity is okay? Incoherent. And I’m not sure what they are doing but the federal government seems to be not very present. I’ve heard some state officials say that their hospitals are approaching max capacity and PPE is becoming a problem. So what have they been doing the last few months? Wouldn’t it have made sense for state and federal governments to have been working together to ensure they have excess capacity? Obviously rhetorical questions but pretty relevant. Don't know where we're going now but in my circle of friends and in my family, it's all about the kids. How do we ensure that the kids can get back to school and experience school as it's meant to be? That is our priority. I hope that the school districts and the teacher's unions are listening...but I'm not sure they are.
But back to the racial issues. Like so many things I think it comes down to personal action. You can watch and listen to all the various news accounts, you can be heartened or outraged by the latest actions of those out on the streets, you can write your political representatives til you're blue in the face. But really it takes each individual taking whatever action they can to really understand the issues and then working to help others and try to impact your little corner of the world. As I've said before on this blog, I've been inspired and hopeful at times and disgusted and disappointed at times. But I've decided I can do two things. I can be open to learning and understanding and I can use that understanding to perhaps work in areas where I can make a difference. My wife and I are seeking information and are open to broadening our horizons. We took a class this morning called "Dismantling racism...one insight at a time". The instructor provided some really thought provoking questions and sprinkled in some history and relevant facts. He provided some resources for us to explore which might provide more insight and understanding. And that couldn't hurt.
But I have to say that it's difficult to get past the destruction and radical actions of some of the protestors. I don't think I'm untypical of many people in society today who want to live in a better country when it comes to race relations, but doing something becomes problematic in the face of violence, wanton destruction, and outrageous demands. I can't even pay attention when mobs are roaming the streets. I can't even consider actions when police and governmental leaders are being demonized and even killed. I can't even pay attention when statues and memorials are being destroyed and defaced with no regard to who or what they memorialize. So while I will quietly work for more personal understanding, I'm not sure I can get to the next step of action in the face of such anarchy.
I'm not sure where we go from here. Until things quiet down and we can get to constructive dialog there are two things I'm holding onto. The first I heard today and the second is timeless. I heard this quote in the class today. "Not all are guilty, but all are responsible." I and so many others aren't guilty of past sins, but we are responsible to fix what we can and do better in the future. Many, many people want to do that, if we can get to a dialog. I understand that many don't and we'll just have to live with that and hold people accountable.
The second is a speech I refer to periodically and it actually gives me hope. It's Lincoln's second inaugural speech and is copied below. Lincoln is by almost any measure our greatest President. That is because of two things. He held the Union together and he freed the slaves, although as I'm learning there are an awful of of flaws in the 13th Amendment that have resulted in terrible unintended consequences. This speech lays out where we need to go. He died before he could get a good start. Maybe it's time we finished the job.
"Fellow countrymen: at this second appearing to take the oath of the presidential office there is less occasion for an extended address than there was at the first. Then a statement somewhat in detail of a course to be pursued seemed fitting and proper. Now, at the expiration of four years during which public declarations have been constantly called forth on every point and phase of the great contest which still absorbs the attention and engrosses the energies of the nation little that is new could be presented. The progress of our arms, upon which all else chiefly depends is as well known to the public as to myself and it is I trust reasonably satisfactory and encouraging to all. With high hope for the future no prediction in regard to it is ventured."On the occasion corresponding to this four years ago all thoughts were anxiously directed to an impending civil war. All dreaded it ~ all sought to avert it. While the inaugural address was being delivered from this place devoted altogether to saving the Union without war insurgent agents were in the city seeking to destroy it without war ~ seeking to dissolve the Union and divide effects by negotiation. Both parties deprecated war but one of them would make war rather than let the nation survive, and the other would accept war rather than let it perish. And the war came."One eighth of the whole population were colored slaves not distributed generally over the union but localized in the southern part of it. These slaves constituted a peculiar and powerful interest. All knew that this interest was somehow the cause of the war. To strengthen perpetuate and extend this interest was the object for which the insurgents would rend the Union even by war while the government claimed no right to do more than to restrict the territorial enlargement of it. Neither party expected for the war the magnitude or the duration which it has already attained. Neither anticipated that the cause of the conflict might cease with or even before the conflict itself should cease. Each looked for an easier triumph and a result less fundamental and astounding. Both read the same Bible and pray to the same God and each invokes His aid against the other. It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God's assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men's faces but let us judge not that we be not judged. The prayers of both could not be answered ~ that of neither has been answered fully. The Almighty has His own purposes. "Woe unto the world because of offenses for it must needs be that offenses come but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh." If we shall suppose that American slavery is one of those offenses which in the providence of God must needs come but which having continued through His appointed time He now wills to remove and that He gives to both North and South this terrible war as the woe due to those by whom the offense came shall we discern therein any departure from those divine attributes which the believers in a living God always ascribe to Him. Fondly do we hope ~ fervently do we pray ~ that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman's two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword as was said three thousand years ago so still it must be said 'the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.'"With malice toward none with charity for all with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right let us strive on to finish the work we are in to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan ~ to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations."
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