George Floyd was strangled to death. I have not watched the video, nor do I plan to. I have no interest in watching the brutal murder of a defenseless human being.
I have been giving some thought to this event, as well as to the after-effects. There is nothing I can write without getting labeled.
This is the problem. There is no place for honest and open conversation on any subject of import – certainly not in the public square. All sides of almost any issue have been manipulated into looking at the other as not only wrong or an enemy, but evil. Don’t believe me? Let’s try it out.
I am a fascist for saying look at crime statistics. Well, and a racist.
I am a (bomb-throwing) anarchist for suggesting that a state that murders by the millions overseas with impunity is a state that can murder you – regardless of race, creed, religion – at home.
I am a conspiracy theorist for suggesting that these riots didn’t come out of nowhere – following on the heels of the corona, and preceding who-knows-how-many other purposely created calamities before we get to the 2020 election.
I am a white supremacist for suggesting that the only peaceful resolution to the current culture clashes is decentralization.
Conclusion
Nothing further. I am in enough trouble already.
"George Floyd was strangled to death. I have not watched the video, nor do I plan to. I have no interest in watching the brutal murder of a defenseless human being."
ReplyDeleteDidn't you just admit to doing what you accuse everyone else of doing in this post?
Label 1 Murder? Isn't that for a jury to decide in a country that has the presumption of innocence?
DeleteLabel 2 Strangled? Really, is that the actual cause of death?
Words (labels) matter, or so you said. Yet you "labeled" events you have not seen, and refuse to view based on what?
I like most of your stuff, but you jumped the rails on this one
Monte, did you watch the video? Can you describe for me what happened?
DeleteReally, I am just asking you to use your words and describe what you saw. No labels, just words.
There is one correct label. Truthful. You seek after and tell the truth wherever it leads and regardless of what anyone else thinks.
ReplyDeleteKeep it up and don't stop. I'm enjoying this journey with you more than words can describe.
Thank you.
DeleteDitto!
DeleteDitto. ...more than words can describe.
DeleteNot to mention that the other 3 cops who have been charged were Asian, Latino, and Black.
ReplyDeleteMore and more this doesn't sound like racism to me.
It sounds government tyranny to me.
Also, rioting violently without organization and without listing narrative, grievance, and demands only leads to chaos, not resolution.
Instead of burning down businesses, they should have barricaded their streets to the police and declared independence from the Minneapolis police department. The men of the community need to take responsibility for their community. But the men don't want to do that. Therefore, the boot of tyranny will just fall harder on that community. Either from the police or violent thugs.
There has been no justice come of the whole situation. If Chauvin and the other 3 are found guilty, then there is some form of justice but nothing about their lives has fundamentally changed.
"More and more this doesn't sound like racism to me."
DeleteThe oppressed don't see these people as their own anymore. That's why you hear terms like:
Oreo - black on the outside, white on the inside. Not that I agree with this because I respect Obama but some called him an "Oreo". Seeing how he encouraged young black people to strive, he was far from that. One of America's finest presidents.
Watermelon - green on the outside, red on the inside. Said about a socialist who uses the green movement as a guise for socialism. At least the Green New Deal was open about that.
Apple - red on the outside, white on the inside. Said by natives to refer to their own who have sold out their cause for private gain.
Sounds like the no true Scotsman fallacy to me.
Deletere: true Scotsman fallacy (quoting from Wikipedia)
DeleteArguments of this kind are not necessarily always faulty. For example:
Person A: "No pacifist stabs people to death."
Person B: "I know one who stabbed a couple of people to death."
Person A: "That guy was not a true pacifist."
In this case, the "No true Scotsman" analogy does not hold. The definition of pacifism includes opposition to violence and abstinence of its use. Stabbing people and pacifism are in a logical conflict. The logical conclusion is that the stabber was not really a pacifist (although they might have claimed to have been).
Bionic says: "George Floyd was strangled to death. I have not watched the video, nor do I plan to. I have no interest in watching the brutal murder of a defenseless human being."
ReplyDeleteDo we know for certain that Floyd was strangled to death? Do we know for certain that Floyd was defenseless? I watched the video that was shown. I don't know if the entire video was shown or only part of it. I've read other reports that Floyd's death may have have been from a heart attack. I hesitate to make blanket accusations at this point even if I agree at first view it looks very bad. However, I'm willing to wait for what I hope will be an honest investigation before I burn down my town and start stealing from local shopkeepers. There may be more to this tragedy that isn't yet known. Peg
Peg, did the cop sit on his neck for 9 minutes? Would it make a difference if this resulted in a heart attack or stroke instead of strangulation?
DeleteChuck Baldwin says that this sitting on the neck tactic has been taught by the Israeli military to hundreds of police officers in the US, including officers from Minnesota:
https://chuckbaldwinlive.com/Articles/tabid/109/ID/4020/Prelude-To-Martial-Law.aspx
He provides a further link to the source story. This tactic is used against the Palestinians.
There won't be an honest investigation. Politically it isn't possible - all the way around. The four police officers are going to be sacrificed, no matter the facts, and an honest investigation would show that countless Americans - not only black - are victims of police aggression. Can't have that. A more honest investigation would open the door to the topics raised in the post. Can't have that either.
And I hope you don't revert to burning down a town. Why take it out on those who had nothing to do with the events?
We know from the video the officer held his knee to Floyd's neck for several minutes. Whether death was the result of that act is not certain, even if likely. I agree, these officers will be thrown into the volcano regardless of any "investigation." I conjecture that if Floyd had been white, there would be quite a different reaction to this event, probably none at all. Why?
DeleteI had a conversation with a work colleague today, hes half black, and i was thoroughly surprised to hear him have virtually an identical opinion as mine. People have been locked in their homes for weeks then some jack ass murders someone and it was the spark that lit the fire. The rioters, it does for the last few days after the initial backlash seem contrived, he didn't disagree. I was also happy to hear he was very anti war, while he's a darn near useless worker, it was nice to see he had many anti state feelings, i think i have more respect for him.
ReplyDeleteAnyway as usual, timely piece Mosquito