I really thought that answered it Strolls but if needed then askaway more mate, happy to try to answer anything else to fill the gaps. Might be short and sweet until after 8am when I finish shift though. I like to think I’m pretty open with what I’ve done and who I’ve been (good and bad)
Staines, if I can pick up from Strolls, I was also a little perplexed by your posts to date on this issue given what I understand of your politics and the context you described is really helpful. Like Strolls [I'm guessing Strolls, so do correct me if wrong], again given your politics, I would have thought you would have been furious about the treatment of George Floyd and minority communities in the USA, appreciate the centuries of oppression they have faced, the ongoing disparity in treatment across policing, justice, the job market, education etc and therefore have huge sympathy with the overflow of emotion we are witnessing and acknowledge the need for a large correction in the way society treats minority communities. You might well respond by telling me that this is precisely how you feel! It is, of course, perfectly possible to have that view while strongly condemning the stupid minority of protesters who are going far too far. It's just that, by my reading, your posts to date have erred quite far on being anti-protester without much (apparent) sympathy for oppressed minority communities. I'm guessing that reading isn't quite right? Wasn't minded to ask for clarification on your views but as you've said you're open and Strolls asked the question, I thought I might as well.
Heavy handed policing. Reminds me of the Ian Tomlinson case in London some years back. He died but a prosecution against the OB failed.
Sorry just got up and a bit groggy so might be a short reply. Quite simply of course i empathise with any protest for what is or should be a worthy cause. However, I’m not a hypocrite and fail to see how the looting of your own community, the murder of black people during the riots (like David Dorn) and attacks on police who are just doing their job (like what we saw in London a couple of nights ago) do anything at all to further the cause. Ive been called ‘N***** lover’, ‘race mixer’ and ‘traitor to my people’ on more than one occasion....it never led me to loot Zara or Gap.......that wasn’t the answer.....attacking the said individuals was. What’s happening now is only, IMO, leading to dividing the communities. As I said, sorry for short reply.
No apology needed. I can see where you are coming from. Do you think the protests as a whole should stop? Or just those being abusive to others and looting etc?
It’s a difficult one mate. As a protest movement of course it shouldn’t stop (in my opinion) but maybe the approach needs to change. The big demonstrations are always gonna attract people who are out for themselves and just see it as a way to loot and attack the OB.....and what’s that gonna lead to ? Any OB who sympathise with the cause are just gonna think bad of them. I’ve seen on numerous occasions instances of black demonstrators in the US actively stopping white, so called Anarchists (they ain’t true anarchists, they are just ****s) from smashing things up and even handing them to police.....surely that’s a positive reaction ? Again, just in my opinion, the communities need to join together, admit all our problems together and react against them. Sack the racist OB (yeah they do exist), call out the white racists in our community and talk about and admit the black youth criminality that obviously exists. We need to be open about it and confront it together as one community.
Thanks - your position makes a lot more sense to me now. I we probably differ slightly on how much activism is needed - I think it's a good time for peaceful protest, sit ins, march on Washington etc - but we certainly agree that the few will always try and ruin it for the many!
Mate I’m not opposed to violence, I’ve lived with it for a lot of my life.....however I don’t think wanton vandalism, looting and attacks on random police is the way forward (been there, seen that, done it and what did it change ?? **** all) Attack and defend yourself from the genuine force of evil...you would have my blessing. But burning down your own local community? Really ? I use the word ‘community’ a lot, as you might notice, ‘cos I feel that’s what we ALL need to become.....smaller communities that join to become one big community that help and understand each other, instead of letting outsiders try and divide us for whatever reason.....I can but dream.