“Those who are trying to connect the murders of the officers with the thousands of articulate and peaceful protestors across America are being deliberately misleading in a cynical and selfish effort to turn public sentiment against the protestors. This is the same strategy used when trying to lump in the violence and looting with the legitimate protestors, who have disavowed that behavior. They hope to misdirect public attention and emotion in order to stop the protests and the progressive changes that have already resulted. Shaming and blaming is a lot easier than addressing legitimate claims.”
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, here
Shame on the people who are trying to equate “anti-police brutality” with “anti-police”, on EITHER side of the divide. If you do that, you are missing the point by a margin that can only be achieved by purposefully and willfully ignoring the issue.
An issue that, by the way, a lot of voices are currently, very patiently trying to explain to you, if you chose to listen.
I see way too many people on my social media walls who say things like “they don’t even know what they are protesting”, or “I don’t understand what the fuss is all about.”
If that is your current perspective, you need to be aware is that your confusion is entirely due to your own desire to be unmolested by those who rightfully complain about the privilege you have to NOT understand it. If you lived it every day, you wouldn’t be confused about what “the fuss” is about.
And if you just listen to those who live it every day, you won’t be confused either. They are talking, while you complain about being unable to hear.
If you are interested in learning, you could catch up very quickly just by reading everything Ta-Nehisi Coates has written on the matter, starting with “The Case for Reparations”
Like a blog, but for humans 