Here we go again - Video shows white police officer killing a black man in Minnesota by suffocation as the man pleads "I can't breathe" (1 Viewer)

[coldseat]

Why is it predictable? Am I wrong trying to come up with ways to make the world better other than violence and stealing? I’m trying to come to solutions for all mankind to get along. How is that wrong?

If you really want to come up with solutions, start by learning about the black plight in America, I mean really learning about it. Then use that rage and anger that grows as you learn about it and start educating and talking to those in your family, social, religious and work place communities. about it Spread empathy, compassion and understanding instead of judgement and condemnation.

 

[Krodwhodat]

Shoutout to @N.O.Bronco for the transcript of the words earlier; let's see if a video makes a larger impression.



"A riot is the language of the unheard. And what is it that America has failed to hear?"

What are you failing to hear Krod? Was Minneapolis burning a week ago? Were these same people burning Auto Zones and stealing tv's a week ago? What happened that caused this behavior? A man in their community was killed by law enforcement. Has anyone been charged? No? Has this happened before? It has? Were there consequences then? There weren't?

We apply context to everything else but for riots we throw it out. You see someone stealing food. You find out they are a millionaire with pantries full of food. You see someone else stealing food. You find out they are a homeless veteran who hasn't eaten in a week. Same act. Do you view them differently? Are they the same? Context shapes perception. Empathy (that damn word again) changes judgement.

That community is hurting. They are angry. Enraged. Distraught. You are chastising them for not following law and order--for rioting, looting and stealing--but what has law and order done for them? A member of there community, unarmed, detained for suspicion of a BAD CHECK was murdered, in broad daylight, the man begging for his life, multiple bystanders begging for his life, murderded by members of the government entity who swore to protect and serve, to preserve their life, to enforce law and order, and as of yet, those persons have only been fired, not charged with crimes. Murder is the worst offense in our society.

Law and order has failed George Floyd, failed Minneapolians, his blood still fresh on the ground, and you want to hold their feet to fire to respect law and order in the face of senseless death, for a situation that continuously happens, often times with no repercussions for them. And for an irrational few, understandably angry, we judge them without compassion.

You invoked scripture. Let me do the same. Because I remember Christ being a man, whike respecting law and order, who devoted his life towards empathy.

Mark 1:40-42 - And there came a leper to him, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus, moved with compassion, put forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou clean. And as soon as he had spoken, immediately the leprosy departed from him, and he was cleansed.

Lepers were outcast in that society and, by law, were supposed to remain sixteen feet away from others (yell unclean as well). Yet, this leper approached JC and knelt before him (clearly not remaining isolated and staying 16 feet away). Well, of course, JC chastised him for not obeying the law. I mean, breaking the law, and getting so close, that's no way to get yourself healed. That's not helpful to your plight, acting irrationally like that. Surely, JC sent him on his way, unhealed with a lesson in law and order.

"Moved with compassion..." Smdh. The next part is particularly a G move. "...put his hand forth, and touched him". Any avid Bible reader knows it wasn't necessary to physically touch this dude to heal him. Especially someone with a skin disease like leprosy. But, his compassion, his empathy, led him to touch the man to heal him. That's probably the first human contact, physical contact, that man had had in years.

I mean if you are going to envoke Jesus, empathy is free of charge Krod. Don't conflate condoning and agreeing with the riots with understanding them. This isn't a zero sum game either. You can respect law and order and recognize how its failed that community and have compassion for their misguided anger and strife. But don't add to the disillusionment. Don't send the leper on his way, unhealed, because an irrational act in a moment of distress happened. Employ empathy and show compassion anyway, even moreso for them.

Again, my perspective.

If my empathy and compassion isn’t coming through then I apologize for not making myself clear. I hurt for the man and his family and for everyone that has to deal with what has happened. I’m trying to help heal the situation. So you tell me as a brother, as a friend, as a fellow human being what can I do to make this place better for all races? I’ve been raised to love everyone, I’ve raised my kids to love and accept everyone, I preach to my kids to show compassion to those who need it and be a friend to those in need. I’m very proud of who my children are becoming and their future as adults but what more can be done in our communities to go a step further?

 

[Krodwhodat]

If you really want to come up with solutions, start by learning about the black plight in America, I mean really learning about it. Then use that rage and anger that grows as you learn about it and start educating and talking to those in your family, social, religious and work place communities. about it Spread empathy, compassion and understanding instead of judgement and condemnation.

I appreciate the advice. And I definitely think I could learn more. Which is why when these threads go in the right direction it’s a wonderful thing.

 

[Semper]

So, I want to address the rioting issue and move that part of the duscussion forward so we don't have to keep talking about it every few pages. I'm quoting your post but I'm going to address @Semper about it because he initially brought it up, liked your post and I feel while posters have commented about his feelings we haven't really explained how we feel.

The only thing you need to understand the rioting is empathy. Notice, I didnt say the protesting. Im specifically talking about the rioting aspect. So, again, if you truly don't understand it, you only need empathy to gain understanding. To illustrate:

By his handle, I feel safe in assuming Semper is former USMC, he's a Marine vet. Imagine every month, for the next year, Semper has to watch a Marine being killed by Navy guys. I'm not talking about in war, against enemy combatants, I'm talking Marines, doing everyday things as civilians and being murdered by Navy men.

So in January, its a Marine going to the store, writes a check or is cashing a check, store says its fraud, calls the Navy, 4 Navy guys roll up on him, kneel on his neck until he dies. In March, a Marine is riding with his girlfriend and daughter. Navy guy stops him, Marine says hey I have legal firearm, Navy guy gets skittish, says he reached, shoots him in the chest. By June, a Marines son is playing outside, playing "Marine", two Navy guys roll up, tell him drop the gun, and shoot him and kill him. July another Marines son is walking home from the store, a Navy guy starts following him, eventually shoots and kills him. By the fall, let's say September, a Marine is selling loose cigarettes, Navy guys come up, one of them eventually gets him in a chokehold, and chokes him to death as he screams he can't get breathe.

Every month, like clockwork, you get to watch a Marine being killed, by Navy guys, unnecessarily, AND nothing happens. The Marines are dead, Navy guys are free. Now, you don't personally know these Marines but they are your brothers. They are Marines. How many deaths do you watch before you become angry, upset, distraught, depressed, defiant, and disillusioned. One, three or five?

Now, imagine, instead of once a month, its once a week you get to watch them die. Again, not in war, as distressing as that is, not in uniform, but as a civillian, going to work, going to the park, going home. 52 weeks. 52 deaths. How long before you, or another Marine, become irrational over those murders. One, five, ten, twenty-five?

We have to understand that communities of color have been witnesses to their men and women being harassed, abused and, yes, killed by law enforcement for decades upon decades in this country, mostly, with no repercussions to the offenders. Do you understand the rage, the anger, the malice, the sorrow that is pent up amongst them? And how one spark, surrounded with all the gasoline of hatred/sorrow, easily lights a powderkeg of irrationality among some.

Empathy my friend. It's the ability to take something unfamiliar and replace it with something familiar and then draw conclusions and base your feelings on that. The ability to understand AND share the feelings of another by findings similarities to what they are feeling. You see, not every Marine, including you, would act irrationally after watching those Marines being killed, but some would.

Would you wag your finger at them and say that's not helpful or would compassion allow you to understand their grief, their anger and hope/want/work with them to find a better way to peace and justice. The riot is a symptom of a larger problem. Minneapolians didn't wake up one day and decide to start setting Targets and Auto Zones on fire. Something pushed them to that. Imagine how desperate and distraught a community must feel to start vandalizing their own community. That should invoke compassion and empathy within us, not judgement.

If you are watching a city burn, after they just watched a man murdered, with no consequences thus far, and your first thought is "wow, that's not helpful" instead of "damn, they are so hurt, so angry, i wish I could help them" then that is self examination time. It's really just a lack of empathy for what they are dealing with.

One of the first responses to you was probably the best. Shoutout to @guidomerkinsrules
Harlem by Langston Hughes. We've been trying to communicate how this goes for decades. "Or does it explode?" Judgement hasn't worked. Let's try compassion now. Let's try empathy.

Thank you. That was a very good and well thought out response.

 

[FootballLady]

Kro, the life you led, the issues pale in comparison to that of an African American.

I'll admit that the pun (unintended?) made me chuckle.

 

[Tapxe]

Looks like we are about to get an FBI briefing.

 

[DaveXA]

I'm baffled that the murderer is still not behind bars. Crazy.

It's completely clear that due process depends on who you're talking to.

 

[HoustonGold]

I'm baffled that the murderer is still not behind bars. Crazy.

It's completely clear that due process depends on who you're talking to.

This is murder I do agree. I also want this cop drug tested.

 

[zeetes]

For anyone who's still confused why people are so angry.

this is sad and should not even be an issue. i can't relate to his issues but i am totally, 100%, sympathetic.

cliche, but we are all red on the inside. skin colour is just that, a colour.

 

[insidejob]

I'm baffled that the murderer is still not behind bars. Crazy.

And that what looked like over 100 cops are guarding his house. You know where he'd also be guarded? Jail. I'm baffled as well. You can arrest and not charge someone for 72 hours (maybe it's different in every state, but I'm sure they can do it in MN).

 

[RazorOye]

we need more empathy

And white people need to learn when the shut the **** up and listen. Really listen.

It’s sad watching all of self righteous social media wypipo obsess over the “rioting” Because it allows them to ignore the racist implications of the discussion of the murder of a black man by the state

 

[zeetes]

we need more empathy

And white people need to learn when the shut the **** up and listen. Really listen.

It’s sad watching all of self righteous social media wypipo obsess over the “rioting” Because it allows them to ignore the racist implications of the discussion of the murder of a black man by the state

i'm not political, or socially motivated by issues, except for this bullshirt.

skin colour should not matter. ever.

 

[DaveXA]

we need more empathy

And white people need to learn when the shut the **** up and listen. Really listen.

It’s sad watching all of self righteous social media wypipo obsess over the “rioting” Because it allows them to ignore the racist implications of the discussion of the murder of a black man by the state

Indeed, I'm with FTP on the empathy part. When the cries go unheard or not understood for decades and decades, I'm not sure what else can happen to bring about meaningful and not superficial change.

 

[zeetes]

i'm not political, or socially motivated by issues, except for this bullshirt.

skin colour should not matter. ever.

i think i have posted before, but my two best friends (in br at least) are black (i'd say african american, but one is jamaican). they have dreads, one wears his pants a little low, and i always feel as if we are stared at. infact, i am sure we are some places. thankfully i live in a neighbourhood that is relatively tolerant.

hell, since march, the two of them have been staying at my house 4-5 days a week. no issues at all around here with neighbours, lol they talk to them more than i have in 3 years. i go a few blocks south and heaven forbid, blackies!

it is just forked up. sorry, but this isn't just a pet peeve, but a serious issue i wish i could fix.

edit- one was a valdictoeian in highschool.

 

[James Spader]

I think the murderer and the cop that was standing were more concerned with asserting their authority in that moment. It became an ego/pride thing for them to show the victim as well as those "thugs" telling them what to do who the real bosses are.

You very well may be right....Cops have an issue with compassion....hard when you deal a lot of real criminals...you can become desensitized to it all...