I’m thinking the cops kinda got off on it. Sick fucks. The town I live in has started a program that seems like a good step forward. It, at least can get someone, besides a cop, on the scene that knows how to act in a situation like this. Deets are here:
It's not the sort of work that appeals much to nice people. Never has been.
I'm white, but I was the kid from the trailer park, so I got just a taste of the regular diet of abuse doled out to minorities. I learned that the policeman wasn't my friend when I was still in grade school - he was someone who might hurt you just for the hell of it.
The worst part is having to live in a society that practically worships cops and authority figures. I can barely watch TV these days because it's all bullshit pro-cop propaganda portraying those bastards as heroes.
Minor copyedits: I think you left out "the fuck" in the penultimate line between "wake" & "up."
Also, "simplified retrospectives were very clear one the efficacy and efficiency of non-violent protest." - should be "on" I believe.
Dreaming & Waking..
I'm commenting on your writing quality and not the content, because its mind breaking and soul wrecking, and this numbed-out nightmare is one that no one no one wants to wake unto. Eyes tight shut
Never again should be modified to never again until the next time., and don't touch that dial bc it won't be long. I do my best to pay attention to what is happening in this nation and as much ad I can get of what is going on in other nations which gets more difficult by the day in both cases. But there is a price to pay for paying attention and not just tuning out. A mental price. An emotional price. A price in feeling guilt bc I am not doing enough to try and change things. A price for the time I won't get back wirrying about things I see that sicken me and take you out of life. But I am blessed in one way in particular. I am a white male. 66 years old. Not seen as a threat by every cop like young Black, Hispanic or "foriegn" looking men are usually seen as is reinfirced almost every day by police inflicting extra judicial punishment and death on those groups. I can walk or drive or shop without even thinking I might be singled out for racial profiling, and make no mistake that goes on every minute of every day in every corner of this country. Don't have to worry that some Karen might point at me and say "he looked like he was going to assault me officer, arrest him!". Please dont think I'm bragging about how good I have it because the point I am getting at is that I am well aware of my privilege and it bothers me. Makes me feel that guilt I mentioned earlier. I lived in Chicago abd works with Pic AND heard the stories of being pulled over for DWB(driving while black) WWB(walking while black) shopping while black. I drove and waljed and shopped in those same places and never got pulled over for DWW(driving while white) or anything but once for speeding and once for not wearing my seat belt. Never asked to step out of my car with both hands visible. Just sat and gave the cop my DL and proif of insurance, got my tickets and drove away. And the thought has never entered my mind when I have gotten pulled over for whatever reason that I needed to be afraid of the cop. One thing I do know is whatever conservative pundits and GQP politicians try to say. Dr Martin Luther King Jr. believed or stood for it wasn't the way things are now. But things need to change because as things stand now is unacceptable to anyone with even one ounce of empathy or compassion or humanity.
I, like you, have all the privilege that comes from being a 62 year-old, white guy. Been stopped for a few speeding tickets, no turn signal + breathalyzer I passed), and an expired license plate. Never been asked to get out of the car. I’m a liberal, raised by liberals, but since George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, I realize how little I’ve done to make anything better than it was 50 years ago. Those of us with privilege need to make a lot more “good trouble”.
I’m thinking the cops kinda got off on it. Sick fucks. The town I live in has started a program that seems like a good step forward. It, at least can get someone, besides a cop, on the scene that knows how to act in a situation like this. Deets are here:
https://cityofpetaluma.org/safe/
This kind of thing could help, I think.
It's not the sort of work that appeals much to nice people. Never has been.
I'm white, but I was the kid from the trailer park, so I got just a taste of the regular diet of abuse doled out to minorities. I learned that the policeman wasn't my friend when I was still in grade school - he was someone who might hurt you just for the hell of it.
The worst part is having to live in a society that practically worships cops and authority figures. I can barely watch TV these days because it's all bullshit pro-cop propaganda portraying those bastards as heroes.
Agreed! She's writing at a high level, craft wise, and I'm barely cobbling together bad dad takes ;) very true.
Minor copyedits: I think you left out "the fuck" in the penultimate line between "wake" & "up."
Also, "simplified retrospectives were very clear one the efficacy and efficiency of non-violent protest." - should be "on" I believe.
Dreaming & Waking..
I'm commenting on your writing quality and not the content, because its mind breaking and soul wrecking, and this numbed-out nightmare is one that no one no one wants to wake unto. Eyes tight shut
Never again should be modified to never again until the next time., and don't touch that dial bc it won't be long. I do my best to pay attention to what is happening in this nation and as much ad I can get of what is going on in other nations which gets more difficult by the day in both cases. But there is a price to pay for paying attention and not just tuning out. A mental price. An emotional price. A price in feeling guilt bc I am not doing enough to try and change things. A price for the time I won't get back wirrying about things I see that sicken me and take you out of life. But I am blessed in one way in particular. I am a white male. 66 years old. Not seen as a threat by every cop like young Black, Hispanic or "foriegn" looking men are usually seen as is reinfirced almost every day by police inflicting extra judicial punishment and death on those groups. I can walk or drive or shop without even thinking I might be singled out for racial profiling, and make no mistake that goes on every minute of every day in every corner of this country. Don't have to worry that some Karen might point at me and say "he looked like he was going to assault me officer, arrest him!". Please dont think I'm bragging about how good I have it because the point I am getting at is that I am well aware of my privilege and it bothers me. Makes me feel that guilt I mentioned earlier. I lived in Chicago abd works with Pic AND heard the stories of being pulled over for DWB(driving while black) WWB(walking while black) shopping while black. I drove and waljed and shopped in those same places and never got pulled over for DWW(driving while white) or anything but once for speeding and once for not wearing my seat belt. Never asked to step out of my car with both hands visible. Just sat and gave the cop my DL and proif of insurance, got my tickets and drove away. And the thought has never entered my mind when I have gotten pulled over for whatever reason that I needed to be afraid of the cop. One thing I do know is whatever conservative pundits and GQP politicians try to say. Dr Martin Luther King Jr. believed or stood for it wasn't the way things are now. But things need to change because as things stand now is unacceptable to anyone with even one ounce of empathy or compassion or humanity.
I, like you, have all the privilege that comes from being a 62 year-old, white guy. Been stopped for a few speeding tickets, no turn signal + breathalyzer I passed), and an expired license plate. Never been asked to get out of the car. I’m a liberal, raised by liberals, but since George Floyd and Breonna Taylor, I realize how little I’ve done to make anything better than it was 50 years ago. Those of us with privilege need to make a lot more “good trouble”.