The main stream media has been quick to find divides and controversy about the roots of racism in statements by Trump Administration and other officials in addressing the widespread looting and violence that has sprung out of the otherwise rightful and legal public protests of the killing of George Floyd by a policeman in Minneapolis. Liberal officials and the media focus on what they call “systemic racism” as causing the death of Floyd and other people of color at the hands of scoflaw police officers; while National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien has referenced “bad apples” in police departments being the culprits.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The distinction is important because it goes to the response. If there are bad apples in police departments (and the evidence shows there are bad apples in police departments), as in all walks of life, you need to root them out, especially in police departments, and not hire them in the first place.
Yet extending the question to “systemic racism” takes us to another place. Systemic racism implies that there is much more than just “bad apples” as a root cause of George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis. It means, essentially, that nearly everyone not of color is racist, and that the racist majority in control are making racist decisions routinely in managing police departments and everything else, and people are being killed because of it.
It is hard to believe that a nation that was 72% white as a result of the 2010 Census would have elected a black president in 2008 and 2012 and still be systemically racist or driven by “white supremacy.” It also seems an incredible charge that major cities and police departments in our nation foment or tolerate “systemic racism.” These cities are almost entirely controlled by liberals, with people of color in prominent positions of leadership and power. It is hard to believe a claim by politicians and the media that a city led by a strong black Mayor, such as Chicago, where African-American David Brown also serves in the top job of Superintendent of Police, allows for “systemic racism.”
A survey of the 20 biggest cities in America reveals people of color populate most of the positions of power. If there is “systemic racism” in these cities, it would be because people of color who control these cities are enabling it. Among the biggest 20 cities, the top police officials of Chicago, Phoenix, Philadelphia, Fort Worth, Charlotte, San Francisco, Indianapolis and Seattle are African-Americans. Of these, the black chiefs of Phoenix, Dallas and Seattle are also women. Add that the top police officials of Houston, San Jose, Jacksonville, and El Paso are Latino. Over half the leaders of police departments in our nation’s largest cities are people of color.
People of color not only lead the majority of the nation’s largest cities police forces; 80% of these cities top political leadership are also Democrats. Of the top 20, 16 are led by Democratic Mayors, many of them quite liberal, and only 4 are managed by Republican Mayors, (San Diego, Jacksonville, Fort Worth and El Paso).
It defies credulity that the leadership of America’s top 20 cities, led by Democrats and people of color, many of which have seen police departments essentially hand-cuffed while horrible looting and property destruction of small business at the hands of rioting on the back of the George Floyd protests, are engaging in systemic racism. If systemic racism is indeed being either embraced or enabled in these cities, it would logically have to be empowered by liberals and people of color; and not Republicans, hardly “White Supremacists” and surely not President Trump.
Do I have your permission to fight to have this printed in our town newspaper in Eureka, CA? This is a very liberal town in need of powerful truth like this. I do have credentials to support my request, but I won’t use this public a forum to share it with you..
We allow allow fair use with attribution.
Annette, I grew up in Fortuna, in the 50’s and 60’s, sad to see what has happened to Eureka. Best to you.
At first I was sympathetic with the original city’s protest. It soon became apparent that the entire issues became hijacked by criminal elements and radical Socialists.
After becoming disgusted with idiots like Garcetti who because of politics refused to a) take the necessary stances with criminals and street closures, and b) only when pushed into calling in mutual aid and the National Guard because he and his sympathetic jerks let it get out of hand, there came an understanding.
It is the Black Community and Hispanic Communities that have to take full responsibility for 99% of everything. Since the Watts riots these ethnic and racial neighborhoods have refused to change their attitudes about law and order. Regardless of how emotional it is to change and give up control they are going to have to change. I have good friends who are law enforcement and “minorities.” They will tell you going into a Black or Hispanic neighborhood there is a level of concern and discomfort. That is from those who grew up there.
A friend, who was a Chicago Cop, told me he could go into most Anglo/White neighborhoods and seldom felt concern. A retired Hispanic Officer (born and raised kid) left Calif. and his culture because he could no longer stand the excuses and attitudes. Where did he go? Utah, and an almost 100% Anglo community.
There you go. A lousy individual who should have been fired caused this. If there was not this anti police and authority attitude he would have stood out like a sore thumb. Instead he was tolerated because he would go where many would not.
Considering the left has been trying to garner votes from the people of color for over 50 years, making promises it can’t keep and growing now more frustrated that they are being pigeonholed by the very folks the want to vote for them, it has come down to this……We the left are losing, big time…..so now bros and sis and all you meat heads who got nuff’n to do, get out there on the streets and let our street smart criminals show you the freedom of dumping on all ordinary Americans, damage the lives, property and their biz, make them like you, bring them down to your worthless level and tell them it’s for the good of the party or whatever phony useless blather your espouse…then show them how you lick your own crotch to make yourself feel good after some tokes and a snort…Communism just plain sucks,,,History proves it…
I am what they call Black,; if you look at Blacks who rule in Africa and in Haiti, most of their overnmrnts are Corrupt. They lust for Power and Riches. It’s not about the citizens. Corruption and evil has no Color.
I am what they call Black,; if you look at Blacks who rule in Africa and in Haiti, most of their governmrnts are Corrupt. They lust for Power and Riches. It’s not about the citizens. Corruption and evil has no Color.
Show me one human that isn’t ‘racist’. As a society, America today isn’t too bad but no one is perfect and that perfection will NEVER happen, IMHO.
What turns my stomach is the three witnesses who did Nothing!! One guy was out of control, clearly, but why didn’t his coworkers shove him off the victim, or the video photographer? Could no one see this was turning fatal?? Crowd apathy! Makes me sick!
Take responsibility for your position of power! Protect it! Use it wisely, or lose it.
Then we all lose!!
The problem is not racism. The problem is not treating everyone the same.
But isn’t “not treating everyone the same” because of biased profiling racism?? & when it exists nationwide in every dept, part, section & arena of law enforcement & the judicial branch, then doesn’t that make it “systemic racism”??
Realistically, systemic racism should be the preference, because that means the problem is not individuals, personal or the “evil” cops, but rather, the crisis is the consequence of police being set up to fail by a broken strategy, insufficient training, negligent oversight, inappropriate obligations, dysfunctional environments, destructive policies & unproductive actions. Which is why police reform doesn’t think cops are evil but focuses to address, fix & improve the program cause the individual cops aren’t bad nor the reason for the problems… & yet, police supporters cling to this “bad apples” theory which actually confirms & fuels an anti-cop hatred they oppose.
Why was he on the ground? What did he do to get stopped by the police? Did he resist? And another 10 questions need answers.
All good questions. I searched the internet extensively for answers and found some information that only raises more questions. I found a video that shows George Floyd handcuffed and being sat down on the sidewalk with his back to the wall. Article says it came from a surveillance camera. The only other video I could find is, of course, the one showing George Floyd on the ground up against the right rear tire of the police vehicle with the officer’s knee on his neck. Why no video showing him being stood up to be put in the police car? The article stated that he was arrested for trying to use a phony ID. The only reason I can think of as to why he was on the ground by the rear tire is that when the police attempted to put him in the vehicle, he resisted and was put on the ground. Not an uncommon tactic by police. Once he was controlled the officer should have gotten off of his neck. Did he deserve to die, No, but again too many questions remain.
Where did the body camera footage go? Did the four policemen actually have bodycams? I would like to see those videos. Jumping to conclusions by the media, although kneeling on George’s neck was very conclusive, and not taking into consideration of the results of the autopsy before accusations of murder were put in place, is wrong. If we come to find that George died of natural causes as a result of drug use, or other actions, then the media will have another full blown crisis to report, and one that frees the police. I don’t condemn anyone until the facts of the case come to fruition. That said, a jury of peers gets to decide the outcome and I put my faith and answers in their decision.
Today we have the media convicting policemen prior to their day in court. When the media gets it wrong, then upheaval erupts even more.
Well, now that it is August 13, and the police body cam video has been released from BEFORE the knee on the neck, it is clear that George Floyd was resisting arrest and even asked to be put on the ground, PLUS he was very high on fentanyl and meth. As the picture becomes broader, it is obvious that this was not a racist act, and maybe even not an act of murder because it appears (although it is not certain) that Floyd died from cardiac arrest likely caused by the extreme amount of fentanyl in his system.
The only way to end racism in the U.S.A and worldwide is to cut off the head of the racist snake wherever you come across it. And I come across it in this crap website more often than the racist pig bitch who was impeached a second time for insurrection grabs someone’s pussy or dick or utters a racist comment. All those racist mother fuckers who claim to be conservative are the biggest spreaders of racism and hate in the U.S.A. The problem with these racist scoundrel is that they have the same problem that the terrorists who stormed the Capitol have. They think they own the U.S.A and the entire world. I haven’t seen any racist mother fucker in this crap website bragging that they took part in the terrorist attack…And I am 100% sure you were involved in the planning of the riots one way or another, racist cowards mother fuckers.