Above the fold
One Day Alice, One Day.
The set was a single bedroom apartment house in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, New York City in the ’60s. It was 328 Chauncery St. to be exact. The Kramden’s and the Norton’s lived there.
Outside, in the real world 1960’s, there were marches, demonstrations, protests, and riots for civil rights for minorities across the nation. In space, America flew and eventually landed on the moon.
On the set, and more than once, Ralph had had it with Alice. “You’re a riot Alice, You’re a regular riot. Hope they like those jokes on the moon, ’cause that’s where you’re goin.'”
This past Saturday America launched two astronauts into space with some fanfare. This past Saturday “regular” riots broke out across the nation for civil justice and the like.
It’s been 50 plus years and nothing has really changed, has it? We want to go back to the moon all the while the nation’s (pick from any or all of the following) “oppressed,” “underserved,” “prejudiced against,” “minority,” or “African Americans” are yelling that they are being targeted and/or left behind.
The George Floyd killing is another terrible reminder of how far we think we have come and how far so many think we have to go. We wonder if both groups are right on some level. But does the looting, the burning, and the violence from coast to coast lose the real message in the tear gas?
Friday night two looters tried desperately to balance five flat-screen TVs on a Target Store pull cart. 
They must share an apartment bigger than the Kramden’s had in Bensonhurst. Saturday night a woman helped herself to an entire cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory in Seattle. She didn’t even bother to put it in a to-go box. Last evening in Austin, thugs (what else do you want to call them?) set fire to a homeless man’s possessions right before his eyes. Once lit, they threw his mattress in just to stoke the flames.
Speaking of stoking the flames, the Minneapolis mayor threw gasoline on the situation calling what he saw on the video “a murder” and suggesting that “the cop should be arrested right now.” Does anyone disagree? No. But if ever a case needed to be sure that “t’s” were crossed and “I’s” were dotted, it’s this one. No mistakes in the procedure to secure an arrest warrant could be made. If the case was ever thrown out on a technicality, lookout.
But he jumped the gun, and it swung the door wide open to take to the streets. He told the cops to stand down. And, when he pulled the cops from the Third District Station, that was subsequently burned down, he effectively gave the keys to the city to the inflamed. The subsequent arrest of the rogue cop is lost as an afterthought now.
The very noble cry of ending unjust acts of violence on the innocent was drowned out by people committing unjust acts of violence on the innocent. Ninety-nine point nine percent of America watched. It’s the 0.1% that should be tossed in jail.
The wash, rinse, and repeat reminds us of “gun control.” Somebody shoots and kills way too many people in a school, church, or club. “We need gun control reform in America!” “No, we don’t.” After a week, the noise dies down, and we go back to what we were doing.
If America is that bad to live in, maybe some who feel that way should leave? We aren’t suggesting it. We wonder why they don’t. People from many walks of life walk to our border to get in, not out. If you want to stay, burning it down isn’t the answer any more than putting your knee on someone’s throat is.
Will this time be any different? We can hope, but that won’t do much. Before you know it another 50 years will have passed by.
“One day Alice, one day.”
Comment section
Engage. Enrage. Enjoy.
In April, “stay safe” meant to wear a mask a give me 6 feet.
In May, “stay safe” meant to stay inside with you AR-15 loaded to combat “peaceful protesters.”
In June, “stay safe” means to wear a condom because we just started Pride Month. Doctor’s orders.
Stay safe.
The noise won’t die down, what’s happening has legs and needs to run. The argument you don’t like it leave is old and tiresome. That’s the viewpoint of those not being oppressed living in a system built for their benefit. The rational that many walk to our boarder to get in (and are turned away) doesn’t mean change doesn’t need to happen. Leaving is not the answer or a possibility for many.
This country was built on riots and looting. The colonists didn’t ask politely for independence from the crown they started a war. People are done asking politely.
Approved as written for all to see. It’s comments like these that make this site what it is. Robust debate is healthy.
Lawlessness isn’t. At least there is room at the jail after we saved lives letting criminals out to avoid COVID-19.
Half of these thugs have no idea why they’re even in the streets.
You will always have individuals that take advantage of the situation for any occasion. That’s not right and those people are the outliers that are taking advantage of a bad situation. However, lets not compare the property and material things being destroyed (insured) to a human life (not insured). That’s a cop out excuse to overlook the real root of what’s happening in America. Focus on the real issue not the outliers and the conversation moves forward not back.
“Forward” is a direction that can take many paths. One detour is when innocent cops in Vegas and STL are shot. That is a very direct comparison. Looting, which is a nice word for breaking and entering and stealing is a criminal offense. It detracts but doesn’t stop the path forward.
So the conversation moves “forward” when we label criminal looters “outliers”, and a rogue murderous cop the “real issue”. I would argue that the cop is an “outlier” among thousands of good cops, but that may not “forward” the conversation. The conversation is only “forwarded” by agreeing with the other side? I don’t think so.
Point and now counterpoint.
Is George Floyd an outlier of how blacks are treated in America? Yes or No. Have you benefited from white privilege growing up in this country? Yes or No.
Moving forward can consist of many different paths. Those taking advantage of the situation with criminal activities have no place, focusing on them as a talking point and not black lives matter is for white privileged people who don’t understand or want to understand what the conversation is about.
Quick question and a honest to goodness one, are you white privileged and understand what the black community suffers through? And if you do, why don’t so many others? Is education the key to it all?
I am 100% white privileged. Are you? I will never ever understand what the black community suffers through but I’m willing to listen and learn and promote the need for change based on these learnings. Hope you can say the same.
I can only say that I’m 100% white as far as I know. I do feel very privileged to have grown up in America with two great parents and an educational system that gave me a wonderful chance to advance as far as I could in the working world.
I’d like to think other Americans, regardless of color, got some/most of the same benefit.
And where do the other races weigh in on that subject? The silence is deafening on that front. They don’t seem to feel so oppressed. Why? It’s a very very important question-why? Tomorrow morning we’ll examine that a bit we hope. We will see. Our staff is currently running ragged covering all of the peaceful protests.
“I’d like to think other Americans, regardless of color, got some/most of the same benefit.” that is where we differ significantly. Every step of the process people of color are not offered even close to the same benefit white people are. Good chat.
Indeed. It’s part of why I hope this site will expand its viewership and interaction. Superficial stabs at complex topics are worthless. Thanks.
The colonist started a war with the oppressor, not their neighbor down the street that owns the local pharmacy.
I get it that blacks and browns are sometimes victims of bad racist cops. Half of the looters are young white men. How are the white rioters being oppressed? Please educate this deplorable.
We love the back and forth and think that your reply deserves a reply. Hope it happens.
Part of the destruction in these downtown areas is no doubt earmarked for next months flea market. We all know that they have to sell the stolen TV’s somewhere.
They’ll wear themselves out soon. It’s like Forrest Gump, he got tired and stopped running.
The answer to your 2 questions is Yes and No.
It seems we all agree on 2 things:
1. What the Minneapolis Cop did to George Floyd was inexcusable and should be tried for murder by a jury of his peers. I don’t dismiss or condone it
2. What rioters and looters are doing is theft, assault, battery and murder and should be tried by a jury of their peers. I don’t dismiss or condone it.
In America in 2019, ten million arrests were made and the number of unarmed black Americans killed was 9. Whites killed, 19. Cops killed by suspects, 89. So, yes, I believe 9 out of 10,000,000 is an outlier. But it is still 9 too many, and saying George Floyd’s death is an outlier does not diminish the fact that it was a wrongful death. I believe all 117 of these killings were unfortunate, unnecessary and we should all strive for 0 in 2020 and beyond.
As far as ‘white privilege’, I think I’ve benefited throughout my life by ‘hard work’ privilege. When I was born, my parents had $12 to their name. I took out loans just like my black classmates to pay for medical school. Today, I have a small business that I started 22 years ago while working 3 jobs to cover the expenses before I saw one penny of profit. I now employ 12 people including 2 African-Americans, 2 Mexican Americans, 3 Puerto Rican-Americans, 1 Immigrant from the UK, and 4 ‘White Privilege’ Americans. I interviewed and hired the best talent for the job which had nothing to do with the color of my or their skin. I refer my white, brown and black patients to my colleagues who are white, brown or black based on their expertise, not their skin color. So, no, I have never benefited from ‘white privilege’, only hard work privilege.
This seems well thought out and well intended. Two pillars of BBR are engage and enrage. This subject accomplished both. Hope that we can get to the enjoy soon.
1,0000 people were killed by police last year, of that 24% of those were blacks despite making up 13% of the population. Being black in America is considered a crime when it comes to law enforcement and the pre conceived views and treatment afforded to them.
The fact that you don’t feel you have white privilege or have never benefited from white privileged is exactly the problem. You grew up in an America that opens doors to white privileged males like yourself which is why you view it through your white lens. Loans, schooling acceptance, professors, business applications, clients, the list is endless. Those that don’t see themselves as white privilege or view their success purely as a product of “hard work” do it because it serves them not to see it. We come to feel entitled to that advantage. We’re told that we deserve it and that we earned it, and we take great umbrage when that is challenged. Sadly many including yourself seem threatened by this idea you made it where you are in life by anything besides “hard work privilege.” Congrats on leading your business in a way that looks at talent first. Ask that diverse work force their honest thoughts on white privilege In America and maybe that will open your eyes more than I can on how you have benefited because you are white.
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