Some Thoughts On The Rioting

This is all becoming quite reminiscent of the riots of 1967 and 1968. Bunch of people killed in 1967 in those riots and thousands were injured. 1968 was another very bad year with lots of riots and other disturbances mostly related to race and the war in Vietnam. Of course, some were started due to the assassination of MLK but there were plenty of others. I remember watching them on TV and going up on our roof to watch the flames and smoke coming from neighborhoods only a couple to a few miles away. I also remember seeing a brick with a ten or twenty dollar bill attached that had been filmed by a news crew. Supposedly another news crew did that to try to get folks to hurl bricks at authorities so they could get a good shot and a story. Don't know if any of it was true or not though but can say without a doubt the media was scum then and is worse today.

Some crazy goings on back then for sure. Hope this current situation does not become as bad but today's politicians and bureaucrats are inept as ever (maybe probably more so today) and have learned little if anything from the past. Thus, I fear the past may repeat itself currently and this situation even may explode far beyond what it is now and beyond what it was back then. What with folks having been cooped up for so long and already angry at the government on all levels, the hot weather already upon some parts of the US, this apparently senseless killing of George Floyd, the recent killing of Ahmaud Arbery - it is one very bad explosive mixture that has lots of potential to become much worse. I hope not though but am keeping my self-defense equipment at the ready just in case.

On a personal note, I have experienced some - how shall I call it - I suppose racial resentment from folks is the way to say it. That from folks I have greeted in a friendly manner in the local park while out with my mongrel for a walk. One guy growled a hello back to me through clenched teeth with a look of abject anger on his face when I said good morning to him yesterday, he tensed up and I believe he balled his fists; he got me a bit concerned but he kept going. A woman today gave me a definite nasty look, pursing her face and frowning at me, when I said "hi" to her as we passed one another in the park. Racial tensions are obviously quite high even where there are no riots. Truly a sad/bad time for all of us in the USA. 

All the best,
Glenn B

The George Floyd Controversy Astonishes Me...

...or should I say the support that the police officers involved are getting from some, especially other law enforcement officers (thankfully a minority it seems ), befuddles me. I find it very hard to believe that anyone who has seen the video of the restraint used on this man (can be seen at: https:// www.facebook .com /cuapb.org/ posts/10158114619252221 - I put it in this way so you can copy and paste the address - just remember to eliminate the 4 spaces and I think you have to be logged into Facebook) and who has read the criminal complaint (looks to be genuine but I cannot say for sure), can say that Floyd caused his own death and or can otherwise show support for the officers.

Supposedly when he became unresponsive, one of the officers reportedly attempted to take his pulse but then said he could not find one. For almost a full two (2) minutes after that, the officer kneeling on his neck allegedly did not get up off of his neck or seemingly relieve any of the pressure on Mr. Floyd's neck. Again, that supposedly was after he became unresponsive and no pulse was found! Listen to the guy in the video begging for the officers to get off him and check his pulse because he obviously was unresponsive. I find it outrageous that evidently no relief was given, that no attempt to see if he was responsive was made and that no attempt was made to try to give him CPR or otherwise revive him. 

Now cities burn and a police station has been abandoned to rioters and essentially destroyed due in part to a what I believe is a total dereliction of duty and responsibility by law enforcement and elected officials; of course it is mainly due to the thugs perpetuating it but the officials are allowing it to continue essentially unabated, I believe due to either ineptness or politics or both! What next - more lives lost with officials looking the other way! This is government at its worst and government once again has proven itself pretty much useless and in need of replacement. Get the bums out and put into place someone with some spine, grit and ethics.

All the best,
Glenn B