Yes, I just watched news here and I think that it’s more a social riot against a system, that always favors the rich powered by “covid-poverty” and stirred racism.
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I’m not a mod but I adjusted the title to not delve into that discussion and squash the intent of this thread.
It’d probably be for the best if we didn’t diverge this discussion on the current state of affairs in USA with such a long-term polarizing (for Americans) political grenade level topic. Not for the sake of stifling the opinions on that matter but rather to ensure the continuance of the original topic.
On Topic: Will update in this thread depending on how this evening’s affairs go in Houston.
Edit 2: Thanks for deleting the long tangent post @TGW
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@voidstrike A thousand apologies, I’ve run out of forum likes, otherwise I’d give you one (please don’t delete your post).
I am a white, heterosexual, English-speaking, U.S. born male. It would be easy for me to look the other way on issues that don’t directly affect me. The reality is that most police officers - or actually most people in authority in general - do treat me with far more respect than what I’ve witnessed (both personally and via media) when they’re dealing with non-whites.
I know for a fact that the treatment is distinctly different. My girlfriend is not Caucasian. Many of my friends that I grew up with were not Caucasian.
We go to a store together. Nobody follows me, nobody is watching me. Nobody ever asks me, “do you speak English?” “Where are you from?” “Are you a U.S. citizen?”
I’ve been pulled over several times for minor traffic violations. No police officer has ever approached my car with their weapons drawn. They’ve never gotten on their bullhorn and asked me to exit the vehicle with my hands in the air, lie down on the asphalt, spread my legs, etc., before getting out of their own vehicles. Never.
Sorry for the off-topic tangent, was just responding to a separate issue that I probably shouldn’t have.
I’ll also delete this one as well if anyone feels it’s controversial or off-topic.
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I think it’s spot-on topic 
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Okay, good. I was afraid it might be controversial to mention what I believe to be 100% absolutely real racial disparities in the U.S. that shouldn’t be ignored (because that has become a hot button political issue in and of itself).
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That’s certainly true but considering it’s the real message behind the legitimate protesters outrage, I think it’s fitting to mention.
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I could elaborate further with personal anecdotal evidence that I have seen and experienced firsthand as evidence to back up my opinion that institutional racism is still a very real thing in the U.S.; sad that I even have to do so, but as long as there are still powerful factions and outlets that continue to ignore the problem and pretend like it doesn’t exist at all… 
I am a white male American and I can personally confirm, beyond any shred of doubt in my mind, that all of the complaints risen by so-called “social justice” movements such as BLM, #metoo, etc., are 100%, undeniably legitimate complaints. I get called out by some, and labeled as a “traitor” for saying so. But it is the reality. And I can’t in good conscience begin to pretend otherwise.
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Locally for me in Boston, we’ve seen tens of thousands of peaceful protestors organize multiple gatherings and marches.
Our mayor, governor, and many elected local and state officials have also spoken out against the murder of George Floyd and discrimination and police violence, and in support of the protests.
We have, like many US cities, also experienced some destructive acts by a very small number of people.
On Sunday night it was a bit unnerving for me personally to have windows smashed on stores on our street, and to see news coverage of a police car set on fire next to our building (it was on the other side of our building, so we couldn’t see it directly from our windows).
But we stayed safely inside — a reminder of the privilege I have to feel safe in my home.
The National Guard has been deployed in Boston since Monday, which makes for some unusual sights seeing military vehicles driving around.
Those distracting acts aside, I would say things are quite fine in Boston — and in reference to the thread title, not so bad at all.
Peaceful demonstrations have continued today, both by denizen protestors, as well as a demonstration by a number of elected officials.
This feels, unfortunately, all too familiar — like yet another act of brutality in an endless string, followed by yet another round of justified outrage.
Perhaps because of how unsettled the world is in general right now, somehow it feels a little different this time — and I can only hope that some positive change finally comes from this.
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I think the part that worries me most is the lackluster and/or inflammatory response by some of our so-called “leaders”. The ones who have the power to address these issues. The ones who are ultimately responsible for keeping the peace. It worries me when our government’s first response is to unleash the military against its own people.
Meanwhile, the residents of Hong Kong are asking us to help them protect their own civil rights? 
The level of irony is… well. I can’t even.
x 1000
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Not only do I live in the U.S . I moved away from one of the hotbed states currently Lousiville, Kentucky. For people who want to base opinions on things without real knowledge lets take a few things into consideration and hopefully this sheds some light on this topics.
1- this is not new, To many men and women of all races but sadly way higher minority areas, have been incarcerated on false charges that have ruined whole families for decades, just now people have cameras to see it. If you never lived in a place like that don’t.
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I grew up on a small military town outside of Indianapolis Indiana, soldiers marry women from all lots of life, thus growing up early in life, I was blessed to know many different races and to live in a modern melting pot of strong family morals. Fast forward to lousivlle ky., A city with an illiteracy rate that is completely unimaginable for some but real none the less and racism so deep it still permeates loudly even today. I left there 14 years ago after suffering abuse from cops, racist people from all cultures and luckily am still alive where most people don’t make it past the age of 19.
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Remember people, a child can only live where there parents take them and what you have to deal with, wherever that may be, can totally change a person in good or bad ways. The cops there are some of the most corrupt in American history do some research.
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Before this terrible set of riots and looting I remember a guy by the name of Colen Kapernick who chose to address this problem, not by looting or having a crowded protest, but by simply taking a knee during the national anthem. Anyone familiar with the name will remember how this man was basically condemned by the whole country as well as anyone who followed his very quiet protest over the same issue most people have witnessed finally on national televsion. Death after death after death with no consequence to the officers against unarmed civilians and this is what we have now, a fed up society who would rather watch everything burn than to stand and do nothing anymore.
I dont support the looting nor rioting but to say I don’t understand it would be a lie. I despise the police with a passion and would turn the other cheek rather than help one more times than not. Why do I need to risk finding out if you are a good one or bad one when i can just have nothing to do with any of them? NO one is ever happy to see a cop arrive anywhere in the U.S. dont believe it? Sit in the passenger seat this week with random friends and remain quiet for a a minute or so and pretend to grap your seat belt and say the word Cop and see what the drivers response is.
Certain jobs in the world can’t afford a “few bad apples” especially when the consequence involves life in prison or death. If you agree with that then you are just as much a part of a problem as the problem itself. Until the races join together this will never stop. Anyone unlucky enough to be in one of these hotbed cities please, be safe. This is gonna get worse before it gets better and that is scary.
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Not sure if it was Lebron James or Will Smith but they summed it up perfectly “it is not that racism has increased, its just being caught on camera now”
I have lived in several areas of the US and this is a true statement pretty much everywhere in the US and has been pretty much since its founding.
The peaceful protests are completely legitimate and necessary. Unfortunately that is now being overshadowed by the violence and looting that has nothing to do with the real issue and takes coverage away from that issue. I have heard some of my less compassionate coworkers say “see look at the looting, the cops are justified in their actions” and have totally forgotten what the real issue that the protesters are rightfully demonstrating against.
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I think the beauty of our E & P world is that unless we declare our ethnicity, religion, age or sexual orientation, we are all the same - simply fellow game players. We are judged by our words and deeds certainly, but generally there is a feeling of acceptance and tolerance.
Perhaps the rest of the world should take a lesson from us 
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In a time of #playaparttogether, it’s nice to know that we as a gaming community can use the platform to inquire about the craziness happening in different parts of the world and we are not lead into falsely believing what is posted on social media and news streams…
Thank you @JonahTheBard and mods.
Thank you @voidstrike.
To all, please stay safe.
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I’m considering current events through the lens of history, specifically two things that stand out:
- Martin Luther King Jr’s massive effect on the Civil Rights movement and the huge changes that were wrought:
What Did Martin Luther King Do? - History
- The L.A. Riots and the negative changes that were wrought (we watched while Los Angeles destroyed their own neighborhoods with decades-long or longer effects)
I absolutely agree that all people have the right to protest unfair illegal immoral treatment and to demand justice. They should. And we should stand with them when the law has been broken. But I’m not convinced at all that “one bad deed deserves another”, or that breaking the law (rioting) will accomplish justice for the victims.
My two cents.
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This is sad but more common than one would expect, regardless of race or ■■■. Although hubby has become a volunteer cop in the past couple years and I raised our daughter to respect police, I personally have always expected the worst from my interactions with police. I’ve had my share of fake traffic stops and overly rude cops. Honestly, hubby hates for me to drive just in case I get pulled over. He’s afraid one day I’ll call the wrong cop on his BS. 
(I may be nice here on the forums but I do tend to get a little mouthy when you call me a liar…)
I will say, being a white, attractive female has probably gotten me out of many tickets. Hey, work with what gifts you have. LOL. But looks fade as you grow older and, hopefully, gets replaced by wisdom.
Now, I’ve gotten to know the cops in town that hubby works with. Most are pretty decent girls and guys. I cook dinner each weekend for those on duty and send enough cookies to the precinct for the entire weekend shift.
While I can’t change the entire world, I can at least start at home. I can work on my perspective and, maybe, influence theirs as well. Not sure it will change my entire outlook, but baby steps 
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Really no point in me expanding further on the racism aspect. As I’ve already stated, I’m a white man in America, and I know for a fact that racism is still quite prevalent here. And it sickens me, because I believe in the basic civil rights of all people. All people. I am not free unless everyone is free.
Whenever I witness a human being callously harming another seemingly innocent human being, without a really damn good reason for doing so, it makes me simultaneously both angry and nauseated. Every single time I witness an instance of needlessly cruel inhumanity, a small portion of my own humanity dies inside.
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We have curfews set in Salt Lake City right now. While I believe everyone should have a right to voice their displeasure in the midst of injustice, there’s a right way to do it and a wrong way. Being violent and destructive towards innocent individuals and businesses at the hands of your displaced anger does not help your cause. You descend further and further away from the cause of civil rights and become more and more like terrorists. Martin Luther King was never about using violence to further the cause. His spirit and his work is being marred by a few, who are misrepresenting the cause. We should never condemn the whole because of a few bad parts. Those bad parts on both sides of the spectrum need to be purged, and the other side needs to try to respect those efforts. Shall we not make a conscious effort to be better? To treat each other better?
There is enough heartache and sorrow in this life without our adding to it through our own stubbornness, bitterness, and resentment. We must let go of our grievances.
–Dieter F. Uchtdorf
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The color of the highlighted text hurts my eyes though. Maybe change it green?
Unfortunately that’s the only colour available…
Maybe that was a conscious design choice
I believe you spoke true and well, @voidstrike. Please, do not delete your post. People need to know that voice exists.
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