Tag Archive for riot

“A Child Shall Lead Them”

March 14, 2018 Comments Off on “A Child Shall Lead Them”

I’m posting this at exactly 10:00 my local time in solidarity with all those participating in the National Student Walkout.  Whether or not we’re for greater gun control, we have to respect what these kids are doing. They’re leaving school–most for a short period of time–to gather for one minute of silence honoring and remembering each of the 17 students gunned down a month ago today at Florida’s Stillman Douglas School.  They aren’t rioting, fighting, or destroying property, just being peaceful, serious, and respectful as they exercise their right to free speech.  What a lesson for adult protesters!

They’re participating in democracy, trying to make changes they believe important.  They’re not asking that people give up  their guns or making  vague demands.  They clearly are asking for three things: 1) ban assault weapons, 2) universal background checks, and 3) laws to disarm those who show signs of violence. This  clarity is another lesson adult protesters can learn from.

And they’re reminding Congress members that many of them will vote in the upcoming elections, and future voters among them will remember what Congress does–or doesn’t do.

I’m proud of our youth for doing this, and for those who disagree who, rather than interfere, simply don’t participate.  And for schools who allow this teaching moment, a teaching moment for youth and adults alike.

 

 

 

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Woman, Light a Fire!

January 23, 2017 Comments Off on Woman, Light a Fire!

Violence! Fighting! Rock-throwing! Vandalism! Fires!  These are common events at marches and protests.  There were 470,000 or so people in the Women’s March in DC (and many, many more in other cities, including my home town of San Jose, CA).  And what did they do?  The raised their voices to express their demands for justice, peace, and equality in our country. Women carried signs related to a multitude of social justice issues and expressed their displeasure with a President who has promised (and has already started) to set policies that they see as perpetuating social INjustice.  They sang and chanted, gave and listened to speeches, discussed issues with  those around them, became more and more determined.

They did not riot. Or destroy property.  Or attack each other.

My daughter and granddaughter attended.  My apolitical granddaughter decided  that giving up a planned snow trip and enduring the several-hour bus ride from their New Jersey home to DC was worth it, that this was an historical and meaningful event she wanted to participate in.  My daughter, more political, agreed, and off they went.  See pictures below.

There are several lessons here.  First, women united can light a fire that makes a difference.  Second, the next generation of adults care about the human family.  Third, protests can be peaceful, and they should be if participants are to be taken seriously.

I’m proud of my family’s involvement and of all the 470,000 people in DC and all the others who showed up and spoke up.

  

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Traditional Ash Wednesday Riot

February 18, 2015 Comments Off on Traditional Ash Wednesday Riot

A sanctioned riot on Ash Wednesday?  For most Western Christians, today is the day that kicks off a season of penance and atonement, reflecting Christ’s 40 days in the desert.  The kick-off in Ashbourne, England, is quite different, though.  It’s the second day (starting yesterday, Fat Tuesday–Shrove Tuesday to them) of a free-for-all soccer game that looks more like two mobs of rioters going at each other.

This Royal Shrovetide Football Match, also called “hugball,” is a tradition dating back to 1667 and involves hundreds of people and very few rules.  Read more about it at “This Soccer Match May Just Be the Craziest Ash Wednesday Tradition Ever.”

Not my cup of tea, I’m afraid.

 

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Manipulating Guilt and Innocence

December 1, 2014 Comments Off on Manipulating Guilt and Innocence

Think about who you would believe.  First, there’s a person whose TV and newspaper pictures show in various scenes: in a graduation gown, with earphones doing everyday things, and  among friends and family.  The other is shown alone, no family or friends around him, coming out of a police station or simply facing forward, almost in mug-shot pose except for the lack of  numbers across his chest.  You see these pictures again and again.  Unconsciously, if you’re like most people, you want to side with the everyday guy.  Especially if he’s a kid and the other guy is a cop.  Add in the details that the kid is Black and the cop works for a police force with a bad record of treatment toward Blacks.

That’s what we’ve been seeing.  And that’s the way the media typically presents situations, deciding which side to present in a better light.  Then we wonder why people get upset and riot when the media bad-guy doesn’t get what we think he deserves.

I don’t know if Officer Wilson was criminally wrong.  Nobody knows for sure.  Only the grand jury has seen most of the evidence.  And they didn’t clear Wilson of any wrongdoing; they only said there wasn’t enough evidence to bring him to trial.  I know only that the media, which has a duty to be unbiased and has failed that duty–is partly to blame for the damage, destruction, and disrupted lives due to the current riots and all other riots they’ve manipulated us into.

 

 

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Fight Injustice with a Bottle

August 12, 2014 Comments Off on Fight Injustice with a Bottle

The cops did it again!  They shot an unarmed kid in MO!  They claim it was self-defense, citing the supposed fact (for sure, all the people who said they saw this part are just cop-lovers) that the kid went inside the police car after the cop, which is when the first shot went off.  Then others, who really knew what was going on, say the kid was outside the car trying to surrender when the cop shot him again in cold blood.

Sure, they’ll investigate. But why wait to find out what actually happened, since they won’t be impartial anyway? Let’s show them how we deal with injustice.  I just threw a brick, breaking the window of that sporting goods store–I bet the owner is a dirty cop-lover and deserves what he gets.  So we all scramble in and take what we want from the goodies he sells, because we deserve it.  Another guy is throwing bottles at passing cars.  That’s good.  If they’re driving in this area they’re bigoted cop lovers who hate kids, and if one of them gets hit and crashes, so be it.  I hope a bus comes by–that time those other guys (they were protesting injustice, too) lit one on fire it was way cool.

This is America.  We have rights.  We demand justice.  And, look how we’re not afraid to stand up and show the world how we’re willing to fight for that justice!

Riot on!!!!!!

 

 

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