Seven bullets from a police officer's gun
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riots to protest said officer's shooting of a young Black man (in the back! in front of his children!)
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17-year-old white supremacist from out of town on a spree for "Blue Lives Matter"
The post below, by Karen Shenfeld of Ontario, Canada, was written after yet more TV news of tragedy, this time about an unarmed Black man being shot by the police as he opens his car door and leans in towards his children
Roughly 16 years ago, I was standing with my then 11-year-old son along the shore of Lake Ontario in downtown Toronto. We were waiting for a boat to transport him over to a sailing camp on one of the Toronto Islands.
Waiting along with us was a father and son. At one point, I heard the father of the other boy make an incredibly racist and hate-filled statement to his son. I did not want to shame the father in front of his son, so I asked him to step aside and I told him privately that he should never utter statements such as this in front of his son or anyone else. The father was angry with me, but I was glad that I spoke my mind. I also spoke to my own son later that evening and explained to him why what the father had said was wrong and completely unacceptable.
It is difficult to know what one can really do about systemic racism. The problem seems so huge and unsolvable. Many problems in this world seem that way.
I decided long ago, however, that I would take whatever small personal steps that I could on many fronts to improve the world. I also try to examine my own self for residual feelings of prejudice.
I sometimes console myself that the good things that people do every single day are not newsworthy, and so the news gives us a distorted view of humankind. I hope that that is truly so.
But, man, the news has been so bleak of late!!! I was horrified to read that Kyle Rittenhouse had wanted to be a police officer. Some experts believe that it has been Donald Trump's views that have granted people implicit permission to commit these atrocities.
I did not speak out earlier about Black Lives Matter, because I felt that speaking out could be in some way a means to draw attention to myself, rather than the issue, which, as a White woman of privilege, living in a small rural village of 300, does not truly touch my personal life. But then I felt I had to say something, and this sad memory came back to me.
Well, I don't need to say a thing. Karen has said it.
I will ask something though - two things, actually:
How Many More Times Will Cops Kill/Maim Black Innocents???
Why Does A White Minor Feel Entitled To Shoot, At A Protest Against Police Brutality?
https://www.cnn.com/2020/08/27/us/kenosha-wisconsin-shooting-suspect/index.html