White Privilege

Dial it back a bit maybe. There's only one person clearly attacking another personally and it won't end well for you if you want to keep posting. Disagree with people all you want, but quit belittling them and their profession.

OnWis97 said:

cblock4life said:

mcgruff10 said:

mace1229 said:

mcgruff10 said:

cblock4life said:

What I want to say to you after some of your posts takes us back to square one.  I have NO desire to correspond with you and I certainly owe you no explanations.  

I know I'm just a teacher but i would like to know why you think it is ok to advocate for violence towards the police and what positive change such an action could have.  Again just a teacher trying to navigate my way through the fluff.  
Signed the guy always commenting on everything without even remembering what I said...just writing to participate with no critical recall.

It could be worse. Could be a PE “teacher.”

It's so weird to me when people on the forum bring up my profession.  Is that a defense mechanism?  I honestly don't give a shit what everyone does for a living.  Like if you are a garbagemen is your opinion less important?  Should we all post our educational credentials moving forward?

You’ve mentioned that you’re a teacher 80 times in the last year and you are quite defensive about it. You’ve made sure everyone knows you’re a teacher and I respect teachers more than you’ll ever know....I was a school administrator.
i couldn’t have taught, like doctors, nurses - it takes special people to do these jobs.  Don’t blame us for your constant reminders about you being a teacher.  If you do that because you’re proud of it, well that’s ok, you should be proud. 
And all peoples opinions matter. 

I don't usually get into the spats of others,but...my god I hope you just threw out a guess and don't actually know the count.

mace1229 said:

rgambs said:

mace1229 said:

Saw a crowd chanting “hands up don’t shoot” on TV. Made me wonder, why are they chanting that? Are they aware that was determined to not happen, and didn’t even the witness who first stated that recant his statement?
Does that mean they believe it was a cover up, do they not know that didn’t happen? Another reason?

I guess you forgot about Charles Kinsey?  
"I can't breathe"
"Hands up don't shoot"
"Rough rides" 
"It's just my wallet"
These events aren't one-off occurrences even if you only see the biggest headlines.  It's everyday life for black people in America.

No, I only asked about 1 chant. It has nothing to with the others you listed. Now I’m remembering why I avoid trying to have a simple conversation here.

I understand the events aren’t one-off. But does Hands up don’t shoot not refer specially to MB?

Well, maybe it did a few years ago, but BLM has grown a considerable amount since Michael Brown.  

Barack Obama posted this today on Facebook. If only our dear leader could put words together like this:

As millions of people across the country take to the streets and raise their voices in response to the killing of George Floyd and the ongoing problem of unequal justice, many people have reached out asking how we can sustain momentum to bring about real change.

Ultimately, it’s going to be up to a new generation of activists to shape strategies that best fit the times. But I believe there are some basic lessons to draw from past efforts that are worth remembering.

First, the waves of protests across the country represent a genuine and legitimate frustration over a decades-long failure to reform police practices and the broader criminal justice system in the United States. The overwhelming majority of participants have been peaceful, courageous, responsible, and inspiring. They deserve our respect and support, not condemnation – something that police in cities like Camden and Flint have commendably understood.

On the other hand, the small minority of folks who’ve resorted to violence in various forms, whether out of genuine anger or mere opportunism, are putting innocent people at risk, compounding the destruction of neighborhoods that are often already short on services and investment and detracting from the larger cause. I saw an elderly black woman being interviewed today in tears because the only grocery store in her neighborhood had been trashed. If history is any guide, that store may take years to come back. So let’s not excuse violence, or rationalize it, or participate in it. If we want our criminal justice system, and American society at large, to operate on a higher ethical code, then we have to model that code ourselves.

Second, I’ve heard some suggest that the recurrent problem of racial bias in our criminal justice system proves that only protests and direct action can bring about change, and that voting and participation in electoral politics is a waste of time. I couldn’t disagree more. The point of protest is to raise public awareness, to put a spotlight on injustice, and to make the powers that be uncomfortable; in fact, throughout American history, it’s often only been in response to protests and civil disobedience that the political system has even paid attention to marginalized communities. But eventually, aspirations have to be translated into specific laws and institutional practices – and in a democracy, that only happens when we elect government officials who are responsive to our demands.

Moreover, it’s important for us to understand which levels of government have the biggest impact on our criminal justice system and police practices. When we think about politics, a lot of us focus only on the presidency and the federal government. And yes, we should be fighting to make sure that we have a president, a Congress, a U.S. Justice Department, and a federal judiciary that actually recognize the ongoing, corrosive role that racism plays in our society and want to do something about it. But the elected officials who matter most in reforming police departments and the criminal justice system work at the state and local levels.

It’s mayors and county executives that appoint most police chiefs and negotiate collective bargaining agreements with police unions. It’s district attorneys and state’s attorneys that decide whether or not to investigate and ultimately charge those involved in police misconduct. Those are all elected positions. In some places, police review boards with the power to monitor police conduct are elected as well. Unfortunately, voter turnout in these local races is usually pitifully low, especially among young people – which makes no sense given the direct impact these offices have on social justice issues, not to mention the fact that who wins and who loses those seats is often determined by just a few thousand, or even a few hundred, votes.

So the bottom line is this: if we want to bring about real change, then the choice isn’t between protest and politics. We have to do both. We have to mobilize to raise awareness, and we have to organize and cast our ballots to make sure that we elect candidates who will act on reform.

Finally, the more specific we can make demands for criminal justice and police reform, the harder it will be for elected officials to just offer lip service to the cause and then fall back into business as usual once protests have gone away. The content of that reform agenda will be different for various communities. A big city may need one set of reforms; a rural community may need another. Some agencies will require wholesale rehabilitation; others should make minor improvements. Every law enforcement agency should have clear policies, including an independent body that conducts investigations of alleged misconduct. Tailoring reforms for each community will require local activists and organizations to do their research and educate fellow citizens in their community on what strategies work best.

But as a starting point, I’ve included two links below. One leads to a report and toolkit developed by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and based on the work of the Task Force on 21st Century Policing that I formed when I was in the White House. And if you’re interested in taking concrete action, we’ve also created a dedicated site at the Obama Foundation to aggregate and direct you to useful resources and organizations who’ve been fighting the good fight at the local and national levels for years.

I recognize that these past few months have been hard and dispiriting – that the fear, sorrow, uncertainty, and hardship of a pandemic have been compounded by tragic reminders that prejudice and inequality still shape so much of American life. But watching the heightened activism of young people in recent weeks, of every race and every station, makes me hopeful. If, going forward, we can channel our justifiable anger into peaceful, sustained, and effective action, then this moment can be a real turning point in our nation’s long journey to live up to our highest ideals.

Let’s get to work.

benjs said:

cblock4life said:

mcgruff10 said:

mace1229 said:

mcgruff10 said:

cblock4life said:

What I want to say to you after some of your posts takes us back to square one.  I have NO desire to correspond with you and I certainly owe you no explanations.  

I know I'm just a teacher but i would like to know why you think it is ok to advocate for violence towards the police and what positive change such an action could have.  Again just a teacher trying to navigate my way through the fluff.  
Signed the guy always commenting on everything without even remembering what I said...just writing to participate with no critical recall.

It could be worse. Could be a PE “teacher.”

It's so weird to me when people on the forum bring up my profession.  Is that a defense mechanism?  I honestly don't give a shit what everyone does for a living.  Like if you are a garbagemen is your opinion less important?  Should we all post our educational credentials moving forward?

You’ve mentioned that you’re a teacher 80 times in the last year and you are quite defensive about it. You’ve made sure everyone knows you’re a teacher and I respect teachers more than you’ll ever know....I was a school administrator.
i couldn’t have taught, like doctors, nurses - it takes special people to do these jobs.  Don’t blame us for your constant reminders about you being a teacher.  If you do that because you’re proud of it, well that’s ok, you should be proud. 
And all peoples opinions matter. 

I've been chatting with mcgruff for quite some time now. When he brings up his being a teacher, I've noticed it's one of three reasons typically - to explain the perspective he comes from (sharing anecdotes others may not have access to), responding to others who very regularly try to bait a response out of him by saying "how can you as a teacher *insert thing here*", or in response to people belittling his credibility. For right or for wrong, if in the same position, I'd probably be arguing similarly to mcgruff. 

Mcgruff possesses symptoms of “Male Teacher Stigma”.  I worked with our superintendent implementing and obtaining state and federal grant money to address the syndrome in our district.  You know, well he’ll understand the “academic” vocabulary, seminars, round tables, exercises, and even building into the district curriculum, making sure our male students feel worthy in their future career and life choices, how to be comfortable in your own skin.  It’s a real thing and the majority of male teachers, too few unfortunately, and students found our program extremely helpful.  If his district doesn’t have counselors or a program in place he should speak with his superintendent or immediate supervisor, department lead, even his union rep.  
Ive found him to be extremely insightful, knowledgeable, and helpful regarding his teaching experiences. We are having a disagreement right now in a place that we are told is not a chat room. As far as I’m concerned the spar is over.  Honestly I probably have more in common with him than most of you.  If I was going to be an asshole or troll (which I don’t even know what that means I’m so  social networking challenged) don’t you think I would have jumped on it sooner? I’m a woman by the way, not “dude” (I’ll address that comment soon).

mcgruff10 said:

I miss this guy so much.  If only our dear leader could put words together like this:

As millions of people across the country take to the streets and raise their voices in response to the killing of George Floyd and the ongoing problem of unequal justice, many people have reached out asking how we can sustain momentum to bring about real change.

Ultimately, it’s going to be up to a new generation of activists to shape strategies that best fit the times. But I believe there are some basic lessons to draw from past efforts that are worth remembering.

First, the waves of protests across the country represent a genuine and legitimate frustration over a decades-long failure to reform police practices and the broader criminal justice system in the United States. The overwhelming majority of participants have been peaceful, courageous, responsible, and inspiring. They deserve our respect and support, not condemnation – something that police in cities like Camden and Flint have commendably understood.

On the other hand, the small minority of folks who’ve resorted to violence in various forms, whether out of genuine anger or mere opportunism, are putting innocent people at risk, compounding the destruction of neighborhoods that are often already short on services and investment and detracting from the larger cause. I saw an elderly black woman being interviewed today in tears because the only grocery store in her neighborhood had been trashed. If history is any guide, that store may take years to come back. So let’s not excuse violence, or rationalize it, or participate in it. If we want our criminal justice system, and American society at large, to operate on a higher ethical code, then we have to model that code ourselves.

Second, I’ve heard some suggest that the recurrent problem of racial bias in our criminal justice system proves that only protests and direct action can bring about change, and that voting and participation in electoral politics is a waste of time. I couldn’t disagree more. The point of protest is to raise public awareness, to put a spotlight on injustice, and to make the powers that be uncomfortable; in fact, throughout American history, it’s often only been in response to protests and civil disobedience that the political system has even paid attention to marginalized communities. But eventually, aspirations have to be translated into specific laws and institutional practices – and in a democracy, that only happens when we elect government officials who are responsive to our demands.

Moreover, it’s important for us to understand which levels of government have the biggest impact on our criminal justice system and police practices. When we think about politics, a lot of us focus only on the presidency and the federal government. And yes, we should be fighting to make sure that we have a president, a Congress, a U.S. Justice Department, and a federal judiciary that actually recognize the ongoing, corrosive role that racism plays in our society and want to do something about it. But the elected officials who matter most in reforming police departments and the criminal justice system work at the state and local levels.

It’s mayors and county executives that appoint most police chiefs and negotiate collective bargaining agreements with police unions. It’s district attorneys and state’s attorneys that decide whether or not to investigate and ultimately charge those involved in police misconduct. Those are all elected positions. In some places, police review boards with the power to monitor police conduct are elected as well. Unfortunately, voter turnout in these local races is usually pitifully low, especially among young people – which makes no sense given the direct impact these offices have on social justice issues, not to mention the fact that who wins and who loses those seats is often determined by just a few thousand, or even a few hundred, votes.

So the bottom line is this: if we want to bring about real change, then the choice isn’t between protest and politics. We have to do both. We have to mobilize to raise awareness, and we have to organize and cast our ballots to make sure that we elect candidates who will act on reform.

Finally, the more specific we can make demands for criminal justice and police reform, the harder it will be for elected officials to just offer lip service to the cause and then fall back into business as usual once protests have gone away. The content of that reform agenda will be different for various communities. A big city may need one set of reforms; a rural community may need another. Some agencies will require wholesale rehabilitation; others should make minor improvements. Every law enforcement agency should have clear policies, including an independent body that conducts investigations of alleged misconduct. Tailoring reforms for each community will require local activists and organizations to do their research and educate fellow citizens in their community on what strategies work best.

But as a starting point, I’ve included two links below. One leads to a report and toolkit developed by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and based on the work of the Task Force on 21st Century Policing that I formed when I was in the White House. And if you’re interested in taking concrete action, we’ve also created a dedicated site at the Obama Foundation to aggregate and direct you to useful resources and organizations who’ve been fighting the good fight at the local and national levels for years.

I recognize that these past few months have been hard and dispiriting – that the fear, sorrow, uncertainty, and hardship of a pandemic have been compounded by tragic reminders that prejudice and inequality still shape so much of American life. But watching the heightened activism of young people in recent weeks, of every race and every station, makes me hopeful. If, going forward, we can channel our justifiable anger into peaceful, sustained, and effective action, then this moment can be a real turning point in our nation’s long journey to live up to our highest ideals.

Let’s get to work.

Who is the author, Obama? ^

cincybearcat said:

cblock4life said:

benjs said:

cblock4life said:

mcgruff10 said:

mace1229 said:

mcgruff10 said:

cblock4life said:

What I want to say to you after some of your posts takes us back to square one.  I have NO desire to correspond with you and I certainly owe you no explanations.  

I know I'm just a teacher but i would like to know why you think it is ok to advocate for violence towards the police and what positive change such an action could have.  Again just a teacher trying to navigate my way through the fluff.  
Signed the guy always commenting on everything without even remembering what I said...just writing to participate with no critical recall.

It could be worse. Could be a PE “teacher.”

It's so weird to me when people on the forum bring up my profession.  Is that a defense mechanism?  I honestly don't give a shit what everyone does for a living.  Like if you are a garbagemen is your opinion less important?  Should we all post our educational credentials moving forward?

You’ve mentioned that you’re a teacher 80 times in the last year and you are quite defensive about it. You’ve made sure everyone knows you’re a teacher and I respect teachers more than you’ll ever know....I was a school administrator.
i couldn’t have taught, like doctors, nurses - it takes special people to do these jobs.  Don’t blame us for your constant reminders about you being a teacher.  If you do that because you’re proud of it, well that’s ok, you should be proud. 
And all peoples opinions matter. 

I've been chatting with mcgruff for quite some time now. When he brings up his being a teacher, I've noticed it's one of three reasons typically - to explain the perspective he comes from (sharing anecdotes others may not have access to), responding to others who very regularly try to bait a response out of him by saying "how can you as a teacher *insert thing here*", or in response to people belittling his credibility. For right or for wrong, if in the same position, I'd probably be arguing similarly to mcgruff. 

Mcgruff possesses symptoms of “Male Teacher Stigma”.  I worked with our superintendent implementing and obtaining state and federal grant money to address the syndrome in our district.  You know, well he’ll understand the “academic” vocabulary, seminars, round tables, exercises, and even building into the district curriculum, making sure our male students feel worthy in their future career and life choices, how to be comfortable in your own skin.  It’s a real thing and the majority of male teachers, too few unfortunately, and students found our program extremely helpful.  If his district doesn’t have counselors or a program in place he should speak with his superintendent or immediate supervisor, department lead, even his union rep.  
Ive found him to be extremely insightful, knowledgeable, and helpful regarding his teaching experiences. We are having a disagreement right now in a place that we are told is not a chat room. As far as I’m concerned the spar is over.  Honestly I probably have more in common with him than most of you.  If I was going to be an asshole or troll (which I don’t even know what that means I’m so  social networking challenged) don’t you think I would have jumped on it sooner? I’m a woman by the way, not “dude” (I’ll address that comment soon).

This post is not cool in anyway.   I think I'll diagnose you now shall I?   

Da fuck?!  I don't even understand it and honestly don't want to.  Moving on.

McGruff, you’ve been found out!

tempo_n_groove said:

Anyone pick up the stories of random piles of bricks being dropped off in cities?

Yeah. Its super fucking weird. Couple that with old police cars being left out in front of high visibility locations (like Trump hotel in Chicago) and those white randos who just smashing shit and then walk away calmly after getting busted doing so. 

Its weird.

I'm not a conspiracy guy, but there are some red flags that deserve to be looked into.