Looting, Violence, And a Nightmare of Images

Lockdown, a killer virus, looting, police violence, demonstrators violence, 40 million unemployed and no idea of how to help.

June is starting like a fucking charm.

And there is plenty of blame to spread around.

Who you like to blame; the "right"?

• Okay. It turns out lots of the "trip-wire" violence is started by white people. Either egged on, of actually part of the right wing. They have found an ex-policeman (allegedly - but at least a white guy in police gear who was furious to be unmasked) breaking every Window of an Auto-Zone in Minneapolis and spray painting "free shit" on it to incite looting. The protesters stopped a black clad, masked and hooded individual break sidewalk chucks to throw at police, unmasked him, and it was an grey haired white guy, who they turned over to the police standing right there.
• There are lots of pictures of police (including NYPD) flashing white power signs right before they attack people with clubs.

Would you like to blame; the "left"?

• Okay, there are lots of interviews with black people who came to Minneapolis to start fights with the police, because they are ready to start fighting back against police and burning everything to the ground?
• There are lots of self-proclaimed "antifa" or Anti-facists who are claiming it is time to fuck up the country.

Would you like to blame; bored kids?

• Okay. Near Minneapolis, a group of bored college (UW EuClair) football players decided to go to the city and break shit. They were stopped by a few parents, who then held each and every one all until every parent came to pick up their kids. (Note: I did like that story.)

Would you like to blame; the police AND Trump?

• Okay, there is a video of the head of the Minneapolis Sherif or Police (i forget which - honestly) addressing the camera thanking Donald Trump, pre-riot, for rolling back Obama era limits to force. There is a video of the killer cop (the one who knelled on a neck for a life-stopping 8 minutes) at a Trump rally at the podium.

Would you like to blame; the virus?

• There are 40 Million newly unemployed people, angry bored, with no money, cooped up.

Would you like to blame; inherent racism in America?

• There is a virus spreading country wide hitting the poor and minorities extra hard - and white people are bitching about missing hair-dressing appointments and brunch.

Would you like to blame; double standards?

• A black man was killed, MURDERED for possibly spending a fake $20 bill. Yet hundreds of AK-47 carrying white protesters literally closed a state government, refused to leave statehouse grounds, hung an effigy of a governor on his home front lawn and not one arrest was made.
• In New York, a black man was killed, chocked to death for selling a loose cigarette for 25 cents, while a white woman made a fake police report, screamed about a "African American man threatening her", chocked her dog because a black bird watcher asked her to leash her dog per park regulations - and she was not charged at all.

There is a fuckload of blame for us all. But no answers. None. I don't have one. And it hurts those of us old enough to care, but unclear on how to help. I've talked with friends in Florida, Arizona, Minneapolis and New York. I don't know what to do.

And we have a President who makes things worse. And is pleased because this will rile his base up and maybe help his election.

Jesus wept.