[Aaron Novick]

Please consider donating to the Minnesota Freedom Fund (who will post bail payments for arrested protestors), or to one of the other organizations they link to on their website: https://minnesotafreedomfund.org/

If you are in the US, please also consider looking up whether there are any protests in your area that you could join. There is one in Lafayette on Sunday evening. I will be going.

[Quincy Lehr]

Aaron's suggestion of where to send money is a good one. Local initiatives are also worth looking up, as the cops are generally being extremely aggressive. I would also strongly suggest going to any demonstrations in a contingent (either one of an established left group, or organize one with friends)--both discipline and numbers can make the difference if one is attacked or if a situation turns dicy.

[Julie Steiner]

I'm done shouting "Something must be done" at protests, over and over again, while nothing gets done in between them.

I'm also done being characterized as part of a violent mob, when a handful of people at a peaceful protest decide to turn destructive. Broken glass and burning trash cans look more sensational on TV than a crowd of thousands of nerdy concerned citizens behaving themselves as they march in solidarity with victims of violence. I'm a control freak and don't like the idea that my presence might be endorsing messages and behavior that I disagree with.

Personally, I'll be skipping any marches and focusing my energy on specific positive actions.

[Mark McDonnell]

In the last couple of days, I've seen YouTube footage of police behaviour during disturbances and protests that has really sickened and upset me. That such violent tactics are being used in response to protests that are themselves a response to police violence is terrifying and depressingly inevitable. It seems like a war. Of course this has happened before, but if Trump is reelected it will get much much worse. His goading response is surely unprecedented for a US president: "When the looting starts, the shooting starts". I doubt he's historically literate enough to know he was quoting a racist civil-rights era police chief, it was probably just something he heard that he thought would make him sound like Dirty Harry, but it's beyond obscene. His victory and continued presence would inevitably exacerbate violence in America and I think he's quite happy about that. He has to go.
Thanks for the link, Aaron. I'll check it out tomorrow and see what I can do.

[R. Nemo Hill]

"He has to go."
But the million dollar question is will he go?

And a return to the status quo?
Hardly the solution.

Nemo

[Mark McDonnell]

I didn't say anything about a return to the status quo. But working on alternatives to the status quo would be easier without a sociopath in charge.

[Aaron Novick]

This twitter thread contains a list of evidence-backed reforms that one might hope will reduce police violence. Of course, it would be far better (both for the American populace at large and for the pitiably confused individuals who take on such an ethically degrading job) to simply abolish the police, but I'm trying to dream realistically.

Julie, the protests have already accomplished rather a lot, though of course not nearly enough. They have resulted in the arrest of Chauvin, something said to be impossible before the protests started. (They have not, alas, resulted in the arrest of his accomplices.) They have led various Minnesota institutions (e.g., schools) to sever or weaken their ties with the Minnesota police. (They have not, alas, led to the complete removal of all police from all institutions of learning.) And, because of the brutally evil activity of the police "upholding the law" (i.e., assaulting non-violent protestors and reporters from even major news outlets), they've helped—I think, though here I only have a gut sense and not real evidence—to increase acceptance of the true and vitally important belief that all cops are bastards.

[Martin Elster]

Originally Posted by Julie Steiner

I'm done shouting "Something must be done" at protests, over and over again, while nothing gets done in between them.

I'm also done being characterized as part of a violent mob, when a handful of people at a peaceful protest decide to turn destructive. Broken glass and burning trash cans look more sensational on TV than a crowd of thousands of nerdy concerned citizens behaving themselves as they march in solidarity with victims of violence. I'm a control freak and don't like the idea that my presence might be endorsing messages and behavior that I disagree with.

Personally, I'll be skipping any marches and focusing my energy on specific positive actions.

This thread has gotten so long that I actually forgot who started it, so I just looked at the first page and found the above paragraphs. I agree with Julie’s sentiments. It’s a minority of individuals who are causing havoc and committing criminal acts, and they are the ones who are naturally most noticed. I can't help wondering: Why are they doing it? Is it because it's fun, like playing a sport?

Bret and Heather 40th DarkHorse Podcast Livestream: Out of Your House & Into the Street (Or Else)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=he0Z9dgI3BQ&t=1194s

TIMESTAMPS:

00:34 Reading from “The Coddling of the American Mind”
06:54 What’s happening in Portland?
34:55 What should leaders do?
45:59 Capitalism is white supremacy
47:55 The rhetorical trap of Anti-Racism
57:09 Twitter CEO, Jack Dorsey, and anti-racism
01:04:03 Training in diversity or training in using PPE?
01:11:23 Unity2020 candidates

Riot declared as Portland protests move to City Hall on 3-month anniversary of George Floyd’s death

https://www.oregonlive.com/portland/...yds-death.html

[Kevin Rainbow]

Unemployed officers are even less likely to use excessive force

But other groups in society wouldn't be if police officers weren't employed. If we didn't have official police, far shadier unofficial groups would be expanded and empowered, and competing with each other on a much larger scale, to take over the niche of the police. Weaponed powers always show up to run the show; if you take away one group, another group soon comes along. The police are far from ideal, but they are still the far more reliable choice and tool to prevent other far worse militants from lording it over society instead.

[Martin Elster]

Originally Posted by Kevin Rainbow

But other groups in society wouldn't be if police officers weren't employed. If we didn't have official police, far shadier unofficial groups would be expanded and empowered, and competing with each other on a much larger scale, to take over the niche of the police. Weaponed powers always show up to run the show; if you take away one group, another group soon comes along. The police are far from ideal, but they are still the far more reliable choice and tool to prevent other far worse militants from lording it over society instead.

I believe you are right about that, Kevin. Yes, police forces have huge flaws, but how would society be without them? Especially as the USA has tons of guns (unlike the UK for instance).

Aaron, I will look at the link you posted. Thanks.