Kaepernick

I think this is a well thought out article from Eric Adelson of Yahoo Sports.  He writes about multiple different ideas related to Colin Kaepernick's refusing to stand for the national anthem because of his beliefs about how the country is currently treating minorities.

I think there is irony in the idea that Kaepernick is refusing to salute the flag of a country that allows him the right to not salute the flag.  But the fact that this nation allows certain rights that aren't allowed in other countries, while excellent, does not mean our culture is immune to criticism.  He has the right, and maybe even the responsibility, to stand up (or sit down) for what he believes is correct.

I like the distinction that Adelson makes between what Kaepernick did and what the NBA stars did by speaking at the ESPYs.  He caused discomfort.  What they did was great, but it didn't really cause any discomfort.  That's a really important point and highlights why what Kaepernick did was so important.

I also agree with this statement, "Kaepernick didn’t interrupt the anthem. He didn’t take away from anyone else’s moment to salute and revere the flag. He didn’t even break a league rule. He simply sat down one night and explained himself the next morning. That allowed for maximum effect with minimum invasiveness."  He's not trying to ruin anyone's life. He's just making his point.

"Instead of asking him to shut up, we should question him more."  I think this is right on point.  He should be given the chance to back up what he believes.  And if he does that well and shows that this isn't just grandstanding, this is something he deeply feels, then he'll be able to show that.  And the world needs to respect it if that's the case.  Not use it as an opportunity to tear him to pieces.

Finally, the author highlights what's really at stake right now.  "It’s a conversation that forces us to think. What do we want our elected officials to do about police brutality, poverty, gun violence and crime?"  With an election of particular historical importance approaching, we need to be thinking and talking about these issues before it's too late, not after.  And for that wake-up call we can thank, in part, Colin Kaepernick.

Let's start a Texas secessionist movement

There are many reasons why Texas should become its own country, but this is a good one.  We could be rid of Texas and the main death sentence proponents in one move.  Sounds like a plan to me.

Update:  Excellent.

Saying what needs to be said

Ken Wallace, a “scrawny, 48-year-old white guy”, was in a scary situation with his daughter and an Arizona state trooper.  It's described here in frightening detail.  On a personal level, this is a terrifying event that needs to be rectified.  But Wallace appropriately took it beyond that, to the cultural level:

"If you are a person who has ever looked skeptically at the claims of Black Lives Matter, or others who talk about police violence, I urge you to consider what happened to me and put yourselves in the shoes of others. I just survived a bizarre gunpoint situation in which I was as innocent as Philando Castile, who was not as lucky as I was. We live in a society where anywhere and everyone can have a gun at any time, and police are responding with fear in dangerous ways. I got lucky tonight. My daughter and I made it to the Grand Canyon and I’m going to try to salvage what’s left of our vacation. Many others — because of the color of their skin or the way they look or because of simple bad luck — did not meet the same fate."

While the officer's actions were reprehensible, this is not his sole responsibility. We're seeing these types of events all over the country.  The problem is systemic. We need to be able to change how the system works.  There's no way a person who's done nothing wrong and his seven year old child should have to go through an event like this and then be told, "This case is a prime example of how things should be done."  No, it's not.  Trauma is not an acceptable result of an every day traffic stop.  Police officers everywhere should be speaking out against these types of events and so should the rest of us.  Start talking.

The guilt of innocence

An important article about institutionalized racism in America.

Don't tell me he's not dangerous

In this article, which is somehow about conservative commentator Glenn Beck trying to explain the basis of the Black Lives Matter movement to other conservatives, is this nugget:  "In Denver, he (Beck) criticized Trump for inciting crowds to boo the media and chant 'lock 'em up' at the candidate's behest."  Donald Trump is getting his crowds to chant "lock 'em up" about the media.  Lock up the media.  Do you understand what a serious problem this is?  The media is one of the central pillars of a free society.  One of the biggest differences between the United States and China or Russia is a free press.  We need to call this what it is:  Fascism.

As much as his candidacy scares me because of the thought of him in power, there's something else that bothers me almost as much.  That is the understanding that there are millions of Americans who support him.  If you're one of those people, it's time to look in the mirror and really think about what you're doing.  This man is dangerous.

The threat of a Trump presidency is not gone until it's gone

Press coverage like this highlights the problem:  All Trump has to do is stick around and hope that Hillary Clinton implodes.  And she just might.  As long as people are speaking about him, his polling numbers stay high enough to keep him in the race. So all he has to do is say things that keep people talking.  And he's an expert at that. The press feels like it has to cover what he says, no matter how absurd.  He'll just keep saying absurd things until he's run out by the Republicans, he loses the election, or Hillary Clinton implodes.

So the best thing we can do if we don't want him to be president is to stop watching. Don't follow links about him.  What?  Are you concerned he might say something important?  He's not going to.  More ego, more bluster and more absurdity.  That's all you're going to hear from him.  Do your part to knock him out of the race by not supporting his antics.

It's not much, but it's something

She says things like this for political reasons, but at least she said it:  "We white Americans need to do a better job of listening when African Americans talk about the seen and unseen barriers you face every day," Clinton said last month at the NAACP's annual convention.  It's a shame that we need to be satisfied with a presidential candidate simply because they aren't openly courting the bigot vote, but that's where we are.  I guess it's something.

It's time to move on

I believe there is a group of people in the United States who do not understand the logic of statements like, "Black lives matter".  They are mostly just sheltered people who've never had a good reason to look past the end of their own noses.  But I believe that group is small and I believe its time is running out.  At some point in time, that group of people needs to figure it out.  And that time is approaching rapidly.  Once we get there, anyone who argues about the validity of statements like "Black lives matter" will be seen as actively bigoted.  That's because the logic isn't difficult.  Some people simply don't want to hear it.  And anyone who chooses to be in that group is a bigot.  This will be a very good place for our culture to get to.  We need to move past these contrarians.  Constantly interacting with, explaining to, and tolerating these people is holding back the pace of progress tremendously.

It's the same with global warming and a whole host of other issues.  The logic is clear.  Choose to work with the rest of us to find a solution, or be left behind.

Hooray!

This article is wonderful.  One of the most important things that could happen in American race relations is for the large number of good, but unaware white people to become aware.  If those people could start to see what's been going on, they have the numbers and the power to affect change.  Talk to clueless, pleasant white people! Help them become aware.

Beautiful

More please.

A person to remember: Republican Congressman, Richard Hanna

“I saw that and felt incensed,” Hanna told reporters of Trump’s response to Khizr Khan's speech at the Democratic National Convention. “I was stunned by the callousness of his comments.” Representative Hanna says he will vote for Hillary Clinton in the general election. This is the type of thing that could change our country if enough people pay attention. Richard Hanna is acting on his principles, not just following party politics.  More people need to be questioning what they see happening around them, not just blindly accepting things the way they are.  He should be incredibly proud of himself. I certainly am.  Good job, sir.

Rhyming history

I think this article highlights how when it comes to abstract concepts, many Americans struggle.  But when faced with a real human being, Americans show they do have heart.  I hope there will be more moments like this and that the sickness that Donald Trump represents squirms its way back into the dark, dank hole it came from.  It's time to be rid of it, and him.