As protests spread over the murder of George Floyd, we’re once again reminded of the fact that we have the worst leadership possible to help us through this moment in history

Over the past several years, there have been multiple instances of police officers killing unarmed black men in the Minneapolis area. In 2015, there was Jamar Clark, who, according to multiple witnesses, was not resisting officers at the time of his killing. In 2016, there was Philando Castile, who was shot and killed on video while reaching for his wallet during a traffic stop. While both killings led to significant protests in Minneapolis, in neither instance were the police officers involved sentenced. [The officers who killed Clark were not charged, and the officer who killed Castille was acquitted by a jury.] And, this past Memorial Day, yet another black man was killed on video in Minneapolis. His name was George Floyd, and he died, with an officer’s knee on his neck, after pleading for help, saying that he couldn’t breathe. “I can’t breathe,” Floyd can be heard saying on the video, before crying out for his deceased mother. It was absolutely heartbreaking to see. And the people of Minneapolis rose up in response. In the words of the Boston Review, Minneapolis residents “responded to the buildup of unanswered grievances and the lack of concrete changes to their immediate living conditions -— problems of under-protection, intentional segregation, and structural exclusion that have only been exacerbated by COVID-19 —- by using the available resources at their disposal.”

The protests have largely been peaceful, but windows have been smashed, and some buildings have burned. Interestingly, though, it seems as though, to a great extent, the people of Minneapolis, well aware of the larger context noted above, have been supportive of the protesters. [Even the Amish have come out to show their support.] Here’s an example. It’s a Facebook post from the daughter of a man who owns an Indian restaurant in Minneapolis that was partially burned during the protests on Thursday night. “Let my building burn, justice needs to be served, put those officers in jail,” she says she heard her father say.

Unfortunately, however, we don’t have leadership in Washington right now that is either willing or capable of appreciating the very real context in which all of this is happening. As protests spread across the country, instead of urging people to remain calm, and promising change, Donald Trump is threatening yet more violence. This, of course, shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. This is, after all, the same Donald Trump who stood before police officers not too long ago and urged them to be less “nice” to those they were arresting. And we’re in an election year in which he desperately needs to turn out his white, racist base, who absolutely love it when he comes across as a “law and order” president, in spite of the many laws that he and members of his administration continue to break. And, yes, if you’re thinking that this is a very deadly combination of circumstances, you’d be absolutely right. Donald Trump, you can be sure, will do anything in his power not only to instigate black, inner-city protests, but to forcefully shut them down, as he knows that it will drive his supporters to the polls come November.

Trump, for what it’s worth, claims not to know the origin of the phrase, “When the looting starts, the shooting starts,” which was first said in late 1967 by Miami’s white police chief as a declaration of war against “a mass rally of concerned black people.” [“I’ve let the word filter down that when the looting starts, the shooting starts,” Chief Headley said.] Trump, when asked about his use of this racist dog-whistle of a phrase, responded by saying that, to him, it just means that “when there’s looting, people get shot and they die,” and it wasn’t a threat of more police violence. This, of course, is bullshit. And, thankfully, the folks at Twitter again slapped a warning label on what the President had to say, noting that it glorified violence.

Again, Donald Trump has proven himself to be the antithesis of what we need right now, as protests inspired by what happened in Minneapolis are spreading across the nation, from Atlanta to Louisville.

I’d planned to say more, but then I happened across this video of Atlanta’s Killer Mike, addressing the press yesterday, and it occurred to me that what he had to say was much more appropriate to the occasion than anything that I might have possibly come up with. I will say, however, that, as someone who has lived much of my life in Atlanta, both as a child, and, again, as an adult in the mid-90s, my heart goes out to the people of the city. Atlanta is a tremendous city, and my thoughts today are with the folks there as they attempt to navigate this alone, in the absence of federal leadership.

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99 Comments

  1. Posted May 30, 2020 at 10:47 am | Permalink

    I spelled struck wrong…

  2. Frosted Flakes
    Posted May 30, 2020 at 12:10 pm | Permalink

    I wonder if someone really smart could tell us what the political makeup is of justice system leadership over there in Minneapolis?

    Is there a list of people opposing the cop getting justice? Leadership? Media personality? Anybody? I seriously have not met one person who would is defending the actions of the cop/s. The opposite across the board. What is it that you are resisting exactly?

    What sort of character is required to turn this into an anti-Trump thing?

    #low

  3. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted May 30, 2020 at 1:11 pm | Permalink

    Come on let’s go!!! Raow!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrqKoousC2c

  4. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted May 30, 2020 at 1:20 pm | Permalink

    Fox reporter attacked!!! Get your jollies!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSLpedk0VoM

  5. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted May 30, 2020 at 1:54 pm | Permalink

    Are the riots going to lead to covid outbreaks? If not then do you think that reflects well on everything you have been harping on for months?

  6. Donald Trump
    Posted May 30, 2020 at 2:53 pm | Permalink

    Donald Trump demonstrating more leadership.

    “Much more “disinformation” coming out of CNN, MSDNC, @nytimes and @washingtonpost, by far, than coming out of any foreign country, even combined. Fake News is the Enemy of the People!” -Donald Trump

  7. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted May 30, 2020 at 4:36 pm | Permalink

    That’s true. The CNN reporter saying it’s mostly a protest and people are not being unruly while STANDING IN FRONT OF THE HUGE BURNING BUILDING in the shot for example.

  8. Lynne
    Posted May 30, 2020 at 4:53 pm | Permalink

    FF, it takes someone of good character to call out Donald Trump on this! His actions or inactions depending on the context, fuel these problems. There are Dems who need to be called out too such as Amy Klobuchar and her failure to prosecute officers in situations like this in the past. Unfortunately, racism is bipartisan but the type of racism that Donald Trump inspires is often explicit and comes with threats of violence and that is extra vile. And here you are defending him and suggesting that people are being too critical of him. That reinforces my opinion of you for sure!

  9. Frosted Flakes
    Posted May 30, 2020 at 5:03 pm | Permalink

    Character:integrity:integration:fittingtogetberasawhole

    Trump indicated that what the cops did was obviously wrong. Yes or no? Where is the list of people who say the cop is not guilty here? Can you name one? I’m sure they exist but I have not heard anything but vocal support for the family and for prosecution of the guilty cops.

    (Fourth time I have asked. )

  10. Anonymous
    Posted May 30, 2020 at 5:16 pm | Permalink

    I think the point is that “prosecution” has not really worked in prior situations. Do you suggest that it would this time? I’m guessing that there might be a pattern, but maybe I’m wrong.

  11. Lynne
    Posted May 30, 2020 at 6:08 pm | Permalink

    Only one of the officers present was arrested and really all of them need to be arrested. I think the one who was was only charged with 3rd-degree murder and manslaughter when an argument could be made that kneeling on that man’s neck for 9 minutes meant that he had to have premeditated the murder and thus should be charged with first-degree murder.

    There has also been a LONG history of prosecutors failing to bring charges against police officers in cases where they abuse their power. That is more of a systemic problem than one where the individuals involved are evil although I still think that a failure to prosecute is a valid criticism of an individual. The systemic problem needs to be addressed. That problem is that prosecutors rely on police officers to do their job. Police officers often have a culture of always supporting their fellow officers so a prosecutor who brings charges against a police officer is likely to face retaliation in the form of non-cooperation. One possible solution is to have a system where charges are made by a special prosecutor who doesn’t ordinarily work with the police.

  12. bet HW that McCabe wouldn’t be fired and all I got was this stupid name
    Posted May 30, 2020 at 8:28 pm | Permalink

    Aloha, very depressing news as the Leader calls for his fascist followers to mobilize. My buddy Larry (74 yo covid victim to be) is a committed non-violent revolutionary in the Gandhian and MLK sense. SNCC and poor people organizing veteran. He has a large extended family, that one of his sons organized zoom meetings so they could meet as a family. In a sense his extended family is more connected than ever before. Larry was so depressed when I saw him today that he shared a beer with me. We social distanced on my deck, but he is a healthy veggan who has maybe 6oz of beer a year. The general consensus (not including Larry) among the 40 some family members at the zoom meeting was to buy guns.

  13. Posted May 30, 2020 at 8:49 pm | Permalink

    As someone noted Amy Klobuchar, I just wanted to add one thing…. If Biden had announced her as his running mate last week, he’d be in a world of shit right now. He got lucky.

    From the New York Times:

    Senator Amy Klobuchar swept into office in 2007 as a former tough prosecutor, boasting of how she had reduced crime in the most populous county in Minnesota. But as protests over George Floyd’s death in police custody bring chaos and violence to Minneapolis, her record as prosecutor there is facing renewed scrutiny as she prepares to be vetted as a leading vice-presidential contender.

    With a police force in Minneapolis that has long faced accusations of racism and complaints of abuse, Ms. Klobuchar declined to bring charges against multiple police officers who were involved in shootings during her seven-year tenure. Instead she often opted to send cases to a grand jury, a common practice at the time but one that some law enforcement experts say favors police officers.

    On Friday, Ms. Klobuchar said that grand juries were used “in every jurisdiction across our state,” and that she now regretted those decisions.

    “I think that was wrong now,” she said in an interview on MSNBC. “I think it would have been much better if I took the responsibility and looked at the cases and made the decision myself.”

  14. Posted May 30, 2020 at 8:54 pm | Permalink

  15. Posted May 30, 2020 at 8:57 pm | Permalink

  16. Posted May 30, 2020 at 8:58 pm | Permalink

    And somehow, while all of this, Trump has the time to advocate on behalf of Russia, trying to get they back into the G7.

  17. Posted May 30, 2020 at 9:54 pm | Permalink

  18. Nobody
    Posted May 30, 2020 at 10:22 pm | Permalink

    Mark – Thank you for sharing the Killer Mike video.

    Seattle had a chaotic afternoon… looting and burning. I look at the videos and pictures of the people smashing, looting, and burning and all I am seeing is white kids. They are robbing the moment of its proper narrative and stoking the fear of Trump’s base. Absolutely shameful.

    A few years ago, I was at a local Goodwill store purchasing some books. I handed the cashier a 20. She ran a marker across it and it left a brown streak. She said that the bill was counterfeit. I was a bit surprised. She gave the bill back to me and I gave her another 20 that was not counterfeit. She did not call the police. She did not keep the bill from me. I was a bit confused as to what to do at that moment, but we finished the transaction and I left. She was black.

    I then see the string of videos trying to show the timeline of events leading up to the killing of George Floyd. He did not leave the area after the transaction. Even after he was approached by the store owners, he did not leave. He knew the police were likely to come, but he did not leave. It seems fair to assume that he did not KNOW that what he was passing was a counterfeit 20 and that he was hoping for a discussion to straighten things out. Instead, the police try to arrest him.

    The similarity of the underlying event to the one I experienced, and the absurdity of how different the outcomes were has been haunting me all day.

  19. bet HW that McCabe wouldn’t be fired and all I got was this stupid name
    Posted May 30, 2020 at 10:46 pm | Permalink

    Aloha, 25 cities with curfews, some running till Monday morning. Lots of provocateurs around these protest. The protest are spontaneous with no sponsoring organizations. No group is providing marshals or other forms of discipline on the protesters. This allows the lone wolf or the Proud Boy provocateur to throw his fireworks, brick or smash some windows to get the police response. I remember being out side Tiger Stadium in 1984 when white suburbanites torched a police car. Once a crowd gets worked up, a few can lead things in bad directions.

    As FF, EOS and HW among others may recall, I am following the spread of the virus in rural Oshkosk Wis. You may remember that at the time of the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling the stay at home and bar closing unconstitutional Oshkosh had suffered 100 confirmed covid cases and one death. That was on May 14 approx 100 days into the spread of the virus in Wisconsin. 100 days, 100 cases, 1 death, looked good. One week after the Supreme Court decision the number of cases had jumped to 124. Today , two weeks later 224 cases, 4 deaths MAGA.

  20. Sad
    Posted May 30, 2020 at 10:51 pm | Permalink

    This whole mess is enough to make everybody

    sad

    Sigh

  21. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted May 30, 2020 at 11:36 pm | Permalink

    It’s mostly peaceful though.

  22. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 12:52 am | Permalink

    Warning graphic video: Protesters/rioters in Dallas beat store owner to possible death after he tried to defend his business

    Look it up yourself if you have the guts to face reality.

  23. Sad
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 6:02 am | Permalink

    What happens when you mix racial unrest with economic uncertainty and a highly contagious virus?

  24. John Brown
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 6:36 am | Permalink

    The police are the ones rioting in many if these locations. What do we do about Unionized racism and violence? Labor needs to step up and call out these fascist cops

  25. Frosted Flakes
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 7:22 am | Permalink

    I wonder if any of the people from well-off-white-liberal-ectomor0ph-dotard class are ever going to realize their share of responsibility in any of this.

    Leadership?

  26. Jean Henry
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 7:27 am | Permalink

    This is a moment of great solemnity and rage. These things are never about one incident. The incident may be the impetus, the spark, but the rage over structural inequality was the fuel, the tinder.

    While it’s true that we have a system that could and should be directed to address structural racism, right now it works to exacerbate and institutionalize it, these are the circumstances that lead to an absence of hope, to despair and nihilism.

    White conservatives riot over temporary suspension of their sped boats and right to work, all while getting unprecedented government assistance. They show up armed to their ridiculous Protests and get in the faces of cops who show admirable restraint. Our president calls them
    ‘Good people.’ POC protest unarmed over another murder by police of an unarmed black person and their relentless persecution by those with power and get hit with tear gas and rubber bullets. Tear gas is extremely flammable btw. The president calls them thugs.

    All this happens during a pandemic and all of it will increase incidence of the disease but more POC will die.

    We need to do more than. Say it’s not ok and then watch the cops get away with it, FF. I’d be interested in hearing your solutions to structural racism. Don’t care to argue with you assholes today.

    I end up posting this several times a year lately: https://youtu.be/zdNXoqNuLRQ

  27. John Brown
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 7:35 am | Permalink

    Trey Crowder has a good redneck take on who the real fascist thugs are.

    https://twitter.com/traecrowder/status/1266456770634846209?s=09

  28. Jean Henry
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 8:06 am | Permalink

    This is why they riot:
    https://www.newsweek.com/boston-african-americans-poverty-wealth-inequality-744108

  29. iRobert
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 8:27 am | Permalink

    Another black man was murdered, but I’m sure few protesters will care. Patrick Underwood was a federal officer in Oakland who was there to protect public safety. How many police officers have been murdered in recent years?

  30. iRobert
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 8:37 am | Permalink

    Is social injustice also the root cause of all other break-ins, assaults, rapes and murders. Can we explain all violent crime away by saying it’s the consequence of social injustice?

  31. John Brown
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 9:06 am | Permalink

    iR, self aware LEOs know they are cannon fodder for the Man. The rest are varying strains of sadistic on behalf of the Man.

  32. Frosted Flakes
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 9:27 am | Permalink

    If there truly is a reason to riot then we need to all pitch in to get Jean a bus ticket so that she can do what needs to be done. Jean will be most fully human when she unfolds what is necessary and reasonable into the world with her reasoned acts. We support you Jean! You can bring your ectomorph blogging buddies with you to help out.

    Leadership?

  33. iRobert
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 10:11 am | Permalink

    You’re even sicker than I assumed, JB.

  34. bet HW that McCabe wouldn’t be fired and all I got was this stupid name
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 10:11 am | Permalink

    Aloha, folks who have never participated in mass demonstrations that the police attempt to corral and disperse, are absolutely clueless of how riots begin. Looting that some times accompanies police dispersal Technics are almost always spontaneous actions of individuals. Almost always as a result of the police attempting to exert dominance over the protesters. Yesterday there were peaceful marches through downtown Detroit for nearly 6 hours. During that time the police did not attempt to control the demonstration. Once the police began attempting to exert control, provocations occurred that gave the police the pretext to clear the streets with teat gas.
    Police respond with gas much earlier and more aggressively than back in the day, so it seems. I wonder what kind of violence would have ensued in Lansing if the Police had attempted to exert control over the heavily armed white wing nuts?

    Remember your Trumpian talking points, it is just like the flu, it is all China’s fault, and it is Antifa behind these protest. With a little creativity they can become part of one grand conspiracy to bring down MAGA.

  35. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 10:16 am | Permalink

    Couple being liberated of their privilege by some helpful hands and they don’t even appreciate it! WTF!!!

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLcTpHRQEik&feature=share&app=desktop

  36. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 10:23 am | Permalink

    “Remember your Trumpian talking points, it is just like the flu, it is all China’s fault, and it is Antifa behind these protest. With a little creativity they can become part of one grand conspiracy to bring down MAGA.”

    How obnoxious and dull you are:

    100,000 deaths is just about equivalent to a bad flu year.

    China and they kept sending travelers here when they had already cut off flights from Wuhan to other parts of China.

    Antifa from out of town are all over these protests.

  37. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 10:26 am | Permalink

    “White conservatives riot”

    How much damage has been done by white conservative riots? Quantify it in some form or you are full of shit as always.

  38. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 10:27 am | Permalink

    *China kept sending people here*

  39. iRobert
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 10:35 am | Permalink

    I’ve participated in countless demonstrations through the 80s, Wobblie, and never saw police provoke a riot.

    Had I seen any individuals inspired to commit crimes using the protest as cover, I would have committed my own violent offense against the criminals. Thankfully, I’ve never seen anyone inspired to commit a crime at those protests.

  40. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 10:51 am | Permalink

    You don’t remember the hubbub at the Seattle G7 protest with ‘Black Bloc’ provocateurs arriving WITH police?

  41. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 11:15 am | Permalink

    Barr statement on antifa: Interstate travel to cause violence a federal crime and the law will be enforced by federal agencies.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaWrHPBdqXE

  42. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 11:28 am | Permalink

    Donald J. Trump
    @realDonaldTrump

    The United States of America will be designating ANTIFA as a Terrorist Organization.
    12:23 PM · May 31, 2020

  43. Frosted Flakes
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 1:44 pm | Permalink

    What are the odds that Maynard, at some point, turned over the J Bro’s info to the authorities? I go back and forth. At first I just assumed that Maynard would have notified someone. Now I am not so sure….

    Everything you are doing now (and not doing) is only making us stronger.

  44. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 2:36 pm | Permalink

    Peace

    https://mobile.twitter.com/brandondarby/status/1267109607979266053

  45. Frosted Flakes
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 3:07 pm | Permalink

    Jean really needs to be at one of these places of need helping the powerless find their voices.

    Show MLK how it should be done, Jean. What is stopping you? There are places in the world that need clear minded people (and their ectomorph blogging buddies) right now! This is your opportunity to give back to society for your UM educations.

  46. Anonymous
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 3:17 pm | Permalink

    FF commenting on political protest is as meaningful as a vegan giving up meat for Lent.

  47. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 3:21 pm | Permalink

    I don’t understand how commenters on this site think it is effective to be flatly dismissive regardless another’s sophistication. It’s the equivalen of a mindless jeer; low quality.

  48. Frosted Flakes
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 3:48 pm | Permalink

    I have participated in protest though. More than most here, I bet, and on a larger scale. Mostly in my youth. I am not against peaceful and law-abiding protests at all. Civil disobedience is even necessary at times. Civil disobedience is born out of the idea that you allow the corrupt system to put you through its process so that you expose how absurdly unjust it is.

    You know less than nothing, Anonymous.

  49. bet HW that McCabe wouldn’t be fired and all I got was this stupid name
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 4:05 pm | Permalink

    declaring anti fascism a terrorist organization is like declaring democracy dead.

    Another 2 dead in Oshkosh up to 6 now 5 since Trump liberated the state. almost another thousand yesterday in the US– MAGA

  50. bet HW that McCabe wouldn’t be fired and all I got was this stupid name
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 4:10 pm | Permalink

    HW you ignorant beard. I am sharing this, but I know you don’t know how to read graphs. FF, does though, maybe he will enlighten you.

    https://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/index.htm

    Just keep repeating, It is just like the flu, It is all China’s fault, and Antifa is the problem.

  51. bet HW that McCabe wouldn’t be fired and all I got was this stupid name
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 4:19 pm | Permalink

    “If anti-fascism is a threat to the state, then the executive has identified the state as fascist.”
    Ben Brucato

  52. bet HW that McCabe wouldn’t be fired and all I got was this stupid name
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 4:45 pm | Permalink

    Aloha, ANTIFA is everywhere. The protest were so extensive that they even shut down highways in Terra Haute. Debbs must be getting ready to sit up in his grave.

    https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=3287773617913810&set=pcb.3287778924579946

  53. SG
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 5:39 pm | Permalink

    I know this restaurant, this city, this neighborhood and have family out there cleaning up their community in solidarity. Leadership is going to come from the bottom up. The leadership at the top would like nothing better than divisiveness pitting marginalized groups against one another but I hope people are figuring this out…

  54. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 6:24 pm | Permalink

    “anti fascism”

    Why not call it what it is: communism? How can you even pretend they are anti-fascist when I exposed that they ALLIED WITH HITLER!!!!! Holy shit you are one of the dimmest morons around. Your mind is gone.

  55. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 6:27 pm | Permalink

    Not only do I know how to read graphs, when I use them I point out the relevant data. Don’t be a dickhead.

  56. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 6:32 pm | Permalink

    Is it true Floyd worked security at the same club Chauvin worked at for 17 years?

  57. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 6:34 pm | Permalink

    “Just keep repeating, It is just like the flu, It is all China’s fault, and Antifa is the problem.”

    Why repeat something that’s already well established?

  58. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 6:54 pm | Permalink

    You keep repeating that Chinese propaganda of yours. It came from the US soldiers at the World Military Games in China. Derp!

  59. Sad
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 8:59 pm | Permalink

    Shit is getting real.

    Hallelujah.

    A few months out of the death grip of consumer culture and late stage capitalism everyone is like.

    What the fuck!

  60. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 9:04 pm | Permalink

    At least it got people to stfu about *****-**. If there are no outbreaks due to these riots then the whole thing is bullshit.

  61. Sad
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 9:32 pm | Permalink

    Those people have their faces covered buddy.

    They don’t want ole fashy Donny to know who they are.

    The virus hasn’t left.

    Remember when President Trump said it was the invisible enemy.

    It will be more dramatic if it comes back in the fall.

    Before the election.

    Are you still eating stew?

  62. Sad
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 9:34 pm | Permalink

    I wonder how EOS and FF are doing with their vegetable gardens?

    This isn’t going to help the food supply.

  63. bet HW that McCabe wouldn’t be fired and all I got was this stupid name
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 9:34 pm | Permalink

    Aloha, the death cult folks like HW have easily normalized 1000 deaths a day from the Trump virus. I really like looking up and seeing a clear blue sky. No jet trails at all.

  64. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 9:43 pm | Permalink

    You make no sense. How do I normalize anything? All I have said is deaths attributed to it are under 5% of what it was supposed to do, which by any standard ought to reasonably be considered pretty fucking GOOD! Do you think talking offensive nonsense about people every day does anything?

  65. Sad
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 9:51 pm | Permalink

    Fight the power!

  66. Sad
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 9:55 pm | Permalink

    I bet Donny regrets giving us that extra $600 a week.

    It’s like he paid us to spend our time plotting his removal from office.

    It bet Mitch really regrets it.

    John Roberts is a stand up guy. Not ny favorite but he seems half way decent.

  67. bet HW that McCabe wouldn’t be fired and all I got was this stupid name
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 10:02 pm | Permalink

    Aloha, the size of many of these protest were pretty amazing. Hundreds of thousands of people are marching against police brutality and all The Leader can do is promise more brutality. Heard he fled to his bunker on Friday night. Shitting his pants in fear, praising the SS hoping they protect him. What a waste of good carbon.

    https://www.facebook.com/Redfishstream/videos/938934323232006/

  68. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted May 31, 2020 at 10:44 pm | Permalink

    Tremendous destruction and violence turns a protest into a riot by definition.

    No outrage about violating social distancing: it’s really interesting to see how you (the individual and the collective) turn on a dime.

  69. Jean Henry
    Posted June 1, 2020 at 12:58 am | Permalink

    HW fails to see the distinction between a protest about a temporary restriction of personal freedoms and work with tremendous financial support offered by the government and protests arising from the murder of an unarmed black man by police, one of many, that addresses the cumulative impact of 600 years of white surpenacist rule in this country.

    Short temporary restriction of a few freedoms v 600+ years of oppression.

  70. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted June 1, 2020 at 1:19 am | Permalink

    Too bad you are full of shit like I said. You said protests at the capitol were riots but couldn’t provide any evidence of damage. Now you call setting major buildings on fire, looting and savagely beating human beings “protest”. You are so transparent it’s bizarre to see.

  71. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted June 1, 2020 at 1:30 am | Permalink

    “Short temporary restriction of a few freedoms v 600+ years of oppression.”

    Short protest with a small number of armed individuals who I do not vouch for but do not mind much (any significant consequences of those actions?) vs. major destruction.

  72. iRobert
    Posted June 1, 2020 at 6:31 am | Permalink

    HW: “If there are no outbreaks due to these riots then the whole thing is bullshit.”

    Actually, it’s very apparent the summer weather is dampening the spread and impact of the virus. If these protests were to have occurred in April, we would have dramatically higher numbers of cases and deaths.

  73. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted June 1, 2020 at 7:03 am | Permalink

    So you are a dickhead for your obnoxious proclamations to the contrary then, right?

  74. iRobert
    Posted June 1, 2020 at 7:11 am | Permalink

    Your a drug addict, HW. Your mind is fucked. More than a 1,000 people are dying almost every day still.

  75. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted June 1, 2020 at 7:15 am | Permalink

    A drug addict! Because I smoke the herb? What a major derpus you are. What kind of person thinks that?

    Regardless the numbers are going down over time. You can cherry pick the spikes but it’s still going down a bit later.

  76. iRobert
    Posted June 1, 2020 at 7:18 am | Permalink

    You are a drug addict, is what I meant to say.

    The failure of people to take precautions is slowing the decline in cases and deaths. The seasonal nature of viral spread is the biggest factor in the decline right now. And despite it, there is still some spread due to the idiocy of people not taking the precautions.

  77. iRobert
    Posted June 1, 2020 at 7:22 am | Permalink

    Yes, HW, it is a drug. You are addicted. Therefor you are a drug addict.

    4 of the last 5 days have seen over 1,000 deaths. That’s after we had several days below 1,000. That’s not cherry picking. That’s concern that the decline is being stalled by all this stupid behavior of people not taking it seriously.

  78. iRobert
    Posted June 1, 2020 at 7:25 am | Permalink

    That’s not to say that your mind still doesn’t work better than just about anyone else who comments regularly on this blog.

  79. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted June 1, 2020 at 7:28 am | Permalink

    I think of drugs as either addictive or requiring artificial manufacture. Cannabis is neither. Only someone with extreme ignorance would say it is addictive. You must have never smoked or tripped? I might think that is the problem but there are intelligent people even here who have never used entheogens either.

  80. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted June 1, 2020 at 7:29 am | Permalink

    I think of drugs as either addictive or requiring artificial manufacture. Cannabis is neither. Only someone with extreme ignorance would say it is addictive. You must have never smoked or tripped? I might think that is the problem but there are intelligent people even here who have never used entheogens either.

  81. iRobert
    Posted June 1, 2020 at 7:29 am | Permalink

    There was one day in the last five which had very few deaths recorded. That is a sign we can be hopeful about. But we’ll have to see how the next few days go to see if the decline in the death rate is stalling.

  82. iRobert
    Posted June 1, 2020 at 7:32 am | Permalink

    I know a number of people who smoke marijuana, and after a few decades of it, they all now acknowledge it’s addictive nature and its negative consequences. A person need only visit hash bash to see what it does to people.

  83. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted June 1, 2020 at 7:35 am | Permalink

    The people you know don’t matter, trust me. Lots of people think they are addicted. If they think they are then I guess they are but there are no physiological consequences for going “cold turkey” off of weed.

  84. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted June 1, 2020 at 7:43 am | Permalink

    You never heard cannabinoids are neuroprotective? You have a lot to learn; a world of knowledge.

  85. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted June 1, 2020 at 7:46 am | Permalink

    “iRobert
    Posted June 1, 2020 at 7:25 am | Permalink
    That’s not to say that your mind still doesn’t work better than just about anyone else who comments regularly on this blog.”

    I appreciate that. Maybe it ought to tell you something? Square it with a mindless addict as you characterized me a minute ago.

  86. bet HW that McCabe wouldn’t be fired and all I got was this stupid name
    Posted June 1, 2020 at 7:57 am | Permalink

    Aloha, over a third of people were unable to pay May rent or mortgage, how do you think June will be? Had to go out on Washtenaw Ave. this morning during “rush” hour. There was less traffic than on a Sunday morning in the summer. Lots of folks need to work, but do not want to put loved ones at risk. The Trump solution is to pretend their is no daily carnage. Just like the flu is all they can say and hope that science comes up with a safe and effective vaccine–meanwhile those with wealth can protect themselves, but the “essential workers” and their loved ones must be put at risk. People know that they are being forced back to work by a system that callously allows its police to torture and murder fellow citizens.
    People have clearly had enough after 3 years of fake resistance and bullshit conspiracy theories . I do not believe this country has seen such widespread and militant and as spontaneous of a rebellion like this since they killed MLK. The sheriff up in Flint at least has the wisdom to know he is sitting on a powder keg and what is needed is a velvet touch not an iron fist.

  87. iRobert
    Posted June 1, 2020 at 7:58 am | Permalink

    I know it has some beneficial effect. But the negative impacts which aren’t obvious early on, become apparent over time. That’s what I mean about observing the folks at Hash Bash. It’s not pretty.

  88. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted June 1, 2020 at 8:03 am | Permalink

    Stale, dude. You sound like Jean.

  89. iRobert
    Posted June 1, 2020 at 8:05 am | Permalink

    Basic truth is often stale.

  90. iRobert
    Posted June 1, 2020 at 8:11 am | Permalink

    Wobblie, I think a lot of people are working from home. That’s especially true in a town like Ann Arbor.

    There’s quite a bit more traffic on the roads in places where there is a lot of manufacturing and chain restaurants and retail.

    Still, I get your key points. The people who couldn’t make their rent or mortgage payments for May and June are going to need assistance. We’re in for a shit-show.

  91. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted June 1, 2020 at 8:14 am | Permalink

    No it’s not. Truth has a pure vibration. Adopting a disdainful, but ignorant view is what is stale.

  92. Jean Henry
    Posted June 1, 2020 at 8:38 am | Permalink

    HW seems to think property matters more than lives.

  93. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted June 1, 2020 at 8:49 am | Permalink

    Why do you say that?

  94. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted June 1, 2020 at 8:55 am | Permalink

    Rioters have attacked innocent Americans with deadly force so let’s set that baseline of understanding. Correct or not?

    They were terrified they had murdered the one shop-owner while he was laying there. One minute you are bashing someone’s head in with a skateboard and the next you are freaking out you really did him in. Shit got real REAL fast that time. It went from KILL THAT MOTHERFUCKER to OH SHIT OH SHIT OH SHIT in a second.

  95. bet HW that McCabe wouldn’t be fired and all I got was this stupid name
    Posted June 1, 2020 at 9:00 am | Permalink

    Aloha JH, I almost stupidly (after all I am a dolt) was going to make some comparison to the dominant paradigm and how it supports the notion that property is more important than lives (after all you can transfer property rights, try doing that with human rights) and how both Dems and Repub help maintain that paradigm. But I know you are willing, at least at times to at least share some of the wealth—so I will refrain.

    The obvious thing for the St. Nancy to do is hold up all government funding until a rent and mortgage forgiveness bill is passed, along with a continuing individual income guarantee. This should be part and parcel of a rational and sane crush the virus and bring back the economy plan (basing it on a Green New Deal would be a hopeful sign for the future). I’m sure Sleepy Joe and St. Nancy are putting together a great plan and we need to all get behind it, when they tell us.

  96. bet HW that McCabe wouldn’t be fired and all I got was this stupid name
    Posted June 1, 2020 at 9:10 am | Permalink

    Aloha, have you noticed how the death cult has stopped touting Sweden? This is why

    (Independent UK) Sweden has taken the ignominious title of the country with the world’s highest death rate from the Covid-19 coronavirus.

    The title, which was was briefly held by the UK in late May, comes after Swedish officials decided to ignore the lockdown advice of countless health experts and keep the country open during the pandemic.

    The number of deaths per capita in Sweden is now more than four-times that of any of its Scandinavian and Nordic neighbours.

    And while its death toll of around 4,500 may still be just a fraction of other badly affected countries like the US (105,000+) and the UK (38,000+), it is the death rate that reveals the true impact of Sweden’s no-lockdown approach.

    The rolling seven-day average for new confirmed deaths per million people in Sweden is now nearly twice that of the US, and more than five-times that of France, which had the highest death rate in the world in April. ……………(more)

    https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/coronavirus-lockdown-sweden-death-rate-worst-country-covid-19-a9539206.html

  97. Jean Henry
    Posted June 1, 2020 at 9:39 am | Permalink

    POLICE have attacked innocent Americans with deadly force so let’s set that baseline of understanding. Correct or not?

    There. I fixed it for you.

  98. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted June 1, 2020 at 10:28 am | Permalink

    When did I say they haven’t? You can’t deny the reality that there are nightly riots now no matter how hard you try. To try to insinuate that I deny police brutality is another example of your unreason. It’s a fallacy and a smear.

  99. Hyborian Warlord
    Posted June 1, 2020 at 10:33 am | Permalink

    Thought you could fight the The Beast In The Night, huh? You are toast. I guaranteed you that a long time ago and now it is all going my way.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTG5zqECOME

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