Enhance
Administrator
Agree with a few things you've posted in this thread, but a couple of points.Can't be a meaningful conversation when only one side is willing to listen to the argument. That can be twisted towards one side or the other, but it appears to me that no one from the BLM side is willing to listen to the why from the police side. The police side has tried to work with the BLM folks all over the nation from border to border and bent over backwards for those protests to only have them go south. Society has to change as well as the police, I've said that time and time again, but the finger is ALWAYS pointed towards the police. I've said it before and I'll say it again, this issue isn't nearly as big as the issues with black-on-black killings and the societal issues the black community has, if those issues could be solved now you're really on your way to fixing things. Listen to Kaepernick's statement, it's all blame on the police, that's what I'm picking up from it anyways. Any use of force on African-Americans is instantly wrong anymore or at least that's the knee jerk reaction until the facts start to trickle out."If you don't like it, then leave!" is a pretty dismissive and elementary response that doesn't really facilitate meaningful conversation. Not to mention it doesn't actually even bother to refute the argument made.
If Kaepernick really believes what he's saying he believes, why the hell would he leave the country instead of try to fix it? If I see a girl getting raped at a party and I don't approve, should I stop the rape or should I go to a party where people aren't raping women?
First, people are protesting the black-on-black killings, particularly in places like Chicago, where moms and families have rallied to keep their kids alive. It's even happened in Omaha. However, and forgive my language here, but that isn't nearly as fun or interesting to people as police on black killings or white on black violence. I do not literally mean there is anything "fun" about that - my point is people just really enjoy engaging in that particular debate and it gets far more media attention because of this. But, because you or other people don't see it, that doesn't mean it isn't happening. There are also thousands of people across this country working tirelessly to improve conditions in the black community. But, you are right - black on black killings and societal issues are a big concern that seemingly gets forgotten and instead shifted toward police.
Second, and per another post of yours, I would argue CK's choice did accomplish something - it got people talking. I don't agree with the manner in which he went about it, personally, but I would argue it did do some of what he was hoping it would do.