I'm not one to suffer criminal mischief. But in this case, I strongly agree with the message of the protesters. This does NOT remind me of LA in 1992 - at least not from where I'm watching it. And I AM watching it, because it's happening only a few blocks outside of my window, every single day, for a week now.
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The protests got off to a bad start. Then, sense prevailed. The legitimate protesters started manhandling the agitators, and the trouble stopped. But the sheer volume of police brutality videos is startling, and every person in America should heed it. Here in Seattle, local cops do very little enforcement of anything - and yet, they are armed to the teeth. I once saw a group of 6 officers go into a downtown drug store with guns drawn. I thought they'd cornered El Chapo. Turns out, it was just a drunk homeless, who was so intoxicated, he couldn't even stand.
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No matter where you come from, or what your belief systems are, you cannot deny that you watched a cop kill an unarmed man in restraints, in a way that would make you take up arms, if it were one of your own. I've been upset with the militarization of police forces that super ramped up after 9/11. So, I'm happy to hear that the demands are that this gets scaled way the hell down. I really don't think that every cruiser needs body armor, an assault rifle, a tactical shotgun, and whatever other military gear they might get tempted to use agains the public. Give a boy a toy, and boy will play with his toys.
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I'm writing this after watching the most shocking video of police in Niagra shoving an elderly man to the ground, and watching blood pool around his head. Totally uncalled for. I don't want these protests to get hijacked by people with alternative agendas. But I agree 100% with the message. And it won't stop until this message sinks in.