Hypocrisy in America
Letter to the Editor expressing opinion of the current state of America.
Business Insider; Stars and Stripes
Hypocrisy in America is fueled by division.
Horrified.
When I woke up and saw the video of George Floyd being violently mistreated while being arrested, I was horrified. I was horrified that a man could have his knee on the back of someone’s neck even after they were unconscious. I was horrified that none of the other officers stopped him or even checked to see if Floyd had a pulse.
Just like almost every single American that watched the video of George Floyd’s death, I was angry. I was angry that every officer on the scene did nothing as their partner, Derek Chauvin, killed a man who was in handcuffs and restrained and was not resisting arrest.
What’s also horrific is that George Floyd’s tragic, unfair death is being drowned out by the selfish criminals who are taking advantage of the situation to loot and destroy innocent businesses.
Many Americans wanted to get justice for Floyd so they started a peaceful protest in Minneapolis. However, it didn’t take long for the peaceful protest to turn into a violent riot which ravished the city. Overnight, entire buildings were burned to the ground and others were looted bare. Over the following days, the same thing happened to cities across America. That is not how you get justice.
Rioters destroyed or damaged over 200 buildings in just three days in Minneapolis alone causing millions of dollars in property damage. Many people have been defending these violent rioters, saying that they are angry and it is necessary in order for their message to be heard. They are justifying the destruction of innocent people’s lives. When did it become okay to burn down buildings and loot stores because you’re angry? When did it become okay to burn down a police station because of the actions of a couple bad cops? When did we allow domestic terroism to become acceptable in our country?
One thing that I learned from these riots is the amount of hypocrisy in America. When law abiding citizens exercised their first and second amendment rights in Michigan to protest unconstitutional laws, they were ridiculed by the same people and politicians who are defending the criminals that are commiting acts of domestic terrorism in the Floyd riots. The Michigan protestors were told that they were putting thousands of lives in danger through possibly spreading the coronavirus. Aren’t the people that are protesting for George Floyd doing the same thing? Why is the media not talking about that?
President Trump has been criticized and accused of being racist for calling the rioters “THUGS”. First off, that is what they are. If you burn down a building, loot a store, or attack a cop, you are a thug. Secondly, where was the outrage in 2015 when President Obama called the Baltimore rioters thugs? Why is it racist when Trump says it but it’s okay when Obama says it?
On Friday night, a Federal Protective Services officer was shot and killed by rioters. His name is David Patrick Underwood. He was an innocent man who was just working security. Oh, and did I mention he was black? I thought that the message of the protests and riots was that black lives matter. Did David’s life not matter? Why is there no outrage from the Black Lives Matter group about his death? Speaking about the hypocrisy from the Black Lives Matter group, why do they never protest or riot after a black man is killed by another black man? According to FBI statistics, 90% of black people killed are killed by other blacks. Do black lives only matter when a black person is killed by a white person? Black lives should matter regardless of the way they die.
Another great example of hypocrisy is that police brutality is only shown when it is a white cop against a black person. Have you heard of Tony Timpa? Probably not. I didn’t hear about him until the other day. Tony Timpa called police for help because he was having a schizophrenia episode outside of a store in Dallas. When police arrived, he was already in handcuffs and restrained by security guards outside the store.The police then re-cuffed him and held him against the ground for more than thirteen minutes. Tony then died due to “toxic effects of cocaine and the stress of being restrained.” He can be heard in videos begging to be let go and saying, “you’re gonna kill me”. This is pretty much the exact same thing that happened to George Floyd considering a preliminary autopsy reported there were “no physical findings that support a diagnostic of traumatic asphyxia or strangulation” and that the “combined effect of Floyd being restrained by the police, his underlying health conditions, and any potential intoxicants in his system likely contributed to his death.” This kind of police brutality is unacceptable – no matter what the race of the victim is.
As Americans, we need to shift our focus from this hypocrisy to being unified and standing against these kinds of horrific acts – like what happened to George Floyd and Tony Timpa – and we need to do it the right way, the lawful way. The same set of values should apply to individuals of any race.
GiveMeABreak • Nov 24, 2020 at 3:09 pm
The only reason “peaceful protests weren’t working” was because yelling and shouting and waving signs and other attention getting stuff was literally all you were doing rather than the actual work AFTER the protest and because you kept letting them be co-opted and shouted over by the very privileged white people who co-opted the Floyd protests and instigated riots to play revolutionary. Privileged white liberals and leftists. Period.
I have zero respect for a lot of you defending criminal behavior from these privileged people. I come from the working class and would be the first to support the ACTUAL community rising up and demanding to be respected in any way possible. Yet that’s not what it is. It’s more fake activism disguised as “justified rage” when really it’s largely privileged white people doing it. Anybody who wears blackbloc is a coward and a wannabe thug. Period.
You all want to talk about white people killing black people yet you did everything you could to defend the white CHOP security who tried to murder two unarmed black kids for stealing their car and smear the names of those innocent victims and lie about the circumstances. Because you’re hypocrites who don’t even know which way is up at this point.
Get bent.
Thomas Vaughn • Oct 5, 2020 at 11:28 am
I absolutely agree! the amount of hate and bs in this comment section is incredible, I just want to give you some encouragement!
kjh • Sep 3, 2020 at 5:54 pm
The truth is unjustified police killings of Blacks or any race, while they do happen are rare. The news media gives the false impression that they are common. Don’t get me wrong, no unjustified police killing should go unpunished and one unjust killings is one too many and all too
often the cops get off, regardless of the person’s race who was killed and that needs to stop. However, BLM and Antifa and their supporters, both Black and White, have NO right to protest during a pandemic while not wearing masks and practicing social distancing, it is these people that have caused Covid to skyrocket and its’ selfish. They also have NO right to loot and destroy property, that is not going to change things, only cause more violence because people will finally get fed up and push back on them hard. Enough of the “White privilege” MYTH. Whites are not privileged, Tony Timpa, Hannah Fizer, Thomas Kelly, Daniel Shaver etc. were all ignored because they were White. When is comes to Blacks, Black lives only matter in the rare instance they are killed by a White cop other than that Blacks lives matter least of all to Blacks.
john d dowd • Sep 1, 2020 at 10:30 pm
Sad!
Heather • Sep 1, 2020 at 3:37 pm
How are y’all all saying he only cares when white people are affected? He clearly mentions the black security guard David underwood being killed. I 100% believe that the police that killed George Floyd as well as the other officers who stood guard and watched should be punished to the fullest extent. George floyd did not deserve what he got. No one does! However linking all cops in with these handful of bad cops is not right. There are some cops that are truly in it for the right reasons but because of a handful of bad cops, they are all being treated as one and they are bad too. Destruction of property is not getting justice. Period. There is no message in doing this. Someone said peaceful protest weren’t working, but how is burning businesses down getting justice?? Martin Luther King Jrs protest are examples of a peaceful protest. The protests today are the opposite. MLK led peaceful protest always. It may have took several years and sadly his life, but his work finally paid off and things began to change. Changing the ways of 100s and 1000s of peoples mindsets can’t be done over night. It will take time. I believe all human beings should be treated equally despite their race. We are all God’s children. It shouldn’t be sad only when it is a black person killed by a white person. It should be equally sad regardless of race. Tony Timpa was literally killed the exact same way as George Floyd 4 years before, but where was his media attention? If BLM is against police brutality, then why was there no protest for him too?? Bc he was a “privileged white boy?” Why didn’t his life matter as much as George Floyd? Or Breonna Taylor? I am white, but I still know what was done to Breonna Taylor and George Floyd was murder and wrong, but it seems BLM only care if they are black. No race should be above another so why is it that the only police on civilian murders that are being blasted through the media are the ones who are black? What about Cannon hennant? The 5 year old boy who was shot and killed by a black man for no reason whatsoever in broad daylight while he played outside? He was an innocent baby. What about Secoriea Turner? The 8 year old that was struck by a stray bullet fired by a protestor in Atlanta on 4th of July while riding in the car with her mom? Why aren’t yall protesting these cases too?? I agree there is still racism today but from all races. We need to all come together instead of working against one another and stand together as Americans and stop linking each race as one.
Rachel Vawter • Jun 22, 2020 at 3:29 pm
Just like Candace Owen’s FaceBook video on the death of George Floyd, this article made so much sense….until I really listened and recognized the victim shaming and blatant blame shifting is becoming the common rhetoric of abject denial, echoed in the above article.
Tony Timpa’s death wasn’t brought to light until recently due to stonewalling by DPD. Yet white people everywhere use this blatant example of police brutality in an attempt to switch the focus back on themselves like look, it happens to us too. That’s the hypocrisy we are seeing, yet instead of standing united against a system that is very clearly rigged to oppress, it’s just another parroting to shift the focus and ignore the issue. So if this is the response, what exactly do you expect black people to do? It’s easier to buy into a lie to avoid culpability. We do it with rape victims all the time. And it worked, which is why victims stayed silent instead of fighting back.
In 1989, four black teenagers and one latino went to prison for the rape of a woman in Central Park. The DNA and fingerprints found at the scene matched none of them. The 16 was sent to Rikers. Donald Trump spent 85,000 dollars on an ad asking for the death penalty to come back and that law and order needed to be maintained. Not one cent went to the victim, nor any charity for domestic violence and rape. They were later exonerated and the actual perpetrator was tied to the scene with DNA, fingerprints, and a statement. Guess who never apologized to them, and is still insisting on their guilt?
Also, if you appreciate statistics, look into those published by the Innocence Project of the people they were able to help – of 367 people exonerated over 60% were black.
Janel • Jun 22, 2020 at 2:46 pm
BLM advocated for Tony Timpa. The level of ignorance and lack of intellect displayed in this article is astounding.
Ella Kos • Jun 14, 2020 at 8:09 pm
Atlast journalism as it should be. Police need reform regarding relationship with black Americans. It was barbaric way Floyd was killed. BLM! Still it must start at its roots the BLM movement. And that means how families left without a father who provides, emotionally and financially, and children because their BLM truly matter have better foundation. Also over 90%black Americans killed by other black Americans. Ironic and. Sad isn’t it if BLM truly? Why is truth about George Floyd’s criminality, incl use of violence, drugs and lots of jail time not being addressed as even upon his death he was taking crazy drugs and had bag if white power. If we really want to make black lives matter then help me as a black woman explain to my children not to look up to her absent, criminal father’s behaviour as he fails me and his family, lessons can be learned but it’s how we choose live our lives that truly matters. Shouldnt we tell our children and show them that for true systematic change to happen then we need take responsibility, as as it’s what we do that matters. So it’s good match peacefully and protest to help ensure change in society for BLM !! But it must start at home. Ultimately it’s up to each of us whatever colour if we commit crimes, if we carry guns and use them in home invasions, if we go out in community with covid, if we use drugs or invest that money on our kids it is clear on arrest Floyd still committing crime. Ruthlessly killed. Still BLM want justice from police society .I get it. I am black. I do not like political correctness concerning this. I know who I am
I don’t care if you want to lynch me and call me a racist saying Floyd didn’t take responsibility for all his kids, issues health decisions throughout his life.. Etc etc we are one race, many colours, the human race, RIP George Floyd
Slamdunkeroosky • Jun 12, 2020 at 11:34 pm
This article is full of half-stories, obfuscations and misleading information! The author conveniently left out that the “protesters in Michigan were vilified more in the press while exercising their first amendment rights” and although the looters deserve to be condemned, he conveniently left out that the protesters blocked ambulances, which is not covered by the first amendment, not to mention a safety hazard! He also failed to mention that they menaced and threatened lawmakers and police (a PUNK had a gun in a policemen’s face)! Although Michigan is an open carry state (and I’m anti-gun control), it does NOT give someone the right to threaten someone with a gun unless it’s self-defense and not getting their way is NOT self-defense! The real story here is that the Michigan police treated these terrorists with kid gloves while other police have killed innocent black and white men for much less and at times, no reason because these cops made mistakes! That’s the real story and the ones who went too far and threatened lawmakers and cops are domestic terrorists and what they did was the equivalent of a tantrum because they didn’t get their way! The looters are scumbags and thugs and should be prosecuted! They are also opportunists and charlatans who wanted free stuff!
Holly Dutton • Jun 10, 2020 at 4:57 pm
Indignation over the tragic death of George Floyd at the hands of police officers is justified. Looting and burning innocent businesses and murdering innocent people are not.
Luke Rumpler • Jun 6, 2020 at 1:22 am
Yeah, I’m gonna have to agree with Chris He who agreed with John Dowd here here.
Have a good summer – Luke “[email protected])” Rumpler
The thruth • Jun 5, 2020 at 4:48 pm
A white business man was beaten in Atlanta during the riots on Friday night after the security company called to let him know that alarms were going off in Underground Atlanta. He sustained serious injuries and broken bones in his face. Multiple videos confirm his assailants were an African American female and six African American males. Was he targeted because of his race? Was his beating justified by protestors anger?
Akshay Balaji • Jun 5, 2020 at 2:15 pm
Some points may not be correct on the author’s part, but you shouldn’t criticize him so badly like that. Everyone’s opinions should be respected, whether they are believed or not. It is not right to use negative strong words such as disgusted. The author simply tried to spread awareness, and not cause any harm to anybody. Please respect that. Thank you-Akshay Balaji
Anonymous • Jun 5, 2020 at 9:39 am
Oh I completely agree with this article! People are failing to see both sides of the picture and have developed a one track mind. Also what even happened to the coronavirus? It’s still around, and there is no cure as of now. These protesters are spreading the virus and before you know it there will be another wave where we are forced to stay inside our homes once again.
Christopher He • Jun 5, 2020 at 3:20 am
Great Article Mr. Kushon:
Some Great Points You Mentioned In The Article That I’d Like To Point Out The Criminals That Are Looting Are Indeed Selfish And They Should Be Punished I Think Your Article Has Given Me More Motivation To Speak Out And Help In The Fight Against Police Brutality And Racism I Actually On Monday Participated In The BlackOut Movement And A Put Black Screen As My Profile Picture (On Instagram And SnapChat). I Think Activism Like This Is What We Need. The More Of These Things That Happen, There Will Be Greater Chance That Problems Like These Will be Solved Although One Thing I Think You Should Do Is To Check Your Privilege
Actually Why Are The Looters Being Correlated With “Getting Justice” They Are Just Opportunistic (Bad) People Who Are Taking Advantage Of Chaos In Order To Get Shoes And Such And Probably Collateral Too. Why Are You Correlating These People With The Protesters Who Are Actually Not Greedy People? At All.
I’m going to have to agree with John Dowd here. I think his points about the article and the comments are very accurate. The comments make the article seem like it’s some propaganda being spewed out. Dowd’s analysis, I must say, is superbly crafted and I think his opinionated dissection of these protests is unparalleled by any other commenter. I actually spoke personally with him the other day on an app called “LCB” (Live-Chat-Boards) and we talked about the protests. We (He,Dowd) Gathered that Human Nature is inherently greedy. He immaculately articulated his points.
Third Point: There are way too many ad-hominem attacks in the comments. I have to idea why people are attacking you, Mr. Kushon, when some of them may not even know who you are/look like/sound/if you may have disabilities/etc. I really don’t understand. If you Search For (Ctrl+F) and type in “You” there are literally 100 instances where “you” comes up. Why are these ad-hominem attacks happening when you aren’t even some public figure? No one even knows who you are.
Fourth Point: The phrase “check your privilege” is so worn out. Why are people telling people like you (and people that agree with your viewpoints) disgusting and ignorant? Why Should some Upper-middle class North Allegheny student tell me to check my privilege? Why don’t you check your privilege? Can we start a Privilege War? Who has More Privilege? I honestly think that Privilege can be described in a function described as a hyperbola: f(x) = P(2x). The more privilege that one has, the lesser chance that they have of winning the argument. It’s that simple. If you have posted a TikTok or Instagram or Snapchat about how bored you are in quarantine, please, shut up. You know you’ve done it. Why are you complaining about being bored when people are literally dying and getting tear gassed. It’s honestly asinine that one would consider saying the phrase “check your privilege” had they previously talked about “how bored they are” in quarantine. It’s ridiculous how privileged and selfish you must be. The Korean War’s horrors would pale in comparison to the 5nd Privilege Wars.
As the famous philosopher Søren Kierkegaard once elaborated in his 1994 Essay “Walden”:
“I don’t believe black people exist. Show me one. I’ll wait.”
Point 6: I’d like to recommend another author on this platform’s article for anyone who wants to inform themselves and actually make a difference. The article “If You’re Tired of All of This…” has some great thought-out points and a resources link (that has ways that you can actually help besides telling someone to check their privilege). The author does a great job at making logical points unlike other badly written articles that are all the exact same message – NO ONE CARES! SAD! (The other author’s other articles are equally enlightening).
Of course, I, being a selfish individual, will not be partaking in any of this. I hope you don’t either; I think you’ll find that the less you do, the happier you are. Continue scrolling along and writing comments on articles that will not change anything or anyone. If you agree with the points in the article, you will continue agreeing with them, and vice versa. You have wasted your time.
The artist William Bryan once stated:
“Science may have found a cure for most evils; but it has found no remedy for the worst of them all
— the apathy of human beings.”
anyways the next point i’d like to make is about the end of school. i’d really just like to wish all of you the best in your ventures following this Friday — I will be laying in bed at home staring at the ceiling, waiting for the inevitable day where it all drifts away (metaphorically, i don’t mean dying). I have really enjoyed my time at nai and i hope that you sophomores also have — it has been a great two years, especially with such great teachers. especially the good english teachers who actually understand why english is important and why it is so necessary to educate the unmolded minds of the future.
Hopefully when the boomers have been extinguished, then these new minds can rise up and take the reins, and finally end all of this stupidity. I remain firmly in the viewpoint that the current system is much too ingrained in the overarching American culture, and that a new group of individuals needs to replace the old guard in order for anything to actually “work” correctly.
Have a great summer – Christopher “[email protected]” He
Mia W. • Jun 4, 2020 at 9:57 pm
I think I vomited in my mouth a little upon reading this. I want you to read the comments posted above by POC who have experienced racism first-hand in their day-to-day lives. Then I want you to reflect inwards, think about how lucky and how privileged you are, that you will never be judged because of your skin color, your ethnicity, your religion, etc. Yes, we get that you are angry; we are also angry. But we are also afraid for our brothers and sisters who go through their days not knowing if they will be the next victim of a hate crime, becoming a statistic in an otherwise apathetic and fundamentally racist society.
I would say more, but the comments prior to mine have done such a wonderful job at explaining all the reasons why you are so wrong.
Myra J • Jun 4, 2020 at 3:35 pm
This is…privilege beyond comprehension. What you’re saying is COMPLETELY not okay. First of all, what do you want them to do if not riot? Did peaceful protesting work? We tried that, Colin Kaepernick and a bunch of others tried peaceful. How do you think we got bills passed in the 60s? Asking nicely? Look back on history, change doesnt happen just by everyone joining hands and singing Kumbaya. As for Tony Timpa- youre right, thats awful. But what you are talking about there is the whole “All Lives Matter” concept. We are fighting against racism here. RACISM. We are fighting against police brutality against black people because it is a huge issue that keeps happening. Yes, police brutality is always bad, nobody said what happened to Tony Timpa was okay, nobody. But look, the only time you brought it up was when we try and speak up about BLM. This is the same as “men get raped too”, only brought up when women speak up. Its not that you care about Tony Timpa, its that youre mad that black people have a voice now and youre trying to shut it down. As for “why do we only speak up when whites kill blacks”. Because thats when its racism! Thats what we are talking about! Everyone knows murder is bad, that isnt the issue we are talking about. This ENTIRE article is simply you trying to shut down the voice that took decades to gain, this is priveleged and racist and absolutely disgusting. I know you benefit from oppression,but now its time to grow up and deal with the equality and justice America is supposedly all about. Stop trying to continue to hold POC in their chains with this terrible way of thinking. I genuinely cant stomach this article.
Ben L • Jun 4, 2020 at 2:19 pm
I’ll be the first to admit that I haven’t been doing nearly enough to voice my support and sympathy for the black community during this time, but clearing up some dangerous misconceptions that are clearly the result of watching too much Tucker Carlson seems like a decent place to start. You clearly want to talk about hypocrisy, and yet write 10 paragraphs scrutinizing the black community while purposely avoiding the circumstances that have given rise to recent events. This entire article is a smokescreen carefully designed to conceal centuries of racial prejudice behind a facade of “equality” and “justice”. I use those words hesitantly because of your ultimate conclusion: that change must arise the “right” or “lawful” way. Telling black people that they must produce change through the very system that has been PROVEN to systematically ignore their demands is no different than telling a prisoner to free themselves while their hands and feet and still tied together by chains. In the end, however, your adherence to the state as an actor capable of meaningful change isn’t your fault. In other words, for people like you and me (white), the state has always been seen as a malleable catalyst for progress and the betterment of society. This simply isn’t the case for the black community. Telling black people how, where, when, and why to protest only serves to tighten the chains that allow the state to repress activism, solidarity, and meaningful progress. Lastly, I want to address your examples of times when protests went too far. While I agree that protestors destroying businesses and inciting violence against people such as David Patrick Underwood is wrong, your use of these examples as weapons against the original message of the protests contradicts your stated goals of equality and justice. Even though it is never explicitly stated (which racist things usually never are), turning the actions of certain protestors against the ENTIRE movement is just another method of silencing black voices because they aren’t saying what you want them to say. After all, according to the article that you just wrote, it’s wrong to hold the actions of the few against the voices of the many.
Joey Kiernan • Jun 4, 2020 at 7:03 am
Probably the best piece I have read in months. Well done
Joe • Jun 4, 2020 at 12:57 am
Fantastic article
I agree with everything in this article
Carter Michaels • Jun 2, 2020 at 4:10 pm
Great job Robby this was a very well written article
Alok Shah • Jun 2, 2020 at 10:52 am
Ok, what I got from this article was peaceful protests are good, and riots are bad. I agree, there was plenty of truth it as well. I think you fail to realize a multitude of other things, such as the systematic oppression that African Americans face. While there may not be a single policy oppressing black people, there aren’t as many protecting them from police brutality, discriminatory livelihood, and most importantly, CYCLES UPON CYCLES OF POVERTY. This is key, bc one of the primary reasons you see crime now, specifically looting is because of the already impoverished further being destroyed by a deadly pandemic. If anything, the riots are a wake up call to policy makers to get themselves back in line, and start finding ways to get rid of the enourmous amounts of poverty that disproportionately affect minorities. Only then will we see a halt of the riots you talked about. While I don’t condone the destruction of businesses or private enterprises by anyone (black, white, etc.) I believe it is insensitive to tell people who have gone centuries of oppression how to react to this; It’s unfair for me, a privileged kid in the suburbs to tell someone in the city who lives in an unfair system how to react. Thus, I leave you with a quote from MLK, “A riot is the language of the unheard”. Social change was obviously needed, I think you agree, however peaceful protests, simply weren’t doing the job. The question in all of our minds now should be, “Do the benefits of the riots outweigh its harms?” At the end of the day, it’s our government that will show us, but rest assured if inaction is the action, riots are only the beginning of what we will see in the future.
Kevin Hart • Jun 2, 2020 at 4:01 am
The ignorance you show in this article is beyond me. It was more of a rant trying to justify Trump’s behavior and belittling the black community. You are the definition of hypocrisy in America. Also, the facts are just straight up wrong. A lot of these riots have been organized by white supremacists, and when a second autopsy was done, it confirmed the first one was wrong. And, what did people expect to happen? Peaceful protests have been held year after year, including Kaepernick in 2016, and nothing changes. People like you silence the black community, turning against them when they attempt to simply take a knee. If people aren’t going to listen to peaceful protests, maybe they’ll be forced to change now, although still unlikely.
Collin Snider • Jun 2, 2020 at 1:22 am
Just a friendly reminder, MLK was assassinated by white people after leading a peaceful protest(s) in America, I don’t know how people can not see that people are fighting violence with violence because peaceful vs violence wasn’t resulting in any change. Yes, I can agree I know it’s not ideal but what’s not ideal is the corrupt police system we have in America currently.
Srose • Jun 1, 2020 at 9:37 pm
@Rkushon
I am extremely disgusted how you justify the Michigan protest against a VIRUS, but when many people of color are killed due to cops it’s not okay? People in Michigan were armed, not wearing masks, and extremely hostile. When there’s a peaceful protest, people wearing masks, and following laws it’s somehow not. You did not even mention in your article that many of the “riots” were started by anti-BLM groups, and you placed all the people in BLM movement as the ones starting them. You are a white male that will never understand the treatment POC go through. You’ll never be in public and think, “Will I die for walking on the street for no reason?” DISGUSTED.
John D. • Jun 1, 2020 at 3:39 pm
When I read these comments, I expected this article to be horrific. However, when I was finished reading, it really wasn’t that bad. Many good points were made about the rioting and how aggresive policing needs to stop. Of course there were a few points that could be better worded or should have been looked into more deeply, but overall it is a decent article. I understand and respect what people are saying in the comments but I would disagree with both their comparisons and their opinions on this topic. We should be looking to the peaceful protests of Floyd’s horrific death and not enable those who seek to break the law and hurt innocent people just because they have the opportunity to do so.
Rkushon • Jun 1, 2020 at 2:44 pm
To everyone in the comments-I never said that the people rioting were only black your the only ones who said that so maybe u should stop blaming me and blame yourself for thinking that
Hyun Hwang • Jun 1, 2020 at 1:58 pm
I hope you realize that the title of your article on this topic is ironic in itself. “Hypocrisy in America”- you are saying in your article that the protestors are rioters, and that violent protest is not a way to head towards a solution. There are so many things wrong with this. America as we know it today was built on violent protest. The American Revolution and Shay’s rebellion are just 2 examples. Both of these events in American history are hailed are heroic for using violence to stand up against systemic abuse. Until you want to call the founding fathers “thugs”, you have no right to talk about hypocrisy in this matter. Secondly, why is your main focus on these protests? If you hate this form of activism and want it to stop, address the reason why these people are protesting. America had not listened when we spoke softly, therefore, further action had to be taken or who knows how much longer the issues on the table would have been ignored. Taking part in civil disobedience requires someone to put their job, their future, their safety, and even their lives in jeopardy. These protests are not just random, violent outbursts. They are the product of centuries of oppression and racism and pain. The fact that you don’t seem to understand why this is happening reveals your privilege and ignorance. Third, Donald Trump using the term “thug” was unacceptable because he had previously called actual nazis protesting against social distancing “very good people” whereas he didn’t seem to share the same sentiment for individuals fighting for the right for black people to be able to feel as safe and protected as others. Finally, on the case of Tony Timpa, yes, it was a tragedy that should not have happened. However, he didn’t die because he was white. George Floyd and countless others such as Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor died due to their race and the associated prejudice that came along. Take some time to educate yourself on both racial injustice as well as responsible journalism. Before writing articles, journalists tend to research and learn about topics using facts and opposing opinions rather than throwing words on a page and calling it a day. Inform yourself before you release articles, especially on subjects that don’t pertain directly to you.
Sally Cho • Jun 1, 2020 at 1:24 pm
The BLM movement focuses on the systematic racism in our justice system that puts white cops against black people. Black people are profiled and unfairly killed based on their race by white cops. Of course, black lives matter in all cases, but this specific case (white cops killing black people) is especially prominent right now, and what this movement is about. Black on black crime has NOTHING to do with this. This is about a group of people (white cops) having power and privilege over another (black people). This is about racism. You can’t pretend like these deaths had NOTHING to do with race. White people aren’t being killed by cops for being white. Of course there are other outlying circumstances and those deaths were unfair and horrible, too, but this movement is about the big picture, the injustice against black people that has been going on for literally hundreds of years.
Zoe Tracey • Jun 1, 2020 at 1:10 pm
Im glad you are angry during this crucial time as you should be, but there are a few points in your article that need to be addressed from the point of view of person of color living in America. It’s very important you make clear that most of the looters, criminals, and thugs that are burning down buildings and “innocent businesses“ are white supremacists and undercover cops. The burning cop car and rioting that begun in Pittsburgh was by a group of white boy supremacists and all of the surrounding protesters were urging them to stop. The fire was started by a cop in Minneapolis. You mention black on black crime is high but black people are not killing other black people because of their race. That is the difference. Also these black men do not have jobs in which they are supposed to protect the American people without cherry picking who they want to save. The difference is rhat it’s racially motivated, and thats what this movement is about. You criticize the black lives matter movement while bringing up things that of course are important but don’t pertain to this situation. This movement was started because of George Floyd but not only for him. This is for ALL of the black people that have been killed because of racial injustice. I don’t doubt that Tony Timpa was an innocent man killed by the police and he deserves justice just like the rest of the hundreds of innocent black men who have been killed by racially motivated cops. The people in Michigan were being criticized because they were carrying assault riffles through the streets protesting that they want a haircut. Black lives matter are protesting people being murdered because of blatant racism within our justice system. You say that violence isn’t that answer and I wish it wasn’t but things have gotten violent because people are not listening to us. Also things have gotten violent because of the police that shoot rubber bullets and tear gas at PEACEFUL protesters. Please look past the conservative news sources you use and look at the videos of homeless men getting kicked. There are videos and pictures of a pregnant women getting thrown to the ground and peaceful lines of people getting tear gassed while using their first amendment rights. They should have the same rights as the people in Michigan did without getting tear gassed but they don’t because they are minorities. The problem is the police. The peaceful protest in Alaska had no riots no looting no nothing but people coming together. Why do you think that was? There were no cops at their protest. Violent riots are not a new thing to American cities and I did not here any discouraging when people burned their cities to the ground when their favorite sports team lost. I will not deny that there are some people who fall to both categories of the protesters and the rioters but when every peaceful protest we have made has been met with hate and violence and people not listening what else are they supposed to do. Unfortunately this is working, people are listening and multi-million dollar corporations will survive people fighting for their right to live freely. America was built on the backs of black people and if we are tired from 400 years of oppression and people still aren’t listening, that is the issue. But thank you for sharing your point of view and opinion. However, it is the vast majority of people that believe businesses can be rebuilt but the black lives that were lost cannot be brought back.
Quinn Volpe • Jun 1, 2020 at 1:08 pm
You seem to only care about the white people affected by police violence when you are trying to belittle the current situation and the fight for black rights.
George Floyd deserves justice and the four officers responsible for his death deserve to be punished and held accountable with maximum sentences, but these protests aren’t just about his death; they are about all Black struggles. Although the violence at these protests that were previously peaceful have been mostly incited by white people that aren’t directly involved, police, and extremist groups from either side, and we should not categorize all protestors as violent people with bad intentions, Black people and their allies have tried to be peaceful countless times- in Birmingham, with the freedom riders, during the Montgomery bus boycotts, during sit-ins and marches, and so many other ways. What is happening now is not Black people jumping to senseless violence. This is their last resort. Rioting is what happens when justice drags its feet and has always been necessary for real and significant change in this country. We rioted violently to gain independence from Britain. We rioted violently to free slaves. We rioted violently for basic women’s and LGBT rights while there are still significant problems that they both face as groups. Systems and institutions that are currently in place in our country benefit from Black suffering, and Ihonestly, with the way that these systems are currently being run, they would fail without Black suffering. Black people have every right to be mad about this. Their lives are more important than property being destroyed. Property is replaceable, their lives are not. It is a shame to see that certain leaders and their supporters will sooner turn to threatening violence against protestors than they will to speaking out about why these people are protesting or beginning to make changes that would benefit everyone in our country and help to further avoid the deaths and suffering of innocent Black people.
Gloria Wang • Jun 1, 2020 at 12:59 pm
I completely understand why the rioting makes people upset. But my question is, what else are they supposed to do? There have been peaceful protests for years with little to no change occurring. You not even trying to empathize and understand the reasoning behind these riots shows your privilege. This is a result of decades of anger and frustration from the blatant discrimination of black people. And that anger is just fueled when your police force continues to tear gas the protestors. I know that these riots don’t seem beneficial but if you can find an alternative, let me know. Don’t answer me with peaceful protests because it has never worked. Remember when kneeling during the national anthem, a peaceful protest, was seen as disrespectful to the country? But riots occurred during the civil rights movement, LGBTQ+ movement, when women fought for their rights to vote, and these people were eventually heard and changes were made, which is exactly what the country’s current Black Lives Matters movement wants—to be heard.We’re not going to be able to solve things through singing kumbaya anymore. Things have just gone too far.
Dillon Ferraro • Jun 1, 2020 at 12:57 pm
Wow. The ignorance in this article astounds me. Where do you get off calling BLM protesters selfish criminals? That’s just the first example in your article showing how privileged you really are. You aren’t a black man or woman living in America therefore you have no right to call these protesters selfish thugs. Many of the people looting and destroying buildings aren’t even part of the movement, so don’t blame it on them. I have seen countless videos over the past few days of cops becoming violent with peaceful protesters though all they were doing were holding signs and standing up for what’s right. No one is justifying Obama calling protesters thugs I know that isn’t right. But Trump supported the mainly white protesters who didn’t want to wear masks during this pandemic and a large majority were armed! Trump is lumping the BLM protesters into one group calling them thugs and threatening violence upon them when really, many of the people who have become violent don’t even support the movement. The phrase “All Lives Matter” is disgusting and should never be used, especially in times like these. Black lives take precedence right now because black men and women are being killed unjustifiably every single day and it needs to come to an end. Do you leave your house every day wondering, “When is my mom going to be killed for her skin color? Dad? Me?”. If not, you don’t have the right to act as though you know what these people are going through. It’s disgusting, ignorant, wrong, and just shows how privileged you really are. What happened to Tony TImpa sounds like a horrible story, however it was not one involving racism. So don’t compare the two. Skin color shouldn’t be an obstacle one should ever have to overcome, yet black men, women, and children have to every day. Please understand your privilege and know that it isn’t ok to act as though you know how African American people feel.
Dani Benavides • Jun 1, 2020 at 12:28 pm
So many things wrong with this. Many people causing damage to property are white people who don’t care about the movement and just want to riot, and the blame is being placed on black people. Protests are also becoming violent when the police show up and are violent themselves for no reason. Countless times have people tried protesting peacefully, like Kaepernick taking a knee and nothing worked. So, after Floyd’s death, it was a breaking point and the only way for people to be heard. White people have rioted after their sports teams lost, and no one said anything. The gain for American independence was achieved by rioting and glorified by patriotism but now because black people are doing it it’s bad? The people “protesting” before were literally against safety precautions that were placed for their own well-being and health. That’s not fighting for an important cause- it’s an embarrassment. Trump called black people thugs but literal Nazi rioters good people. Do you not see the contrast here????? It’s foolish to think white privilege and racism isn’t alive in our unjust society.