Topic: The Murder of George Floyd and Black Lives Matter.

[Shankly998]

Moved past it is a bold shout! I take your point though. I'm just saying without that race factor, this incident is less incendiary than it would be otherwise. Plus the fact that we're in the dead of winter will help keep things calm, although it might be good rioting weather in Memphis.

In my opinion the defund the police movement is dead and buried. A nationwide explosion of murders, carjackings and mass retail thefts put paid to that nonsensical slogan. Well, maybe I'm projecting a bit, but I certainly don't hear that in Chicago anymore apart other than from the most woke corners of the internet.

Defund the police is one of the dumbest political slogans I've ever heard it makes the pledges on the EdStone sound like the Gettysburg address. It sounds like its a phrase that would have been invented by fox news to bash democrats let alone one Democrats came up with themselves. Anyway another senseless tragedy caused by terrible standards in American policing.

[DangerScouse]

That video is equally heart breaking and sickening. Fucking bastards.

[AlphaDelta]

That video is probably the most horrific thing I've seen in a long time. Absolute fucking animals.  :'(

[Indomitable_Carp]

Horrific video. Predictably and depressing there are still people saying he bears some blame for running and resisting arrest.

As if him subsequently being beaten to death by the people he's running from is not justification for him being terrified for his life.

[oldfordie]

First thing that struck me watching the video was the loss of control by all the police, screaming and shouting at the top of their voices, this is the problem with many police in the US and you have to blame the selection of police officers and the training, UK police have been pointing this out to them for years when the US Police have asked for advice. they start off at a high level response and it escalates very quickly. they need to talk to people calmly first, deescalate the sitution rather than going in screaming and shouting, this is exactly what happened with this lad, he was calm at first, he just wanted to know why he had been stopped which is a normal response anyone would have, the police acted like drunk teenagers out for trouble rather than trained police officers.
There needs to be a inquiry into the training in the Memphis police force, the trainers need to be shown the door, the whole police force have to learn how to deescalate, talk calmly and stop the situation from getting out of control.

[Andy @ Allerton!]

Saw that video. Shocking. The officers involved should all be jailed for life.

Disgusting, but America seems to get worse every day.

[Andy @ Allerton!]

There’s a reason the saying is All Cops Are Bastards.

And that reason is that people are fucking dickheads.

Society couldn't exist without a police force. The vast, vast majority are great people who put their lives on the line for us and deal with shit that we couldn't even believe.

Yeah they have fucking arseholes in their ranks, but you could say that about any group. Some of the biggest fucking shitstains I've met in my life are Liverpool fans, but does that mean we all are? Does it fuck.

[Mumm-Ra]

And that reason is that people are fucking dickheads.

Society couldn't exist without a police force. The vast, vast majority are great people who put their lives on the line for us and deal with shit that we couldn't even believe.

Yeah they have fucking arseholes in their ranks, but you could say that about any group. Some of the biggest fucking shitstains I've met in my life are Liverpool fans, but does that mean we all are? Does it fuck.

Spot on. It’s good that Snail can provide the forum with the “edgy 15 yr old in their bedroom” point of view though

[WhereAngelsPlay]

And that reason is that people are fucking dickheads.

Society couldn't exist without a police force. The vast, vast majority are great people who put their lives on the line for us and deal with shit that we couldn't even believe.

Yeah they have fucking arseholes in their ranks, but you could say that about any group. Some of the biggest fucking shitstains I've met in my life are Liverpool fans, but does that mean we all are? Does it fuck.

A career in law enforcement attracts the worst of human society.

[Armand9]

it's murder, rodney king all over again, tho worse cos this guy died but the intent in both cases was the same - beat the living shit out of him with reckless abandoment

the dude is down and beaten and they pick him up to his feet again to absolutely haymaker him and what the flying fuck we're the paramedics (?, some kind of 'care' personel) doing when they arrived, dude is clearly in a very bad way and they just mill around him for ages doing fuckall

[Mumm-Ra]

A career in law enforcement attracts the worst of human society.

That is true also. It’s a magnet for authoritarian violent control freaks.

It’s like politics, the last people you want doing it are the ones who dive in headfirst.

But that’s just life - you (we) need to come up with a solution to limit the abuses that is grounded in reality. Who would want to become a cop, especially in a tough town like Memphis? There have been a lot of cases of police departments having to lower their required test scores, ignore troubling things on background checks etc., just to staff their force. Then stuff like this happens. The LA rampart scandal was a good example of this.

Anyway point is vilifying the police as a whole not only helps nothing, it actually makes the situation worse.

[John C]

Yeah they have fucking arseholes in their ranks, but you could say that about any group.

Spot on. It’s good that Snail can provide the forum with the “edgy 15 yr old in their bedroom” point of view though

I agree with this, it was a very silly, narrow-minded generalisation. My uncle wasn't a bastard, or my cousin, or my two mates who work in national security but cut their teeth in the Police, neither is the ST holder over the road from me.

[WhereAngelsPlay]

it's murder, rodney king all over again, tho worse cos this guy died but the intent in both cases was the same - beat the living shit out of him with reckless abandoment

the dude is down and beaten and they pick him up to his feet again to absolutely haymaker him and what the flying fuck we're the paramedics (?, some kind of 'care' personel) doing when they arrived, dude is clearly in a very bad way and they just mill around him for ages doing fuckall

Beaten to death because 1 juiced up cop pepper sprayed one of his juiced up mates.

He knew that the c*nts were going to kill him,that's why he ran off.

[Boston always unofficial]

Biggest gangs in America wear uniforms.ACAB.

[stevensr123]

The problem with America’s cops is they are probably the most powerful union in America. Throwing more money and a bit more training at the problem hasn’t worked and won’t work. No political party wants to rock the boat too much. Major structural reform is needed, but the unions protect their own (which is obviously their job - but it’s detrimental to society at this point)

 I also imagine since there is local, state and federal police that any major reform will be almost impossible to achieve. Basically someone who is fired for misconduct in one city, can  join a branch in another pretty easily thus continuing the cycle of bad cops in the system.

Obviously not all cops are bad people, in fact the majority are not, but their system and organisation is fundamentally flawed at this point.

[Mimi]

But that’s just life - you (we) need to come up with a solution to limit the abuses that is grounded in reality.

This is what Defund the Police is about. Give resources to professions who actually are capable of handling the things police are needlessly taking on, and carrying out with murderous results. Defund the Police is about dealing with the reality of the community; not the fantasy that police will ensure our safety.

Who would want to become a cop, especially in a tough town like Memphis? There have been a lot of cases of police departments having to lower their required test scores, ignore troubling things on background checks etc., just to staff their force.

Why is Memphis a tough town compared to any other town? Like is "tough" code for another word? So cops who are found to be abusers get hired by the next force because there is nobody else? If this was a defense of any other profession, we would say fuck that profession. It's the same fucking argument that has been leveled against the Catholic Church and its passing around of pedophile priests.

It's police culture that prevents the force from recruiting good people. Criticism of police culture as a whole is valid. ACAB is valid until cops actually show they are worthy of respect. It's way past the few bad apples argument now. People who want to defend the majority of police as being good - like can you actually point to anything that has changed for the better in policing since the George Floyd protests?

Throwing money at the police is never going to solve anything. Budget is not a problem for the police:

Memphis spends 40% of its budget on police — 2nd only to Vegas. Memphis had the largest % police budget increase in the country after the George Floyd protests. https://smartcitymemphis.com/2021/04/spendi

From here: https://twitter.com/TheTNHoller/status/1619403806273585152

Police killings are up.

Police killed more people in 2022 than any other year in the past decade. 1,186 people were killed by police in 2022. Black people were 3x more likely to be killed by police than white people, and 1.3x more likely to be unarmed.

From here: https://twitter.com/udiofer_/status/1619192325426774017

Same thing in Canada: https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/expert-warns-of-perfect-storm-as-the-number-of-police-shootings-increases-in-2022-1.6209520

Tyre's killing will be supplanted by another brutal killing within the next week. Before Tyre, there was Patrisse Cullors in California: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jan/11/black-lives-matter-co-founder-cousin-killed-los-angeles-police

It's like a never ending conveyor belt of extrajudicial killings, and there are people who are looking at this and choosing to defend the cops.

For me the police doesn't equal safety or protection. In my line of work, I have told women to report their abusers to the police. These women have written proof (text messages, Facebook posts) of the threats they are facing. Recently one told me that she went to the police, and the cop looked at the message and told her that the guy was joking, and they are not going to press charges. Cop not concerned about the fact that this guy has a history of "joking" about killing my client or kidnapping the kid. As far as I'm concerned, fuck the police. They are either the problem, or by the time they choose to get involved, it's way too late for the actual victims.

[stevensr123]

Defund the police is the shittest thing I have ever heard, a notion that might make sense to some people who can’t think and love a good slogan.

“ Give resources to professions who actually are capable of handling the things police are needlessly taking on” what do you even mean by this?

What things would you get ”professionals” to do instead of cops?


Other than that, I agree with you mostly about it being a police culture and structure problem.

[WhereAngelsPlay]

Defund the police is the shittest thing I have ever heard, a notion that might make sense to some people who can’t think and love a good slogan.

Only if you don't understand that the defund part actually funds professionals,they're able to then access the situation before the jack boots turn up.

[stevensr123]

Only if you don't understand that the defund part actually funds professionals,they're able to then access the situation before the jack boots turn up.

explain how that will work and who are the so called professionals. Keep in mind America is up to its neck in guns.

[WhereAngelsPlay]

I'm not here to educate you Steven,especially on a Satdy night.

[oldfordie]

This is what Defund the Police is about. Give resources to professions who actually are capable of handling the things police are needlessly taking on, and carrying out with murderous results. Defund the Police is about dealing with the reality of the community; not the fantasy that police will ensure our safety.

Why is Memphis a tough town compared to any other town? Like is "tough" code for another word? So cops who are found to be abusers get hired by the next force because there is nobody else? If this was a defense of any other profession, we would say fuck that profession. It's the same fucking argument that has been leveled against the Catholic Church and its passing around of pedophile priests.

It's police culture that prevents the force from recruiting good people. Criticism of police culture as a whole is valid. ACAB is valid until cops actually show they are worthy of respect. It's way past the few bad apples argument now. People who want to defend the majority of police as being good - like can you actually point to anything that has changed for the better in policing since the George Floyd protests?

Throwing money at the police is never going to solve anything. Budget is not a problem for the police:
 
From here: https://twitter.com/TheTNHoller/status/1619403806273585152

Police killings are up.
 
From here: https://twitter.com/udiofer_/status/1619192325426774017

Same thing in Canada: https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/expert-warns-of-perfect-storm-as-the-number-of-police-shootings-increases-in-2022-1.6209520

Tyre's killing will be supplanted by another brutal killing within the next week. Before Tyre, there was Patrisse Cullors in California: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jan/11/black-lives-matter-co-founder-cousin-killed-los-angeles-police

It's like a never ending conveyor belt of extrajudicial killings, and there are people who are looking at this and choosing to defend the cops.

For me the police doesn't equal safety or protection. In my line of work, I have told women to report their abusers to the police. These women have written proof (text messages, Facebook posts) of the threats they are facing. Recently one told me that she went to the police, and the cop looked at the message and told her that the guy was joking, and they are not going to press charges. Cop not concerned about the fact that this guy has a history of "joking" about killing my client or kidnapping the kid. As far as I'm concerned, fuck the police. They are either the problem, or by the time they choose to get involved, it's way too late for the actual victims.

I think they should listen to constuctive criticism, the Defund the Police slogan was a awful slogan, always having to explain the slogan doesn't actually mean we don't mean cut funding we mean divert the funding just left people wondering then why do you keep saying Defund the Police then. nobody wants to chop the police force, we want more police and cutting funding to the police would result in cuts.
Recruitment of the right people is important but this isn't just about cops beating up people, it's about how US police respond to incidents which means good training, I think this will become more of a issue over the next few weeks, it will be all about training officers to respond more calmly instead of going straight in screaming and shouting, those police officers lost control of themselves, that was down to lack of training. they were right bas, who should never be police officers but they would never have gone in like that with the proper training drummed into them.
It's the same with the guns, draw a gun and the situation escalates straight away, they should go in to calm people down and de-escalate situations rather than goinh in turning people hysterical.
The US Police have known this for at least 10yrs now but it seems some areas carry on as normal.

[WhereAngelsPlay]

"Redistribution of services"

[John C]

The problem with America’s cops is they are probably the most powerful union in America. Throwing more money and a bit more training at the problem hasn’t worked and won’t work. No political party wants to rock the boat too much. Major structural reform is needed, but the unions protect their own (which is obviously their job - but it’s detrimental to society at this point)

 I also imagine since there is local, state and federal police that any major reform will be almost impossible to achieve. Basically someone who is fired for misconduct in one city, can  join a branch in another pretty easily thus continuing the cycle of bad cops in the system.

Obviously not all cops are bad people, in fact the majority are not, but their system and organisation is fundamentally flawed at this point.

I listened to a podcast a couple of years ago which made this same point and it was pretty scary what power the union have over there.

explain how that will work and who are the so called professionals.

WAP is right about this imo, Redirection of resources / funding / specialists gets misinterpreted but the existing systems simply don't service the US societal issues.
And yep sometimes on a Saturday night we can't be arsed explaining why broaden your news sources mate.

[TSC]

Police special unit disbanded

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-64442756

[stevensr123]

I listened to a podcast a couple of years ago which made this same point and it was pretty scary what power the union have over there.WAP is right about this imo, Redirection of resources / funding / specialists gets misinterpreted but the existing systems simply don't service the US societal issues.
And yep sometimes on a Saturday night we can't be arsed explaining why broaden your news sources mate.

yea I listened  to one as well and it’s crazy the power they have and the sort of protections they have managed to build up.

This small video sort of gives a small idea of what sort of protections they have: https://youtu.be/uBurfrfdSFM

Some of them are just outright crazy, and makes it clear what a large part of the problem is.


Redirection of resources / funding / specialists - again would love to know what this means. Look at the effects of police force cuts in the UK under the Tories and what that did. Now put those effects on a country full of drugs, gang violence and guns…good luck.

[stevensr123]

Police special unit disbanded

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-64442756

I suspect more info will come out about how this unit was formed and what there hiring policy was for the unit. I suspect it was formed to install some fear on the street hence the police chief saying how much crime has went down over the past 6 months. She needs to resign regardless.

[John C]

Redirection of resources / funding / specialists - again would love to know what this means. Look at the effects of police force cuts in the UK under the Tories and what that did. Now put those effects on a country full of drugs, gang violence and guns…good luck.

It's not about cuts, again that's the cynical view of the term defunding when I specifically said redirecting. Look at the article TSC has just put up, I haven't read it all but it clearly illustrates a unit has been created which hasn't worked. So the theory of defunding means not placing everything in catch and enforce related teams, but something different. I'm not going to lay it all out tonight but surely you can now perceive there's alternative methods of Police and support within those communities?

[stevensr123]

It's not about cuts, again that's the cynical view of the term defunding when I specifically said redirecting. Look at the article TSC has just put up, I haven't read it all but it clearly illustrates a unit has been created which hasn't worked. So the theory of defunding means not placing everything in catch and enforce related teams, but something different. I'm not going to lay it all out tonight but surely you can now perceive there's alternative methods of Police and support within those communities?

redirecting is a fancy term of saying cutting. It’s still reducing police numbers and putting the money elsewhere.  Which is just a crazy idea since crime (specifically murder) is rising.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/whats-behind-rising-violent-crimes-in-the-u-s-and-how-they-can-be-reducedspike-in-violence


Some cities who cut police budgets to “redistribute” the money to other areas are already reinstating the budgets after it failed: https://www.wsj.com/articles/cities-reverse-defunding-the-police-amid-rising-crime-11622066307

If there are areas in society that need funds to help reduce crime in the long term, they should be funded in addition to the police. But you can’t cut police numbers whilst waiting for those policies to actually work.

[John C]

Ste, admittedly some redirected funds might go to a social services related policing service or similar non-direct policing fund, but not a proportionately significant amount.
It's not about cutting, it's about creating new units which don't act like the one involved in the current discussion, which has been disbanded. I'm certain that budget won't be cut, ideally new types of Police services will evolve.

[WhereAngelsPlay]

Ste, admittedly some redirected funds might go to a social services related policing service or similar non-direct policing fund, but not a proportionately significant amount.
It's not about cutting, it's about creating new units which don't act like the one involved in the current discussion, which has been disbanded. I'm certain that budget won't be cut, ideally new types of Police services will evolve.

He's gonna want to see the math.

[stockdam]

A sickening and utterly brutal treatment of a guy who they had under control. Yes he ran away from them but once they caught him again the punishment handed out was appalling. They began the “arrest” wound up and then escalated it to a level that was barbaric.

The pricing system in the USA needs to be overhauled. The constant threat of guns being carried by anyone who they arrest is also part of the problem.

Nobody should be beaten to a pulp by the police.

[stevensr123]

Ste, admittedly some redirected funds might go to a social services related policing service or similar non-direct policing fund, but not a proportionately significant amount.
It's not about cutting, it's about creating new units which don't act like the one involved in the current discussion, which has been disbanded. I'm certain that budget won't be cut, ideally new types of Police services will evolve.

like I said in a previous post, I’m not apposed  to the ides of police evolving, I’m just apposed to the idea of cutting police numbers as being the answer.

One group is apposing any meaningful change (the unions and most republicans), another group is for police cuts and some some mythical professionals stepping in (some Democrats).

 In reality imho it’s major structural reform needed (training, accountability, nation wide standards and hiring policy, anti union laws to stop contracts being written that create a higher class of citizenship), along side programs that can help reduce crime.

Nothing will change though until both the Democrats and republicans start to clipping the wings of the unions - which won’t happen since there are almost a million of them, which could be the difference between winning an election or not.

Basically America is a failed democracy, any major issue has a lobby group successfully apposing change

[stevensr123]

https://www.ajc.com/news/crime/tyre-nichols-case-memphis-police-chief-was-once-fired-from-atlanta-police-department/AQOEVCMVXZHQPD2NILO5Q2EYWI/


The police chief seems like another fine police officer as well. Fired for telling colleagues not to investigate a child sex crime, yet is given another job and even more authority. 

[Mumm-Ra]

Why is Memphis a tough town compared to any other town? Like is "tough" code for another word?

I’m not getting into the rest, it’s pointless, but I have to address this: Memphis is the most violent city in America. It’s broken its own murder records in 2020 and again in 2021. It’s a notoriously rough city. Gtfoh with your code nonsense

[GreatEx]

First thing that struck me watching the video was the loss of control by all the police, screaming and shouting at the top of their voices,

Yes, this is exactly what stands out in every police violence video I've seen (I don't watch them any more, life's hard enough), in fact I did a double check of the timestamp and name on your post to make sure I hadn't accidentally clicked on an old one of my own! It's terrible situation management for all the reasons you stated, and betrays their state of fear. I actually had first hand experience of this in New York - I was there for the millennium, and after they'd cordoned off a block radius around Times Square, I and another bloke from the hostel tried to "sneak" in by hopping over the barricade and casually walking down the empty street. Keep in mind this was 21 months before America lost its mind; I'd expect to get shot today. But at the time, we figured we'd either get away with it, or face a similar response to what we'd get in Australia..."OK boys, nice try, back you go". Instead, we were halfway down the street when 4 or 5 officers came sprinting at us, screaming hysterically. I was bladdered of course, but what stuck with me was the amount of cursing. Fuck this, motherfucking piece of shit that. We put our hands up, said "yep, busted, okay sorry" and started walking back, but that wasn't enough, they kept running, then roughly pinned our arms behind our backs and shoved us about. In the process they'd pulled off one of my Goretex gloves (worth 2-3 days of my ultra tight travel budget), and when I asked if I could go back a few steps to where it had fallen, one of the c*nts punched me!  Fortunately their hand-to- hand combat training was on a par with the rest of their policing skills, so it barely grazed the side of my jaw. So I backpacked Europe all winter with one glove. Fortunately I smoked back then so it had its upside.

Sounds like the seppo cops have only got worse since then.

[oldfordie]

Yes, this is exactly what stands out in every police violence video I've seen (I don't watch them any more, life's hard enough), in fact I did a double check of the timestamp and name on your post to make sure I hadn't accidentally clicked on an old one of my own! It's terrible situation management for all the reasons you stated, and betrays their state of fear. I actually had first hand experience of this in New York - I was there for the millennium, and after they'd cordoned off a block radius around Times Square, I and another bloke from the hostel tried to "sneak" in by hopping over the barricade and casually walking down the empty street. Keep in mind this was 21 months before America lost its mind; I'd expect to get shot today. But at the time, we figured we'd either get away with it, or face a similar response to what we'd get in Australia..."OK boys, nice try, back you go". Instead, we were halfway down the street when 4 or 5 officers came sprinting at us, screaming hysterically. I was bladdered of course, but what stuck with me was the amount of cursing. Fuck this, motherfucking piece of shit that. We put our hands up, said "yep, busted, okay sorry" and started walking back, but that wasn't enough, they kept running, then roughly pinned our arms behind our backs and shoved us about. In the process they'd pulled off one of my Goretex gloves (worth 2-3 days of my ultra tight travel budget), and when I asked if I could go back a few steps to where it had fallen, one of the c*nts punched me!  Fortunately their hand-to- hand combat training was on a par with the rest of their policing skills, so it barely grazed the side of my jaw. So I backpacked Europe all winter with one glove. Fortunately I smoked back then so it had its upside.

Sounds like the seppo cops have only got worse since then.

It's not as if the reasons for this have suddenly being realised, there are a few documentries over the last 5-7 yrs of the US police asking UK police for advice.
The problem seemed obvious to UK police, the reasons why the advice hasn't been fully followed is a different matter but we know what the problem is, funding is obviously very important for policing but it isn't really the problem, trainings the problem as this is about how the police respond and that has to mean training.
I heard the head of Memphis Police saying this a few days, my reaction wasn't that's a good idea, the reaction was why hasn't this become a part of standard training throughout the US.
Every police officer should be forced to retrain on how to respond to incidents, the aim should be about keeping things calm and under control.

[Jiminy Cricket]

Yes, this is exactly what stands out in every police violence video I've seen (I don't watch them any more, life's hard enough), in fact I did a double check of the timestamp and name on your post to make sure I hadn't accidentally clicked on an old one of my own! It's terrible situation management for all the reasons you stated, and betrays their state of fear. I actually had first hand experience of this in New York - I was there for the millennium, and after they'd cordoned off a block radius around Times Square, I and another bloke from the hostel tried to "sneak" in by hopping over the barricade and casually walking down the empty street. Keep in mind this was 21 months before America lost its mind; I'd expect to get shot today. But at the time, we figured we'd either get away with it, or face a similar response to what we'd get in Australia..."OK boys, nice try, back you go". Instead, we were halfway down the street when 4 or 5 officers came sprinting at us, screaming hysterically. I was bladdered of course, but what stuck with me was the amount of cursing. Fuck this, motherfucking piece of shit that. We put our hands up, said "yep, busted, okay sorry" and started walking back, but that wasn't enough, they kept running, then roughly pinned our arms behind our backs and shoved us about. In the process they'd pulled off one of my Goretex gloves (worth 2-3 days of my ultra tight travel budget), and when I asked if I could go back a few steps to where it had fallen, one of the c*nts punched me!  Fortunately their hand-to- hand combat training was on a par with the rest of their policing skills, so it barely grazed the side of my jaw. So I backpacked Europe all winter with one glove. Fortunately I smoked back then so it had its upside.

Sounds like the seppo cops have only got worse since then.

A UK relative of my US wife 'jaywalked'* in front of a policeman in the early 70s - the policeman took it personally (that he did this plain view of him) and beat him up.

* How is it acceptable to make jaywalking a crime in 'the land of the free'? Rhetorical question.

US police are poorly paid and poorly trained. And, as someone else commented further up the thread, the US police unions are shocking.

[Mumm-Ra]

This could go in the 'State of the States' thread, but I think it's more relevant here as the story is dominated by the crime/policing issue:


The Chicago Mayoral election happening soon is one to watch, for those of you interested in these things. The incumbent, Lori Lightfoot, was just dumped out unceremoniously in the first election. She came in as an outsider looking to shake things up and rattle a few cages - which automatically makes me think of Homer Simpson's dispute with the garbage men - her approach yielded similar results as Homer's, everyone hated her.

So it's gone to a runoff between the top two from the first election. The number one issue on everyone's list is, drumroll, you guessed it: CRIME IN CHIRAQ. And I'll tell you, it's pretty bad. There is a big shortage of police that the city can't fill because nobody wants the job, cops are retiring in droves and not being replaced.

Here's the tale of the tape:

In the Red corner, Paul Vallas: White, middle-aged centrist that some would call right-wing. Not very charismatic or likeable. Heavy on the law and order message. Has the support of the police and pledges to return that support. There have been some controversies, like his twitter account 'liking' some borderline MAGA tweets (he says he doesn't run the account). 

In the Blue corner, Brandon Johnson: young, black progressive. Charismatic and likeable. He is saying all the things that RAWK would want to hear from a candidate - mental health experts responding to calls instead of cops; promote existing cops to detective positions to clear serious cases; addressing crime at the root cause by tackling income inequality, investing in the neglected areas that have the most crime, and so on. I think he was in support of some kind of UBI program as well. He was fully on the BLM-defund the police train a while back, but has distanced himself from that since entering the race.

It's a tough one for me personally because I broadly agree with Johnson's message. If this was the NYC or Philly mayor's race, I would be rooting for Johnson. As it is I'm probably going to vote for Vallas - the main reason being that he will have the cops on his side, and when push has come to shove, I don't really want to gamble on the crime issue. When the police force is at war with the mayor, no good comes of it. If they down tools because they don't feel like they are being supported, and are being second-guessed and criticized at every step, the situation will get a lot worse (see the spike in murders in 2016 after the Laquan MacDonald tape came out).

Anyway - it will be very interesting to see what happens.

[Red Beret]

So it turns out Derek Chauvin was engaged in tax fraud for almost seven years before he murdered George Floyd. If someone had pulled their fucking finger out the man might never have been in a position to take Floyd's life.

At the very least he would have been out of a job, maybe even in jail.

[Spezialo]

Obviously the police shouldn't have killed and avoided killing him, but wasn't George Floyd a scumbag also? Armed robbery of a pregnant woman in her home? or is that lies?