I'm just now seeing what is happening in Mpls. I don't have anything useful or helpful to say, but I am seeing it and trying to take it in.

I lived in Mpls/St. Paul for 8 years. I worked at an environmental advocacy organization there, and I got my BA in Japanese from University of Minnesota-Twin Cities.

Mpls it is near and dear to my heart. Ironically, if it were not for covid, I would be there right now, I was scheduled to present at a conference to be held there this weekend. Mr. SK and I were planning to go early (we had planned to depart yesterday) and visit friends and so on. We were planning to stay from Wed. through Monday. (The conference has been moved online, and my preparation for it is why I've been so slow following the news).

I can't bear to watch the video of Mr. Floyd being murdered. I cannot bear to see one more innocent person murdered by the very people tasked with our protection. And so I can only imagine that those emotions are hundreds of times more intense for the people involved in the protests and in everything that has happened in Mpls. in the last two days.

The entire world is focused on one disease (covid) and how to get rid of it. But there has never been a commitment of that scale to getting rid of the disease of racism. And until there is, until people are no longer murdered for the color of their skin, what's happening in Mpls will keep happening.

My heart is breaking for Mr. Floyd, for his family, for Minneapolis...

Not again.

I can't watch it.

My first thought was: What's happening in Minneapolis?

I'll go look at it briefly.

Hugs, SK.

Cannot find a report of any arrests yet.
WTF is going on?

quote:

WTF is going on?

That is the question, isn't it.

I keep thinking of the aftermath of the Rodney King trial. This is not new.

I do not, cannot, will not condone violence, vandalism, looting, arson. But I can try to understand the level of anger and frustration of the actual protesters.

quote:

I do not, cannot, will not condone violence, vandalism, looting, arson. But I can try to understand the level of anger and frustration of the actual protesters.

To me, this is not where I want to place my attention.

Because, if you want to stop the protests, if you want to stop the looping, stop it at the source. Stop the racism and violence against people of color perpetrated by officers of the law (and by people like those white vigilantes with guns in GA who murdered Ahmaud Arbery.) Then make sure people have equal access to jobs, and unemployment benefits, good health care, and equal educational opportunities...

A video from a restuurant security camera showing the events leading almost
up to the cop on his neck.
There is nothing in it to support claims of resisting arrest.
Wondering whether the new video is the reason the FBI and the state have not spoken as was announced earlier.

Philando Castille happened in a suburb of Minneapolis, maybe 6 miles away. Remember, he was the guy shot in front of his girlfriend and her child a few years back. The officer was tried and acquitted.

See why people of color there are furious?

quote:

See why people of color there are furious?

This.

quote:

See why people of color there are furious?

Yes.

quote:

See why people of color there are furious?

Oh, hell yes.

And everywhere else.

Remember a couple of years ago that an Australian woman called 911 and the responding officers shot her for no reason, killing her?

Minneapolis.

Yep, they obviously have a problem.

U of Mn severed its relationship with the Mpls PD as well.

I can not believe my eyes.

The next victim is freedom of the press.

A black CNN reporter was arrested in Minneapolis last night, after identifying himself as a reporter, and after asking politely where he and his crew should position themselves.

A white CNN reporter was not.

And El President tweeted "when the looting starts, the shooting starts," in effect threatening to kill anyone engaged in property damage. Twitter flagged that tweet as violating its rules about glorifying violence; they aren't backing down.

A crisis is coming. And I believe Trump wants that crisis.