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Black Lives Matter
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2020
Stay Awake
This meme encourages people to stay woke. -
2020
Please Wear Your Masks While Arresting the Cops Who Killed Breonna Taylor
A reminder to wear masks even when fighting social justice issues. -
2020-03-01
"A lot of diversity in messages" Canada Day protests
A thread of tweets from local reporter Amanda Pfeffer. The first is a video of the small crowd on The Hill and then a series of photographs in which protesters are holding signs. In the top left image the signs read, "WEARING A MASK IS A SIGN OF SUBMISSION" and "SOCIAL DISTANCING IS FOR ROBOTS!" behind the couple is a sign reading "THE CANADIAN REVOLUTION" and the woman's tank top reads "HUGS OVER MASKS" In the top right image a woman dressed in scrubs and a stethoscope holds up a flag with letters applied to it which read, "STOP FRAUD ABORT COVID / VACCINES SCAM [?] / RECOVERY RATE 99.9% / DEATH RATE 0.03%" The bottom left image shows a chalk drawing which reads "BLACK LIVES MATTER" with an illegible Instagram handle underneath it. The bottom right image shows a chalk drawing which reads "CANADA DAY CELEBRATES STOLEN LANDS &..." -
2020-06-06
Scenes of the Crowds as They Protested in June 2020
These are aerial shots of the crowds in some of the cities where the Black Lives Matters protests were held. The crowds were unprecedented and the footage of them are dramatic. -
2020-07-24
Black Lives Matter Protesters Continue Fight For Racial Justice Amid Global Pandemic
Black Lives Matter are fighting for justice amid a pandemic that is disproportionately affecting their communities. -
2020-06-10
Positive Protest Tests Raises Concern
This article covers so much of what is going on, from protests to Nascar. -
2020-05-05
DC Mayor Fights For Control of Her City
Amid tensions with the president over his deployment of federal officers during protests, Washington’s mayor had “Black Lives Matter” painted near the White House in an unmistakable assertion of control. -
2020-06-05
Waking Up to White Privilege
As a white person I have struggled with how to express myself in this difficult, historic time. Ultimately what I say doesn't matter as much as any Person of Color in this moment, because when I think I understand, i can't possibly. The only thing I think I can contribute that is my place to say, is to express some thoughts to other white people in this moment about what this moment means. It's no longer enough to not be racist. A lot of us have hung our hats on "not seeing color" or treating people equally regardless of their race. Weve been making those steps for 60 years as a nation, and the slow March of forward progress has only made actual racists hide behind more obscure symbolism and made white people feel better about themselves. Every white person who wants to consider themselves "good" in this moment, now has a responsibility to attack and drive out racism. And every white person who tries to say racism isnt that bad or isnt the real problem now, needs to be confronted with the fact they are making it worse. You cant compare police killing statistics to black on black crime. Doing so ignores the fact that a deep distrust of the police born from centuries of abuse and persecution has made minority communities vulnerable to criminal influence as good people are afraid to call the cops because the cops might be worse than criminals they need protecting from. You cant say all lives matter. Because, 1) no shit. And 2) people are trying to lift up the most abused segment of our population, and doing so will raise the tide for all people. Sure there is that incident where a white person was beaten or killed by cops. That's why BLM and other movements are asking for things like independent review of all complaints and incidents not just those affecting minorities. There are a million reasons why AllLivesMatter is not appropriate and diminishes the moment. Feel free to PM me if you want to discuss this, but that conversation distracts the conversation from constructive discourse to have to have in public. You can't say protesting is causing division in this country. Black people are asking to be seen and heard, they are asking you to better understand their experience, their fear and their pain. If you are refusing to acknowledge that experience, or somehow invalidate it because you have never seen it, you are the one causing division. Citing the looting or rioting as causing this "division" is a whole separate issue. For this point I will just say, you can't equate protesting with the looting and rioting, they are different things. You can condemn looting. But instead of just using it as a reason to dismiss or act against protestors, you have to look at what is actually going on. There are multiple different types of looting and rioting going on. Some is a response to police meeting peaceful protest with more violence and oppression. This is the anger and the burning. Like when one child hits another and the second child bites in response. Neither is ok, you don't excuse the first child hitting because the response may have been worse. Violence begets violence, and places where curfews have been rolled back and protestors have not been met with police, protests have remained peaceful and people have danced in the streets. The other type of looting is what happened in Fairfield and Vallejo, with looting without protest, the stealing. This is horrible, and criminal, but also a clear sign the system has been ineffective at improving or protecting our communities and has created safe spaces for criminal elements created by their community fearing Police brutality more than the criminal elements also terrorizing them. Protestors arent saying that looting is ok, and looting shouldn't in any way diminish their message. Looting should be condemned, but also think about what the looting means and how it serves as proof the protestors are right. People loot when teams and cities win or lose sports championships every year, there are unsavory elements that will take advantage every chance they get. If anything protestors want to improve their communities so looting doesnt happen again. Looting is horrible and absolutely should be condemned, but it a symptom of the underlying problem far more than a product of protests, and is being used as an excuse to set curfews in place to justify breaking up protests unlawfully. You cant joke about Covid. People protesting during a pandemic doesnt mean they dont take it seriously or it isnt a problem. It means the moment is so big, people are willing to take on another layer of danger in unrest because they dont know when they will have this moment again. You need to demand more of your police. A good cop is no longer one that doesnt beat or abuse people, it's one who reports or acts against the abuses by others. Sadly cops who do that are driven out of forces and departments. If we want to talk about places like Camden, NJ, where they disbanded their Police department and rebuilt it with all local officers, officer involvement in the community, and they are actually seeing reductions in crime as well as Public approval of the police department, thats a good conversation to have, and something worth praising and commending. Dont post pictures of officers kneeling, 2 days ago Buffalo, NY officers kneeled, and 24 hours later in the same location, the same officers nearly killed a peaceful 75 year old man. Officers kneeling with protestors has been compared to an abusive boyfriend apologizing before beating you again 2 weeks later. We need change not gestures. A reform of our police system benefits the good cops as much as the victims of the bad cops, as they will be able to protect and serve their community the way they wanted to when they became cops, instead of fearing reprisal for speaking up or stopping abusive officers. You need to educate yourself on what protestors are facing. The police brutality in these times in coming in overwhelming waves. This brutally is causing protests to escalate into panic or riots, which then creates the safe space for the criminal element to loot. I suggest if you can stomach unsettling images you check out the Twitter thread I'm going to link. It started with a lawyer documenting 10 instances of unjustified police brutality or abuses of rights in the first day and a half of protests, 6 days in it's over 300 videos. https://twitter.com/greg_doucette/status/1266751520055459847?s=19 You need to understand the basics of what is being asked for. There is so much hurt and anger,and a lot of people only see hashtags like #defundthepolice or #abolishthepolice and think it's ridiculous we need cops. Some of it is exaggeration, some of it is just more nuanced. The basic things people want come down to. 1) Independent review. Instances of police brutality and killings are investigated and determined lawful or not by District Attorneys who work with the same officers on a daily basis and are dependent on their cooperation to do their job, as well as seek re election. This is the definition of conflict of interest, an independent office of some sort needs to do this work. 2) police funding needs to change. Police budgets are insanely large portions of local government spending, with ridiculous amounts spent on military grade equipment and way too little spent on things like social workers and drug counseling. Our communities are better served trying to better them than to punish them. Both in efficiency and quality of life. 3) elimination of qualified immunity. When a cop violates someone's civil rights and isnt even charged, the city often still loses a civil lawsuit (because civil rights were violated) the city or municipality ends up liable for the damages, not the police department or the offending officer. This further depletes resources for the community at large and is a further part of the plea to "hold police accountable". If doctors are liable for their own mistakes, why arent police departments? Why does seeking restitution for crimes against you make your community's schools, social programs or arts suffer, and not the actual entity that committed the crime? You need to see how it's working. The state of Colorado, the city of Portland, and the city of Minneapolis are making massive changes to their police programs. The LAPD budget is under review with hundreds of millions of dollars potentially being diverted to other community improvement. The officers were all arrested and charged, that happened because people werent satisfied each step along the way. And that doesnt mean the final goal is accomplished, there are hundreds of other civil rights violations and abuses new and old that have not seen justice. These protests will get stronger and stronger until that wave of change spreads, and as certain government parties respond with more force, more people will be outraged and join the protests. There is a lot there, and so much more I havent even touched. If anyone wants to discuss these points privately, without judgement, feel free to message me. My biggest regret right now is all my life I have tried to be a good friend to the people of color in my life, but I have failed because I have not done enough to be a good Ally, what they actually deserved. But this moment isn't about me or any other white persons guilt, it is about what we will do now to step up and fix an obviously broken system. -
2020-06-03
White Privilege
This article compares protest signs from white people protesting for a haircut, to black people asking, "Am I Next?" -
2020-06-03
Invest in Communities, Defund the Police
Despite of Covid, people are fighting for social justice. -
2020-06-16
Protests and Coronavirus
When coronavirus started, the first sacrifice that was made to prevent the spread was all large gatherings. While this has mostly been followed for the duration of quarantine across the country, there was a huge concern when protests erupted over the murder of George Floyd. After some initial trepidation, it is clear that protestors are not causing the virus to spread; instead they seem to be trying to follow all CDC guidelines as best as they can. -
2020-06-07
Philadelphia Couple Gets Married During the BLM Protests
This is a wonderful story of a couple that got married during a BLM protest in Philadelphia. Due to the Coronavirus, the couple had to postpone their wedding, but they were able to make up for it for sure! The bride and groom were beautiful and very happy! I love this article because it shows the resilience of people as well as their creativity. And, it celebrates love in a turbulent time. Some things never do change no matter what is happening in the world. -
2020-06-01
Mad, mad, world
COVID-19 Black lives matter : June 1, 2020 The news of the riots and looting that have broken out at BLM protests is horrifying. There are so many supremacists, instigators and fame whores trying to remove the message that Black Lives Matter. There also seems to be a misunderstanding in the slogan. All lives should matter. They don't. Black lives matter, too. Despite the agitators, I was so pleased to hear that the Marches in Decatur and cities around were peaceful. Last night, I talked myself out of participating in a March out of fear of violence. The very violence I want to be standing against. I'm disappointed in myself. Age and illness have cost me some of my fearlessness. The Freedom Fighters traveled the segregated South, facing beatings and possible death. Such courage they had. I kept my phone away purposefully today. It seems every hour we have something and strange to react to. Space Launch! YAY!!! Riots! WTF!!?! Two hours later, more info is available that modifies the initial reaction. Then, by the evening, reactions change again after we're bombarded with opinions and news links from social media. We try to get our bearings and then we're confronted with something new and equally mindboggling. UFO's? Barely a mention. Conflicting opinions abound, with no consistency from our state and federal governments. It's hard not to long for the days when I trusted Walter Cronkite and thought the government was looking out for my best interests. Illinois Governor's Kerner and Walker shattered that pipe dream. Watergate ground the pieces into dust. It was another gorgeous day, today. Bright, sunny with a gentle wind. I kept the windows open and putzed around the yard. We found a new home for our old pool. It will have five playful kids enjoying it, rather than sitting in pile outside our shed. It can join it's Toy Story buddies and return to its life as a pool filled with children. I needed to be outside today. Away from humanity. I'm out on my sleeping swing, listening to wind. At times, it almost sounds waves rolling in. The moon is just bright enough that I watched Rocky Raccoon searching for grubs, not ten feet from me. I didn't disturb him. He slowly meandered across the yard. I think a Mama Deer may have a fawn stashed in the ditch across the road. I heard a huff and stomp. Maybe Rocky got too close. The stars are bright and fireflies are all over the place. The other night the grands were convinced they were falling stars. Nights like this, during times like this, I wonder why humans were given dominion of the earth. Then I remember I'm just a tiny grain of sand. A grain of sand that helps forge canyons. I'm grateful I can find peace and calm under Mother Nature's mantle. -
2020-06-11
Don't stereotype. Ever.
COVID-19, BLM Notes June 11, 2020 It's hard to put my thoughts in words. The news and social media are swirling in a constant maelstrom of things that seem like they should be false. Yet they're not. In the middle of the BLM and COVID-19 crisis, President Trump announced that he would be holding his first rally since Covid-19 in Tulsa Oklahoma. It will be on the anniversary of the massacre of the black community in Tulsa by the KKK. It also is a holiday marking the end of slavery in the US. This can go so wrong. 1968 Democratic Convention wrong. With semi-automatic weapons wrong. I'm sure supporters can make the argument that Trump is planning to make a speech that will help heal wounds. I hope that is the case. I sincerely doubt it. Even if it is, his administration has to understand the tinderbox they are laying fuel for. I simply don't understand. Additionally, COVID-19 cases are on the rise as states begin to reopen. So many people gathering for rallies and protests will up the ante even more. 😔😔 I'm angry about seeing my former law enforcement community painted with the same hostile brush that should be pointed at the bad cops and unions that protect them. It's damn tough to be a cop, even in a small community like mine. I still bear some scars. Cops are underpaid for the shit they have deal with. Mental health services may be offered if a department is large enough, but it would go on ones permanent record. Mental health is still stigmatized, so why would a cop want treatment for depression on their records? When Ron and I were dating, I had to undergo, on separate occasions, a herpes test and two AIDS tests. Imagine the fun that it is to tell my new boyfriend that kissing isn't allowed because I may have gotten herpes after giving mouth to mouth to someone I just cut down. (His response : If you have it, I already have it, so it doesn't matter. You marry a guy like that. I did). Then we had a another suicide. We didn't wear gloves back then. I'm sure we had them in the trunk but it would be wimpy to wear them. I got blood on my hands. Then the coroner found the suicide note. AIDS. I'm a nail biter. I had hang nails down to my knuckles. I went to Springfield for my tests because I didn't dare have it done in my community. AIDS was a very dirty word back then. I'm a chatterbox. The phlebotomist and I would be joking and laughing until they saw what the draw was for. A cold chill over took the room as they loudly triple gloved. Snap, snap, snap...... glaring at me. I was a junkie or a prostitute. Once I explained, they were so kind and emphatic. That's when I decided to try and treat everybody with kindness and respect. I don't know their back story and what led them to be in the position they are in. Be an asshole to me and I can be one right back but you get more peas with honey. Turns out, it wasn't AIDS. False positives were common back in the early days. Strangely enough, these aren't calls that bug me. That's what cop do. There's only one that eats at me and I'll unpack that some other time. I'm still processing the ghosts of that one. I bring them up because this is the kind of emotional crap cops deal with. Every single god damn day we clean up humanities mess. Yet there are people who want to vilify the entire law enforcement community, a community that includes people like me. I remember comforting a two year old toddler at another suicide. Mom thought the sitter would show up before the child woke up. She didn't. I'm holding this little girl who spent the morning putting popsicles on her dead diabetic mother's chest to get her to wake up. 36 years later I remember exactly where I standing, trying to comfort that poor child as I tried to process what was going on. So, as you shout to defund the police and tear down every single police agency that has ever represented you, think of me as a young adult from the age of 22 to 24, holding that child, wondering if I was going to die from AIDS, almost getting herpes from a corpse. I still had almost five years to go. I'm the people you are denigrating. I'm proud of the work I did. If you're looking for the bad, that's all you're going to see. Be cautious in the wording of any negative comments you might leave. I'm not much in the mood to keep my peas on my knife. -
2020-06-12
Senior Citizens
This care facility choose to support its residents by organizing a march for them. -
2020-06-10
Petition to Change a Park's Name During the Pandemic
Even though the pandemic still lingers, the world is pressing on to combat other issues. The recent protests have reawoken the subject of racism in America. I believe the pandemic has afforded us with a unique situation where the nation has more time to discuss this issue at large. Plus, a lot more people have participated in those protests because they are either working from home or have lost their jobs, unfortunately. With all this additional time, people have sought to make changes to promote a more welcoming environment for the black community in many towns and cities. Thousands of residents in Wilmington, NC, have already begun a petition to make such a change. One of the city's most popular parks was named after Hugh MacRae. This man co-lead the plan to overthrow Wilmington's local government. While doing this, his group also demolished a black-owned newspaper office and killed/injured many African Americans. This event became notoriously known as the 1898 Wilmington Massacre. Over 8,000 people have already signed a petition to change the park's name. An interview by WECT News I watched today really struck me. The woman, who was a peaceful protester, had been asked why she thought changing the name of the park was necessary. She told the news anchor that "'I grew up there, I had birthday parties there, and it was always a terrible reminder of the history of Wilmington and having that park, a public park be named after somebody of such vile reputation is shocking and it’s a shame that although Wilmington acknowledged its history it does not do more and be more proactive to make a change.'" The legacy that this man and his mob caused has continued to negatively affect the black community in Wilmington. Renaming that park could lead to a reconciliation of the past in the present day. The reintroduction of the issue of racism and Black Lives Matter might not have been as impactful as it was if the pandemic had not occurred in the first place. Having people at home watching TV (especially the news), helped garnered the attention it needed to begin the movement again. -
2020-06-10
Nebraska National Guard Soldiers Test Positive for COVID-19 Following Protests
A number of Nebraska National Guard soldiers have tested positive for COVID-19 following missions to assist law enforcement amid protests in Omaha and Lincoln. None of the affected soldiers have been hospitalized and all are isolating in their homes. Protests have flared across the country following the death of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer, while in custody. Many of the protests have individuals packed tightly in large groups, many not wearing masks or following other recommended guidelines to slow the spread of the virus. -
2020-06-03
I am more scared of a racist world, than a pandemic
I saw this photograph on my Facebook feed and took a screenshot. As protesters take to the streets the choice between protecting oneself from the pandemic falls short of the pressing need to fight for racial equality. I heard an interview with a woman who is immuno-compromised. She said that she understood the danger she was putting herself in but that this was a non-decision. She would rather risk her health than to do nothing. Millions are protesting around the world, all faced with the reality of this movement during a plague year. -
2020-06-09
Journal Entry- June 9, 2020
I'm a nursing student living at home on the family farm and I'm struggling to get a job. I've been sporadically journalling throughout the pandemic. This entry looks at what my day looked like an some thoughts about the current situation. -
2020-06-05
They Are Our Future: Youth and Protest in the San Francisco Bay Area
Youth and children played an integral role in the protests that occurred in the San Francisco Bay Area in the aftermath of George Floyd's death. They showed courage and strength as they peacefully protested and advocated for change. Our children deserve to grow up in communities where they feel safe and accepted for the beautiful individuals that they are. -
2020-06-01
Lights Off
Amid the COVID19 pandemic, many people peacefully protested with gloves and masks, the racial injustices happening in the United States. After days of Black Lives Matter movement protest against police brutality towards Black folks, peaceful protesters gathered in front of White House. They were confronted with police in riot gear. All the exterior lights of the White House were shut off and the President was rumored to take shelter inside the bunker. -
2020-06-04
Support Black trans women and trans women of color - Iyanna Dior
IYANNA DIOR, 21, A TRANS BLACK WOMAN IN MINNEAPOLIS WAS BRUTALLY ATTACKED ON MONDAY BY A MOB OF PEOPLE MAINLY CONSISTING OF MEN AND SHE DESERVES OUR SUPPORT. —— PLEASE DONATE TO BLACK TRANS WOMEN AND TRANS WOMEN OF COLOR. PLEASE DONATE TO THE GO FUND ME IN MY BIO. -
2020-05-31
The Virus We’ve Ignored
Kyle Kuzma posted a picture of recent events that said “this virus been around for 400+ years. Still no vaccine”. This talks about how as people have have chosen to ignore the disease that was already among us. We are taught that this nation is supposed to be the example that every other nation must follow. In history we are told that this nation is built on principles and that “ all men are created equal “ and have “ certain unalienable rights ”, but as history teaches us, that was a lie. Time and time again, we have seen riots, protests, violence, uprisings. We have seen people being discriminated against and killed for something they have no control over. How mush more violence do we have to seen in order for there to be change? This isn’t something new. We have seen it before. Slaves revolting against their “ masters ” for rights they should’ve had as human beings. We had a whole war over it. In fact, we don’t even have to go back that far, Martin Luther King Jr., The Black Panther Organization, Malcom X. These are people who have given their lives for the simple equal rights promised when this nation was built. They gave their lives and it still wasn’t enough. 1992, Rodney King was beaten by police officers and it was caught on film and those officers were found not guilty, Latasha Harlins was shot and killed by a store owner and the jury didn’t rejected a harder sentence. Riots destroyed LA, people and businesses died. It took that in order for action to be taken. Protesters riot, loot, and assemble to be heard. There is no rules to protest, there is no right way to protest. That is what a protest is. I am ashamed that it is a constant issue in which the US does not learn from their mistakes. Let’s not repeat history again. That is the point of learning about history, for us to see the mistakes made and grow to be a better society. There doesn’t need to be more death, more violence. It’s time to treat people right. It’s time for change. -
2020-05-31
Protest during COV19
Ongoing Protest during COV19 the global pandemic that killed over 100,000 ppl in -
2020-05-31
Reflection From a High School Student
As an Asian American, attacks like these are infuriating and spread only hate and racism. My family and I are scared to go out because we are afraid something like this would happen. In today's society, racial inequality and xenophobia still exist. This pandemic is worsening the tensions that are already occurring. In addition to this, there are many riots and protests that are happening near my neighborhood due to the death of George Floyd. My social media is filled with the Black Lives Matter Movement and many horrific actions that are taking place. As a high school student, I thought I would only have to worry about AP exams, virtual prom, and online schooling. However, there are so many concerning issues and violent events that I can't ignore. Everything feels surreal and absolutely crazy. -
2020-05-30
US Cities Fear Protests May Fuel New Wave of Virus Outbreaks
The death of George Floyd has sparked massive protests in the US, this article discusses the danger of protests as Covid-19 continues to spread. The cruel irony being that Covid-19 is disproportionately impacting black Americans. I worry about the impact that this will have on the spread of the pandemic, but the pandemic almost feels like an overlooked issue in this context. The rage and upset following George Floyd's death is palpable, and many people likely do not care about the potential ramifications of Covid-19 as a result. -
2020-05-29
What’s happening right now
This photo shows the Minnesota protest. The Minnesota protest is about black people getting killed and murdered for no reason. An how people are trying to stick up for them. It’s horrible to hear that another person has died because of their skin color. *Lonely Pirate, Mepham High School *This makes me feel horrible -
2020-03-20
Lipslut - Coronavirus Fundraiser Email
Image shows company response to raising awareness and support for communities impacted by the virus. *downloaded e-mail