It's become abundantly clear in the last 24+ hours that the USA is past the point in getting constructive around solving police brutality and militarization. Since we'd rather beat down protesters regardless if they are peaceful or, heaven forbid, destroying sweet precious property, law enforcement will once again be off the hook. — Maw
"people who criticize the riots Vs people who don't" is a great way to hobble your own movement. — Echarmion
Don't talk to me about 'ideological purity' when you pearl clutch over broken Targets and stay utterly mute about police violence or solutions. With 'allies' like that who need enemies? — StreetlightX
Chester is a working class Tory, an oxymoron, but real, there are lots of them in the UK, they helped to get the Brexit vote through. I tried to explain to him that he is allying himself with the self serving wealthy privelidged classes, but he couldn't see it, he obviously hasn't met any of them. The contortions these people get themselves into are remarkable.↪Chester But you like authority and order. Why are you complaining about rules being enforced on you? Fall in line.
The Police is part of social policy in every country, StreetlightX.I mentioned earlier that police terror in the US is a matter of social policy. One further observation in support of this: simply consider the difference in the magnitude of state mobilization between COVID and this. For COVID, the American State barely lifted a finger - in fact fumbled with every excuse possible in order not to lift a finger, save for bailing up the richest strata of society. That's the abdication of social provision I mentioned. For this, you're seeing massive State mobilization on a scale unseen since ... I don't know. I don't know what this compares with. — StreetlightX
The Police is part of social policy in every country, StreetlightX. — ssu
Six days later the Civil Rights Act of 1968 was passed, because LBJ and the rest of the government were shitting their pants.
Anyone moaning about violent protest not solving problems can go fuck off a bridge and never come back. — StreetlightX
So if the political will isn't there for not just police reform, but a change of economic policy, then what is the next step? The elections aren't until November, and whoever does get elected will not necessarily change much. If the political will doesn't materialize, and I don't think it will, what level of disobedience to the system is justified & effective? Will property damage cause enough disruption to force the holders of economic power to the table? Will just being out in the street, refusing to comply with curfews etc. continue to build pressure?
Thinking about it, it's hard to maintain any hope that anything can cause the necessary change. Just like with gun control, climate change etc. — Echarmion
what level of disobedience to the system is justified & effective? Will property damage cause enough disruption to force the holders of economic power to the table? Will just being out in the street, refusing to comply with curfews etc. continue to build pressure?
Thinking about it, it's hard to maintain any hope that anything can cause the necessary change. Just like with gun control, climate change etc. — Echarmion
So I think all civil disobedience is justified until such time as there are concrete proposals on the table for police reform with reasonable assurances that the plans will be implemented. That seems to be the immediate, and justified, demand of the protesters at this time.
It's not enough for a fair and just society but it's a good start. — Benkei
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