🏀 KuBuckets Archive

@FarmerJayhawk said in Differentiating fact from opinion on COVID-19:

@kjayhawks said in Differentiating fact from opinion on COVID-19:

@benshawks08 I’m not sure what to think as a parent. My son needs the structure badly with his autism and we all continue to work. It would be impossible for his daycare to have dozens of computers and try to online stuff much. He hates doing it to boot. I keep hearing about having every other day between grades. I’m lucky because our district may have 500 kids in it from pre-K to 12th grade total. Not sure what the right answer is but it has negatively effected him and he is losing progress because of this. The first 6-8 years are huge for autism kids and what he is losing at this point, he may never recover from. Small children won’t wear mask or social distance, you’d have better luck training a monkey to mow your yard. That being said it needs to be safe. It is a lose lose for us at this point.

I’ve been following this for quite awhile now, in part as a education scholar and in part as an interested instructor. I think we’re down to the least bad option. I’ve come down to we basically have to run schools basically as I went to kindergarten; alternating MWF/TU weeks. Basically have to quarantine teachers during the year. I hate it with almost every fiber of my being but I can’t find a better option. Entirely open to suggestions.

What do we do about teachers considered “at risk”? Or teachers I know who are primary care givers for their elderly parents?

I’ve already decided I will be in school for whatever schedule or plan they decide on. I’m not old. I’m healthy. I don’t have kids. I can limit my contact with others to pretty much just my partner and my dog. I would say most teachers aren’t in my same situation.

Another big concern for me are all my students who live with grandparents or caregivers with underlying conditions? How do we ask them to expose themselves and their loved ones?

I’m afraid we have to go back to online which has its own set of problems for learning, for parents, for students with special needs. I can’t even imagine what this has been like for those parents who are trying to work from home if they can or having to go into work as essential workers. Add in the necessary services many kids require from school.... this whole thing is definitely lose lose.

Here’s an interesting thread about schools opening (yes it is very critical of trump so ignore it if that triggers you):

🐦 View Tweet?s=21

Parents, what are you thinking right now? I know for me as a teacher I don’t have a solution but all the plans I’ve seen seem destined to end badly with outbreaks inevitable.

@kjayhawks Proning and steroids have been effective low tech low cost treatments. They don’t get the press because no one makes money off having folks lie on their stomachs. Scientists are constantly learning more and more. We need to make sure we adopt what is being learned instead of complaining about why we didn’t know that from the start. It’s how science works. (Not saying you aren’t doing that just see it so much online)

@kjayhawks said in Mahomes' massive contract.:

If he can stay healthy his net worth could mirror MJs. Once this contract is started, I read he will make over $10 a minute during it. With his adidas contract, his commercials for State Farm, Amazon, Head & Shoulders and Hunts that aren’t included in that contract it will be an insane amount of money he piles up. Honestly it makes me not want to watch, I don’t think people should make that kind of money lol.

Just think how much money the people paying that contract must be making in order to offer such a deal.

A funny thread:

🐦 View Tweet?s=21

And the defense: “sarcasm”

🐦 View Tweet?s=21

Does this count as racism?

https://www.npr.org/sections/live-updates-protests-for-racial-justice/2020/06/28/884392576/trump-retweets-video-of-apparent-supporter-saying-white-power ↗

@mayjay I do NOT want to be on a cruise ship right now!!

🐦 View Tweet?s=21

I dislike this man but think it’s interesting that this statement would have been a radical view 5 years ago. It doesn’t seem radical to me now. And as calculating a person as k is I can’t imagine he feels it’s too radical either. Am I off?

@approxinfinity who started this ship metaphor anyway. I think it’s stupid. What am I a boat captain now? (Me. I started it)

I like the boat analogy for another reason. I’m just sitting here thinking, what does a boat that is listing to one side do? Goes in circles. Seems apt.

@approxinfinity said in KSU Student is Racist:

@benshawks08 Umm. I don't think I can get your post back without digging into the database.

You had good points in the post.

@FarmerJayhawk he said he just got Kendis book and was looking forward to reading it fully but didn't think he interpreted what Kendi had to say as you did and wanted to discuss more.

Also you said that you recommend Grandmother's Hands, a book about the psychology of trauma and there is a section about race.

I see you man :)

CENSORSHIP!!!! THIS IS EXACTLY WHY DESPOTIC POWER DOESNT WORK! Give the power to the people!!! J/k. Mistakes happen. Thanks for all you do to keep THIS boat afloat.

I agree the boat is unstable but on race it has been heavily listing to one direction. Gotta push to get it back to level. Especially with so many people with so much weight (The president, racist cops, Tom cotton, etc.) leaning in.

Also, not sure I’d define my stance as radical but I obviously don’t get to decide that.

Figured something weird was happening.

@benshawks08 said in KSU Student is Racist:

@benshawks08 said:

I also think the dominate culture in this country has underplayed racist ideologies for so long that a little rocking of that boat is a good and necessary thing.

I don't think we need more radicalized idealogues in this country to be an opposite (and perpetuating) counterweight to the alt-right stuff we've seen under Trump. That will not solve the problem.

I don't think we need to rock the boat. We need to stabilize the boat. It's already rocking.

I didn’t write this.

THIS IS @approxinfinity ACCIDENTALLY HIJACKING AND MANGLING @benshawks08 'S POST. SORRY.

@benshawks08 said:

I also think the dominate culture in this country has underplayed racist ideologies for so long that a little rocking of that boat is a good and necessary thing.

I don't think we need more radicalized idealogues in this country to be an opposite (and perpetuating) counterweight to the alt-right stuff we've seen under Trump. That will not solve the problem.

I don't think we need to rock the boat. We need to stabilize the boat. It's already rocking.

If you mean taking down the statues, reforming police and looking at income equality starting with better public elementary education for all, then by all means let's rock it.

@approxinfinity If it takes someone saying “I hate black people” or wearing a white hood for you to be comfortable identifying it as racism, you are missing about 99% of racism.

@Texas-Hawk-10 did a good job above explaining just how it was racism. It is YOU who is struggling to see it. I do racist stuff all the time unknowingly and without intent. I fail to notice how certain things are actually racist ALL the time. We ALL do. Does that make me racist? Yeah. Sometimes it does. Am I ok with that? No, but I work to learn and do better. Yes it’s uncomfortable, but not nearly as uncomfortable for me as for the people who are on the receiving end of that racism.

@approxinfinity Yeah that is the problem. But if you can’t identify that statement as racist it gives cover to all the crap that idiot says too. We know it’s racism even if technically you can’t exactly point to how. Why defend it. Agree he shouldn’t be expelled but could be removed from groups, programs, and other stuff with code of conduct policies.

🐦 View Tweet?s=21

And

🐦 View Tweet?s=21

🐦 View Tweet?s=21

@jayballer73 If a player from the Seattle SuperSonics has the virus this thing has been around for longer than anyone is letting on! Lol. I do know what you are talking about but can’t remember his name either. I think Rudy is right but not Gayle...

@jayballer73 As a teacher the beginning of the school year seems destined to be an absolute mess. No one has any idea what to do. Feels like everyone is waiting around for something to happen or someone to tell them what to do. A good portion of my colleagues are part of the at-risk population so I don’t know how we ask them to step into buildings with 1600 students who have been all over the place all summer.

A fair number of my students live with grandparents in their homes, parents with other ailments that put them in the at risk population. How do those kids go sit in a classroom with 25 other students?

I know here our “online learning” was a mess from April-June so we better hope there is a better plan floating around somewhere. I’m doing all I can to prepare for the many alternatives I’ve been presented but none of them seem very good. And don’t get me wrong, I don’t know the answers either.

It’s obvious that HEM felt attacked by being labeled “racist” and “white supremacist” and I know I’m responsible for some of that. But I’m not sure how to proceed in a conversation when things like, “And the cold, hard, bottom line fact is that is blacks, as a group, had the same work ethic and morality as the Hispanics that risk everything to come the US, much of this would be moot.” Which is objectively racist and, “
We bow down to < 13% of the population that refuses to focus on their nightly assassinations born from a sick culture of extreme violence, lack of personal responsibility, and disrespect for women. A culture that refuses to help itself. Where the leaders is the culture — the athletes — glorify the “thug life.” Great leaders.” is definitely white supremacy. To me, those things have to be called out. And I hope people will call out my racist views as well.

I gave myself a little breather this last week because I know I had some personal attacks locked and loaded but decided that wouldn’t really be helpful. I do try to work to foster discussion and avoid getting personal but would appreciate if people let me know if I’m ever crossing the line.

@approxinfinity I’m curious about what goes into the decision process to ban a user or lock a thread. I’m not disagreeing with any decisions just curious if there is a process you go through. Is it like “I know it when I see it” or is there certain stuff you look for?

More reading if you are tired of hearing about it from me and are looking for a more knowledgeable and practiced writer:

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/police-brutality-cop-free-world-protest-199465/ ↗

Is five years long enough?

🐦 View Tweet?s=21

🐦 View Tweet?s=21

There are so many of these we just don’t know about. I’d never heard of this until just now and I live very close to Williamson county. It was filmed by a documentary crew...

The reason for the stop: failure to dim lights to oncoming traffic.

🐦 View Tweet?s=21

I’m sure some reforms will change this mentality....

@Texas-Hawk-10 It’s all part of the same criminal justice system. I was just addressing the situation @FarmerJayhawk brought up?

I agree judges are yet another piece of that system needed major overhauls. I like term limits. What does “appointing on merit” look like?

Also, (note this is highly in jest and not meant to offend) what happened to no easy fixes?

@FarmerJayhawk said;

So I guess we're putting people who commit violent felonies in detention? If a white kid rapes a girl, do we send him to therapy? There are so many unanswered questions that they have zero clue how to think through or come up with a coherent answer.

Let's start with how the current system handles "a white kid rapes a girl."

What happens first? Well a majority of the time absolutely nothing as most rapes go unreported. But let's say she goes to hospital to get help and is even able to identify the culprit (most people are raped by people they already know). It is still unlikely that she will press charges because as she reports it to the police she will be told, "most of these cases come down to he said, she said so there really won't be much of a case." So she goes home and faces the arduous task of dealing with just about the most traumatic injury that can happen to a person knowing nothing will happen to the person she sees regularly. She will be forced to make drastic changes to her normal routine and likely lose many friends and people who support her because they won't believe her especially because she didn't press charges.

In this scenario, sending a white kid to therapy would be a win for me. You?

Now, what if she doesn't know who committed the rape and does want to press charges. Clearance rates for these cases is horrendously low and likely her rape kit will be stuck in a giant line of rape kits that have yet to be evaluated. And all the stuff that happened to the girl in the first scenario still happens and now she also adds the fear of knowing her rapist (whom she can't identify) is still out and about without anyone addressing the issue.

So that is from her perspective.

Now let's look at it from the rapist's perspective. White kid rapes girl, nothing happens. What incentive or motivations are there for him to not do it again. In the current system, he raped a girl knowing that if caught he would go to prison (though not for as long as his black friend if he were caught doing the same thing). Knowing that he'd be labeled a sex offender for the rest of his life. But for him that didn't happen the first time (because it rarely does). What does that do to the fear of punishment (remember that originally wasn't enough to prevent him from raping in the first place)? Is he now more afraid or less? Is he more likely, or less to rape again?

Even if he is caught, if he is charged and if he is found guilty (three pretty big ifs if you've been paying any attention to the goings on in America), his rate of recidivism is still very high and he is likely to rape again within his lifetime.

Unfortunately, as has been proven over and over again, punishment is not the best way to shape human behavior. Our entire system is built on a false pretense. You may want revenge, and seeing someone punished might make you feel better, but it doesn't change behavior.

This is without even getting into the ridiculous race disparities in these punishments. And just to throw this out there, for every 9 people put to death by the state for crimes committed, 1 is set free due to new evidence proving their innocence or demonstrable evidence that justice and rule of law was not upheld during their original conviction.

Next let's take this one: "Nobody to respond to a break-in? Becomes more attractive to break into that Apple store for a Mac upgrade. Or: Apple hires private security at night and goes off half-cocked and kills a dumb kid for breaking in because well-trained police weren’t available."

A. Trained cops kill dumb kids for breaking in at a higher rate in this country than any other comparable democracy.

B. Apple, the mall, and everyone else who can afford it, already hire private security at night, during the day, when they are open and when they are closed.

THIS is the system you are upholding and claiming there is no alternative to. I think we can do better and it would be immoral not to at least try.

@Texas-Hawk-10 So how much time is enough time for Black people to live in fear of the police? How long should they shoulder a disproportionate weight of bad policies that negatively impact the community?

I too have worked at a school under bad leadership and all seen good leadership but your post about your situation shows how far we all still have to go. If you are trying to get somewhere, do you take 4 small steps and then measure how far you are from your goal now?

It hurts me to see your willingness to classify a neighborhood in need as “gunspoint” and then resent them “coming to [your] school.”

And to address the ACLU tweet, you agree education has been long ignored and underfunded by both parties. Where do you think that funding has gone? What is one group both democratic and republican mayors and council groups continually add funding for? Hmm... Of only such a group existed.

🐦 View Tweet?s=21

@Texas-Hawk-10 So you refuse to even consider the plan because you don't like one person who represents the area and have rejected "what she's probably going to end up trying to propose" before she even proposes it. Yep, that's definitely the best way to get people from both parties and leaders from different communities talking.

You also have no idea that what they are doing will be an absolute failure because as @FarmerJayhawk said, it's never been tried. And nothing is happening overnight and to suggest it is is simply ignorant of what is happening. They voted to work towards the goal of disbanding the police department. All police officers haven't been fired today.

@FarmerJayhawk They also said they will be replacing it with an alternative model for public safety. Wholly re imagining a system to keep people safe is not the same as abandoning safety.

Here's what else could happen (because since it's never been tried, you have absolutely NO IDEA):

Crime rates could fall as community and education programs lift people up and remove the primary motivation for crime, poverty.

People from the poorest and most marginal groups in our society begin to develop a level of trust in a system that wasn't built to oppress them.

Homelessness will finally have enough funding to seriously address the issue (also reducing crime).

Here is what is already happening: People in certain communities aren't reporting crime because they fear reporting to the police will only make the problem worse or nothing will be done about it anyway. Rich people have private security and hire private investigators because they know police clearance rates are crap.

And if you are paying attention the "the movement," Camden, NJ, is not their poster child for the very reason you say.

@Texas-Hawk-10 You are also completely missing the point. Defunding the police means reimagining the way our society works so that just maybe the person closest and most ready to handle a medical emergency is NOT an armed law enforcement officer.

@Texas-Hawk-10 Right. I get that. I’m saying that job could instead be done by someone without a gun, without license to use force against citizens.

And some data to process:

https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/08/us/us-police-floyd-protests-country-comparisons-intl/index.html ↗

Another interesting interview on the topic of you are interested in learning:

https://www.npr.org/2020/06/05/871083599/the-history-of-police-in-creating-social-order-in-the-u-s ↗

@kjayhawks I’d encourage you to read more about what the defund the police movement is really asking for. Currently, police respond to way too many types of emergencies. Someone struggling with mental health, police. Today APD tweeted that they responded to a hand gliding crash. Surely that should have been EMS. Why would that situation need someone with a gun and a license to use force? Most burglaries/assaults and crimes in general aren’t interrupted by the police but instead investigated by them after the fact. And the clearance rates of those cases is laughable. You obviously don’t have to agree with disbanding the police but it would help if before you dismiss the idea you take a look at where it comes from.

Also, jogging while black is not trespassing. But good to know where you stand on that.

@kjayhawks That’s literally what Minneapolis is now doing. Redirecting the massive amount of funding currently going to further militarize the police into community based programs. And it won’t happen overnight nor will it be without bumps and missteps.

@FarmerJayhawk said in Racial Truths and Untruths and the Search for Justice while Doing Justice (previously titled To Infinity and Beyond):

@benshawks08 said in Racial Truths and Untruths and the Search for Justice while Doing Justice (previously titled To Infinity and Beyond):

@FarmerJayhawk I’d be interested to see result from a similar poll conducted in the last year or so instead of 5 years ago.

I’ve only just started to learn about the abolish police/prison idea so I’m in no way an expert. But the more I read about it (whether I agree or not I am still working through) it’s clear to me it is not close to the same level of “crackpot” idea as the Soros paying cops to murder black people then paying black people to riot conspiracies. That was my main point of contention. I was having myself a day yesterday and perhaps didn’t explain my point of view clearly enough and maybe got a bit fired up in my general crankiness.

You seem like an academic who likes to read and learn so I’d encourage you to at least understand more of what the movement is advocating for before rejecting it completely. Never hurts to learn more about why massive numbers of people are protesting in every single state.

Teen vogue of all places has a couple good intro articles if you’re interested. If not, obviously that’s your perogative.

I found a similar poll (not the identical question so it's not a great comparison) that found only about 1/3 of black adults favored cutting funding to their police department. https://docs.cdn.yougov.com/s23agrrx47/20200531_yahoo_race_and_justice_crosstabs.pdf ↗

I'll take another look at it for sure. I did take on the absolutely masochistic task of reading White Fragility, Foucalt's postmodernism, and How to Be an Antiracist so I'm getting where they're coming from, but the philosophical foundation seems incredibly shaky. I'm open to reducing the amount of police if we can maintain public safety, but the details of actually pulling it off will be very difficult to work through. For example, one of the biggest expenditures in police forces is pension obligations to retired officers. In some states (notably California) it's unconstitutional to touch those pensions. There's a lot of unanswered questions and not a lot of policy detail out there, hence my severe skepticism.

A LOT of good data in that survey. And while you say 1/3 support cutting funding only a third oppose cutting funding as well so it’s not like it’s a clear cut issue.

The rest of that policing data though. Man there are some stark differences in the way police are viewed/received by white and black people. The saddest and most telling to me was 5% of black people feeling safer in the presence of police. What an absolute failure of policing that is.

More reading on the topic. Found this interesting and definitely raises some questions for me.

https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2020/06/03/457251670/how-much-do-we-need-the-police ↗

@FarmerJayhawk I’d be interested to see result from a similar poll conducted in the last year or so instead of 5 years ago.

I’ve only just started to learn about the abolish police/prison idea so I’m in no way an expert. But the more I read about it (whether I agree or not I am still working through) it’s clear to me it is not close to the same level of “crackpot” idea as the Soros paying cops to murder black people then paying black people to riot conspiracies. That was my main point of contention. I was having myself a day yesterday and perhaps didn’t explain my point of view clearly enough and maybe got a bit fired up in my general crankiness.

You seem like an academic who likes to read and learn so I’d encourage you to at least understand more of what the movement is advocating for before rejecting it completely. Never hurts to learn more about why massive numbers of people are protesting in every single state.

Teen vogue of all places has a couple good intro articles if you’re interested. If not, obviously that’s your perogative.

@FarmerJayhawk said in Racial Truths and Untruths and the Search for Justice while Doing Justice (previously titled To Infinity and Beyond):

@benshawks08 said in Racial Truths and Untruths and the Search for Justice while Doing Justice (previously titled To Infinity and Beyond):

@Texas-Hawk-10 said in Racial Truths and Untruths and the Search for Justice while Doing Justice (previously titled To Infinity and Beyond):

@benshawks08 said in Racial Truths and Untruths and the Search for Justice while Doing Justice (previously titled To Infinity and Beyond):

@Texas-Hawk-10 Wackos everywhere. No disagreement there. Just Interesting that the most racist wackos all seem to be Working for the Republican Party.

Also, don't pretend that Democrats have never done anything racist themselves. Trying to frame this as Republican vs. Democrat does nothing to help either side. Historically, Southerners who now tend to vote Republican have been more open about their racism as a culture. Northerners have historically been much more subtle in their racism which can be seen through policies such as redlining and gerrymandering.

Both parties have blood on their hands as far as racism in this country goes.

I agree the entire system is founded on racist policy. But to compare some on the left proposing radical policies to current Republican officials spreading racist conspiracies is a false equivalence and only works to excuse the behavior as “oh well, crazies be crazy” I’ve never said there aren’t wackos on both sides but do take issue with folks both sidesing where a majority of the Unapologetic racists sit politically RIGHT NOW!

Donald trump has purposely courted and emboldened disgusting scum for the last 4 years and only now are some republicans finally starting to examine what that has done to the party.

And, yes I Understand that most democrats prop up racist policies as well because white supremacy is deeply embedded in so many of the laws of this country including the ones you mentioned.

The north retreated from reconstruction policy as the kkk grew and spread around the south. As social Darwinism became a popular philosophy whites of all political persuasions began to believe maybe blacks were at the bottom because that’s where they are supposed to be. That’s the system folks are still fighting against to this day so forgive me for at least listening to people who think maybe the best idea for a clearly broken part of that system is to try something else completely. Black people didn’t even count as people when this system was formed so maybe reforms of that system aren’t enough.

It’s the height of privilege to tell the majority (92%!!) of black people they’re dead wrong to support either maintaining or increasing the their local police forces and decide that The Almighty White Saviors will just abolish the police and everything will he hunky dory, regardless of the black community’s opinion.

Never told anyone they were wrong. Just that I was willing to listen and I think racists are worse than optimists. When and where is that 92% Number from? Never even said if I agreed with abolish the police but ok. And yes as a white man I am the height of privileged. Just try not to pretend I’m. It like some folks. I don’t know the answers. I personally won’t solve systemic racism or police brutality. But I will continue to learn all I can.

@Texas-Hawk-10 said in Racial Truths and Untruths and the Search for Justice while Doing Justice (previously titled To Infinity and Beyond):

@benshawks08 said in Racial Truths and Untruths and the Search for Justice while Doing Justice (previously titled To Infinity and Beyond):

@Texas-Hawk-10 said in Racial Truths and Untruths and the Search for Justice while Doing Justice (previously titled To Infinity and Beyond):

@benshawks08 said in Racial Truths and Untruths and the Search for Justice while Doing Justice (previously titled To Infinity and Beyond):

@Texas-Hawk-10 Wackos everywhere. No disagreement there. Just Interesting that the most racist wackos all seem to be Working for the Republican Party.

Also, don't pretend that Democrats have never done anything racist themselves. Trying to frame this as Republican vs. Democrat does nothing to help either side. Historically, Southerners who now tend to vote Republican have been more open about their racism as a culture. Northerners have historically been much more subtle in their racism which can be seen through policies such as redlining and gerrymandering.

Both parties have blood on their hands as far as racism in this country goes.

I agree the entire system is founded on racist policy. But to compare some on the left proposing radical policies to current Republican officials spreading racist conspiracies is a false equivalence and only works to excuse the behavior as “oh well, crazies be crazy” I’ve never said there aren’t wackos on both sides but do take issue with folks both sidesing where a majority of the Unapologetic racists sit politically RIGHT NOW!

Donald trump has purposely courted and emboldened disgusting scum for the last 4 years and only now are some republicans finally starting to examine what that has done to the party.

And, yes I Understand that most democrats prop up racist policies as well because white supremacy is deeply embedded in so many of the laws of this country including the ones you mentioned.

The north retreated from reconstruction policy as the kkk grew and spread around the south. As social Darwinism became a popular philosophy whites of all political persuasions began to believe maybe blacks were at the bottom because that’s where they are supposed to be. That’s the system folks are still fighting against to this day so forgive me for at least listening to people who think maybe the best idea for a clearly broken part of that system is to try something else completely. Black people didn’t even count as people when this system was formed so maybe reforms of that system aren’t enough.

As a history major, I have to correct your statements about Reconstruction because they just aren't accurate. That's the textbook version. Bottom line is the northern soldiers (a big % of whom were black) went to the South to support to Freedman's Bureau help educate black people and get black men registered to vote. Guess what happens? Black people start getting elected to local, state, and national level offices because there more black people men than white men in the South after the Civil War and of course this scares the hell out of southern whites because they were losing power and control. How do they respond? With the KKK and start murdering black people by the thousands. In 1871, Grant passes the KKK Act which is the only time in US history that the right to habeas corpus is suspended during "peace time". It also allows Grant to use the US military to fight the KKK which he does. While the US military is fighting a war against the KKK, white southerners enact another strategy that ultimately changes the course of US history. They begin overstuffing ballot boxes every election at every level to get fairly elected black people out of office and replace them with their own people. Politicians all across the south who support reconstruction are being murdered by the KKK and several states enact martial law in certain counties/parishes where the violence is at its worst. South Carolina, of course, and Louisiana, specifically the New Orleans area are the two most impacted with North Carolina and Georgia not far behind. There was one election in South Carolina where 101% of eligible voters cast ballots. This strategy culminated in the 1876 presidential election where electoral college representatives flat out refused to acknowledge the actual results and those it was left to Congress to decide the election. The US military and KKK are still actively fighting while all of that is going on to keep in mind. Congress comes up with the Compromise of 1877 in which the Radical Republicans essentially sold their souls to Satan to get Rutherford B. Hayes the presidency by agreeing to withdraw all troops from the South and return to business as usual which introduce southern blacks to Jim Crow.

Yes that is a more detailed and accurate version of what I said. Agreeing with you that the north basically gave in to the south to allow blacks to become second class citizens. Withdrew all Troops vs retreat is pretty much the same thing. Thanks for the full picture.

@Texas-Hawk-10 I don’t give a crap about party at the local level because there I can support who ever fits with my ideals. But at the national and state level my goal has been to get rid of trump at just about all costs and vote out Cornyn and Cruz for their unwavering support for him (on top of their policies I couldn’t disagree with more). I Give my support to anyone I find who fits my ideals but won’t waste my vote when i at least agree with more of one party’s stance when compared to the other. Is Biden a perfect candidate, far from it. Is he better than trump? It’s not even close.

@Texas-Hawk-10 said in Racial Truths and Untruths and the Search for Justice while Doing Justice (previously titled To Infinity and Beyond):

@benshawks08 said in Racial Truths and Untruths and the Search for Justice while Doing Justice (previously titled To Infinity and Beyond):

@Texas-Hawk-10 how familiar are you with “the southern strategy”?

I'm quite familiar with white southern politicians going from Democrat to Dixiecrat to Republican within a generation?

Which enemy is more dangerous, the one who tells you they're you're enemy, or the one who claims to be you ally, but doesn't do much to actually help you out and has done plenty to hurt the people the claim to want to help?

Which party made the "Tough on Crime" bill that's since led to significant increases in incarcerations of minorities? Interesting factoid, the current presumptive favorite for the Democrat nomination co-authored that bill passed by the Clinton administration and both chambers of Congress which were controlled by Democrats at the time before Republicans took control of both chambers during the midterm elections that year.

Let's not pretend that the Democrats are innocent when it comes to racism even in modern times.

This is why for me Biden was the absolute worst choice for democratic nominee. I didn’t vote for him but I have to now because emboldened, unapologetic racists murdering people is currently among my top priorities. I’m continuing to work to reshape the Democratic Party as well. Wrote a letter and participated in city council meetings this week.

@Texas-Hawk-10 said in Racial Truths and Untruths and the Search for Justice while Doing Justice (previously titled To Infinity and Beyond):

@benshawks08 said in Racial Truths and Untruths and the Search for Justice while Doing Justice (previously titled To Infinity and Beyond):

@Texas-Hawk-10 Wackos everywhere. No disagreement there. Just Interesting that the most racist wackos all seem to be Working for the Republican Party.

Also, don't pretend that Democrats have never done anything racist themselves. Trying to frame this as Republican vs. Democrat does nothing to help either side. Historically, Southerners who now tend to vote Republican have been more open about their racism as a culture. Northerners have historically been much more subtle in their racism which can be seen through policies such as redlining and gerrymandering.

Both parties have blood on their hands as far as racism in this country goes.

I agree the entire system is founded on racist policy. But to compare some on the left proposing radical policies to current Republican officials spreading racist conspiracies is a false equivalence and only works to excuse the behavior as “oh well, crazies be crazy” I’ve never said there aren’t wackos on both sides but do take issue with folks both sidesing where a majority of the Unapologetic racists sit politically RIGHT NOW!

Donald trump has purposely courted and emboldened disgusting scum for the last 4 years and only now are some republicans finally starting to examine what that has done to the party.

And, yes I Understand that most democrats prop up racist policies as well because white supremacy is deeply embedded in so many of the laws of this country including the ones you mentioned.

The north retreated from reconstruction policy as the kkk grew and spread around the south. As social Darwinism became a popular philosophy whites of all political persuasions began to believe maybe blacks were at the bottom because that’s where they are supposed to be. That’s the system folks are still fighting against to this day so forgive me for at least listening to people who think maybe the best idea for a clearly broken part of that system is to try something else completely. Black people didn’t even count as people when this system was formed so maybe reforms of that system aren’t enough.

@Texas-Hawk-10 how familiar are you with “the southern strategy”?

@Texas-Hawk-10 Wackos everywhere. No disagreement there. Just Interesting that the most racist wackos all seem to be Working for the Republican Party.