Not one to shy away from controversy … let’s get into it.
Before we get started … hate mail goes to: comments@todayspetpeeve.com
Let me start off by saying I believe what happened to George Floyd was a tragedy and a blatant misuse of force by Officer Derek Chauvin. Mr. Floyd was in custody and there was no reason for the police officer to keep his knee on Floyd’s neck for that excessive amount of time after he was restrained … especially when Floyd was saying he can’t breathe.
I don’t know Officer Chauvin to make any sort of judgement on why he felt the need to do that. Did he do it because he’s racist and Mr. Floyd was black … or did he do it because he just saw him as another criminal. I don’t know … and neither do you! The only person who truly knows the answer is Derek Chauvin. If you say you know what his intentions were then you are full of shit and making assumptions to fit your narrative.
I believe that police officers have a very difficult job … especially in today’s “hate the police” culture and the growing empowerment to be argumentative by segments of the population when they are pulled over. I’m not sure when it became okay to tell an officer that “I don’t have to exit the vehicle!” but is seems to be happening more and more. Gone are the days when you did what the officer asked and respected the position they were in.
Every stop an officer makes has the potential to turn deadly with a growing segment that are ready and willing to attack cops just for doing their job. The only people I feel qualified to truly judge officers actions are other officers who have faced similar situations. If you work a 9-5 job behind a desk, it’s really easy to pass judgement and say what an officer should and shouldn’t have done but until you’ve been in a situation where someone wants to kill you … you don’t really know how you’d react! The only thing you have to worry about at your job is getting a paper cut from your TPS reports. Cops could die doing their job and never make it home to their families. Your paper cut will heal … they risk dying.
I’m always of the mindset that I want to see the entire video to make up my mind and not blindly believe edited footage that steer a watcher towards a specific narrative. From what I saw of the extended video, Derek Chauvin was out of line and on a power trip. Again, I’m not an officer and I wasn’t there but from a layman’s point of view … it appeared Chauvin used excessive force. Some videos speak for themselves and I believe this is one of them. When you watch the entire video and not some edited version, it seems obvious Derek Chauvin went rogue and killed George Floyd.
In my opinion though, Officer Chauvin is the only one responsible for Mr. Floyd’s death. I know it’s not a popular opinion but I’m not interested in being popular. The two officers who initially handled the altercation had been on the job 4 days. From what I saw, they had the situation under control and then an officer with more seniority (Chauvin) comes on the scene and takes control. The rookie officers asked if they should turn Mr. Floyd on his side so he can breathe and Chauvin said “No!” I don’t know about you but I don’t think many people on their 4th day of work would feel comfortable telling someone how to do their job.
Imagine Mr. Floyd did not die. The next day when the rookie officers get to work they would be called into the office and fired for going against an officer with seniority. You can tell me I’m full of shit … but you know damn well that scenario is very plausible.
Upon people seeing this video and it going viral, people became enraged. I can totally understand why. What happens from that point forward is where I have a problem with “the movement” that is now happening.
It doesn’t matter how pissed you are … burning down a police station isn’t justified. Anybody who gets behind the statement …
“We protested peacefully and you didn’t listen, so this is what you get!”
… is a person letting their emotions get the better of them and not using their head. They are letting their emotions take over and that can be dangerous. That is mob mentality and is in no way constructive. Reasoning like that turns people off to your message and makes many people view your message in a negative manner.
If your message is not getting heard … then you figure out a different way of saying it so that it is heard. When you start justifying violence to get your point across … how are you any different from Derek Chauvin!? He wasn’t getting the response he wanted, so he got violent. Is that the comparison you want? I’m guessing probably not … but that’s how I view you if you are behind burning down a police station to “get your message across.”
Hate begets hate; violence begets violence; toughness begets a greater toughness. We must meet the forces of hate with the power of love… Our aim must never be to defeat or humiliate the white man, but to win his friendship and understanding. – Martin Luther King, Jr.
Obviously peaceful protests take a lot longer … but that is what brings people over to your way of thinking. Not destroying things! For all the protesters starting to shake in anger right now yelling …
“Those people aren’t part of the protest. Stop lumping them in with us!”
You have no problem lumping all police officers together with Derek Chauvin! You’re saying all police are violent based upon the actions of a few bad cops … so why can’t I lump the criminals and looters in with your protest!? Yeah! It seems like bullshit that I won’t separate the two, huh? Well it’s bullshit when you paint all cops with a broad brush and say all cops are violent.
I’m not saying there aren’t bad cops … sure there are … but I believe the majority are caring people. When you say all cops are violent … it’s no different than me saying all protestors are looters. The majority of both are peaceful but the few bad ones spoil the whole bunch.
Now that we can both agree that it’s not fair to paint groups with a broad brush … let’s talk about “the movement” and how it’s not okay to have a different opinion anymore.
While the 1st Amendment protects your right to go out and protest and chant your point of view … it also protects people’s point of view that don’t align with yours! If you’re out protesting right now, you don’t OWN the 1st Amendment … it extends to everyone! If someone has a point of view different from yours, it has to be okay for them to have it … even if you think it’s ridiculous! Trust me … there are people who think your point of view is ridiculous but they don’t say anything because currently no other viewpoint is acceptable except the one the protesters have!
Ask Drew Brees! He found out that he’s not allowed to have a different opinion from the “collective opinion” right now! He simply said he will never agree with anybody disrespecting the flag of the United States of America in regards to Kaepernick kneeling during the National Anthem.
“I love and respect my teammates, and I stand right there with them in regard to fighting for racial equality and justice, I also stand with my grandfathers, who risked their lives for this country, and countless other military men and women who do it on a daily basis.” – Drew Brees
His teammate Malcom Jenkins said that he was “hurt” by Brees’ comments and that they were “extremely self-centered.”
“Our communities are under siege, and we need help and what you’re telling us is don’t ask for help that way. Ask for it a different way. I can’t listen to it when you ask that way. We’re done asking, Drew. And people who share your sentiments, who express those and push them throughout the world, the airwaves, are the problem. And it’s unfortunate because I considered you a friend. I looked up to you. You’re somebody who I had a great deal of respect for. But sometimes you should shut the fuck up.” – Malcom Jenkins
This is part of the problem. If someone doesn’t just blindly fall into line with the agenda currently being pushed … then simply put … they are the enemy! Not someone who has a different opinion … THE ENEMY!
The “You’re either with us or you’re against us!” mentality is bullshit and needs to stop! What happened to civil discourse!? I thought America was celebrated for it’s diversity and acceptance. Apparently that’s only if you accept the message the protesters are serving up.
The attitude of the protests right now are eerily totalitarian. There is no room for any thought other than the one they are promoting! Why can’t someone disagree with you? Can’t we have different opinions co-exist at the same time and both be legitimate? Isn’t that what America is all about!? The answer is apparently NO!
The newest slogan in the protest is: White Silence is Violence.
Oh, the “protester” that came up with that little rhyme must have been so proud of themselves! Write it on the cardboard with a Sharpie and let’s walk it through the streets. Although I understand the sentiment behind the clever little rhyme … it’s a little misguided and complete bullshit!
Maybe people are just stressed the fuck out because they lost their jobs due to the Coronavirus and can’t pay their bills … so they’re worrying about that? Maybe people just aren’t into protesting? Maybe white people tried to say something supportive but got lectured by “the movement” and told they were “culturally insensitive” or it “wasn’t good enough.”
Ask Madonna or Heidi Klum!
Madonna is not racist. She adopted children who are black. Heidi Klum married Seal and had children with him. These are not things a “racist person” would do! So “the movement” gets upset that white people don’t speak up and when they do … their support is critiqued and they are cut down. The definition of racist is changing so much lately, it’s hard to keep track of. I think it boils down to if you don’t parrot what BLM is saying – you’re racist.
Did you ever think that maybe white people are just silent because even when you try to show support you are lambasted if you don’t show it correctly! What the fuck do you want!? To equate someone not saying something to violence is completely asinine! Whomever came up with that little slogan can Fuck Off! What’s really happening is that “the movement” wants you to say something so they can decide if you’re with them or if your … the enemy!
It’s time to chill the fuck out!
I completely get behind people’s rights to speak out about what they feel are injustices but the current “movement” that is happening is nothing but a bunch of bullies using intimidation … and I can’t stand bullies! Continue to protest because the cause is worth it but you need to calm down and think about what is going to get your message heard. Being aggressive and confrontational is only going to turn a lot of people off to the message you want them to hear. Seeing businesses being looted by criminals that hide in your protest are not helping your cause either. Stop saying “They aren’t part of the peaceful protest!” but guess what … you’re giving them cover and they’re spoiling your “peaceful” protest!
It’s time to approach this a different way … OR … just continue doing things the way you’ve been doing them. I’m old … what the fuck do I know!?
What I do know .. is that I’m getting fucking tired of my city having to board up it’s stores and making it look like a third world country. I’m tired of how small businesses are being ransacked and putting people out of work because the protests make the perfect cover for criminals to steal stuff. I know that I’m growing tired of the unrest and becoming tone deaf to the message … and I’m really tired of the politicizing of every fucking issue under the Sun!
Oh … and I know I’m ready for 2020 to be over.
TodaysPetPeeve 