In the US people are being murdered all the time by the police. Mostly black people or other people of colour. Think George Floyd, Breona Taylor and countless others. That isn't enough though; they go to other countries and kill people as they take US democracy to them. Then just to make sure that enough people are being killed, they send weapons to an insane country like Israel. Or pretend they are helping the people in Ukraine who are fighting their proxy war. Nice, helpful bunch huh? Democrat, Republican, doesn't matter. They impose the good old American way on everyone everywhere.
Bs. I am against Israeli genocide of Palestinians but it’s bullshit that lots of blacks are killed by cops. I’m in Philly and know. Blacks are killed by other blacks by far. It’s obvious and well documented. Further, Floyd died of an overdose and was a brutal violent criminal before that. Get your shit straight because stupid comments like that hurt the freedom and peace for Palestinians.
Sure it gives you freedom. Watch this. Go fuck yourself. Floyd, the career violent criminal, OD’d and deserved it. And don’t fuck up Palestinians right to survive and be free by putting them in same room with George Floyd. The former are honorable and the latter was a horrible.
Suicides account for more gun deaths in the United States than murders. Whites committed suicide by gun at over twice the rate of blacks in 2021. Handguns are used more than rifles and shotguns. This means that white Americans shoot themselves more than blacks shoot each other. Why is that? It’s plausible that handguns guns make suicide more prone to impulse than other means. Suicidal ideation quickly becomes suicide. It raises the question: why so much suicidal ideation in contemporary American society? Suicide rates have been increasing among black and white Americans. (The opioid crisis is arguably in many cases a passive suicide epidemic). Katlyn’s essays provide some potential clues. A country in which there’s no right or wrong, only endless propaganda in service of power and profit is a sad place to live.
Also, I think Japanese have the highest rate of suicide because it’s in their tradition. Blacks probably have less suicide rate than whites because a) many have already been Killy by other blacks and b) many are in prison because they committed violent crimes against blacks and now are without easy means to suicide themselves.
Susan T is either an axe grinding troll or one of the many running around these days that just make stuff up and believe and say their BS is true. Here she is quoting a stat for Cops shooting blacks...which has zero to do with Libertarians words. He pointed out, correctly, by far the most homicide death by gun violence for blacks is due to astounding rates of black on black shooting. Period. Answering with the stat about cops is irrelevant and BS
They want us to fight among ourselves so that we do not unite and fight against their criminal actions. We are being manipulated! Watch the movie "JONES PLANTATION".
It’s super easy to be cynical about our government and corp media UNTIL the narrative meets our personal bias. Consider the possibility that the Floyd tragedy was a psyop. Any time a tragedy (to us peasants) is heavily promoted by our corp media to the point where the aristocracy even shows up at a royal-like funeral to weep over his golden casket has to be scrutinized a bit. This is how they divide us. Dont fall for it
I’m starting to notice a trend where libertarians call themselves socialists and you can usually tell pretty easily who they are bc they’ll refer to most social justice issues as “distractions” when it’s something they don’t personally support. Racism, transphobia and so on are not manufactured distractions meant to divide us. You’re literally retarded.
I got caught in this comment of Caitlins that "US foreign policy is much, much more consequential, destructive and deadly than US domestic policy". But comparing democrats to pigs is a huge insult to pigs. Pigs are decent animals. Democrats are not. Maybe the title should have been "Democrats are racist humans completely lacking in empathy, just like the Republicans"
>>""Democrats are racist humans completely lacking in empathy, just like the Republicans""
This is how they divide us - by making us dive into the Democrat/Republican rabbit hole. Or the Racism rabbit hole.
Another title could be: "How those in power create narratives and have used these narratives over centuries to maintain their status quo and positions of power and privilege"
Thank you Susan. I respect and love pigs as I do all animals. Man is by far the worst species. We all know this. This species’s actions is very much a part of its evolution. Most days I am saddened and angry by the minute to minute reflections of these disgusting actions however, I must chose to believe our big brains mean there’s a long way to go and just maybe, we will eventually evolve into something better, something akin to other species, other true beauties, both animals and plants, that rise from our planet. To all of the dissatisfied, disappointed and angry authors of the comments above, I am very sorry you are caught up in this moment of despair.
Framing the discussion of police brutality entirely in terms of race serves the oligarchs. We should all be seeing this in terms of BOTH/AND rather than EITHER/OR. It's true that police violence disproportionately impacts African Americans. It is also true that police violence impacts other groups--poor white males, for instance. We should be focused on the fact that the government is increasingly authoritarian, that police have too much power and not enough accountability, and that the justice system is increasingly weaponized to punish enemies of the state. We should be working together to get them out of power. As for what this has to do with Gaza? I see this as a difference in degree, not in kind. Don't ever think for one minute that these POS wouldn't do that to us if they had a reason and thought they could get away with it.
I absolutely agree with what you are saying. I made my comment in response to the statement that American foreign policy is much more destructive than domestic policy. I agree that it is a matter of degree. They start by killing Americans in America and they continue on killing wherever they go and aiding and abetting others to do the same.
Actually, an unarmed white man is more likely to die at the hands of the police during an arrest in the US than an unarmed black man. I know. The American media lies about everything, including that it is American. That's one of the reasons we have no control over our own government.
You should take some courses in statistics, probability, and critical thinking - it'll help in making sense of the statistics that the MSM (and the government) throws out there.
If you're black (in the US), you have a higher PROBABILITY of being abused by a Police Officer than if you are a white. The operative word is 'probability', not raw numbers (as the raw numbers of whites would naturally be greater due to the composition of the population).
You are right when you say that the media and the Government lies. To decipher their lies, here are some book suggestions:
No, because in the US, if you are black you have more run-ins with the law. Is that because the cops are out to get blacks? Or is it because blacks commit more crimes? Well, who knows? That's why it is necessary to introduce the qualifier "during an arrest." During an arrest, an unarmed white guy is more likely to lose his life than an unarmed black guy.
Maybe YOU should takes some courses in probability and statistics.
(1) Have you heard of structural and systemic racism?
(2) What about structural and systemic poverty?
(3) Do you understand how the criminal and justice system works in the US?
(4) Have you attempted to understand Critical Race Theory? (and no - this has nothing to do with Left/Right politics or ideologies - but rather the prevalence of structural and systemic racism in the US partly to do with its history)
I'm assuming you would answer NO to each of the 4 questions above, hence your comment.
Do you have any statistics (or evidence) to back up your claims or theories?
----"If you're black (in the US), you have a higher PROBABILITY of being abused by a Police Officer than if you are a white."-----
This is true, but if the murderous thugs now being hired and deployed by police departments cannot find a black person to abuse or kill, a white person will do. I suspect this sea change from old school cops on the beat is because of hiring veterans with PTSD. They clearly regard the population they are supposed to protect and serve as enemy combatants, and they apply the perverted rules of warfare to their job, in place of the rule of law.
>>"but if the murderous thugs now being hired and deployed by police departments cannot find a black person to abuse or kill, a white person will do."
You make many unfounded assumptions:
(1) All police are murderous thugs. They are not. Only a subset are.
(2) The police do what they do because they enjoy killing - and if they can't find a colored person to kill, they will move on to killing white people. ??? Where in the world did you get such a theory/idea from? Have you seen ANY evidence of this? What supports such an outlandish claim?
Part of what you see (in the change in the use of force by police units) is because of:
(1) Hiring the wrong type of police officers (as you say in your comment above - PTSD), but also those with anger management issues, those that are attracted to power, etc. Police Departments in the US have an incredibly messed up hiring department and policies
(2) What kind of training are the officers receiving? It seems there is a significant exchange of tactics between Israeli Zionist IDF and local police departments
(3) The Government has been funding and supplying police departments with 'Military Grade Equipment'. This, in and of itself, creates significant issues and implications.
Familiarize yourself with the concept of proportionality. "more likely" takes population size into account. Do you think the New York Times is suddenly telling the truth about this one issue? Don't be so easily duped.
The cities are mostly black, the cities have the highest violent crime rate, the cities have about 80% failure on grade level proficiency tests, average black IQ scores are a full standard deviation below average white IQ scores and even further below average Asian IQ scores, Asians then whites then blacks have in that order the most Neanderthal DNA (blacks much lower at about zero). I call it the Unified Theory of Science and Violence. You’re welcome.
George Floyd aside. The focal point should be on the fact that US Foreign Policy is driven by the Military-Industrial-Congressional Complex. US Policy international and domestic policy needs to make a 180 degree turn from its current trajectory. Injecting Floyd into this is simply a distraction, one that plays right into the hands of the Criminals in DC, ALL of them!
Michael Lynch: my comment was in response to Caitlin's saying "US foreign policy is much, much more consequential, destructive and deadly than US domestic policy." The fact of the murders of people of colour in the US is, I think, a large part why the US carries on with such behaviour by killing anyone who is not on the same page as they are whether it is skin colour or ideology. Floyd is not being "injected" into this situation by me. The death of him and of others, mostly people of colour, helps to enable the US government and military in its murderous ways outside the US too.
While I like what you are trying to say you are being duped by our propaganda press. Blacks are being coerced into killing each other and while you are looking at headlines you are not digging deeper. The fact is George Floyd was a criminal drug addict who died of a fentanyl overdose. Police officers were politically prosecuted to direct attention away from the real problem. This government doesn't care who it kills or locks into prisons as long as it allows them to maintain their power and control.
actually SCOTUS decided that the police are not required to protect anyone they chose to not protect but points like that allude people (like you). Don't you think people are entitled to protection in what extends to protect criminals if the police do not wish t take action.
George Floyd died from a drug overdose during standard police procedures. Breonna Taylor died from being at the wrong place at the wrong time by allowing her thug boyfriend to use her apartment to deal drugs. Just saying.
Additionally, the rate of fatal police shootings among Black Americans was much higher than that for any other ethnicity, standing at 6.2 fatal shootings per million
CJ>>"...we shouldn’t bring up Gaza in polite company because it’s talking about “politics” — these are symptoms of a civilization that has gone stark, raving mad."
We ARE a civilization that has gone STARK, RAVING MAD! What's absurd is that the people that realize this are considered INSANE, and the people that are oblivious to this reality are considered SANE.
“In a crazy world, it’s only your insanity that will keep you sane.” – Leo Buscaglia
“A sane person to an insane society must appear insane.” ― Kurt Vonnegut
Unfortunately this is emblematic of how a swath of US American society has chosen to view what is understood by many around the world as the absolutely most critical humanitarian catastrophe of the modern era through the lens of what amounts to political fodder of an opening monologue by someone like Zionist apologist/Islamophobe Bill Maher.
I beg to differ, watch: Last Week Tonight With John Oliver Season 11, Episode 18; aired - July 28, 2024. Taken down by YouTube likely because complaints by Zionists due to content on The West Bank Settlements. I have HBO so I can watch any time. George Carlin is dead so we have to make do for funny.
Maher is dumb; that's about all there is to it. Best ignored. The genocide of the Palestinians is still pretty small-time compared, for instance, to the American slaughter of the Vietnamese, but the principle is still the same.
What would it have cost Harris to say to the protesters, "I'm listening. I hear you. Let's talk."
Oh, wait, I know exactly what it would have cost: the support of AIPAC and the Israeli lobby, and that would have been the end of her.
Russia hacked our election! (not). Iran hacked the Democrats! (so?)
Israel decides who gets elected in every congressional race. If China did this, if Kenya did this, if Turkey did this, or god help us if Russia personally funded individual campaigns based on toeing the line on Russian foreign policy, we'd be going nuts over this.
I don't buy that Harris is "not very bright." Her mother has a PhD in endocrinology and nutrition, and was a research scientist at Lawrence Berkeley. Her father is a professor of economics at Stanford. "The first black scholar to be granted tenure at Stanford;" one thing he has to be is bright. So, I expect Harris is quite bright. She studied law at Hastings. She has a JD. She prosecuted child abusers. She stood against the death penalty despite severe pressure from the police department. So, no, she wasn't a cop.
But in order to be elected to congress, you have to toe the line on support for Israel.
I can see that while she is Biden's VP, she might not be able to state foreign policy that differs from his. I can see that she needs to establish herself as not a wimp (especially because she is a woman). It is my hope that the principles that guided her career in San Francisco, when she created a number of programs that were significantly helpful to the underclass, are still awake in her. And that Israel has not bought her soul.
The problem is, we can't wait until January for peace in Gaza. Too many people will die. Biden has to change his policies. Now.
Yes, and....where we have some leverage is with Harris NOW. I have written to her campaign, the DNC, 'my' senator who is down with the slaughter, to the White House and my local paper to say though I have voted for Dems every time, I will NOT vote for any person or party who continues to send any weapons to Israel. And I will be in the company of at least 770,000 other voters who will do the same.
Fun Fact, Biden could step down at any moment if his handlers allowed it, which means Kamala would instantaneous become the current president for the remainder of the term.
If she wanted to stop supporting Israel or Cop City(!!) then all she would have to do is ensure Biden steps out of the way and do that.
I honestly don't think it's possible for the war machine to stop eating our money. It has taken over our foreign policy. There is no statecraft now, only threats, sanctions, special ops, and proxy armies. (All of which, coincidentally/s, serve corporate interests in markets and resources.) There have to be all kinds of wars so that more money can feed the war machine. And no one is allowed to stand in the way of that. So, even if Harris were president, the wars would go on.
Harris addressed rampant truancy as a fundamental cause of crime, prison, and recidivism. She did this by threatening huge fines and even jail time to parents if they didn't keep their kids in school. She prosecuted -- exactly one set of parents. That's all it took to wake everyone up and get them putting their kids in school. This is an example of good tactics to get a good effect. It is smart, and it is thoughtful.
No, she said she would not ever call for the death penalty in her cases, and held to that even under enormous pressure from the police.
I agree with you about the despicable behavior of the congressmen who gave Netanyahu 58 standing ovations. That was a demonstration, by Bibi, of his power over the US. Purely political theater, and our congressmen, our representatives, acted as his supporting cast. Revolting.
I think a better action would have been for any congressman to have done a citizen's arrest for war crimes.
"Human beings are being butchered by the thousands in full view of the whole world. You don’t get to run cover for this by filing it away under the label of political opinion."
This. Last November, I was told that mentioning the genocide happening in Gaza within a church setting was "too political." That's why I left and never returned.
There are lots of "pigs" in the world apparently, and they need to learn their lesson. Let's get this hashtag trending: #BoycottStephenKing
There are a lot more bad people in this world than there are bad pigs. You slander our fellow creatures when comparing us to them. We’d be in a much better situation if we really were more like them. We need to own our evil, not put it on those who are innocent. Remind of the expression going around: every accusation is a confession.
the us-centralised hubs of empire externalise the largest and cruelest part of their exploitation, often making use of their war-machine, while placating a substantial mass with relative 'crumbs' to serve as a buffer and consent-o-mat for the ruling-class. this buffer will not be rewarded for it's loyalty, though.
Yes, that's why I consider this 'buffer' to be suckers - voting against their own interests and supporting those that are against their interests. It's a charade that is almost as old as time itself...
I agree with everything you've said here, but I have a few quibbles:
"Washington’s unconditional support for Israel"
"Support" might give the impression that Israel has the leading role here. You yourself have derided those who believe the poor little US Empire has been led astray by big bad Israel as pissweak excuse makers. Israel is doing exactly what the Neocon faction wants it to do - start a World War.
"a war with China would be completely unwinnable"
I don't think the Neocons are unaware of this. You yourself have said it: they're playing chicken with Armageddon. They know they can't win a World War (if for no other reason than that their enemies are also the suppliers of key components of their weapons systems), they're just trying to convince the Rest of the World that they're willing to go there. We understand this abusive relationship when we see it at the human level - those arseholes who always escalate conflict beyond all proportion to what's at stake, to make us back down, our submission treated as consent. It may seem bizarre to see this behaviour on a global scale, but it's essentially the basis of every hierarchy.
"the US empire is not run by rational actors"
The faction currently in the driver's seat of the Empire are definitely insane, in that they're psychopathic and murderous, but I believe it's a mistake to think that they're irrational or stupid. They have a plan that could work, if the Rest of the World fails to call their bluff. It's up to us to convince them that their Empire is indeed over, that it's time to go, if not gracefully, then at least without blowing the planet up on the way out.
A less insane faction could take the reins of the crumbling, sprawling US power structure, one that is willing to accept multipolarity. The current stirring rebellion of the Global South would be a convincing impetus here - they have less of a vested interest in the status quo, and have already endured centuries of hardship.
"Democrats are Pigs"
Pigs may wallow in their own faeces, and they may not be above cannibalism if you throw a bit of pork into their feeding trough, but I feel that it's quite unfair to compare them to US politicians.
>>"but I feel that it's quite unfair to compare them to US politicians"
Yes, you're right. I too think it is quite unfair to pigs to compare them to evil US politicians. On that we can wholeheartedly agree. Pigs are a much better lifeform than these politicians.
Judging from many of the comments, Caitlin's visceral response to the insanity around us seems to have struck a chord. ie. Pointing out that the moral violation of Humanity and Mother Earth is being denigrated to "political" "opinions;" Believing the fabricated Democratic "Platform" rather than the actions taken (like the billions of dollars of weapons shipped over and over again all these terrible long months to Israel for the purpose of making this horrific Genocide possible and at the same time inflaming the entire Middle East; Basically the inability to distinguish actions from words, not to mention that the Democrats she's referring to since Kamala came onboard, seem to be trying to ignore the greed and barbarity of U.S. Foreign Policy in order to in 'good conscience' vote "Democrat" and pretend we actually have a Democracy and not a corporate run Oligarchy. There is unraveling happening in the U.S. as well, with, among other things, equity firms gobbling up one industry after another, including healthcare, education, nursing homes, etc. etc.. Many people are afraid, and are grasping at straws.
Very hard and disturbing truths. But true nonetheless. Thank you Caitlin for speaking out - and fully feeling - these hard truths.
They don't even try to justify it anymore. They just hope you ignore it and the money continues to flow their way. How does shooting a baby or gang sodomizing a prisoner make Israel or Jewish people safer? It's become a death cult
I’ve emailed my representative and senators multiple times. My most recent: WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?? STOP ARMING ISRAEL!!! The arrogance and corruption of our legislators is remarkable. It’s as if they are all floating in money…
The idea that that oligarchs, by simply ignoring certain groups, can further consolidate their power, gives even more power to the oligarchs. It’s a lose-lose dynamic. It is possible to escape this trap. Rebellion, even criminal rebellion, with an underlying revolutionary ideology, can succeed in undermining corporate fascism on a day to day basis. Particularly if aligned in solidarity with other rebels. There is a vast and beautiful history of successful resistance to oppression and coercive conformity. The current collapsing imperium carries a recognizable stench of bullshit. This can be referenced and exploited, revealing weakness and injustice. Recognizing that our legislators are held in the jaws of AIPAC does not justify abandoning the Palestinians to US and Israeli genocide. In fact it morally compels even greater attention and action. It’s all part of a life well lived.
From the perspective of an American in America, a deep analysis of U.S. foreign policy unavoidably leads to one’s realization that the root cause of the incessantly assinine U.S. domestic policy is the stupendously horrific U.S. foreign policy. The whole enchilada is a FREAK SHOW.
Kamala Harris is a revolting sow. Any high schooler can tell you that.
Speaking of high school, the Likudniks want her front and center so more people will begin disregarding politics for the rest of eternity, which may not be all that long from now.
I’m starting to think they should just get it over with. So many will simply never look back. There’s not enough good luck in the universe to pull-off a foodstamp-funded moonshot.
It makes me wonder if we were to compare how long Empire's last and try to account for the technological differences, would the USA hegemony be the shortest one in existence?
In the US people are being murdered all the time by the police. Mostly black people or other people of colour. Think George Floyd, Breona Taylor and countless others. That isn't enough though; they go to other countries and kill people as they take US democracy to them. Then just to make sure that enough people are being killed, they send weapons to an insane country like Israel. Or pretend they are helping the people in Ukraine who are fighting their proxy war. Nice, helpful bunch huh? Democrat, Republican, doesn't matter. They impose the good old American way on everyone everywhere.
Bs. I am against Israeli genocide of Palestinians but it’s bullshit that lots of blacks are killed by cops. I’m in Philly and know. Blacks are killed by other blacks by far. It’s obvious and well documented. Further, Floyd died of an overdose and was a brutal violent criminal before that. Get your shit straight because stupid comments like that hurt the freedom and peace for Palestinians.
Being libertarian doesn’t mean you have the liberty to make stuff up about other people. We all saw the video of the cop killing George Floyd.
Sure it gives you freedom. Watch this. Go fuck yourself. Floyd, the career violent criminal, OD’d and deserved it. And don’t fuck up Palestinians right to survive and be free by putting them in same room with George Floyd. The former are honorable and the latter was a horrible.
Career violent criminal? Floyd had whole career of violence? You don't get to simply redefine what words mean, dipshit.
You saw a cop kneeling on Floyd's shoulder blades, this is not a fatal technique. The first autopsy was drug overdose.
So was the second autopsy. Lethal levels of 4 street drugs.
Bullshit
Don't be a dupe. @Libertarian is right.
🤡
Sure, just like they were right when shutting down basic trash services and got ran out of town by bears.
Suicides account for more gun deaths in the United States than murders. Whites committed suicide by gun at over twice the rate of blacks in 2021. Handguns are used more than rifles and shotguns. This means that white Americans shoot themselves more than blacks shoot each other. Why is that? It’s plausible that handguns guns make suicide more prone to impulse than other means. Suicidal ideation quickly becomes suicide. It raises the question: why so much suicidal ideation in contemporary American society? Suicide rates have been increasing among black and white Americans. (The opioid crisis is arguably in many cases a passive suicide epidemic). Katlyn’s essays provide some potential clues. A country in which there’s no right or wrong, only endless propaganda in service of power and profit is a sad place to live.
Also, I think Japanese have the highest rate of suicide because it’s in their tradition. Blacks probably have less suicide rate than whites because a) many have already been Killy by other blacks and b) many are in prison because they committed violent crimes against blacks and now are without easy means to suicide themselves.
🤣🤡🤣
Libertarian and others who may buy into his line: "Additionally, the rate of fatal police shootings among Black Americans was much higher than that for any other ethnicity, standing at 6.2 fatal shootings per million" https://www.statista.com/statistics/585152/people-shot-to-death-by-us-police-by-race/
Susan T is either an axe grinding troll or one of the many running around these days that just make stuff up and believe and say their BS is true. Here she is quoting a stat for Cops shooting blacks...which has zero to do with Libertarians words. He pointed out, correctly, by far the most homicide death by gun violence for blacks is due to astounding rates of black on black shooting. Period. Answering with the stat about cops is irrelevant and BS
The "Chicago" link is particularly enlightening. Thanks for sharing that.
Agree that cops are more at risk from the average black encounter than average encounter with other races?
This blog said I was blocked from liking this comment...
this thread went to american navel-gazing pretty quickly, imo.
Really damn quickly. Bunch of muppets. This is exactly what the elites want. The dummies arguing about race while they get away with everything.
They want us to fight among ourselves so that we do not unite and fight against their criminal actions. We are being manipulated! Watch the movie "JONES PLANTATION".
The real question is, was it a deliberate attempt to derail the thread and take the focus of the genocide in Gaza?
Starting to see a lot more of that going on here. Appears coordinated.
That is what I was going to post.
Must make Caitlin cry.
It’s super easy to be cynical about our government and corp media UNTIL the narrative meets our personal bias. Consider the possibility that the Floyd tragedy was a psyop. Any time a tragedy (to us peasants) is heavily promoted by our corp media to the point where the aristocracy even shows up at a royal-like funeral to weep over his golden casket has to be scrutinized a bit. This is how they divide us. Dont fall for it
I’m starting to notice a trend where libertarians call themselves socialists and you can usually tell pretty easily who they are bc they’ll refer to most social justice issues as “distractions” when it’s something they don’t personally support. Racism, transphobia and so on are not manufactured distractions meant to divide us. You’re literally retarded.
I got caught in this comment of Caitlins that "US foreign policy is much, much more consequential, destructive and deadly than US domestic policy". But comparing democrats to pigs is a huge insult to pigs. Pigs are decent animals. Democrats are not. Maybe the title should have been "Democrats are racist humans completely lacking in empathy, just like the Republicans"
>>""Democrats are racist humans completely lacking in empathy, just like the Republicans""
This is how they divide us - by making us dive into the Democrat/Republican rabbit hole. Or the Racism rabbit hole.
Another title could be: "How those in power create narratives and have used these narratives over centuries to maintain their status quo and positions of power and privilege"
Thank you Susan. I respect and love pigs as I do all animals. Man is by far the worst species. We all know this. This species’s actions is very much a part of its evolution. Most days I am saddened and angry by the minute to minute reflections of these disgusting actions however, I must chose to believe our big brains mean there’s a long way to go and just maybe, we will eventually evolve into something better, something akin to other species, other true beauties, both animals and plants, that rise from our planet. To all of the dissatisfied, disappointed and angry authors of the comments above, I am very sorry you are caught up in this moment of despair.
Framing the discussion of police brutality entirely in terms of race serves the oligarchs. We should all be seeing this in terms of BOTH/AND rather than EITHER/OR. It's true that police violence disproportionately impacts African Americans. It is also true that police violence impacts other groups--poor white males, for instance. We should be focused on the fact that the government is increasingly authoritarian, that police have too much power and not enough accountability, and that the justice system is increasingly weaponized to punish enemies of the state. We should be working together to get them out of power. As for what this has to do with Gaza? I see this as a difference in degree, not in kind. Don't ever think for one minute that these POS wouldn't do that to us if they had a reason and thought they could get away with it.
I absolutely agree with what you are saying. I made my comment in response to the statement that American foreign policy is much more destructive than domestic policy. I agree that it is a matter of degree. They start by killing Americans in America and they continue on killing wherever they go and aiding and abetting others to do the same.
Just wait a couple of days to see demonstrators at DNC get pulverized by police. I remember '68.
"Mostly black people or other people of colour. "
Actually, an unarmed white man is more likely to die at the hands of the police during an arrest in the US than an unarmed black man. I know. The American media lies about everything, including that it is American. That's one of the reasons we have no control over our own government.
You should take some courses in statistics, probability, and critical thinking - it'll help in making sense of the statistics that the MSM (and the government) throws out there.
If you're black (in the US), you have a higher PROBABILITY of being abused by a Police Officer than if you are a white. The operative word is 'probability', not raw numbers (as the raw numbers of whites would naturally be greater due to the composition of the population).
You are right when you say that the media and the Government lies. To decipher their lies, here are some book suggestions:
(1) "How to Lie with Statistics" by Darrell Huff (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58702146-how-to-lie-with-statistics-by-darrell-huff-w-w-norton-company)
(2) "Damned Lies and Statistics: Untangling Numbers from the Media, Politicians, and Activists" by Joel Best (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15808032-damned-lies-and-statistics)
(3) "Lies, Damn Lies, And Statistics: The Manipulation Of Public Opinion In America" by Michael A. Wheeler (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51292.Lies_Damn_Lies_And_Statistics)
(4) "A Field Guide to Lies: Critical Thinking with Statistics and the Scientific Method" by Daniel J. Levitin (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49646772-a-field-guide-to-lies)
No, because in the US, if you are black you have more run-ins with the law. Is that because the cops are out to get blacks? Or is it because blacks commit more crimes? Well, who knows? That's why it is necessary to introduce the qualifier "during an arrest." During an arrest, an unarmed white guy is more likely to lose his life than an unarmed black guy.
Maybe YOU should takes some courses in probability and statistics.
(1) Have you heard of structural and systemic racism?
(2) What about structural and systemic poverty?
(3) Do you understand how the criminal and justice system works in the US?
(4) Have you attempted to understand Critical Race Theory? (and no - this has nothing to do with Left/Right politics or ideologies - but rather the prevalence of structural and systemic racism in the US partly to do with its history)
I'm assuming you would answer NO to each of the 4 questions above, hence your comment.
Do you have any statistics (or evidence) to back up your claims or theories?
----"If you're black (in the US), you have a higher PROBABILITY of being abused by a Police Officer than if you are a white."-----
This is true, but if the murderous thugs now being hired and deployed by police departments cannot find a black person to abuse or kill, a white person will do. I suspect this sea change from old school cops on the beat is because of hiring veterans with PTSD. They clearly regard the population they are supposed to protect and serve as enemy combatants, and they apply the perverted rules of warfare to their job, in place of the rule of law.
>>"but if the murderous thugs now being hired and deployed by police departments cannot find a black person to abuse or kill, a white person will do."
You make many unfounded assumptions:
(1) All police are murderous thugs. They are not. Only a subset are.
(2) The police do what they do because they enjoy killing - and if they can't find a colored person to kill, they will move on to killing white people. ??? Where in the world did you get such a theory/idea from? Have you seen ANY evidence of this? What supports such an outlandish claim?
Part of what you see (in the change in the use of force by police units) is because of:
(1) Hiring the wrong type of police officers (as you say in your comment above - PTSD), but also those with anger management issues, those that are attracted to power, etc. Police Departments in the US have an incredibly messed up hiring department and policies
(2) What kind of training are the officers receiving? It seems there is a significant exchange of tactics between Israeli Zionist IDF and local police departments
(3) The Government has been funding and supplying police departments with 'Military Grade Equipment'. This, in and of itself, creates significant issues and implications.
Thanks for the recommendations.
Because there are way more whites than blacks!!
Familiarize yourself with the concept of proportionality. "more likely" takes population size into account. Do you think the New York Times is suddenly telling the truth about this one issue? Don't be so easily duped.
It's not true. Craig is a liar.
🤡
We live among Cowards....Period, in the USSA the majority of the "Cattle" don't care !!!!
The cities are mostly black, the cities have the highest violent crime rate, the cities have about 80% failure on grade level proficiency tests, average black IQ scores are a full standard deviation below average white IQ scores and even further below average Asian IQ scores, Asians then whites then blacks have in that order the most Neanderthal DNA (blacks much lower at about zero). I call it the Unified Theory of Science and Violence. You’re welcome.
George Floyd aside. The focal point should be on the fact that US Foreign Policy is driven by the Military-Industrial-Congressional Complex. US Policy international and domestic policy needs to make a 180 degree turn from its current trajectory. Injecting Floyd into this is simply a distraction, one that plays right into the hands of the Criminals in DC, ALL of them!
Michael Lynch: my comment was in response to Caitlin's saying "US foreign policy is much, much more consequential, destructive and deadly than US domestic policy." The fact of the murders of people of colour in the US is, I think, a large part why the US carries on with such behaviour by killing anyone who is not on the same page as they are whether it is skin colour or ideology. Floyd is not being "injected" into this situation by me. The death of him and of others, mostly people of colour, helps to enable the US government and military in its murderous ways outside the US too.
While I like what you are trying to say you are being duped by our propaganda press. Blacks are being coerced into killing each other and while you are looking at headlines you are not digging deeper. The fact is George Floyd was a criminal drug addict who died of a fentanyl overdose. Police officers were politically prosecuted to direct attention away from the real problem. This government doesn't care who it kills or locks into prisons as long as it allows them to maintain their power and control.
actually SCOTUS decided that the police are not required to protect anyone they chose to not protect but points like that allude people (like you). Don't you think people are entitled to protection in what extends to protect criminals if the police do not wish t take action.
George Floyd died from a drug overdose during standard police procedures. Breonna Taylor died from being at the wrong place at the wrong time by allowing her thug boyfriend to use her apartment to deal drugs. Just saying.
Police are not killing black people — what are you talking about?
Wow you still believe that bullshit? Bless you
Additionally, the rate of fatal police shootings among Black Americans was much higher than that for any other ethnicity, standing at 6.2 fatal shootings per million
CJ>>"...we shouldn’t bring up Gaza in polite company because it’s talking about “politics” — these are symptoms of a civilization that has gone stark, raving mad."
We ARE a civilization that has gone STARK, RAVING MAD! What's absurd is that the people that realize this are considered INSANE, and the people that are oblivious to this reality are considered SANE.
“In a crazy world, it’s only your insanity that will keep you sane.” – Leo Buscaglia
“A sane person to an insane society must appear insane.” ― Kurt Vonnegut
also found jiddu krishnamurti: 'it is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.'
America is the only country that went from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between" - Oscar Wilde.
Thanks for these quotes Chang.
Unfortunately this is emblematic of how a swath of US American society has chosen to view what is understood by many around the world as the absolutely most critical humanitarian catastrophe of the modern era through the lens of what amounts to political fodder of an opening monologue by someone like Zionist apologist/Islamophobe Bill Maher.
Bill Maher is not worth ever listening to. He's a nasty creep.
John Oliver a good replacement
Not much better ...
I beg to differ, watch: Last Week Tonight With John Oliver Season 11, Episode 18; aired - July 28, 2024. Taken down by YouTube likely because complaints by Zionists due to content on The West Bank Settlements. I have HBO so I can watch any time. George Carlin is dead so we have to make do for funny.
Maher is dumb; that's about all there is to it. Best ignored. The genocide of the Palestinians is still pretty small-time compared, for instance, to the American slaughter of the Vietnamese, but the principle is still the same.
What would it have cost Harris to say to the protesters, "I'm listening. I hear you. Let's talk."
Oh, wait, I know exactly what it would have cost: the support of AIPAC and the Israeli lobby, and that would have been the end of her.
Russia hacked our election! (not). Iran hacked the Democrats! (so?)
Israel decides who gets elected in every congressional race. If China did this, if Kenya did this, if Turkey did this, or god help us if Russia personally funded individual campaigns based on toeing the line on Russian foreign policy, we'd be going nuts over this.
It is simpler, more succinct to say, "I'M SPEAKING. OBEY." Remember Harris is a cop by experience and training and is probably not very bright.
I don't buy that Harris is "not very bright." Her mother has a PhD in endocrinology and nutrition, and was a research scientist at Lawrence Berkeley. Her father is a professor of economics at Stanford. "The first black scholar to be granted tenure at Stanford;" one thing he has to be is bright. So, I expect Harris is quite bright. She studied law at Hastings. She has a JD. She prosecuted child abusers. She stood against the death penalty despite severe pressure from the police department. So, no, she wasn't a cop.
But in order to be elected to congress, you have to toe the line on support for Israel.
I can see that while she is Biden's VP, she might not be able to state foreign policy that differs from his. I can see that she needs to establish herself as not a wimp (especially because she is a woman). It is my hope that the principles that guided her career in San Francisco, when she created a number of programs that were significantly helpful to the underclass, are still awake in her. And that Israel has not bought her soul.
The problem is, we can't wait until January for peace in Gaza. Too many people will die. Biden has to change his policies. Now.
Yes, and....where we have some leverage is with Harris NOW. I have written to her campaign, the DNC, 'my' senator who is down with the slaughter, to the White House and my local paper to say though I have voted for Dems every time, I will NOT vote for any person or party who continues to send any weapons to Israel. And I will be in the company of at least 770,000 other voters who will do the same.
Fun Fact, Biden could step down at any moment if his handlers allowed it, which means Kamala would instantaneous become the current president for the remainder of the term.
If she wanted to stop supporting Israel or Cop City(!!) then all she would have to do is ensure Biden steps out of the way and do that.
Good point.
I honestly don't think it's possible for the war machine to stop eating our money. It has taken over our foreign policy. There is no statecraft now, only threats, sanctions, special ops, and proxy armies. (All of which, coincidentally/s, serve corporate interests in markets and resources.) There have to be all kinds of wars so that more money can feed the war machine. And no one is allowed to stand in the way of that. So, even if Harris were president, the wars would go on.
Harris addressed rampant truancy as a fundamental cause of crime, prison, and recidivism. She did this by threatening huge fines and even jail time to parents if they didn't keep their kids in school. She prosecuted -- exactly one set of parents. That's all it took to wake everyone up and get them putting their kids in school. This is an example of good tactics to get a good effect. It is smart, and it is thoughtful.
No, she said she would not ever call for the death penalty in her cases, and held to that even under enormous pressure from the police.
I agree with you about the despicable behavior of the congressmen who gave Netanyahu 58 standing ovations. That was a demonstration, by Bibi, of his power over the US. Purely political theater, and our congressmen, our representatives, acted as his supporting cast. Revolting.
I think a better action would have been for any congressman to have done a citizen's arrest for war crimes.
"Human beings are being butchered by the thousands in full view of the whole world. You don’t get to run cover for this by filing it away under the label of political opinion."
This. Last November, I was told that mentioning the genocide happening in Gaza within a church setting was "too political." That's why I left and never returned.
There are lots of "pigs" in the world apparently, and they need to learn their lesson. Let's get this hashtag trending: #BoycottStephenKing
There are a lot more bad people in this world than there are bad pigs. You slander our fellow creatures when comparing us to them. We’d be in a much better situation if we really were more like them. We need to own our evil, not put it on those who are innocent. Remind of the expression going around: every accusation is a confession.
Hi TRC
I AM (or was) an unabashed fan of King, my (formerly) favorite contemporary writer.
I have dozens of his books. Luckily we have a large burn pit here for fallen tree limbs etc. Guess where those books are going.
the us-centralised hubs of empire externalise the largest and cruelest part of their exploitation, often making use of their war-machine, while placating a substantial mass with relative 'crumbs' to serve as a buffer and consent-o-mat for the ruling-class. this buffer will not be rewarded for it's loyalty, though.
Yes, that's why I consider this 'buffer' to be suckers - voting against their own interests and supporting those that are against their interests. It's a charade that is almost as old as time itself...
I agree with everything you've said here, but I have a few quibbles:
"Washington’s unconditional support for Israel"
"Support" might give the impression that Israel has the leading role here. You yourself have derided those who believe the poor little US Empire has been led astray by big bad Israel as pissweak excuse makers. Israel is doing exactly what the Neocon faction wants it to do - start a World War.
"a war with China would be completely unwinnable"
I don't think the Neocons are unaware of this. You yourself have said it: they're playing chicken with Armageddon. They know they can't win a World War (if for no other reason than that their enemies are also the suppliers of key components of their weapons systems), they're just trying to convince the Rest of the World that they're willing to go there. We understand this abusive relationship when we see it at the human level - those arseholes who always escalate conflict beyond all proportion to what's at stake, to make us back down, our submission treated as consent. It may seem bizarre to see this behaviour on a global scale, but it's essentially the basis of every hierarchy.
"the US empire is not run by rational actors"
The faction currently in the driver's seat of the Empire are definitely insane, in that they're psychopathic and murderous, but I believe it's a mistake to think that they're irrational or stupid. They have a plan that could work, if the Rest of the World fails to call their bluff. It's up to us to convince them that their Empire is indeed over, that it's time to go, if not gracefully, then at least without blowing the planet up on the way out.
A less insane faction could take the reins of the crumbling, sprawling US power structure, one that is willing to accept multipolarity. The current stirring rebellion of the Global South would be a convincing impetus here - they have less of a vested interest in the status quo, and have already endured centuries of hardship.
"Democrats are Pigs"
Pigs may wallow in their own faeces, and they may not be above cannibalism if you throw a bit of pork into their feeding trough, but I feel that it's quite unfair to compare them to US politicians.
>>"but I feel that it's quite unfair to compare them to US politicians"
Yes, you're right. I too think it is quite unfair to pigs to compare them to evil US politicians. On that we can wholeheartedly agree. Pigs are a much better lifeform than these politicians.
1 Million likes on this one my friend!
1992:"It's the economy, stupid!"
2024: It's the genocide, stupid.
Judging from many of the comments, Caitlin's visceral response to the insanity around us seems to have struck a chord. ie. Pointing out that the moral violation of Humanity and Mother Earth is being denigrated to "political" "opinions;" Believing the fabricated Democratic "Platform" rather than the actions taken (like the billions of dollars of weapons shipped over and over again all these terrible long months to Israel for the purpose of making this horrific Genocide possible and at the same time inflaming the entire Middle East; Basically the inability to distinguish actions from words, not to mention that the Democrats she's referring to since Kamala came onboard, seem to be trying to ignore the greed and barbarity of U.S. Foreign Policy in order to in 'good conscience' vote "Democrat" and pretend we actually have a Democracy and not a corporate run Oligarchy. There is unraveling happening in the U.S. as well, with, among other things, equity firms gobbling up one industry after another, including healthcare, education, nursing homes, etc. etc.. Many people are afraid, and are grasping at straws.
Very hard and disturbing truths. But true nonetheless. Thank you Caitlin for speaking out - and fully feeling - these hard truths.
Great comment— thank you.
The entire Donkey & Elephant fiasco = DIVIDE & CONQUER,
Both political parties are owned by GREED INC.
Wow + brilliant. Yes 100 percent agree with you.
Yes, it's vapid, issue-free moral preening and nostalgia for the murderous Obama.
Doesn't matter, as long as it gets results.
They don't even try to justify it anymore. They just hope you ignore it and the money continues to flow their way. How does shooting a baby or gang sodomizing a prisoner make Israel or Jewish people safer? It's become a death cult
I’ve emailed my representative and senators multiple times. My most recent: WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?? STOP ARMING ISRAEL!!! The arrogance and corruption of our legislators is remarkable. It’s as if they are all floating in money…
You think we live in a democracy? You need a multi million dollar budget and an army of lobbyists to begin to get yourself heard.
The idea that that oligarchs, by simply ignoring certain groups, can further consolidate their power, gives even more power to the oligarchs. It’s a lose-lose dynamic. It is possible to escape this trap. Rebellion, even criminal rebellion, with an underlying revolutionary ideology, can succeed in undermining corporate fascism on a day to day basis. Particularly if aligned in solidarity with other rebels. There is a vast and beautiful history of successful resistance to oppression and coercive conformity. The current collapsing imperium carries a recognizable stench of bullshit. This can be referenced and exploited, revealing weakness and injustice. Recognizing that our legislators are held in the jaws of AIPAC does not justify abandoning the Palestinians to US and Israeli genocide. In fact it morally compels even greater attention and action. It’s all part of a life well lived.
I still exist whether they recognize me or not.
To make such a statement you must apply to the Department of The Right to Exist. Their decision will be available at some date now unforseeable.
Not being recognized has its advantages…
I’m voting for Jill. I won’t vote for a genocider.
Hilarious
King is a complete dumb shit!
I think you are right the world has gone mad when a super power can pursue a genocide against defenseless women and children.
From the perspective of an American in America, a deep analysis of U.S. foreign policy unavoidably leads to one’s realization that the root cause of the incessantly assinine U.S. domestic policy is the stupendously horrific U.S. foreign policy. The whole enchilada is a FREAK SHOW.
You thought Hillary Clinton was gross?
Kamala Harris is a revolting sow. Any high schooler can tell you that.
Speaking of high school, the Likudniks want her front and center so more people will begin disregarding politics for the rest of eternity, which may not be all that long from now.
I’m starting to think they should just get it over with. So many will simply never look back. There’s not enough good luck in the universe to pull-off a foodstamp-funded moonshot.
It makes me wonder if we were to compare how long Empire's last and try to account for the technological differences, would the USA hegemony be the shortest one in existence?
“The Empire never ended.”
~Phillip K. Dick