The world is a sad place right now.
We have the devastating fires that decimated areas of Australia, which started last year and continues.
Then a global pandemic.
Then the disgusting murder in cold blood of an unarmed black man by a despicable excuse for a human in America.
2020 didn't get off to a good start did it. And it's not getting any better.
Australia still has many areas affected.
And depending on where you live in the world, is like a lottery as to how the pandemic has been handled.
Certainly it isn't handled well in America, but with trumpalump, that's hardly surprising.
In the UK, we have those in power more interested in protecting their money than the people, and ignoring the scientists.
It has recently come out that scientists advised the UK lockdown 2 weeks before it happened, which could have saved many lives, but 'they' decided they knew better.
On the other side, New Zealand's approach was stellar. And the prime minister advised some of the cabinet to take a 20% pay cut, including herself, to help the economy.
Whereas here, ministers were given an extra £10k on top of their existing salary and expense account to 'cope with' working from home.
Then we have the appalling situation in America with a racist and corrupt system that gives power to those racist and corrupt people supposed to uphold the law.
And the subsequent protests that sometimes descended into violence.
A placard from the protests, quite rightly proclaimed:
If my child went for some skittles and didn't return, or played in the park and didn't return, or went for a jog and didn't return, or reached for a driving license and didn't return, or with their last dying breath called out my name.
I'd burn the damn city down too!
Although it has been misreported a lot by the same corrupt system that enabled a policeman to kill with no conscience, and it has come out that protestors were protesting, rioters were rioting, and many troublemakers caused the violence that spiralled.
We also see a video of a white woman, Amy cooper, who was called out for not having her dog on a lead, according to the rules of where she was walking, and a black man recorded her, telling him she was going to call the police and tell them an African American was threatening her and her dog. Then proceeded to call the police saying exactly that, with distress in her voice.
The fact is, Amy Cooper, in her white privilege, was totally aware of the corruptness of the society and knew exactly what she was doing and what the consequences would be for the black man opposite her.
We hear trumpalump criticising the protestors and threatening them with force, yet not so long ago, armed protestors were protesting that they wanted hair cuts etc and he described them as great people. Could that have anything to do with the fact that they were white perchance?
The protests have now spilled over to the UK. With most people criticising the actions of those protesting during a global pandemic. Yes it's not the best time for mass protests, but when would be?
I wonder how many of those criticising, complained about the hordes of people flocking to the beaches or tourist attractions, or the VE celebrations. Or indeed were part of it.
It seems that those things are widely accepted but protesting about centuries of black persecution are not.
Are those the same kinds that are very vocal about gay parades I wonder.
The big thing at present is tearing down statues of people who made their money off the backs of slaves, and celebrating him because of a bit of money he gave to the community, and the most vocal saying, it's history, he should be remembered blah blah.
Colton's statue is not history. Statues are not history. Books tell you history and the people who took down Colston's statue had obviously read books and learned the history.
I saw this quote and unfortunately, I don't know who to attribute it to, but they are wise:
"Oceans of tory tears over the toppling of a statue of a slave trader whose ships threw 19,000 into the sea.
No tory tears over their unlawful and systematically racist hostile environment and the deportation of scores of black British citizens."
If anyone is expecting equality any time soon, just remember these facts which are widely available and to which no apology has ever been given.
Boris Johnson described gay men as bumboys, compared equal marriage to three men marrying a dog, discussed beating up a journalist with a criminal, called black people 'picaninnies' with 'watermelon smiles' and was sacked twice for dishonesty, so I don't think there will be any equality from that direction.
People say that violence doesn't solve anything, and while I don't condone violence, I do understand the frustration of people.
And how many times has gentle protesting been met with derision.
As Trevor Noah said:
"When Colin Kaepernick knelt, they said, that is not the right way to protest.
When Martin Luther King marched, they said, that is not the right way to protest.
When people marched in South Africa during apartheid, they said, this is not the right way to protest.
There is no right way to protest because that's what protest is, it can't be considered 'right' by the system it's protesting."
If you don't like a few days of rioting, you'd hate 400 years of systemic oppression and discrimination.
And for all those quoting 'all lives matter' in response to 'black lives matter'
American author Doug Williford:
"If my wife comes to me in obvious pain and asks the question, “Do you love me?”, an answer of “I love everyone,” would be truthful, but also hurtful and cruel in the moment. If a co-worker comes to me upset and says, “My father just died,” a response of “Everyone’s parents die,” would be truthful, but also hurtful and cruel in the moment. So when a friend speaks up in a time of obvious pain and hurt and says, “Black lives matter,” a response of “All lives matter,” is truthful. But it’s hurtful and cruel in the moment."
Nobody is saying only black lives matter but when black lives matter, only then can all lives matter