Sunday, June 24, 2018

School Shooter vs Street Runner - Which One Lives?

 A black male running away from the police.  A white male teenager who has just shot and murdered several  fellow classmates in school.  Who has the better chance of living through an encounter with a police man?  If you read all the stories, the evidence seems to show the white male teenager will walk away alive from his  murder scene while the black man will be carried away dead to the coroners office.

Why is that?  Assuming the white teenage male doesn't kill himself after his carnage, why wouldn't the police fear for their lives and shoot the teenager upon sight, especially if the teen is running away from the scene?  What is it about a black male that compels the police to shoot first and ask no questions later?

In the case of "fear" why doesn't the police fear a white male who has just murdered people?  What is it about the back of a black male that compels the police to shoot at it as if a black man's back were a target in a gun range?

I once parked my car near the entrance of a mall store and proceeded to get out of my car.  A white female looked at me getting out of the car and started to trot to her car.  It was as if she thought I was going to approach her and rob her!  I wonder if that same woman would run from a white male teenager she saw approaching her?

Society seems to ignore the number of violent acts perpetuated by white males.  The notion of a dangerous black male appears to be the narrative that society wants to maintain and have us all react to.   Isn't it a fact that the school shootings have occurred in mostly European American neighborhoods?

Do the police not know about events happening around the United States where their counterparts have killed a black man under similar circumstances?  As I addressed in another blog posts, are not the Police Chief's across the country not addressing the "use of deadly force" policies with the rank and file policeman?  If they have maybe the continued use of deadly force has been reaffirmed by those in charge?  Shooting at the back of a fleeing black male must be in the "acceptable policies" portion of the policeman's handbook.


Monday, June 18, 2018

Beware of News Summaries

I saw an advertisement by a well know news site that offered to give readers a summary of the news each day.  I always cringe when I see information touted as being news pushed out towards someone.  The viewer/reader needs to be aware that someone has constructed these "news" items based on some one else's decision on what news should be important to you.  No one asked you what specific news items you want to receive.  What you receive are the information biases and priorities of someone else or a group of people.

There are thousands of events occurring all over the world each day.  From that vast number maybe you are given information on less than 100 events.  Why are those 100 events more important than the others?  They are not.  They may be important to someone else, but they likely are not the top 100 stories you would have picked if you were aware of all the happenings in the world.

In addition, there are some events that are hidden from the public view.  Those stories may appear later if they involve wrongdoing that someone exposes. But until the expose' occurs you are unaware it is news.  Confused?  Well don't be.  People try to hide bad news if it is something they do not want revealed.  The recent #metoo movement that exposed sexual abuse of women.  Those stories were around years ago, but the information wasn't always publicly shared or there were attempts to keep the story quiet so as not to expose the perpetrators.  Time has caught up with those "news makers".

How do we get the real news.  Unfortunately you have to search for it.  Use multiple sources to obtain information.  What you hear and see on television are carefully constructed news stories sometimes presented in an entertainment form.  Now we have "Fake news".  Another challenge to obtaining the truth.  In this video age, sometimes a video can tell a story without the need for an accompanying narrative.

My suggestion.  Watch less news on television.  Seek out multiple news outlets via the internet, to include how foreign countries view events occurring in the United States of America.  Ask questions regarding events you hear about.  Seek the truth behind what is being force fed to you.  Lastly, beware of news summaries.  There are different sides to the stories you are given.

North Korea and United States Governments Talk To Each Other

The drama over the missile launching escapades of the North Korean government seemed to have subsided.  The two neighborhood bullies met with the usual fanfare accorded such diplomatic events.  Many photographs were taken, and statements made with no real agreements coming out of the talks.  But, talking is better than a war of words, and continuing to launch missiles into the earth's atmosphere.  It even sounds like the joint South Korean/United States war "exercises" might be coming to an end.  No more pretend fun and games activities.  Reminds me of kids playing cowboys and Indians when no one understood it was politically incorrect to play such "games".

So for awhile our attentions will be distracted elsewhere until North Korea's ruler declares there has been no progress since the historic photo op meeting and starts launching missiles again.

I personally did not pay much attention to the event.  A meeting was bound to happen.  I do question why the United States seeking to talk to close neighbor Cuba was frowned upon.  I believe some of the decisions made to normalize relations with Cuba were frowned upon and maybe even overturned by the current Presidential administration.  Other than Cuba not actively launching missiles, what is the difference between talking to North Korea, rather than talking to Cuba?

Just more human nonsense at work.