U.S. Politics

[Sam-AVFC]

5 minutes ago, sne said:

Yeah is a camera  

Just read why the march was happening in the first place...because the (Democrat) mayor published names and addresses of people who wrote asking to defund the police. A couple of days before a large alt-right meet in the city. Wow.

[LondonLax]

55 minutes ago, Sam-AVFC said:

Apparently they're both personal injury lawyers so they might have just been hoping to drum up business.

Having seen a few pictures they don't even know how to hold the guns correctly. I'd be way too scared to stand in front of someone unfamiliar with using guns that has their finger on the trigger and that much fear and anger on their face.

For clarity, the guy she's pointing the gun at is carrying a camera, not a gun, right?

The US is wild.

The couple in the picture live in a ‘gated community’, the protesters came in to confront the mayor at her house and this couple came out of their house to ‘defend’ it. It also seems like the gate on the ‘gated community’ may have been broken down by the protesters.

[choffer]

 

[StefanAVFC]

I mean, it's easy to laugh at this couple, or be angry at them for their behaviour. But, they are scared. They're scared between they've seen pictures of riots at or after BLM protests and have been told by their chosen media, and President that BLM and protesters want to kill them and loot their homes.

The protesters are where they are because they have a real fear (and somewhat justified) that a person of authority (ie police) is going to kill them. 

Both sides are terrified of each other, leading to situations like the above. It's a desperately sad situation, not one to laugh at tbh.

[LondonLax]

1 minute ago, StefanAVFC said:

I mean, it's easy to laugh at this couple, or be angry at them for their behaviour. But, they are scared. They're scared between they've seen pictures of riots at or after BLM protests and have been told by their chosen media, and President that BLM and protesters want to kill them and loot their homes.

The protesters are where they are because they have a real fear (and somewhat justified) that a person of authority (ie police) is going to kill them. 

Both sides are terrified of each other, leading to situations like the above. It's a desperately sad situation, not one to laugh at tbh.

This is their side of the story:

Quote

Police said the couple had heard a loud commotion in the street and saw a large group of people break an iron gate marked with "No Trespassing" and "Private Street" signs.

Police said the man and woman told the marchers to leave because they were on a private street. But people in the crowd yelled obscenities and threats, police said. The man and woman said they saw people who were armed, so they armed themselves and called police, according to authorities.

Mark McCloskey told KMOV-TV that a mob rushed toward the home as the family was having dinner and "put us in fear of our lives".

"This is all private property. There are no public sidewalks or public streets. We were told that we would be killed, our home burned and our dog killed. We were all alone facing an angry mob," McCloskey said.

https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/couple-draw-guns-at-protesters-heading-to-st-louis-mayor-s-home-20200630-p557f6.html

[bannedfromHandV]

It’s the start of the purge

[Stevo985]

29 minutes ago, choffer said:

 

You have to question what would have happened if that was a black couple who'd come out on their lawn to point a pistol and a semi automatic weapon at a group of white people

[chrisp65]

1 minute ago, Stevo985 said:

You have to question what would have happened if that was a black couple who'd come out on their lawn to point a pistol and a semi automatic weapon at a group of white people

Air strike, followed by the orange one doing his puffed up, chest out, nodding, pouty Mussolini impression.

 

[Davkaus]

At the end of the day, you can't put a price on the safety of US citizens. And by US citizens, I mean white people.

[HanoiVillan]

1 hour ago, LondonLax said:

This is their side of the story:

https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/couple-draw-guns-at-protesters-heading-to-st-louis-mayor-s-home-20200630-p557f6.html

Thanks for that, it's useful to hear their side of the story.

What I find interesting is the very quick rush to point out the privatised nature of the road they live on. They are probably correct that none of the protesters had a right to be there, and I'm actually somewhat surprised this didn't lead to a greater police confrontation.

Governments have been very happy to allow gated communities and private roads and spaces to be developed, both in the USA and here (the Blair government were extremely keen on them, and a contemporary analysis of these spaces can be found in Anna Minton's book 'Ground Control', which I really recommend). One of the main attractions of these spaces is that they offer wealthy people - which in effect means white people - a sense of safety, and of being 'outside the public'. However, 'No Trespassing' and 'Private Street' signs might provide psychological comfort, but they will not be able to deter a sufficiently large group of people, which is why the police are the final line of defence for the privileged.

A lot of American racism occurs through land use, from the history of 'redlining' that still affects house prices today, to absurd enclaves (the 'city' of Santa Monica surrounded by Los Angeles, for example), to the way infrastructure was constructed (LA's freeways were specifically planned to go through African-American and mixed-race neighbourhoods to give city planners an excuse to raze housing in those neighbourhoods).

Gated and private communities might not be racially exclusive in the letter of their rules, but they clearly are in practice, and racial equality cannot be reached while such communities exist.

[sidcow]

10 hours ago, Graham t said:

Yes you may well be right, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him be elected again. Remember, he was supposed to have no chance of being President at the last election. The press in America are like the BBC in the U.K., they have a left wing bias and report everything accordingly.

Regarding someone shouting 'white power', how is this different than the 'black power' movement that has been so prevalent for years in the good old USA.....

Regards,

VLD.

Fake news, so fake, so very very fake. The press in America are like ITV, I know this I'm an expert in who the American press are like, everyone tells me so.  I've studied it.  They are definitely like ATV.  yeah ITV. 

[TheAuthority]

2 hours ago, StefanAVFC said:

I mean, it's easy to laugh at this couple, or be angry at them for their behaviour. But, they are scared. They're scared between they've seen pictures of riots at or after BLM protests and have been told by their chosen media, and President that BLM and protesters want to kill them and loot their homes.

The protesters are where they are because they have a real fear (and somewhat justified) that a person of authority (ie police) is going to kill them. 

Both sides are terrified of each other, leading to situations like the above. It's a desperately sad situation, not one to laugh at tbh.

Really? I don't believe that's the behavior of a scared person. They seem angry to me. Belligerent that their private enclave "gated community" had a group of black folks in it. Surely if they were really scared they would hide. I'm guessing that they were itching to escalate things. Obviously no-one can ever really know what was in their heads.

I did go to a gated community with an orchestra back around 2014. One of the donors was a big fan of the orchestra and had a place on what is essentially a private Florida Island. You can't get in unless you're an owner or you're invited - it's a cross between Disneyland and something out of the Twilight Zone. I mean it has a street with stores and bars etc. but there's no cash - you are given a card and they keep your credit card on file. Anyway, everyone that worked there was a person of color. Everyone. Everyone who didn't work there was white. Everyone was white. I got talking to some folks in the bar and asking questions as I was "fascinated" by the place (actually completely creeped out) and I was told in no uncertain terms that they loved it there because it was all white. None of 'those people' around. It made me sick. Then to see colleagues who you thought were reasonable get emboldened by being in such company and start venting discriminatory views and homophobic views made me even sicker.

Get your white on here.

[sidcow]

5 hours ago, Keyblade said:

Even if Washington, Freeman et al said that, why does it matter? What authority do they have? They're just actors, sportsmen. You can probably find orders of magnitude more people from their profession saying the opposite. So who's right? The one I agree with obviously  

Because apparently being a famous actor means you are highly educated in social economic matters is what I can glean from this. 

Edited June 29, 2020 by sidcow

[sidcow]

Hang on a minute. 

He's not keen on Black Lives Matter. 

He plays Golf.  

Have we got a secret celebrity fan? 

VLD. Villa Larvate Donald? 

We've had a Prime Minister, we have the future King. Why not a US president distaceful though he might be. 

I wish he would put his Golfing Bat down long enough to explain. 

[LondonLax]

7 hours ago, HanoiVillan said:

Thanks for that, it's useful to hear their side of the story.

What I find interesting is the very quick rush to point out the privatised nature of the road they live on. They are probably correct that none of the protesters had a right to be there, and I'm actually somewhat surprised this didn't lead to a greater police confrontation.

Governments have been very happy to allow gated communities and private roads and spaces to be developed, both in the USA and here (the Blair government were extremely keen on them, and a contemporary analysis of these spaces can be found in Anna Minton's book 'Ground Control', which I really recommend). One of the main attractions of these spaces is that they offer wealthy people - which in effect means white people - a sense of safety, and of being 'outside the public'. However, 'No Trespassing' and 'Private Street' signs might provide psychological comfort, but they will not be able to deter a sufficiently large group of people, which is why the police are the final line of defence for the privileged.

A lot of American racism occurs through land use, from the history of 'redlining' that still affects house prices today, to absurd enclaves (the 'city' of Santa Monica surrounded by Los Angeles, for example), to the way infrastructure was constructed (LA's freeways were specifically planned to go through African-American and mixed-race neighbourhoods to give city planners an excuse to raze housing in those neighbourhoods).

Gated and private communities might not be racially exclusive in the letter of their rules, but they clearly are in practice, and racial equality cannot be reached while such communities exist.

I was thinking about the concept of a ‘gated community’ and whilst I find it bizarre and antisocial etc I’m not sure there is anything you can do about it if others want to set up their lives that way.

In essence it is no different to a block of apartments except they are a group of houses instead of units.

The common property (the road in the case of a gated community or the lobby/stairwell in the case of an apartment block) is maintained by a sinking fund provided by the residents. Entry to the property is only at permission of the owners and sometimes security cameras or even guards are present. 

[LondonLax]

The Russian Bounty story appears to be causing a bit of a stir amongst types that would typically support Trump. 

[KenjiOgiwara]

1 hour ago, LondonLax said:

The Russian Bounty story appears to be causing a bit of a stir amongst types that would typically support Trump. 

Tbh if anyone at this point supports him, I'm not sure there's anything he can do that will change their minds. 

**** bonkers country.

Just imagine for a second being a relatively intelligent, well read, educated US citizen. Must be a challenge to face that society every day. 

[villakram]

17 hours ago, HanoiVillan said:

Thanks for that, it's useful to hear their side of the story.

What I find interesting is the very quick rush to point out the privatised nature of the road they live on. They are probably correct that none of the protesters had a right to be there, and I'm actually somewhat surprised this didn't lead to a greater police confrontation.

Governments have been very happy to allow gated communities and private roads and spaces to be developed, both in the USA and here (the Blair government were extremely keen on them, and a contemporary analysis of these spaces can be found in Anna Minton's book 'Ground Control', which I really recommend). One of the main attractions of these spaces is that they offer wealthy people - which in effect means white people - a sense of safety, and of being 'outside the public'. However, 'No Trespassing' and 'Private Street' signs might provide psychological comfort, but they will not be able to deter a sufficiently large group of people, which is why the police are the final line of defence for the privileged.

A lot of American racism occurs through land use, from the history of 'redlining' that still affects house prices today, to absurd enclaves (the 'city' of Santa Monica surrounded by Los Angeles, for example), to the way infrastructure was constructed (LA's freeways were specifically planned to go through African-American and mixed-race neighbourhoods to give city planners an excuse to raze housing in those neighbourhoods).

Gated and private communities might not be racially exclusive in the letter of their rules, but they clearly are in practice, and racial equality cannot be reached while such communities exist.

Chicago and Detroit are exhibits A & B for ramming freeways through black communities, with the bonus building them below street level to have that moat effect. I am not joking about that either!

 

 

[villakram]

Here we go. S.C. at play, beware.

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-religion/u-s-supreme-court-allows-public-money-for-religious-schools-in-major-ruling-idUSKBN2412FX

"The U.S. Supreme Court narrowed the separation of church and state in a major ruling on Tuesday by endorsing Montana tax credits that helped pay for students to attend religious schools, a decision paving the way for more public funding of faith-based institutions."

Edited June 30, 2020 by villakram

[snowychap]