Originally Posted by fordman1
fthlob-
1) I agree with you. I personally think police officers do an amazingly difficult job and are unjustly criticized. We hear that same LEGITIMATE argument from athletes. If one athlete beats his wife....people say the NFL has a problem. But how many teachers or doctors or judges or police officers beat their wives? When you look at percentages...it's probably similar. But when the spotlight is on you...everything gets magnified.
And I think it's horribly misleading...because as soon as some criminal gets shot committing a crime...the media goes nuts because the criminal was unarmed. Yet how many police officers are gunned down everyday...and it barely makes the back page. BLM doesn't like to talk about that or the fact that a black person is probably 2000 times more likely to be killed by a black criminal in their own neighborhood than by a police officer. And we've gotten to a point in race relations...where just bringing that up...I would be called "racially insensitive". If I got asked if "black lives matter or all lives matter" and I say "all lives matter"...that's considered racist....but it's not. It's just common sense. We don't need to make this an issue. Asians don't claim they are harassed by police...latinos haven't started protesting. Yet I'm willing to bet latinos face as much law enforcement discrimination as any other race. When we make it about 'race'...it's hypocritical to then criticize people for "seeing color".
I personally...now have an immediate negative opinion when I see black people in public. I never had that before. But now, I see a guy in a store or a bank...and he looks at me...and I think, "Oh...he's one of those BLM guys....he hates me because I'm white." I never thought that before. It never occurred to me. And there are a LOT of good people, black people, that have the opposite problem....where before all this nonsense...they were just neighbors and coworkers...now they're "black coworkers" or "black neighbors". Now people are uncomfortable around them and don't know what to say.
And there's no reason for it. Race relations have improved to the point that we have a half black President for crying out loud. 30 years ago, I'd have never imagined I'd live to see that. I was very proud that our country finally was willing to set race aside when they elected Obama. And fast forward 8 years....and it's worse now (race relations) than it was 30 years ago!! I think Obama and Eric Holder have fueled those flames in term #2....but it's mostly what I call "black opportunists"...who are politically motivated...and instead of being proud that race relations have improved....have started asking themselves, "How come I didn't get anything from the black President? Where is my money? Where are my reparations? How come my life isn't better now?" And instead of placing that blame on congress and corporations and unfair trade policies, etc...; it's easier to once again blame it on "The Man".
And that's what disappoints about Bernie Sanders. He's very honest...but when he saw how popular Hillary was with the black voters...he decided to pander for votes rather than continue to drive home his original message...that all lives matter...all people deserve opportunity...regardless of skin color. That's the message that wins general elections rather than winning Democratic primaries.
2) You might want to re-word your post. Bowl1820 has taken a rather "hands off" approach to moderating this thread given these type of discussions are of the non-bowling nature and can get a little "testy". But take it from a guy that has made a career out of "walking that fine line"...outright foul language is almost daring the moderator to act....and you never want to "dare" them to act. Even us "bowling gods" who have "dared" them...have found ourselves in "bowling forum jail". I never use foul language...it makes moderating me too easy. And most of the time when I've seen it...the person is essentially "asking" to be moderated...like a cry for help. But, I'm not a moderator...and I'm obviously not offended by much...so I don't really care...but just thought I'd offer my 2 cents...don't want to see people in trouble and leave the boards...or they'll end up in some forum for 70-year old health nuts advocating snake oil and magical elixers (Iceman joke).
Fordman-
The problem with your argument about Trayvon....is it is full of assumptions. Had Zimmerman NOT been armed...he may have been killed...and Trayvon would almost certainly be in jail right now. Remember, the evidence showed that Trayvon attacked Zimmerman. The gun didn't come out until after that attack started.
Should Zimmerman have followed him? Probably not.
Should the 911 operator have instructed him not to (versus phrasing it, "you don't need to do that")? Probably.
Should the neighborhood watch have had better guidelines on how to conduct their watches? Probably.
But the one thing that we drastically wrong that night...the ONLY criminal act according to Florida law...was assault and battery with intent to injure or do great bodily harm...BY Trayvon AGAINST George Zimmerman. That is the only crime that took place....and unfortunately, Trayvon picked a guy with a gun...who was frightened enough to use it. It doesn't make the loss less tragic...but the facts are the facts. In my OPINION...I don't think Zimmerman acted appropriately, I think he and the neighborhood watch are CIVILLY responsible for the death of Trayvon Martin. But I do not disagree with the jury...that George Zimmerman commited no criminal act and was well within his rights under state law to defend himself.
It's like, you want video...so cops can't just do whatever they want to whomever they want...but not if the video might show some unlawful act that you are actually doing. 
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