controversies
It seems every time one racially-charged incident ends, a gender or religious controversy takes its place; Ruminate on the issues dividing our nation and world.
America's defining moment for law enforcement and first responders.
This article is for my fellow law enforcement officers, retired, former, and current active duty. It is for the first responders and military personnel out there who feel the same way the police feel. There is a need for all of us because the ordinary person is not willing, able, or capable of taking care of the problems faced by society themselves. It takes a special breed of person to get up, put on a uniform knowing you are hated and at the same time, wanted and ridiculed regardless of the outcome, good or bad! Every city in America and indeed the world, is on fire right now in our world's history. Never before have we as a species been at a precipice like we are right now. As a profession, law enforcement often wonders if people realize what we do to ourselves. Only man is capable of hurting each other for no reason other than it makes us feel good or better about ourselves.
Bradley PerryPublished 4 years ago in The Swamp- Top Story - June 2020
Why Are We Still Talking About Racism In 2020?
In this modern day cultural atmosphere of straining race relations, political corruption, and flagrant social injustices, there are more examples police brutality, institutionalized racism, and domestic terrorism against black people in this country then I have fingers and toes to count. Law enforcement all across this country, not to mention the world, have been systemically abusing, terrorizing, and murdering unarmed and compliant black men, women, and children for decades, if not centuries and for the most part, white folks have stood by and watched silently. Some even refuse to watch in favor of ignoring these atrocities and sweeping them under the rug as it is their normal cultural habit. I must admit that we have had a few allies here and there throughout our struggles and protests over the years and decades, but the bulk of advocates, protesters, demonstrators, and spokespeople have all been black. And after the tragic murders of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. And Malik Al Shabazz (Malcolm X), the number of visible and vocal allies have significantly decreased over the years. And in the same space and time, the number of racist bigots and domestic terrorists have remained nearly the same. Some have chosen to go into hiding and not be as proactive and vocal about their unjustified and senseless hatred of black people, but they maintain their beliefs and attitudes as well as their continued traditions of passing those beliefs and attitudes down to their children. Parallel to that, you have another group of white people who believe in their innocence of racism. They will proudly and loudly proclaim that they “don't see color”, that they have plenty of “good black friends”, and that they have never treated a black badly. Yet these are the same people who remain absolutely silent when atrocities like Rodney King, Amadou Diallo, Abner Louima, Ayana Stanley, Tamar Rice, Trayvon Martin, Tamika Wilson, Michael Brown, Walter Scott, Eric Garner, Sandra Bland, and Breonna Taylor happen. In fact white people have been disturbingly silent about racism and absent from the aspect of the Civil Rights movement that deals with racial discrimination and bigotry. On the flip side, they seem to have hijacked the civil Rights movement, replaced black people and have been and continue to be very vocal and passionate about feminist and LGBT issues. What's so ironic about that is that there is an overwhelming abundance of black people who also support those issues.
Monsoor AliPublished 4 years ago in The Swamp #alllivesmatter
2020 has been a let down for us all. First, you bring us a pandemic, which will probably ruin my wedding day. Second, racism is louder than ever and it is disconcerting. Everyone has been using the hashtag black lives matter. Before the brutal incident of the cop kneeling on a man’s neck racism was visible, it was visible and heartbreaking. I read a blog that my friend from my former job had written and my jaw dropped. I was shocked to hear this happen. I will not go into detail but essentially a customer had asked for his drink to be prepared by his coworker because they were afraid he had covid 19, simply because of his ethnic background and chances are he has worked there longer than his coworker. It’s disheartening that some people judge someone else by their background or their skin color. Have the movies not been enough to teach you to not be racist? 12 Years a Slave was one of the hardest movies I have watched and when I read The Help tears rolled down my cheeks. Did you forget about Hitler too? He slaughtered and murdered thousands and thousands of people because he wanted to create “a clean” race. If you so dare to treat anyone different because of their skin color, then you are no better than Hitler.
White person's take on white silence
So in recent days there's been some conversation about white silence when it comes to the injustice that happens to the black community. There's been a lot of outrage when it comes to the silence of white people. I wanted to address the silence coming from the white community.
Lena BaileyPublished 4 years ago in The SwampAs Silence Cries Out, Will the White Race Listen?
As a physician, I will never get used to the eerie absence of sound upon death in the human body. Placing a stethoscope atop the chest of one who has passed is haunting. Where there was once lub-dub, lub-dub, lub-dub from the heart echoing within the chest, there is now silence. Where there were once the breezy whispers of air filling and emptying the lungs, there is now stillness. While sound is confirmation of life, absence of it, is confirmation of death.
Dr. Megan BabbPublished 4 years ago in The Swamp- Top Story - June 2020
George Floyd's Death is More Than Just a Race Issue.
Within the past few days, the death of George Floyd has taken over our nation by storm. Protests have erupted across the nation, and many have taken to social media to express their outrage.
Juan FaragherPublished 4 years ago in The Swamp Life In A Black Body
Life in a black body is filled with involuntary stress. In natural life, a being only encounters stress that its actions or results of its actions create. In a black body, you are constantly bombarded with information which belittles your worth, categorizes your character, or directly threatens your existence. Life in a black body forces you to go within. It forces you to find some internal light, some internal joy, some higher power that can't be extinguished by the bombardment you know is part of your everyday life. Black people have to find refuge in the silver lining of life. Constantly creating a more joyous perspective of life at large.
Rioting and Looting Does Not Uphold Justice for George Floyd's Death
Ever since the video of Minneapolis police officers arresting and killing George Floyd in public went viral, the United States has turned upside down. It was clear that Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, was maliciously pinned to the ground with a knee to his neck that eventually caused his death. Pedestrians nearby witnessed the death of a man who was detained for writing a fraudulent check, which it was not clear at the moment if Floyd actually did commit that crime. The officer, Derek Chauvin, who held his knee pressed down on Floyd’s neck, acted as if nothing happened. Chauvin was just acting like Floyd needed to be handled with the most extreme measures, as Floyd pleaded for his life.
Bazooka TeachesPublished 4 years ago in The SwampRage and Fear
Rage and fear. These are two very distinct emotions; one is fierce the other is timid but once put together can cause a monsoon.
Isabella TheresaPublished 4 years ago in The SwampViolence and burning buildings is not enough for George Flloyd
We all want justice for George Flloyd. What happened to him is unspeakable. It's not fair. It's disgusting. The system is corrupt. There's been way too much of this. And something needs to be done to change it. Something drastic.
We are adding Fire to the Fire during these dark times.
May 29,2020 I’m half Filipino and I’m half American I want you to know that before you continue to read this. I have a voice and yet speaking that voice right now. During this time will only bring out backlash and hurtful words. I want to speak but I’m torn between good friends of all races. I was torn between giving them a reason to be angry at what I believe. I was raised to love and show respect and to understand there will always be good and evil. There will always be racism and there will always be violence.
Breathe For Him
“I can’t breathe.” The words of distress, helplessness, fatigue and provoked. The words from a brother, a father, a son, a friend, a HUMAN. Those same words pleading out to America to hear us, to hear him. “I CAN’T BREATHE,” George Floyd said. “I can’t breathe,” “I can’t breathe,” “I can’t breathe”! As he takes his last breath. A senseless murder has just happened; and Black-America, is sick and tired of our men being targeted as if it were a sport to hunt and kill us. Now, watch us breathe for him, for us, for the world to change, and for our people to be treated equally once and for all. Join us as we breathe on behalf of senseless killings, racism, discrimination, prejudice, and police brutality. We are not animals ! we are human !
Georgette SmithPublished 4 years ago in The Swamp