Race in America - Riots Explode in Chicago

[CU88]

More CYA from the SWAMP. Time to get rid of all of these career welfare losers.

The top U.S. military officer, Gen. Mark Milley, apologized for joining President Trump in a June 1 photo op amid protests over racial violence. Authorities had forcibly cleared protesters near the White House. In a recorded commencement address to the National Defense University, Milley called the decision “a mistake that I’ve learned from.”

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/how-g ... p-photo-op

Who do these jokers think that they are kidding:

"And I have to tell you, I'm embarrassed. Of course, I went to Fort Benning. I have served at Fort Bragg, Fort Campbell, all these places. And while I often thought it was unusual, I never thought deeply about it."

Not much "deep" thinking going on even at the highest ranks of our military. What is the old joke about "military intelligence"...

[MDlaxfan76]

More CYA from the SWAMP. Time to get rid of all of these career welfare losers.

The top U.S. military officer, Gen. Mark Milley, apologized for joining President Trump in a June 1 photo op amid protests over racial violence. Authorities had forcibly cleared protesters near the White House. In a recorded commencement address to the National Defense University, Milley called the decision “a mistake that I’ve learned from.”

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/how-g ... p-photo-op

Who do these jokers think that they are kidding:

"And I have to tell you, I'm embarrassed. Of course, I went to Fort Benning. I have served at Fort Bragg, Fort Campbell, all these places. And while I often thought it was unusual, I never thought deeply about it."

Not much "deep" thinking going on even at the highest ranks of our military. What is the old joke about "military intelligence"...

ahhh, you know, I'm fine with us old guys waking up to these issues.

I say embrace us old guys who do so, don't reject us.

Right now, I'm glad Gen. Milley is in the job.
Not so sure Trump is as glad...but he should be...

Hodges still doesn't fully "get it" re statues and "tearing down", though he gets the base thing at least close. What he never actually says is that when these bases were named it was very much part of Jim Crow, it was never actually about honoring a soldier.

In his case, glad he's retired.
And glad he's at least "embarrassed".

[ggait]

Milley went to Princeton.

So he's just another TDS, libturd, pinko, commie, socialist Deep Stater craving approval from the liberal elite MSM media.

[Note -- this comment was auto-generated by the Trump Lovers' Bullshirt Generator ("TLBG"). The TLBG is a joint venture of OAN, Vlad Putin, Kayleigh McGaslighter and Peter Brown.]

[ChairmanOfTheBoard]

can we get a ruling on this: https://nypost.com/2020/06/11/influence ... rt-of-blm/

[MDlaxfan76]

can we get a ruling on this: https://nypost.com/2020/06/11/influence ... rt-of-blm/

I think we should let them argue it out...lots and lots of learning to be had on all sides

[Peter Brown]

can we get a ruling on this: https://nypost.com/2020/06/11/influence ... rt-of-blm/

I think we should let them argue it out...lots and lots of learning to be had on all sides

I feel like a couple of folks here at Fanlax may have donned blackface in their lives, and as is always the case, look to those who constantly, loudly, incessantly, obnoxiously claim others are racist to see who I'm referring to.

[Typical Lax Dad]

can we get a ruling on this: https://nypost.com/2020/06/11/influence ... rt-of-blm/

What do you think of an apartment rental office not renting to a minority couple for no legitimate financial or legal reason? You ok with a rental agent telling a couple there is no vacancy and then telling the next couple there are plenty and that she refuses to rent to those kind of people? Are you not the guy that said that is not necessarily racist? If not racist, it’s definitely illegal.

[ggait]

What do you think of an apartment rental office not renting to a minority couple for no legitimate financial or legal reason? You ok with a rental agent telling a couple there is no vacancy and then telling the next couple there are plenty and that she refuses to rent to those kind of people? Are you not the guy that said that is not necessarily racist? If not racist, it’s definitely illegal.

Donald and Fred Trump, obviously, thought this was just good business. The Feds disagreed.

The Trumps settled with the Feds. But then (predictably) welshed on living up to their settlement agreement commitments.

[RedFromMI]

Hawley Decries ‘Historical Revisionism’ Of Stripping Confederate Names From Bases

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/hawl ... from-bases

(article itself completely about Hawley's remarks to the Senate)

excerpt:

But to Hawley, some Black Lives Matter protesters and reform-minded legislators don’t want racial justice.

According to the senator, protesters who say “systemic racism” was the cause of Floyd’s death at the hands of police are agitators, as are those who call for defunding police departments.

“There is no scab they will not pick at, no divide they will not exploit, no controversy they will not gin up to make us hate each other,” he said.

The same applied to Confederate names on government assets, he argued.

Those in favor of a change, Hawley said, want “to erase from history every person and name and event not righteous enough, and to cast those who would object as defenders of the cause of slavery, to reenact in our current politics that Civil War that tore brother against brother and divided this nation against itself.”

Josh Marshall's response on Twitter:

Most of the people who founded the country were compromised in some way by slavery and many personally owned large numbers of slaves. But these people also created the country, its system of freedoms, rights.

They notched aspirations that - even they didn't honor them or betrayed them - provided the leverage through which excluded communities fought for their own inclusion. This is a complicated legacy. Confederate leaders create no complexity. To a man the central political act of their lives was to say that the most important value of slavery and the supremacy of the white race. It's all there in the documents. And on top of this, they literally tried to destroy the country. Every Confederate leader was a traitor.

Even in the context of the Confederacy there are some interesting and valorous examples, even when we look at white Southerners and generals. Gen. George Henry Thomas was a Virginian three of his superiors - including Lee - defect to the Confederacy. He remained true to his oath and served the Union with great distinction in the West. His family disowned him and never spoke to him again. A more complicated but historically interesting example is James Longstreet, one of the most high-profile, successful of Confederate Generals.

For much of the war he served as Lee's principle subordinate. Unlike so many other Confederate Generals, after the war Longstreet became a Republican and ally of Commanding General and then President Grant. One of his last major public acts of the Reconstruction Era was at the so-called Battle of Liberty Place where he led a largely African-America troops and police against an anti-Reconstruction "White League" militia trying to wrest control over the Louisiana government after the disputed 1874 election.

For obvious reasons Longstreet's reputation took a severe hit in Lost Cause mythology and for much of the last century he was wrongly blamed for Lee's critical defeat at Gettysburg. Of course a central pillar of Lost Cause mythology was the claim that the South's fight was really about states rights. Longstreet memorably said "I never heard of any other cause of the quarrel than slavery." Slavery and white supremacy are the only values the Confederate heroes represent. And if that weren't enough they were all traitors.

[cradleandshoot]

Article in the Post:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions ... ear-kente/

"My traditional cloth is not a prop.

On Monday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Calif.), Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (N.Y.) and other members of the Democratic congressional leadership knelt for eight minutes and 46 seconds in tribute to the death of George Floyd. The kneeling was an appropriate gesture, but wearing African kente stoles, at that moment, was not.

Kente cloth is a traditional handwoven fabric that comes from the Akan peoples of Ghana. My father and half-brothers were born in Ghana, and my family has shaped my understanding of kente cloth.

My late grandfather’s kente cloth has hung in my parents’ living room for decades. The colorful, hand-woven fabric, in a design called Aberewa Bene (wise old lady), serves a dual purpose for us. It is the background for years of family photos. For visitors, the kente is a declaration of our family’s Ghanaian heritage. My father’s father died before I was born, but his cloth has allowed me to feel his presence throughout my life.

At my wedding, I asked my father and brothers to wear similar kente cloth robes as they walked down the aisle. And during my daughter’s outdooring, or naming ceremony, she was draped in yellow cloth as she was introduced to our community.

Those are the proper places for kente cloth. Monday’s display was an incorrect use, however well-intentioned. If you’re going to appropriate my culture, at least learn exactly what it is.

Last year, Ghana commemorated the 400th anniversary of the forced exodus of enslaved Africans to the United States. Members of the Congressional Black Caucus were among those who traveled to Ghana to commemorate the occasion, where they received kente cloths. In a similar gesture, the CBC provided kente cloths to fellow Democrats for Monday’s announcement of a police reform bill.

This was not the first time that members of the black caucus had worn kente cloths. “We have been wearing and displaying the kente cloth for a long time,” Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.), chair of the caucus, told me. “Since [President] Trump, it has become a symbol of protest about his racist depiction of Africa. On Monday, we wore the kente because we felt that after 49 years [since the caucus was formed], we were finally getting legislation about police abuse.”

I get it. I have seen kente cloth worn at the State of the Union and other events as a badge of solidarity or respect — but Monday’s performance felt different. My first reaction to seeing the pictures of the lawmakers kneeling with kente stoles around their necks was of shock and confusion. The message that a kente cloth conveys did not match the kneeling or moment of silence.

The word “kente” derives from the expression “kea ԑnte,” meaning “no matter how hard you try, it won’t tear.” These cloths have specific names and convey unspoken yet strong messages. The stoles worn by the group were strips of a much larger fabric that is customarily worn in times of celebration.

Indeed, Democrats wrapped themselves in the colorful, bright kente, which can be considered inappropriate or insulting for somber moments. A more appropriate traditional cloth for death, especially a violent death, is a red and black adinkra cloth. If the lawmakers wanted a culturally authentic acknowledgment of the vile and inhumane death of George Floyd, they could have worn that cloth — or, better yet, simply worn red.

I am fortunate to be able to call relatives to discuss the history and importance of these symbols and how they relate to our culture. My family has a direct connection to my history that has been denied to many African Americans.

When enslaved Africans were brought to this country, they were stripped of their language and culture. Some elements survived, and traces are evident in the Gullah language and some “Southern” recipes. But so much more was lost. Broader use of the kente cloth in recent years has been part of some African Americans’ efforts to reclaim a lost heritage as well as a source of pride and connection to their African roots.

Every moment that features a kente cloth is not an affront. The cloths have been and will continue to be appropriated and mass-produced. I am proud that my traditional cloth has helped others feel connected to their ancestral home. I wouldn’t want the reactions to this episode to force others to not wear kente during celebratory occasions.

But at a time of national reflection, which includes a dialogue on what it is like to be black in the United States, congressional and all leaders need to be more sensitive about the messages they send, intentional or not.

This moment is a teachable one. America is at a crossroads, as many seek to acknowledge historical wrongs and injustices against African Americans. We cannot afford to remain ignorant of the richness and complexity of our heritage and roots."

Not props? As the author stated, they couldn't even be bothered to see if what they were wearing was appropriate for signifying a violent death. The Democrats are patronizing blacks, like they have forever. They also know Trump is making inroads with Black Americans. Did you watch the round table from Dallas yesterday?

inroads?
Dallas?

Playing dumb isn't a good look for you, because we know you aren't dumb. If testimony of others is anything, they think Trump is making progress against injustice. Swallow your bile and watch the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFa6nAeeMUU

If you can't listen to Trump and his team, skip to the community leaders. If you can,though, I encourage you to at least listen to Carson and Barr.

Carson and Barr???

Seriously, this is the "community leaders of Dallas? Who did they leave out...oh yeah, the Dallas black police chief, the black AD, the black sheriff.

oops.

dominate the streets....

It would be great if Trump and crew were to actually embrace the reforms that will be coming to them from Congress, but we know who this guy is, we know who his AG is.

Most recent evidence is his adamant refusal to have the military bases names changed despite the military's support. Yup, we get it. "Heritage"

Trump has even lost the military, previously a political strong hold, he's not going to recover that majority as well.

But he still holds a narrow lead of white men, still a solid lead of older, non-college white men. That's the bulk of his 39% approval.

Just guessing, but you're one of those 39%?

I spent 3 years of my life stationed at Ft Bragg. I spent 4 months at Ft Benning for basic, ait and then jump school. I think I understand this discussion as well as anybody. I do recognize that some US Army traditions die very hard. You have several generations of army personnel who served at Ft Bragg. They come in all colors and flavors. I have no problem with changing the name of Ft Bragg. My worries are how do you now deal with the history and tradition that surrounds the facility? Do you all pretend like they never existed? Does this become the same thing as the Tappan Zee Bridge becoming the freaking Mario Cuomo Bridge bacause King Andy shoveled a chit load if money to the folks in Hudson Valley ? No matter what the F**K they decide to call Ft Bragg, to this former paratrooper who called Ft Bragg my home. It will always and forever be Ft Bragg... Home of the Airborne. If that troubles any of you folks I don't care. I paid my dues in blood, sweat and on occasions my tears. Ft Bragg will always have a special place in my heart and you mother effers can change the name, and I understand why. If you ever think you can erase the memories of all of us that served there .... that ain't never gonna happen. Just out of curiosity... what should they change the name of Ft Bragg to? I am not against the name change. I understand that 100% It does create a huge issue for all of us people who stationed there. A huge very nasty can of worms is being opened up here. On a personal note does a name change also mean that that beloved stretch of blacktop called Longstreet Rd also goes away. Every damn paratrooper at Ft Bragg wore off alot of boot leather making the very long trip up and down that stretch if Rd. It is most famous for defying the laws of physics. No matter what direction you were humping, you were always going uphill.

cradle, you and all your fellow soldiers who wish to remember the base and the street by their old names are of course free to do so. No one will be erasing your memories.

Not sure why you would think so, this ain't Men in Black with a wand to erase memories.

But all those next generations of soldiers, making new memories, will do so without those names and their underlying message, (to which presumably you were oblivious back in your day.) The next generation will likely be aware of the base's former name and the message of inclusivity the current military and their country is sending by changing those names to honor soldiers who actually fought FOR the United States, not against it.

Presumably there have been lots and lots of heroes, of all "races", who have fought and many died for the US since the Civil War worthy of such honor. Some women too, presumably.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the United States' history is replete with such, right?

I'm willing to accept the fact MD that in your mind you are nothing less than brilliant. The fact you are willing to dive headfirst into a discussion you know nothing about is all the proof I need. So my question to you MD, who do the powers that be rename Ft Bragg after? There is only one person worthy of that honor. I hope you put your thinking cap on MD and tell me who that person is. I will give you a hint... he is the personification of the 82nd Airborne Division. I don't even think you could find a flaw in the man. He is almost as flawless a human being as yourself. I don't think he ever lived up to your very high standards if being a moderate though.

[CU77]

If we're OK with naming things after traitors, where are the statues of Benedict Arnold?
(If you want to know: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boot_Monument )

If we're OK with generals who fought in favor of an odious ideology, why is there no Fort Himmler?

Or Fort Bin Laden?

[seacoaster]

can we get a ruling on this: https://nypost.com/2020/06/11/influence ... rt-of-blm/

I think we should let them argue it out...lots and lots of learning to be had on all sides

From the article: “Needless to say, the star’s social-media minstrel show didn’t sit well with online activists.”

These social media pissing matches are exhausting. And i thinking playing dress up about an issue this riven with discord and emotion is a bad judgment call. But I think MDLax has it right.

[cradleandshoot]

Hawley Decries ‘Historical Revisionism’ Of Stripping Confederate Names From Bases

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/hawl ... from-bases

(article itself completely about Hawley's remarks to the Senate)

excerpt:

But to Hawley, some Black Lives Matter protesters and reform-minded legislators don’t want racial justice.

According to the senator, protesters who say “systemic racism” was the cause of Floyd’s death at the hands of police are agitators, as are those who call for defunding police departments.

“There is no scab they will not pick at, no divide they will not exploit, no controversy they will not gin up to make us hate each other,” he said.

The same applied to Confederate names on government assets, he argued.

Those in favor of a change, Hawley said, want “to erase from history every person and name and event not righteous enough, and to cast those who would object as defenders of the cause of slavery, to reenact in our current politics that Civil War that tore brother against brother and divided this nation against itself.”

Josh Marshall's response on Twitter:

Most of the people who founded the country were compromised in some way by slavery and many personally owned large numbers of slaves. But these people also created the country, its system of freedoms, rights.

They notched aspirations that - even they didn't honor them or betrayed them - provided the leverage through which excluded communities fought for their own inclusion. This is a complicated legacy. Confederate leaders create no complexity. To a man the central political act of their lives was to say that the most important value of slavery and the supremacy of the white race. It's all there in the documents. And on top of this, they literally tried to destroy the country. Every Confederate leader was a traitor.

Even in the context of the Confederacy there are some interesting and valorous examples, even when we look at white Southerners and generals. Gen. George Henry Thomas was a Virginian three of his superiors - including Lee - defect to the Confederacy. He remained true to his oath and served the Union with great distinction in the West. His family disowned him and never spoke to him again. A more complicated but historically interesting example is James Longstreet, one of the most high-profile, successful of Confederate Generals.

For much of the war he served as Lee's principle subordinate. Unlike so many other Confederate Generals, after the war Longstreet became a Republican and ally of Commanding General and then President Grant. One of his last major public acts of the Reconstruction Era was at the so-called Battle of Liberty Place where he led a largely African-America troops and police against an anti-Reconstruction "White League" militia trying to wrest control over the Louisiana government after the disputed 1874 election.

For obvious reasons Longstreet's reputation took a severe hit in Lost Cause mythology and for much of the last century he was wrongly blamed for Lee's critical defeat at Gettysburg. Of course a central pillar of Lost Cause mythology was the claim that the South's fight was really about states rights. Longstreet memorably said "I never heard of any other cause of the quarrel than slavery." Slavery and white supremacy are the only values the Confederate heroes represent. And if that weren't enough they were all traitors.

Damn... maybe Ft Bragg can keep Longstreet Road after all. That long journey to the end of Normandy DZ will still be the same demoralizing walk that it always was.

[Kismet]

If we're OK with naming things after traitors, where are the statues of Benedict Arnold?
(If you want to know: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boot_Monument )

If we're OK with generals who fought in favor of an odious ideology, why is there no Fort Himmler?

Or Fort Bin Laden?

Actually, The Saratoga Monument on the battlefield itself recognizes Arnold's betrayal of his country despite his significant contribution to the American victory in 1777. He does not appear on the monument - his niche is EMPTY as it should be.




"Reverence for their characters” is captured in life-size sculptures of key American leaders of 1777. General Philip Schuyler faces east toward his Saratoga estate, burned by the British but rebuilt the following month. To the west, Colonel Daniel Morgan faces the positions his corps took to help surround the British. In the northern niche, General Horatio Gates faces toward the route of British invasion from Canada. The southern niche remains empty, signifying General Benedict Arnold’s heroism in 1777 overshadowed by his later treachery."

[cradleandshoot]

If we're OK with naming things after traitors, where are the statues of Benedict Arnold?
(If you want to know: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boot_Monument )

If we're OK with generals who fought in favor of an odious ideology, why is there no Fort Himmler?

Or Fort Bin Laden?

I get what you are saying and why. That being said Ft Bragg has an emotional attachment to me that you could never possibly comprehend. Ft Bragg had little to do with who it was named after. It had everything to do with the blood, sweat and tears that we all left there. My fellows soldiers were white, black, Puerto Rican, Navajo Indian, Mexican and even my good friend from Guam. If the politically correct thing is for Bragg to have a new name
I know what that name should be. Until the the day I die, it will always be Ft Bragg.

[cradleandshoot]

If we're OK with naming things after traitors, where are the statues of Benedict Arnold?
(If you want to know: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boot_Monument )

If we're OK with generals who fought in favor of an odious ideology, why is there no Fort Himmler?

Or Fort Bin Laden?

Actually, The Saratoga Monument on the battlefield itself recognizes Arnold's betrayal of his country despite his significant contribution to the American victory in 1777. He does not appear on the monument - his niche is EMPTY as it should be.




"Reverence for their characters” is captured in life-size sculptures of key American leaders of 1777. General Philip Schuyler faces east toward his Saratoga estate, burned by the British but rebuilt the following month. To the west, Colonel Daniel Morgan faces the positions his corps took to help surround the British. In the northern niche, General Horatio Gates faces toward the route of British invasion from Canada. The southern niche remains empty, signifying General Benedict Arnold’s heroism in 1777 overshadowed by his later treachery."

Funny you mention Gen Schuyler. Here in NYS they want his statue removed and his legacy disgraced because he owned slaves. I guess they need more empty niches in that memorial.

[Brooklyn]

Murderer Chauvin could get a $1 million pension even if the SOB was convicted:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/derek-chau ... -benefits/


Said before and will say again - put an end to this ridiculous qualified immunity and make these genocidal criminals for their actions. That will go a long way towards fixing up the mess we see today.

[RedFromMI]

If we're OK with naming things after traitors, where are the statues of Benedict Arnold?
(If you want to know: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boot_Monument )

If we're OK with generals who fought in favor of an odious ideology, why is there no Fort Himmler?

Or Fort Bin Laden?

I get what you are saying and why. That being said Ft Bragg has an emotional attachment to me that you could never possibly comprehend. Ft Bragg had little to do with who it was named after. It had everything to do with the blood, sweat and tears that we all left there. My fellows soldiers were white, black, Puerto Rican, Navajo Indian, Mexican and even my good friend from Guam. If the politically correct thing is for Bragg to have a new name
I know what that name should be. Until the the day I die, it will always be Ft Bragg.

That is because it was named such when you trained. No problem with that. But for those for whom this represents an additional burden, plus to remove sworn enemies of the US, I think they need to be changed.

[dislaxxic]

[SCLaxAttack]

Article in the Post:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions ... ear-kente/

"My traditional cloth is not a prop.

On Monday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Calif.), Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (N.Y.) and other members of the Democratic congressional leadership knelt for eight minutes and 46 seconds in tribute to the death of George Floyd. The kneeling was an appropriate gesture, but wearing African kente stoles, at that moment, was not.

Kente cloth is a traditional handwoven fabric that comes from the Akan peoples of Ghana. My father and half-brothers were born in Ghana, and my family has shaped my understanding of kente cloth.

My late grandfather’s kente cloth has hung in my parents’ living room for decades. The colorful, hand-woven fabric, in a design called Aberewa Bene (wise old lady), serves a dual purpose for us. It is the background for years of family photos. For visitors, the kente is a declaration of our family’s Ghanaian heritage. My father’s father died before I was born, but his cloth has allowed me to feel his presence throughout my life.

At my wedding, I asked my father and brothers to wear similar kente cloth robes as they walked down the aisle. And during my daughter’s outdooring, or naming ceremony, she was draped in yellow cloth as she was introduced to our community.

Those are the proper places for kente cloth. Monday’s display was an incorrect use, however well-intentioned. If you’re going to appropriate my culture, at least learn exactly what it is.

Last year, Ghana commemorated the 400th anniversary of the forced exodus of enslaved Africans to the United States. Members of the Congressional Black Caucus were among those who traveled to Ghana to commemorate the occasion, where they received kente cloths. In a similar gesture, the CBC provided kente cloths to fellow Democrats for Monday’s announcement of a police reform bill.

This was not the first time that members of the black caucus had worn kente cloths. “We have been wearing and displaying the kente cloth for a long time,” Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.), chair of the caucus, told me. “Since [President] Trump, it has become a symbol of protest about his racist depiction of Africa. On Monday, we wore the kente because we felt that after 49 years [since the caucus was formed], we were finally getting legislation about police abuse.”

I get it. I have seen kente cloth worn at the State of the Union and other events as a badge of solidarity or respect — but Monday’s performance felt different. My first reaction to seeing the pictures of the lawmakers kneeling with kente stoles around their necks was of shock and confusion. The message that a kente cloth conveys did not match the kneeling or moment of silence.

The word “kente” derives from the expression “kea ԑnte,” meaning “no matter how hard you try, it won’t tear.” These cloths have specific names and convey unspoken yet strong messages. The stoles worn by the group were strips of a much larger fabric that is customarily worn in times of celebration.

Indeed, Democrats wrapped themselves in the colorful, bright kente, which can be considered inappropriate or insulting for somber moments. A more appropriate traditional cloth for death, especially a violent death, is a red and black adinkra cloth. If the lawmakers wanted a culturally authentic acknowledgment of the vile and inhumane death of George Floyd, they could have worn that cloth — or, better yet, simply worn red.

I am fortunate to be able to call relatives to discuss the history and importance of these symbols and how they relate to our culture. My family has a direct connection to my history that has been denied to many African Americans.

When enslaved Africans were brought to this country, they were stripped of their language and culture. Some elements survived, and traces are evident in the Gullah language and some “Southern” recipes. But so much more was lost. Broader use of the kente cloth in recent years has been part of some African Americans’ efforts to reclaim a lost heritage as well as a source of pride and connection to their African roots.

Every moment that features a kente cloth is not an affront. The cloths have been and will continue to be appropriated and mass-produced. I am proud that my traditional cloth has helped others feel connected to their ancestral home. I wouldn’t want the reactions to this episode to force others to not wear kente during celebratory occasions.

But at a time of national reflection, which includes a dialogue on what it is like to be black in the United States, congressional and all leaders need to be more sensitive about the messages they send, intentional or not.

This moment is a teachable one. America is at a crossroads, as many seek to acknowledge historical wrongs and injustices against African Americans. We cannot afford to remain ignorant of the richness and complexity of our heritage and roots."

Not props? As the author stated, they couldn't even be bothered to see if what they were wearing was appropriate for signifying a violent death. The Democrats are patronizing blacks, like they have forever. They also know Trump is making inroads with Black Americans. Did you watch the round table from Dallas yesterday?

inroads?
Dallas?

Playing dumb isn't a good look for you, because we know you aren't dumb. If testimony of others is anything, they think Trump is making progress against injustice. Swallow your bile and watch the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFa6nAeeMUU

If you can't listen to Trump and his team, skip to the community leaders. If you can,though, I encourage you to at least listen to Carson and Barr.

Carson and Barr???

Seriously, this is the "community leaders of Dallas? Who did they leave out...oh yeah, the Dallas black police chief, the black AD, the black sheriff.

oops.

dominate the streets....

It would be great if Trump and crew were to actually embrace the reforms that will be coming to them from Congress, but we know who this guy is, we know who his AG is.

Most recent evidence is his adamant refusal to have the military bases names changed despite the military's support. Yup, we get it. "Heritage"

Trump has even lost the military, previously a political strong hold, he's not going to recover that majority as well.

But he still holds a narrow lead of white men, still a solid lead of older, non-college white men. That's the bulk of his 39% approval.

Just guessing, but you're one of those 39%?

Well, since you obviously didn't have time to watch the video, I assume your mind is closed on the subject. If Trump somehow manages to defeat whoever Dems put up as their candidate I will start a Go Fund Me to get you a therapy animal. Maybe we can get you a two headed llama. One head will be fiscally conservative and the other socially liberal. Oh, and citing polls has really worked out well for you and the media. "But, but Hillary was up by 5% in Florida!! Trump must have stolen the election." I'm not tired of winning. Are you tired of losing?

Actually I did, though I skipped past most of the white fawning over the President, and I got to the black folks invited to fawn over him. Some of what they said, I'm fully down with and respect their right to say and think...but SO much of it was ridiculously out of touch.

I agree that it's a long way to Election Day. A huge amount could and likely will "change" between now and then.

I don't trust polls to be more than a snap shot in time, but like anyone else with half a brain who thinks about politics, I'm interested in where they are collectively and their trajectory.

And Trump's trajectory is down, down, down. Could that reverse? of course.

If the virus magically goes away and, thus, Americans feel confident to return to prior behaviors and spending, Trump will occupy the "I told you so" inside pole position on the turn and may run away at the stretch.

Could happen.
Unfortunately for all of us non-politicians, that's not likely to happen.

Instead, we're likely to have wave after wave of the virus, survived but bigger and bigger impact, with growing resentment at the White House for their mismanagement of the challenge (not originally of their making, but worsened by their mismanagement).

If Trump continues with racially dividing the country, rejects congressional reforms, rejects base name changes, etc expect another wave of protests at every "campaign rally". It'll get worse and worse.

How is he racially dividing the country? One party is obsessed with race. One party is obsessed with putting people in little boxes. On party tells people to identify by immutable characteristics. Is that how you you unite a country, by weaponizing things people can't change? Anyone without clouded vision understands "divide and conquer". You're selectivity in pointing out rallies without pointing out protests shows you lack objectivity. Your remedies are temporary, feel good things like base re-naming. Racial inequities are way deeper than the shallow, facile attempts to mollify Black American by giving them a temporary "sugar high" instead of the bread of life they need to succeed. The recipe for that bread is safety, education, personal responsibility and equality in justice and opportunity, not going back and re-writing history.

You need to do what I've done in the past two weeks. Instead of thinking like you have a complete perspective because, like me, you've tried to keep yourself educated about certain topics, including racial ones, go speak to some black people. In my middle income North Carolina neighborhood I did just that. I spoke to a couple in their thirties - he's a black engineer at GE Aerospace, she's a white third grade teacher and they have a three year old daughter. Another is a black couple with a son going into 6th grade. She's a nursing administrator and he's in administration at the local VA. The third is a black woman in her 50s who works for Bank of America. Her brother of the same age visits her frequently.

I can tell you I've NEVER had the concerns any of these people have. Meghan is fearful any night Greg has go away for business that he may leave her a widow and their lovely daughter Amelia without a father. Tamela and TJ have already had talks with their son Trey, and worry about him already more than I ever worried about my two kids. Not once in my entire life (until my son became a cop) did I ever worry for the safety of my kids. Elaine makes her brother call her the minute he gets home from visiting if his travel has him riding his motorcycle at night. He's been stopped multiple times in his lifetime while on his bike by cops assuming the bike's been stolen because - and it's been said to him - "black guys don't ride."

There are two monuments in downtown Wilmington placed in the early 1900s by The United Daughters of the Confederacy. One is to honor "The Confederate Soldier" and the other to honor Wilmington native George Davis, the CSA's only AG. Until two weeks ago I'd always thought those monuments should be retained. I could look past their hypocritical inscriptions on their bases because the bronze statuary are, to me as a white guy, beautiful works of artistry. Not any more. All five of my neighbors, all professionals who have "made it", get sick to their stomachs any time they have to drive by either of those monuments. I said have to drive by because each of them avoid driving by them if they can avoid it. Based on their avoidance alone I've determined those monuments have to go. People shouldn't get sick to their stomachs driving in their home town.