Minneapolis Social Injustice and Related

[HorsCat]

The United States of America was founded as a white nationalist country. Almost 250 years later, we are still wrestling with that.

[theflashunc]

Historically speaking peaceful, organized mass resistance has generated positive returns.
Looting and burning down neighborhoods, not so much.

Yeah that Boston Tea Party got people nowhere. If only they'd marched peacefully in the streets rather than dumping all that tea in the harbor.

I feel for those businesses who were affected by the protesting, but Target and Auto Zone can rebuild. If we're more concerned about some justifiably angry folks lashing in out to destroy property than the police forces running roughshod over minority communities in this country, then we are hopelessly lost.

[72gmc]

It takes genuine leadership to organize peaceful resistance, and those leaders have been eliminated by violence, historically.

This is a country where vehicles burn when a team wins a trophy.

[caleb]

How than are people in these communities where deaths occur to express themselves when time again their outrage is ignored and passed by the next news cycle?

Perhaps take the protests to the exurban cul-de-sacs where these cops actually live, instead of a neighborhood where pretty much no cops live.

[Sbti]

Perhaps take the protests to the exurban cul-de-sacs where these cops actually live, instead of a neighborhood where pretty much no cops live.

There were protests at the house of the murderer, Derek Chauvin in the suburb of Oakdale. Graffiti, signs, chants, etc. It looks like about 50 National Guard members showed up for his protection.

[mzilliox]

keep america great right? isnt that the dumb new slogan? great

[caleb]

There were protests at the house of the murderer, Derek Chauvin in the suburb of Oakdale. Graffiti, signs, chants, etc. It looks like about 50 National Guard members showed up for his protection.

I saw those videos. Interesting prioritization of resources.

One of the major problems with our police brutality is that is has a freeway commuter culture. How do you fix white supremacy when you import it every single day using infrastructure designed to preserve and promote white supremacy?

[Too Tall]

Historically speaking peaceful, organized mass resistance has generated positive returns.
Looting and burning down neighborhoods, not so much.

To wit > Washington, DC.

No kidding.

Looting ain't the message.

[Sbti]

I did see a clip with one good thing. A guy was going into a building to loot. A much older guy was standing nearby. A "community organizer" type I guess. He started saying "No. No! We don't do that. Step away." I thought it was going to end badly, but the guy started walking towards him. He pulled down his hood and COVID mask, gave the guy a fist bump and walked away.

[Saab2000]

Perhaps take the protests to the exurban cul-de-sacs where these cops actually live, instead of a neighborhood where pretty much no cops live.

In Chicago, where I currently work, city employees are required to live within the city limits AFAIK.

[caleb]

In Chicago, where I currently work, city employees are required to live within the city limits AFAIK.

Makes total sense, and I think that would be the single most meaningful reform that could come of this: going forward, all new police hires have to live in the city proper. No more living out in Maple Grove, Lakeville, St. Bonnie, etcetera and only interacting with people of color when you're policing them. That dynamic seems obviously toxic.

[Sbti]

In Chicago, where I currently work, city employees are required to live within the city limits AFAIK.

I know quite a few municipal employees from around the state. Law enforcement, utilities, city hall, etc. The residency requirement has been viewed to be a pretty antiquated thing in these times and has been abandoned by most municipalities to give them options to hire the "best" people. In the old days, just the man of the house worked so it was usually no problem. Plus I think there was more "city pride" in the '50s. Now there are many couples I know where they are city employees for two different cities. City engineer-one city, city administrator-another city. Police officer-one city, Street maintenance supt., another city. And with blended families it gets even more complicated. Whaddyagonna do? Upon hiring they might get more "points" or preference if they lived in the city along with military, protected class etc. If they are in more of an on-call or critical role, a certain response time might be required rather than residency. A lot of them would have the same retirement structure that they can keep so there is a lot of movement between cities as better opportunities come up. That's the public employee situation today. Probably worth rethinking for law enforcement IMHO.

[beeatnik]

Post LA riots and during the Justice Dept oversight period, I recall residential requirements being part of some reform proposals. However, based on appearance and most metrics, the LAPD is a post-white agency now. It reflects shifts in other high compensation, working class occupations (other than film) such as construction and the trades. Low SES whites are a tiny minority in the City of Los Angeles. Just as the LAFD struggles to recruit female candidates, the LAPD faces a challenge finding white recruits. For many Latinos, the LAPD is the GM of Los Angeles, low education requirements, job security, great pay and benefits. Here's the compensation breakdown for a Chicano kid I helped train for the LAPD candidate physical:

Police Officer II (2018)
Regular pay: $95,972.51
Overtime pay: $1,138.41
Other pay: $6,298.15
Total pay: $103,409.07
Benefits: $58,861.00
Total pay & benefits: $162,270.07

And this is the breakdown for my wife's latinx best friend who patrols a nice not so quiet, not so little beach community:

Police Officer (2018)
Regular pay: $110,526.00
Overtime pay: $9,436.00
Other pay: $26,805.00
Total pay: $146,767.00
Benefits: $71,844.00
Total pay & benefits: $218,611.00

Even at these levels of compensation for many sworn officers, it's not practical to reside in the City of Los Angeles. They live in surrounding cities, which tend to reflect the diversity of LA. As such, the culture has evolved from the Powell/Koon days when officers lived in all white suburbs. In most cases the cops look like the kids on the streets (shaved heads, tats) with 70% of sworn officers non white (39% of detectives/lieutenants and 50% of captains/commanders, white). So (ironically?) generous compensation and limited opportunities for people of color have helped Los Angeles transform its historically racist, militaristic police department. Likely not a model other cities may follow.

http://assets.lapdonline.org/assets/...1%204-2020.pdf

Brown on Brown Crime:

LAPD bodycam vid shows officer punching suspect in Boyle Heights - ABC7 Los Angeles

Not LAPD but same demographic forces at play

Login • Instagram

Video captures violent confrontation between LASD deputy, driver in Lynwood - ABC7 Los Angeles

[Too Tall]

keep america great right? isnt that the dumb new slogan? great

Don't you start. We are having a conversation here mister. xxoo

Beeatnik > thanks for that.

[Colinmclelland]

I was going to say that police murder thing wouldn't happen twice here..but then I thought about it for a nano-second.

We had an "Aboriginal deaths in custody" enquiry a very long time ago and SFA has changed since then. Shameful shit keeps happening, they just aren't stupid enough to do it in public, letting people film them on their phones.

As an aside, how are they going to find jury members who haven't already seen that footage and formed a view?

[caleb]

Sitting in the backyard right now, and it’s a din of sirens and helicopters.

Tonight feels like it’s going to be bad. It’s beautiful out, so there’s no reason to go inside. The national guard has been called out, and business owners are staking out their properties heavily armed.

One important difference between this riot and coastal cities is that everyone has guns. Call out the national guard with live ammo, and I’ll cop to being concerned.

I’m hoping that worse doesn’t end up going to worst tonight.

[Too Tall]

Sitting in the backyard right now, and it’s a din of sirens and helicopters.

Tonight feels like it’s going to be bad. It’s beautiful out, so there’s no reason to go inside. The national guard has been called out, and business owners are staking out their properties heavily armed.

One important difference between this riot and coastal cities is that everyone has guns. Call out the national guard with live ammo, and I’ll cop to being concerned.

I’m hoping that worse doesn’t end up going to worst tonight.

I hope for the best Caleb. Watching the FBI presser last evening gave me some reassurance.

F.Y.I. What makes you think "coastal" communities are not armed to the teeth? Ever been to a public range in the DC Metro? Dewd.

[Sbti]

"When the looting starts, the shooting starts!"
-guess who

-Three CNN reporters arrested before four murderers are arrested.

[j44ke]

The mayor needs to find a way to transcend the anger here and stop the protests. This is becoming a test drive for future events.

I remember coming around a corner in Paris while trying get around a small but active WTO protest and running into a group of cops changing into protestor clothes. Chilling.

[Too Tall]

You could say that Diplomacy is the art of speaking slowly, continuously without fatigue forestalling irrational jumps to judgement.