Who's a Racist?

This certainly is!

I talked to some folks from a "Patriot Group" today. They didn't want to give me the actual name of their group, but they assured me that they were not White Nationalists or racists of any kind; Only Patriots and they came with flags and tee shirts with MAGA (make America great again) and Trump for President on them. Of course I believed them since who would lie about a thing like that?

Previously, when I met folks like these I admit to a little prejudging. In my "left leaning mind" flag wavers with Trump paraphernalia are automatically shunted into the white racist category (since I am convinced of Trump's racism). It turns out, according to these folks, that you can look like a racist, vote racist, and approve of racist acts without actually being a racist person. I'm of two minds about this; on one hand if you don't perform racist acts yourself, you might skate by as a non-racist; however, if you approve of those who act and talk racist, most of us would probably judge you to be at least a fellow traveler.

When tasked with the differences between approving of racists and being one the reasoning seemed to that since I proclaim myself free of racism that's all the proof needed. The dictionary defines Racism as: prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism directed against someone of a different race based on the belief that one's own race is superior, I don't think it's possible to approve of racists and their acts without tarring yourself with a racist brush.

The NFL and Slavery

The National Football League has a problem. It seems to think it lives in Pre-Emansipation America. Someone should let them know that professional football players aren't slaves. The idea that the league can dictate how and where players can think and speak to the issues of the day is hard to fathom.

I have heard the excuses - it's about patriotism - or it disrespects the flag. I don't buy it.

Patriotism is defined as love for or devotion to one's country. Where is protesting wrongs done to the countries citizens unpatriotic? How is kneeling, as in prayer, disrespectful? These young men are in the best traditions of this country. They ask us to remember the wrongs done and work to be better citizens.

Many of these young men are brown and they choose to protest the wrongs done to other brown citizens. That's why the league and others think they have the power and the need to silence their protests. Let me remind you being brown is not a crime and doesn't negate citizenship.

Thoughts and Prayers?

Eighteen school shootings in 44 days? Malthus would be proud - We've solved the problem of population excess without resort to birth control or (god forbid) abstinence. Just hand every troubled teen and psychotic adult an assault rifle and "Bob's your Uncle" all population problems are solved.

Seriously folks, does anyone have any ideas that don't involve belief in the RIGHT TO BEAR ARMS? I sure don't. In my lifetime (70+ years) we have gone from a belief that the US Constitution gave permission for police and national guards to have weapons of war and that you and I could be trusted with hunting arms to thinking that any idiot could brandish any weapon he or she could afford.

We all know the results. More than thirty thousand casualties each year in an undeclared war against ourselves. So far we know one thing for certain, thoughts and prayers are not a solution. We also are pretty certain that letting more people walk around with guns will not cut the number of deaths, nor will letting anyone who can afford to own an assault rifle or a gun with a silencer.

Some solutions, like better mental health care, would certainly work, but will we decide to pay for it? We can see from the example of other nations that gun buybacks and restrictions on gun licensing and purchases reduce gun deaths greatly. These are ideas that we must implement if we want to get beyond the thoughts and prayers solution.

Lots of folks worry that if we don't all have guns "only outlaws will have them". That might be the case, except that there are more police and national guard than there are violent criminals by a wide margin. Others are more afraid of their own government and want to guard against them. Maybe they are out to get you, but you must remember that in a democracy you and I are the government.

If we are the government let's act like it and solve the gun violence problem before the next occasion for "thoughts and prayers"