Current Events IV: All The News That Fits

[laurenj]

Mar 31, 2021 18:04:09 GMT -4 kostgard said:

I haven't watched much of the trial, because it just seems awful. I just saw some footage of one of the witnesses testifying, and the defense lawyer kept trying to paint him as angry because he swore at the cops and called them names. But he refused to take the bait and was basically all, "Yes, I was swearing at them and calling them names. I meant it. They were killing somebody."

And I'm not sure what the defense's point was. That guy yelling at them made him kill Floyd? They were so terrified of the "angry black man" that they had to keep standing on the neck of another black man?

Yes, the defense attorney said "you called him [can't remember what] 13 times" and the guy very calmly said "that's what you got on your video? Then yeah, 13 times."

The defense's "crowd agitation" theory seems to forget the photographic evidence of Chauvin staring calmly into the camera with his hand in his fucking pocket as he knelt on his neck.

[seat6]

I’m struck that all (I think) of the witnesses who were there have cried on the stand and all (I think) have expressed guilt that they could not do more to save Mr. Floyd.*

Everybody feels guilty about his death except the man who killed him.

*I haven’t been watching the trial but I have heard some highlights and seen headlines and read some articles, so when I say “all”
I mean all the ones I know about—the girl who videoed it, the firefighter, the MMA guy, the older gentleman who said he didn’t have a momma either, and the store clerk.

The pain. My god, the pain. All of these people are traumatized.

[mementomori]

Mar 31, 2021 18:04:09 GMT -4 kostgard said:

I haven't watched much of the trial, because it just seems awful. I just saw some footage of one of the witnesses testifying, and the defense lawyer kept trying to paint him as angry because he swore at the cops and called them names. But he refused to take the bait and was basically all, "Yes, I was swearing at them and calling them names. I meant it. They were killing somebody."

And I'm not sure what the defense's point was. That guy yelling at them made him kill Floyd? They were so terrified of the "angry black man" that they had to keep standing on the neck of another black man?

The one thing I’ve noticed thus far is that everyone that was peripherally involved in this situation carries an enormous amount of emotional labor, with the exception of Derek Chauvin. Hard to go unnoticed, as a black woman, that the persons called to the stand, 1 woman (an EMT like Breonna) and 2 black men, both young and old, feel a tremendous amount of guilt based on the actions of a white male they didn’t even know. We collectively have to stop muling for the agenda of disgruntled white males. Our schools would be safer, our streets would be safer, our massage parlors would be safer, out government buildings would be safer, our churches would be safer, our COUNTRY would be safer.

[Deleted]

So far, I have found all of the witnesses very effective. I know anything can happen, but I think they are going to convict him. Do you think Chauvin will testify?

[Gigiree]

Chauvin did the same thing for 17 minutes to a 14-year-old boy in 2017.

This is why so many say ACAB. If “good” cops would have fired Chauvin LIKE HE DESERVED back in 2017, then George Floyd would still be alive today. Instead, they hide behind the thin, blue line, which is more important than human rights.

TRIGGER WARNING: Another one of a teen boy being beaten by cops at his front door while he cried for his father after being pulled over for a traffic violation. I heard his cries in my sleep all last night. It takes me days to process these police brutality videos. I am so sick of this shit.

[lizziebeth730]

Police always love to make fun of the idea of having social workers go out on calls with them. Like "whats the 110 lb social worker going to do with the naked guy high on meth stomping on car roofs gonna do"

I'll tell you what assholes, we call that a Tuesday. And I'm thinking we need the social workers less for the alleged perps and more to keep the cops in line.

[discoprincess]

Apr 1, 2021 16:22:06 GMT -4 @borokat said:

So far, I have found all of the witnesses very effective. I know anything can happen, but I think they are going to convict him.

Anything indeed can happen. Ask Gwen Carr, the mother of Eric Garner. A grand jury even refused to indict the NYPD officer who had killed him by using a banned chokehold. Then that officer fought tooth and nail to keep his job. (He ultimately lost his appeal.)

[Deleted]

Peace wall violence in Belfast 'at a scale we have not seen in recent years'

Peace Wall violence...


And it’s the week of the 23rd anniversary of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement.
It’s been going on for over a week now and only getting headlines now.

Patrick Kielty twitter thread from2018 gives a good insight into how in part brexit got to this point again





Edit
White House expresses concern over Northern Ireland violence

[biondetta]

Brexit is such a complete disaster. From what I've read, part of the peace between NI and Ireland was dependet upon the UK staying in the EU. Thus, this awful situation. And Scotland is much more likely to vote for independence now, since they were also promised that the UK would stay in the EU if Scotland stayed in the UK. All the lies and lack of planning ... it still horrifies me.

[Deleted]

The Army officer that was pepper sprayed by a police officer has just gutted me. And the worst part was that he knew as they screamed at him to get out, if he reached down to unbuckle his seatbelt they would shoot him. He knew it. There is something really wrong with policing in America.