Coronavirus and BLM protests

[Starlive23]

There must be 300 people stood shoulder to shoulder in my city centre, drinking and shouting and hugging and generally not following any social distancing at all.

I am BAME. I am also a NHS nurse.

I totally understand the anger. I do. I feel it too.

I have however worked incredibly hard during the pandemic and feel the same people out clapping for the NHS are now putting us back at least a month. I feel absolutely broken. I came home from work and I just feel like crying.

[NaturalBornWoman]

Thank you for all you do. I don’t know what else to say, just wanted to send you some support. X

[Kokeshi123]

Thanks for your work.

I don't know how much of a bump there will be from the protests (probably small, as it is outdoors and from what I hear most people are wearing masks). I think the really big causality will be that it will be harder to ask people to socially distance again after this. A lot of people will just see it as a bit of a joke. "Look at what those people were doing! Why shouldn't I go and see friends if I want to!"

It's worrying because it did seem like we were seeing the back of this virus.

[Teawiththat]

I am more outraged about the governments slow and ineffective response to be honest. People crowding into packed beaches just because they want a day out. Those who can't be arsed to properly extinguish their disposable BBQs and have set fire to hectares of heathland- killing a lot of wildlife and putting immense pressure on firefighters. I feel angry that public transport was cut in London despite many keyworkers still needing it therefore putting TFL staff and passengers at more risk. I feel angry that care home residents were sent home from hospital without being tested, and other highly damaging policies from way up high- including the abandonment of those with MH issues in the community. I am furious that many people who needed it couldn't access the appropriate protective equipment, and that the procurement team has been so inept. What I can't bring myself to be livid over is people gathering for what they (and I to be honest) feel is time crucial and important.

[MadameMarie]

Sadly these protesters are being set up for blame when there's a second spike.

[PicsInRed]

This is a black issue, not a minority issue.

I'm more outraged by the wanton murdering of black people by the state than black people protesting over an issue which has more statistical lifetime likelihood of killing black americans them than coronavirus (1/1000).

OP, are you concerned about all the white people cavorting shoulder to shoulder at the beach? Parties? Bbqs? Shops reopening?

[ky07]

These prople aren't out clapping for the NHS though are they? They're protesting that black people shouldn't be murdered by the police. I understand your concern, but this has more momentum than ever before in recent memory, and it's an important time to engage with the issue. That unavoidably means protests.

[Flaxmeadow]

Maybe because these protesters are mostly young and middle class, they don't perceive the risks to themselves as much as someone from an older or working class background would?

Many of them probably don't live in the overcrowded urban areas that have seen such high rates of transmission and infection. Add to that how young many of them are, and more likely to be reckless

Thanks for the work you do

[ky07]

@Flaxmeadow really you can tell the class of protestors just by looking at them? Hurt and angry does not equal reckless either. I can tell this thread is going to descend into ignorance

[Redolent]

I understand OP. The worry isn’t just for their own health, but those of family members, vulnerable loved ones etc, who they’ll take the illness to. They’re already vulnerable enough as it is. And yes, the chances of them dying of covid are much higher than 1/1000.

[FreeKitties]

OP you made the mistake of thinking that your experience as a black women was as valid as the opinions of the righteous left leaning white women on here who think racism is abhorrent and we all need to do better. Listening to black women obviously isn’t on the agenda though.

In the initial aftermath of the murder there were some thought provoking threads and discussions here about racism, and how to teach children about institutional racism, these have been taken over by posters who seem to think that being rude and aggressive somehow shows they are the least prejudiced of all.

Anyway, OP thank you for doing a bloody hard job in shitty circumstances, the past few months have shown just how wonderful the NHS really is.

[Redolent]

Let’s not forget this though;

“ At the same time, police tactics threaten to accelerate the spread of Covid-19. The use of teargas and pepper sprays are a public health nightmare. Both cause incessant coughing. Oil-based pepper sprays cause tears, mucus and saliva to pour from the eyes, nose and mouth. ”

[Teawiththat]

The police over here haven't use teargas or pepper spray. Not saying it's not an issue across the pond, but...

[Thinkingabout1t]

I came home from work and I just feel like crying.

Sending you love and sympathy, Starlive23. Kids will always do stupid things (if they're going to demonstrate, why not at the US embassy?), and these are being encouraged by adults.

Thank you for doing your life-saving work.

[EmperorCovidula]

It’s not like coronavirus is going anywhere, if it’s not now then there will be a rise in infections when everyone goes back to work/when gyms are reopened/whatever. They’re not setting us back they’re bring us forward quicker. The U.K. isn’t going to be able to eradicate corona without a vaccine/a significantly higher number of people who have had it and developed immunity that way. I just hope none of them are going home to someone who is sheilding.

[Ponoka7]

I can't get worked up when our transport systems are still on a reduced service and for the past three days people have had to sit next to each other.

Our NHS is there for when we need it. But it's let us down over this crisis, so have paramedics etc. None have spoken out about the lowering of scoring for hospital admissions etc.

There was a demonstration last night, here in Liverpool, I would put a years wages on that the demonstration will put less protesters (who were all younger than 50 and a healthy body weight), in hospital than our usual festivals, or race meetings.

The Guardian have broken the story that the original Lancet report and those reports/data used by Europe and the WHO, can now be discredited. Weep about that.

[Ponoka7]

Plus what 'EmperorCovidula* said. Why aren't those working in the NHS taking notice of scientists that we can trust who are telling us that we need the virus circulating in the healthy population, if we get infected over the next month, we will have protection until around January. So ideal really.

[ky07]

I'm not sure what protests some of you are looking at, but they are certainly not just being attended by white left leaning kids. Far from it. The reason they're not protesting at the US embassy is because it's obviously not just a US issue. I don't know why anyone thinks minimisng the people protesting this is helpful. Pretending they're all stupid, reckless, white, liberal, middle class kids (really????) and acting like they're not doing something valid is being part of the problem. It's totally valid to worry about CV and express concerns, but you've no need to invalidate real peoples' concerns and real problems to do it.

[Pebblexox]

This is a black issue, not a minority issue.

I'm more outraged by the wanton murdering of black people by the state than black people protesting over an issue which has more statistical lifetime likelihood of killing black americans them than coronavirus (1/1000).

OP, are you concerned about all the white people cavorting shoulder to shoulder at the beach? Parties? Bbqs? Shops reopening?*
*
^^
This. All of this.
People are angry. The black community cannot win this battle alone, I for one thank anybody who has gone to any protest and stood side by side with our fellow humans. This pandemic will eventually go away, and let's be honest if we go backwards with progress we cannot blame the protesters. Blame the people queuing up outside IKEA at 5.30, blame the fact schools are reopening. Blame the government. The people are not at fault here.

[Flaxmeadow]

I don't know why anyone thinks minimisng the people protesting this is helpful. Pretending they're all stupid, reckless, white, liberal, middle class kids (really????) and acting like they're not doing something valid is being part of the problem. It's totally valid to worry about CV and express concerns, but you've no need to invalidate real peoples' concerns and real problems to do it

Not sure if you mean in general? But I don't think anyone in the thread has suggested any of this?

[ky07]

@Flaxmeadow lol you in particular characterised protestors as young and middle class, probably don't live in the overcrowded urban areas (massive assumption!) and reckless, implying they are privileged and thoughtless (and tbh it also suggests you've stereotyped them as white rather than from affected communities) which suggests (whether you want it to or not) that its ok not listen to them.

This thread has also housed talk of 'white left leaning liberal women' and 'kids behaving stupidly, being encouraged by adults'. All these descriptions serve to belittle what is happening.

[Flaxmeadow]

Flaxmeadow lol you in particular characterised protestors as young and middle class, probably don't live in the overcrowded urban areas (massive assumption!) and reckless, implying they are privileged and thoughtless

The reason I pointed it out was because most protesters are students. More likely to be young and middle class

I didn't use the term "privileged" and I dont think they are thoughtless


(and tbh it also suggests you've stereotyped them as white rather than from affected communities)

I didn't make any comment on or suggest anything at all about their ethnicity, so not sure why you think I was suggesting they're all white. They obviously aren't

which suggests (whether you want it to or not) that its ok not listen to them.

I didn't say its OK not to listen to them. Black or white

This thread has also housed talk of 'white left leaning liberal women' and 'kids behaving stupidly, being encouraged by adults'. All these descriptions serve to belittle what is happening.

In your opinion but to others they are just descriptions without belittling hidden meanings.

There are no hidden meanings in what I said. I made an observation about their probable class and age. That's all.

[ky07]

Uh huh. I'm just pointing out how your words can be taken. If you think I'm wrong that's up to you. I'm not going to argue.

[FreeKitties]

It was me that used the descriptor ‘white left leaning liberal women’ because the majority of people who are currently falling over themselves to let everyone know how not racist they are I white left leaning liberal women. Interestingly it also seems that they don’t seem interested in actually listening to what black women have to say on racism, they seem to want to tell us how we should be thinking instead.

[ky07]

@FreeKitties That's fair. I don't see how it links in with the protests though. Like I said, I understand the coronavirus concerns, but black people out protesting also want to be heard and shouldn't have their effirts demeaned and equated with being reckless middle class kids.