To be utterly disgusted by the protests today.

[SoggySocksAgain]

Am I alone here?

I am utterly disgusted by what I have seen in the news.

@TabbyMumz

"Smilethoyourheartisbreaking

Actually Tabby we would have been fucked without the US. Read some history books."

Are you American by any chance? The Americans only got involved because of Pearl Harnour, much later on. Churchill got us to fight in the first place. As I've said, the PM before him wanted to just give in. Long before the US got involved.

How does any of that change the fact that we would indeed have been fucked without the US?

And the PM before Churchill declared war.

It's not your sympathy black people need, it's your support, your courage, your moment of realisation that it is not your permission or approval to give people the right to protest against racism.

eloquent and passionate explanation from Kimberly Jones

Eloquent and passionate address from Keisha Lance Bottoms, Mayor of Atlanta -

“When you burn down this city, you’re burning down our community.”

www.wsbtv.com/news/local/atlanta/city-we-are-better-than-this-atlanta-mayor-police-chief-talk-about-protests/SBIGPF36QVDRVKXCJTFCCTHL5E/

@TabbyMumz

"Tabbyzmumthe statue of Churchill was defaced. He was a massive racist so yes I did chee" That's disgusting. Churchill led this Country to war and stopped the biggest racist and fascist person take over our Country. Where is your evidence he was racist.

Evidence of the words coming out of his own mouth, or written by his own pen:

• British imperialism was for the good of the “primitive” and “subject races”.

• 1937: “I do not admit, for instance, that a great wrong has been done to the Red Indians of America, or the black people of Australia. I do not admit that a wrong has been done to those people by the fact that a stronger race, a higher-grade race, or, at any rate, a more worldly wise race, to put it that way, has come in and taken their place.” aid: “I hate Indians…they are beastly people with a beastly religion.”

• Palestinians were “barbaric hordes who ate little but camel dung”.

• approved of the separation of “feeble-minded” people
• in favour of sterilisation, to halt the breeding of “unfit” people posing “a very terrible danger to the race”.

• the Prussians, a formerly “barbarous tribe”.

• in relation to unrest in northwest Asia, he lamented the “squeamishness” of his colleagues, who were not in “favour of using poisoned gas against uncivilised tribes.”

• when involved in action against insurgents in Sudan, he boasted of killing three “savages.”

• As an MP, supported Britain’s plan for additional conquests, saying that “Aryan stock is bound to triumph”.

Historians also agree that his actions significantly contributed to the Bengal famine of 1943. When concerned British officials wrote to him and said he was causing a needless loss of life, he responded “Why hasn’t Gandhi died yet?” and then went on to say the famine was caused by Indians for “breeding like rabbits”.

Will that do you?

If only black people were ever allowed a fair opportunity to own the property in their communities.

There are protestors. There are violent people. The two are not the same. There are police. There are murderers.

If only black people were ever allowed a fair opportunity to own the property in their communities.

Extract from Mayor of Atlanta's speech;

"A protest has purpose. When Dr. King was assassinated, we didn’t do this to our city. So if you love this city–his city that has had a legacy of black mayors and black police chiefs and people who care about this city, where more than 50 percent of the business owners in metro Atlanta are minority business owners..."

To those who support the idea of tearing down all statues and monuments associated with the slave trade, do people not realise that most of our heritage is built on the back of slavery, so what do you suggest we do? Smash the country up, burn all historical texts that contain any subtle racist references, tear down all of our castles and cathedrals, desecrate all war memorials etc.

How far do you go with it?

Atlanta is a beautiful becon of a city. Sadly, it is not typical of the economic distribution in America, but it shows what could be possible. There is hope and light in these dark times. Let's direct our attentions to the 'why' these protests are taking place, all around the world and not 'what' a small group of people are doing. That is the important question. Why are so many people protesting against racism in 2020?

And your views on Racism in the UK is......

The UK is not America, but registering to vote (as stated by the Mayor of Atlanta in her speech) and peaceful protest will solve more problems than violent disorder.

@smile- so far the protests have led to the statue being removed, the cenotaph defaced, Churchill’s statue and war memorials vandalised pretty much within a day- all on the back that they represent racism and slavery. All I’m asking is how far do you think we should go with this. Do you support the idea of destroying everything in this country remotely to connected with slavery and racist ideals?

Bluemooninmyeyes1

Is there a time limit on slavery

The Romans made English people slaves.
Is anyone advocating tearing down the Colleseum.
Or in more recent times the Japanese using POW as slaves

When do we move on.

From truly, openly with all the honesty and integrity you can find, ask yourselves why there are protests against racism in 2020? It is a really hard confronting question, but from asking it, from asking ourselves as white people, as black people, as people of any heritage, only then can we decide what must be done next. What can not be the answer is continuing as we have before.

Previous poster linked to this video clip yesterday -

abcnews.go.com/US/small-town-police-chief-killed-officers-cities-wounded/story?id=71017820

Black Police Commissioner in St. Louis visibly crying and emotional after four of his officers had been shot (03.30) -

"They were just standing there. So some coward fired shots at officers, and now we have four in the hospital...and thank God they're alive. Can we make some sense out of this?...This is horrible."

Racism is a mindset, it's complicity, it's cowardice, it's avoiding the hard questions, it's when it's 'their' issue and not our issue.

Clavinova, say what you really mean. What is in your heart? Does protesting against racism make you feel uncomfortable? Is it easier for you to direct that discomfort to questioning the actions of violent people? Answer me this, but please think before you do, why are so many people around the world protesting against racism in 2020?

I think the use of the word racism is what stops some people engaging. To some, through what is essentially ignorance, but seen as though it's not widely addressed in the education system, through our mainstream media etc sadly isn't overly surprising; to them racism is calling someone a derogatory name, treating someone differently as an individual yourself etc. It obviously isn't and goes a lot deeper than that, but many people disengage because they think well I don't do any of that, so I don't need to do anything differently. Although the fundamental changes in society that need to happen are bound up in racism, I can't help but feel that there is a more effective term to encompass inaction being just as complicit, and they we all can and should be doing something in order to move to a more equal society.

@Bluemooninmyeyes1...in answer to your question I don't think most (white)people do realise that this country and its riches were built on the back of slavery, no.

While I don't suggest that all statues get torn down ...Maybe some kind of truth and reconciliation action would be appropriate.

As fir people mewing about the Romans. .I am sorry but that is not recent history and its 'egregious and disingenuous to bring it up. ..

Does protesting against racism make you feel uncomfortable?

No, although I find the gesture of "taking the knee" a bit mawkish for want of a better word.