The following guest sermon was submitted by ULC Minister Rachel Thomas. All members of the ULC community are invited to contribute their own sermons for consideration/publication. To submit a sermon, please email it to sermons@themonastery.org.
Like many of you, I have been shocked and horrified by the tragic death of George Floyd – a man who very plainly did not deserve to die, and, let’s be frank, would likely still be alive if not for the color of his skin.
Public outrage in the wake of this horrific crime has been visceral – and for good reason. But why does it take a shocking incident to bring the issue of racial injustice to the forefront of our collective consciousness? Why must we wait for a police officer to get caught on video murdering an unarmed black man for Americans to confront head-on the racism that people of color in this country are subjected to on a daily basis?
This demonic force of racism has haunted America from its very founding. Yet all too often, it is swept under the rug – excused either as a problem of the past or a vague issue too difficult to solve in the present.
But the events of the past week serve as a reminder of the real, human cost of failing to confront these demons.
The black community has been demanding change for decades; each time a black person is unjustly killed by the police, protesters take to the streets. These efforts have garnered significant attention, but little substantive reform. Will George Floyd’s death finally prove to be a turning point? One can only hope.
The crime is no less egregious this time around, but the tone feels different. Condemnations have come from far and wide. The officers involved were fired immediately. The officer who knelt on Floyd’s neck until he died has been arrested and now faces a murder charge.
These seem like steps in the right direction. But they won’t bring George Floyd back to life. The question now becomes: what are we going to do to prevent the next George Floyd from dying at the hands of a racist system? Is this current system even fixable, or does it need to be torn down and rebuilt from the ground up?
Thoughts and prayers will do no good here. It’s time to take a hard look in the mirror and decide what “land of the free” really means, and how to take what is merely a pipe dream for some and turn it into a reality for everyone.
119 comments
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Clay Serenbetz
Generously, I hope that people refuse to examine the possibility of unconscious racism. Like "Amy" in Central Park, who I imagine never examined her unconscious racism. Many people have closed minds and stridently follow a taught path, as it is safer for them. One can only wonder of the alleged depraved indifference of former Officer Chauvin. He and his colleagues all hand their hands in their pockets. How do you claim that you have a handcuffed suspect that is resisting arrest while the officer doesn't need to take his hands out of his pockets for several minutes. The video is disturbing and disgusting on many levels. Any person with an ounce of humanity will recoil at those images.
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Philip Joseph Ryan
Those officers who looked on, and did nothing to save a life, are equally guilty. They ought to be arrested and charged as accessories to the murder.
This must be the default position where a death has occurred. The police need to be reminded that they are public servants, not masters.
Any contact with the public ought to be one where politeness, and respect is shown to everyone. That doesn't mean that they cannot be firm, where necessary.
The police also need to remember that everyone is innocent until proven guilty, and that is for a jury to decide, not them.
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Carol A siebert
From what I understand one of the other officers was trying to get the officer to release his hold on Mr. Floyd.several times.
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Krystina S.
Carol, if the officer was "trying" to get the other officer to release his hold, he could have just pushed him off. But he didn't.
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Daniel J. Trebas
I see alot of professed "Christians" posting quotes from the bible to support their positions. First off, it was the Romans (and by extension the Roman Catholic Church) that turned who they call Jesus into a white man with blue eyes. Yet, given where he was born he would have at least had brown skin, and today would have looked like how most would consider him to be a black man. The colonialism expansion of white Europe and the Roman Catholic church has thus played a HUGE role in promoting cultural racism. ALL christian churches, especially those used by the right-wing extremists could make a big difference in changing the entrenched racism in America and the world if they would abandon the false illusion of the white Jesus and acknowledge he lived his earthly life as a man of color. Do Black lives matter? Yes. And with Jesus having lived as a black man, HIS black life certainly mattered. But just because many believe that Jesus died for our sins that DOES NOT mean that more black lives should have to do the same. I'm living as a middle-aged white European-based male. And I enjoy the realization that Jesus was not white. Imagine if, the next time you see a young black man, instead of automatically worrying he might endanger you, you instead view him with honor and respect for his heritage that helped build America and that, even further back, was part of the same culture as Jesus and most of his disciples.
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Krystina S.
Well said, Daniel J. Trebas. I concur.
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Krystina S.
Well said, Daniel J. Trebas. I concur.
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Krystina S.
Sorry, shaky finger made a bunch of copies...
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Krystina S.
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Krystina S.
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Krystina S.
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Robert DiGregorio
I was born and raised in the inter city , hung out with all races and beliefs, I seen allot of bad stuff in my days starting from the move event in Philadelphia, I’ve seen people beaten , mugged , even shot , some were my friends , and these ugly things haunt us for the rest of our lives ,I take people as they are , I learned a long time ago ,I treat you as you treat me , I don’t care what color you are , I am a older man now , and I try to always promote peace were it belongs and always preach to young kids to be nice to others and respect woman , you get what you sow, these people destroyed my city , and my family had to leave their house for another area till things calmed down , we all felt that Floyd deserved justice, now I think we need justice ,what about us do we not matter anymore , this crap was set up along with the peaceful protest, good and evil at its best , NOW WHAT , are we supposed to be more respectful to all of you , are we supposed to say thankyou for letting us see the light , this stuff just set things back 20 years , people are people no matter how rich or poor or color they are , and they don’t forget, expessualy when it gets ugly , this could have been handled much better , and be remembered a different way , I hope we can all walk down the street again and just feel normal
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Darryl Mizer
Racism is not an inherited trait. Neither is religion, political ideas and many other attributes of personal beliefs. These are learned behaviors, normally taught within the home environments. Therefore we must accept responsibility for our thoughts and behaviors. Example, these "cops" did not just become racists, although they apparently were.
Look at the home environment and you'll understand the beginnings of hatred. We are NOT born Republican or Democrat. This is taught, sometimes by osmosis.
Can this change our thoughts on racism? Only if we want it to.
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Alexander Clarke
Well said. If you watch very young children in a day care they don't see or even notice each others color. They accept each other regardless of color or physical appearance or disability. It is only later that they began to learn to hate differences.
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Helen Claire -Estelle Nance
If you don't understand the World- Wide system of WHITE SUPREMACY/ That is RACISM.. Then anything you think you understand [ abt the White Power structure] will only confuse you..!!
Enough!..... the police began as a slave patrol and to functions as the strong arm to protect the corporate state 's property.
WE CHARGE GENOCIDE!!
The criminalization of resistance and political dissent .. of the poor and Africans colonized in amerikkka ..has/will/ must meet resistance: Fredrick Douglas/Ida .B. Wells /Ella Baker ...
Mass Incarceration ,application of Neo Slavery under the 13th amendment ..[1] one million black men [ and now women] are within Neo slavery..!!.
...How in the country where African are 13% of the total population …..can the prison population be 80% African??.. .and this disparity is deliberate ,systematic … and Assisted enforced by a Police State...
END POLICE STATE /MASS INCARCERATION !
In the so called ghettos.. city , towns, rural spaces..The Black body in and of itself.. is criminalized..
[ironically : more Africans are enslaved ,currently ,than ,there were ,during the first ,one hundred years of colonial American!!
They have warehoused the black male in slave camps ,the new plantations called prisons... and have them working as slaves for slave wages for major amerikkkan Corporations
REPARATIONS DUE NOW!!
How can ,over policing and PRISON PIPELINE .. be justified? Easily, within a system of White Supremacy !...U.S.A. has 25% of the World's Prison population , But U.S.A , is only.. 5% of the world's peoples.
Mass Incarcerations has destroyed the black community!! the effect is generational!!
WE CHARGE GENOCIDE!!
NeoSlavery, Po-lice...They function to oppress the colonized African community ..in that Sense.. they are doing their murderous- job ..which is the oppressing and repressing political resistance from black people..
thus Cointel pro 2.0....against Black resistance to institutional racism ..
and lackluster responses towards White supremacist race soldiers....who commit Mass Murder.. but are driven to lunch.. or who , come armed with assault weapons to state buildings!!
Now..poor/working class whites are feeling the effects of the VIRUS of corporate greed..!!!
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Krystina S.
You are speaking truth to power.
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Dan Anderson
It seems that the western human being tends to be self-isolated and not focused too much on what is going on around them. It is mostly only during a major disaster or incident where people become more aware and open their eyes to what the world has to offer.
In "we-thinking" societies like Japan, people are far more aware of another's plight and tend to be "bonded" much more often.
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Alexander Clarke
The problem started when home builders eliminated front porches and put them on the back of the house. "Back-in-the-day" people sat on their front porch and watch the kids, talked to their neighbors, conversed with people in the neighborhood and watched strangers that did not seem to belong. Now we live isolated lives and limit our "get togethers" to the back yard.
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Krystina S.
This is an important topic for sermons today. Racism has no place in a democratic society. and police impunity to act out on racist ideation should end NOW. We are all responsible for our actions, for how we treat others- especially if we are paid to protect society, to serve with honor and to respect human dignity. We are all God's Children. The time is now. A new paradigm of TRUE EQUALITY should be put in place. And for that, those in power need to be held accountable for their actions.
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flugo
'crisis': 'We are all God's Children'. you say. I's suggest you qualify your comment. We may be all God's created children, but we are NOT all God's spiritual children. A number of Scriptures clearly prove that those who reject Jesus, who refuse to repent, who do their own thing . . . . they are children of the devil.
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Asa William Sprague, II
I could only find one passage that describes "the children of the Devil" John 3:10. Please post chapter and verse for the other Scriptures that define who the children of the Devil are. Thanks!
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flugo
'asa willy': John 8:44, Acts 13:10, I John 3:10; 3:8 make valid references to whom are the children of the devil..
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Asa William Sprague, II
Thanks, flago.
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James Grainger
This is not the first time an unarmed person of color has been killed by police. It has happened a lot around our country. I have racially mixed grandchildren and I worry about this, as police in American seem to be indifferent. They see a black man and assume he is dangerous. I think we can all understand why, but that is really no excuse. Not every black man carries a gun or sells drugs, etc.
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Alexander Clarke
In some 'hoods they do.
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Matthew J Lopes
I'm a person of color who was arrested for reporting being assaulted by a white woman. And it was in Seattle, which prides itself on being "liberal". The degree to which our system has been trained to impose bigotry is so overwhelming, that I cannot believe reform is a solution. The existing police forces must be completely disbanded, all member barred from future public service, and sweeping nationwide reform imposed. Anything less is just the white man's way of buying himself a clear conscience, once again.
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Alexander Clarke
Fat chance.
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Helen Claire -Estelle Nance
YES....!!..REPARATIONS DUE ..NOW!!..THE SONG GOES: 'POLICE AND THIEVES IN THE STREET...FIGHTING THE NATION WITH THEIR GUNS AND AMMUNITION..POLICE AND THIEVES IN THE STREET ..BOTH FRIGHTENING THE PEOPLE WITH THEIR GUNS AND AMMUNITION....''.. YES ..ON ONE SIDE THE MILITARIZED POLICE STATE AND THE OTHER SIDE MAFIAS..IN THE MIDDLE THE POPULATION..BEING TERRORIZED BY BOTH!1
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James A Fahrman
You said "The existing police forces must be completely disbanded, all member barred from future public service" A few police officers broke the law, and an innocent man was killed. Why does this justify lumping ALL officers into the "racist, homicidal" category? The vast majority of cops are in that profession because they want to help society. They certainly are not in it for the pay! Your comment would be similar to saying there have been riots, looting, and arson, so all current protesters should be banned from future protests. Most of the protesters are peacefully demonstrating for positive change, and should not be lumped in with the looters, shooters, and arsonists. If there is a difference I am missing, please point it out.
The problem with both groups (or any other group), is that they draw their members from the general public, which means there are racists, saints, idiots, geniuses, pacifists and murders available to join any group. The real solution is to find a way to eliminate those who do not properly represent the group, and remove them.
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Melissa Garzon
No. https://youtu.be/jrDuAxp-qJM This is more than "a few officers broke the law." This isn't just an isolated incident, it's much more than that. It's about the systems that allows this to begin with. And some professions cannot have bad apples.
"If we accept that police forces arose at a particular point in history, to address specific social conditions, then it follows that social change could also eliminate the institution. The first half of this syllogism is readily admitted, the second half is heresy." Kristian Williams
"Most middle-class whites have no idea what it feels like to be subjected to police who routinely suspicious, rude, beligerant, and brutal." Dr. Benjamin Spock
"When you have police officers who abuse citizens, you erode public confidence in law enforcement. That makes the job of good police officers unsafe." Mary Frances Berry
"Your silence is power to the savages." Abhijit Naskar
"Our police force was not created to serve black Americans; it was created to police black Americans and serve white Americans." Ijeoma Oluo
"I know that it's hard to believe that the people you look to for safety and security are the same people who are causing us so much harm. But I'm not lying and I'm not delusional. I am scared and I am hurting and we are dying. And I really, really need you to believe me." Oluo
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Sandra Lent
I have found that the amount of racism directed towards whites on the net today, merely makes me angry. It accomplishes nothing. You can shout injustice, but if you follow that comment with things like rioting, burning, looting, and assaulting, and also more killings, you will get no sympathy from me. The wrongful death of George Floyd (and Derek Chauvin has not yet been convicted) is just that, a wrongful death. Anyone ever considered that perhaps DC was just an angry, out of control cop? No, people want to immediately jump on the bandwagon, hate all policemen and laud all blacks. Can we just leave the color out of it?
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Carol A siebert
I agree with you, leave color out of it! It was two men period.
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Asa William Sprague, II
Actually, it was FIVE men: Geroge Floyd and four police officers. The autopsy report onGeorge Floyd indicates that, in addition to the officer kneeling on Floyd's neck, the other officers who were kneeling on Floyd's back also contributed to his demise by restricting blood flow along the spine and compressing Floyd's diaphragm.
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Brien
Well said Carol.
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Krystina S.
I'm white. I don't see that white people are called out without reason. FOUR HUNDRED YEARS of slavery, Jim Crow, discrimination, lynching, murder, incarceration, the government's racist policies (housing, loans, farmers, judicial system, etc.) ... that's a lot of pain. Compassion is in order here. I don't blame people of color for feeling that life is not fair for them. IT ISN'T. FACT. Racism by white people is the status quo.
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Lionheart
Does it take tragedy to open our eyes to “any” injustice, black or white?
Does anyone know of a white man called Tony Timpa? Anyone? Killed by police brutality after a policeman had 13 minutes with his knee on his back above his lungs. He passed away with police joking he’d passed. NO media coverage.
George Floyd, similar type of killing. Riots and protests followed “world wide”.
Neither deserved to die.
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Krystina S.
And that IS THE POINT. I'm white. My family has had very negative interactions with the police, including my son having his motorcycle purposely destroyed and being beaten up during a routine traffic stop. This is the thing: When police mistreat or kill ANYONE, it is wrong. Not ALL police. But there is systemic racism in policing. When Black Lives Matter, the "Least of These," then we make sure ALL LIVES MATTER. Whataboutism does NOT change that. We are horrified and saddened when a white person is mistreated or killed by the police! The tragic and brutal death of Tony Timpa will ALSO be prevented in a future where the police are trained in nonlethal methods, and when they are held responsible for their brutality. Black Lives Matter. Tony Timpa's life mattered. Both are true. Breast Cancer is bad. Ovarian Cancer is bad. Both are true. Let's get rid of CANCER. Let's make the police work better TO SERVE AND PROTECT.
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Brien
Color lives don't matter, any color. HUMAN lives matter. That is it. If you subscribe to a color, then YOU are a RACIST.
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Rev Nolan
“Will George Floyd’s death finally prove to be a turning point?“
Unfortunately, as we have seen throughout the history of America, white supremacy rules America. I know that leaves a bad taste in the mouth of non-racist, people loving people like me, but there’s only one way to rid white supremacist racism, as well as any other form of bigotry like that against the GLBT+ community, polygamist societies, Asian and Brown communities, etc.
As with any challenge, we strive for a better way of doing things. If nothing works, we eradicate the problem as the best means of dealing with the challenge. In the case of white supremacy, nothing has worked, so we need to eradicate the supporters thereof by deportation, extermination, or public executions. Civil rights are actually inalienable rights, so this is where non-supporters of white supremacy enact the 2nd Amendment to hunt down like prey every single virus of white supremacy and exterminate it until every last one has voluntarily left our freedom loving country or have reduced in population by attrition.
Unfortunately, as far as American history goes, evidence demands a verdict, and George Floyd’s murder is not what it’s going to take. My prescription is the only solution to curing America of the vicious virus of white supremacy.
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Clay Serenbetz
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Minister Carlos Ricardo Walls
Every individual has to reflect,look inward and want a better world.Not just for one group or another,but for all.It's amazing that civilization has come as far as it has in 2020.There's always room for improvement.After all we're all created in God's image.Act like it until we make it?
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Lionheart
It’s a pity no one from the media didn’t ask anyone who they were rioting for. It wouldn’t surprise me if no one could remember, or even know name of, George Floyd.
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Tom Thackrey
The riots are an unfortunate response to a serious problem. The sincerity of the rioters does not diminish the reality of the problem. 158 years after the Emancipation Proclamation and we still have social and institutional racism leading to injustice and inequality. We've gone from legal segregation to de facto segregation. Recent events have shown how shallow the veneer of equality really is.
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Lori Mongillo
Unfortunately, people don't pay attention unless there is an "over the top" reaction taking place. Rioting is not the answer, but if they don't, it seems, no one will care and things won't change. That's what we've become. People won't really pay attention to the condition of our world until Florida is under water. The average human is pretty self concerned and doesn't address anything unless it affects them personally. It saddens me to see this kind of disconnection in myself. I do believe that the ignorance of racism has to stop. I hope this situation opens the way and our eyes. Knowing the name of George Floyd or the name of every other black person who has been unjustly murdered, IS what they remember. Snide remarks like yours will not.
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Lionheart
The two Shader sisters, one of which threw a Molotov cocktail at a police cruiser, arrested for attempted murder, have a history of clashes with police at protests. People like these come looking for trouble to create anarchy no matter the reason for the rioting. I read of a report that all those arrested turned out to be from out-of-state, is this pure coincidence, or is it organized? Did they in fact know, or even care, about the name of George Floyd, or was it just a darn good reason for a riot? Looking at what I’ve seen on the news of the looting and riots I know which direction of opinion I’m leaning towards.
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Lori Mongillo
It's not the protesters. You're right. It's the outsiders that take advantage of protests by rioting. Any excuse to loot and set fires. If the police start treat blacks as they do whites, there wouldn't be protests, and the outsiders wouldn't come in and cause the riots. It's a domino effect. So you feel that that cop had the right to kill Floyd? Do you see it as justifiable?
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Lionheart
Absolutely not! They need bringing to justice, all four of them.
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Lori Mongillo
Good to hear.
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Melonie Deborah Rasmussen
And that’s another problem. What you’ve seen on the news! Did you see the peaceful daytime protests? Did you see the sit in and prayers? Check in with media. They only want to show the horror/shock & awe not the truth
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Lori Mongillo
Melonie....and why do you think they tend to show the horror/shock &amp? Why do you think people are making it a big deal? People like the KKK leader that drove into the crowd....why do you think they made a point there? Why do you think they keep showing that cop kneeling on George's neck? Yes...there are many peaceful protests that don't get the attention, but unfortunately only the heart break gets the job done. Some people are upset about the attention to this murder is getting. Those are the people who are the problem. They are prejudice. People don't change unless the message is very clear.
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Stephen Kosovich
The minority theives don’t care about George, all they want to do is use the protests to get something for nothing
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Melonie Deborah Rasmussen
I look forward to judgement day and the promise/warning that you will be judged by the same measure with which you judge others.
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Lionheart
Phew!!! I think I'm safe then, because if there is a Judgement day, as suggested in that old book of myth, tales, and fiction, I wouldn't look forward to it just to gloat at those being punished. And if many of them are black and get sent to Hell I wouldn't want to be outside the courthouse for all the riots. Do you think the Christian God is a racist? Didn't he turn the skins of some very naughty people, descended from Cain, black? Didn't he also condone slavery? On Judgement Day, is anyone going to send God to trial? He seemed to be a very angry naughty little god? Just asking for a friend!
Can anyone put a good word in for me? I don't want to get on his bad side. I swore the other day, but I think I got away with it.
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Melonie Deborah Rasmussen
I think you meant the non-minority thieves.
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Flora Michelle Williams
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; A time of war, and a time of peace Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
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Lori Mongillo
So Flora.....what's your point here? I'm just curious.
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Brien
I would bet a pay check that says half of those so called protesters don't even know what they are protesting. All lives matter, not just black, but ALL. Racism is being perpetrated by the so called social injustice protesters. I absolutely refuse to pick one color over another and say that only that color matters. As far as I am concerned, if you believe that only black lives matter, then YOU are the definition of RACISM.
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Philip Joseph Ryan
Racism has been cynically hijack, by so-called 'Community Leaders ' and 'consultants', who make a tidy profit 'advising' companies on what is politically correct, what isn't, and which terms are acceptable to black people.
All this achieves is resentment and a huge ego boost to these s self-appointed 'experts, who are more interested in exploiting racism to benefit themselves, whilst fleecing businesses that employ them under the illusion that they are doing the right thing to obtain racial harmony.
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rparish
Not one sign, chant, t shirt or banner says ONLY Black Lives Matter. If you would research the people who started the BLM movement, you would find that the phrase was never meant as an exclusive term. Rather, it had an implied (too) at the end. It was a statement of frustration and sadness - Our lives matter, Black Lives Matter. It is not and will never be racist to point out injustice and inequity. No one “picks” their color. The Civil Rights movement was not a movement for African Americans. It was a movement of justice. Every other rights movement, from women’s suffrage to AIM to Stonewall to the ADA, has had a simple request - include me. None demanded “special rights.” It is the person who fears their greater power will be diminished who sees BLM and other movements for justice as a threat. Listen to the pain, frustration, fear and, yes, anger of the protesters. They know EXACTLY why they are marching.
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Brien
Respectfully, why black lives matter? Why not all lives matter, how about our lives matter? What I see is skin color once again being used as a weapon. It will only get better when we see ourselves as human beings and not some color palette label. I am sorry if you do not understand that, but I stand by my comment. Peace
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Brien
As far as the signs go, even the freakin picture leading this story clearly states BLACK LIVES MATTER. Perhaps it is you that needs a bit more research. Mistreatment is NOT exclusive to any single group. Frankly, to proclaim otherwise is insulting to MANY other people. Peace
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Philip Joseph Ryan
How did this police officer treat other citizens that he arrested, rightly, or wrongly? How many other colours, white included, suffered at his hands, where it may have been luck and a different partner that saved their lives?
Before it can be concluded that it was purely motivated by race and not a high degree of psychopathy, the must be an enquiry into all his arrests.
He was certainly reckless as to whether this man survived, but was it manslaughter, or was it murder? It seems that some have already made their decisions, without the benefit of the whole truth being established first.
Justice matters, too.
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Reuben G. Robertson
ALL lives have never experienced this”open season” attitude that exists in the whole “Justice system for hundreds of years. Think about it we all know that all lives matter. Some lives needs saving and some don’t have to worry about their getting shot by police every day when they go to school.
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Daniel J. Trebas
Yes, all lives matter but the point of "Black lives matter" is that people of color have been treated AS IF their lives didnt matter to the same extent as everyone else. As a homeless middle-aged "white" male in California I KNOW I am less likely to be killed by police compared to someone with darker skin. That's why, as a "white" person we need to do more than quietly accept the benefit of "white privilege" and show some kind of outward support for people protesting that Black Lives Matter!!!
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Carol A siebert
I agree all of us matter!
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Carol A siebert
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Carol A siebert
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Carol A siebert
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Carol A siebert
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Carol A siebert
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Charlotte Balzar
I put it out there that that logic means,,,,,Breast cancer awareness marches are disrespectful to testicular cancer. Why just breast cancer? What makes it so special?
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Brien
Your attempt at logic escapes me as does your very lame comparison. Look, if you wish to participate as a racist, by all means go for it. I REFUSE to use skin color as a condition for HORRIBLE actions by one human being to another. I look at anyone participating in glorifying skin color as a toxic person. Do you not get it? All of the bad history with...HUMAN RIGHTS.....all of it always seems to break down to skin color. You seem to be one of the people that wishes to give an excuse for human to human evil. I will NOT give ANY excuse for treatment like we are witness to. There is no excuse for evil, on any side you chose. This is my truth. I consider your truth to be toxic.
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Rev. Laurie G. Cleveland RN
Here's my take on the whole race issue. The majority of cops do their jobs despite color. There will always be people in law enforcement or government that shouldn't be allowed in. There are always going to be clashes between races. I walked into one of them when I was working agency shortly after I got my nursing license. They were having a race riot in the parking lot which was disturbing the residents I looked at both of my aides. One was white, the other black and I told them that I didn't care if they were black. White orvpink polka dotted. They wete there to take care of patients and call bells. If they wanted to rest between bedchecks, fine. But they had better do their jobs. The point is that we are all God's children and the people who have had the most mistreatment are not the blacks, but the native Americans. The current incumbent as President cares only for the gold in his pocket. He hates Native Americans since they won in court over him to build a casino. He I'd selling off America a piece at.a time. He has destroyed cemeteries and SACRED I Disney gaves with that wall of his. This just shows a lack of caring on his part. There are protocols for the removal and reinterment of remains. He even went through a national cemetery. That wall really is a reminder to all of us what happens if we cannot get along. Stop calling the race card everytime something bad happens. Stop vandalizing things because you are angry. That doesn't give you the right to go on a rampage destroying businesses owed by various ethnicities. It's stupid and dangerous. We should be helping each other, but we aren't.
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Carol A siebert
We don't need to bring politics into this. That is your opinion only.
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Brien
Maybe it is, maybe not. Who died and made you the judge?
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Alexander Clarke
Rioting and looting does not help but rather solidifies racism. The pictures of people looting and setting fires will be used by white supremacist groups to further expand their influence.
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Carol A siebert
I see two men, an officer and an assailant. I don't see color. Who is to say this was Racist, the media, citizens standing around assuming it is Racist. What if it was two Black men would it be Racist then? Yes, I see that the officer had a non department hold on Mr. Floyd which was definitely wrong. They don't teach those holds in Police Academy especially being handcuffed. The officer difinantly a power trip. I feel he should of let Mr. Floyd up or repositioned Mr. Floyd, There was no reason to have a knee in anyone's neck and when Mr Floyd said he couldn't breathe the officer should of listened to that instead of continued his power trip. Mr. Floyd should not of died that day. The other officers should of call their superior officer white shirts to the seen. There immediately should of been a superior officer on the seen to instruct that officer to get off of Mr. Floyd's neck! The officer wouldn't listen to the other officer to release his hold. Yes, there is still brutally by police still going on by some however, what we don't see is the killing of White People by Blacks in the media. White or Black it needs to stop! We are all equal, brother and sisters. God Bless Mr. Floyd.
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Karu
You seem to have missed the point that this is part of a much larger pattern. Blacks are targeted by police at a much higher rate than whites. Native Americans and Hispanics as well. Plus it is not a new problem. They systems we live in are inherently biased towards wealthy whites and against people of color. There are people much better versed in the details than I, but I suggest you do some research regarding white privledge.
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Brien
You missed the point. The reality is very simple. One human being committed an act of evil against another human being. No other description is needed. Stop giving the action an excuse. There is absolutely NO excuse for what has happened. I hope this brings understanding but I fear this evil, (RACISM), has blinded so many people. Funny, when I talk with someone I refer to them by name, not color.
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Jane Marie Rose McTavish
Mr. Floyd was presenting sign of drug use, from my talks with medical and police, a suspect/patient will beg to be released and due to the drugs, have a super strength that is then turned on the person/people just trying to do their jobs. I am in no way aiding with the officers. They, having been trained. Could and should have handled the situation better, NO QUESTION. Mr. Floyd is NOT an innocent. Had the officers had the opportunity and worked as a team, there would have been a different outcome. The fact that Mr. Floyd is Black has no purpose here. Had he been a white man, there would have been little if any publicity. I speak from my heart, experiences having been married to an officer much like those involved in this killing. One seems to be out of control while the others are clueless as to how to handle him and the situation. There's clearly more here than meets the eye.
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Minister Chuck
I do not buy into the black lives matter, they matter no more or less than anyone else! I believe that anyone can lift themselves up & be successful, if they want to work hard & tr; those words came from a friend of mine who happens to be black! My friend & his brother were bother raised the same way, by a single black mother in the getho! Jeff studied hard, worked hard & put himself through Gannon University. He was doing well & offered to help his brother out with college, but he decided it was easier to sell drugs & gang bang! So, it is not the color of your skin, it is the heart inside & the dertermination to succeed! I am retired, but worked in management for many years. During one of our hiring events, we were mandated to hire black applicants, even thou they were not qualified for the position! I had to pass over a Bosinian & a few others to hire blacks! How is this fair for anyone? I have nothing against any nationality, but when they want to use it as an excuse to get a job or other benefits, I draw the line! The first thing that happens when they so call protest/riot, is loot stores & burn the city down, destroying things that are not theirs & steeling things & if they were hurt by the police trying to stop them, it is police brutality; not the fact they are looting & taking what is not theirs! Everyone is entitled to their opinion & this is mone!
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Ronnie P Cooper
The reason I am sending this correspondence to you, is because one point that I have not heard anyone speak on in regards to the riots and protests that are currently taking place; is that people need to understand one thing. The one thing is this, it is not right for anyone to lose their life at the hands of another. In regards to the riots that are taking place and the protest, people need to remember that your message will repeat itself when you peacefully protest, because your message is the only thing that's taking place. As where when you riot all that is remembered is your action of violence and aggression, and your message never gets heard, because everyone is only talking about the violence and aggression. You can see that now, most of what's being spoken about on the news is the rioting; what's burning, what's being torn up and the message was lost two days ago, and the message is that no one should lose their life at the hands of another. We need to have the passion we have right now, about this situation. What occurred at the hands of a police officer, which is what makes it so extremely terrible because we put our trust in them to uphold the law & one of the laws is you can't murder somebody. So that does make this a more centralized thing, however we need to have the same passion when somebody is killing somebody else every day that gets reported on the news, if we would have that type of conviction every time someone loses their life unjustly, then America would see a change for the better. And in regards to those who are out there for a negative purpose causing all of the damage and violence, they need to consider when they're doing these things setting stuff on fire and looting stores that what if that was their place that they owned and somebody was doing it to them. The police are going to respond in situations that cause violence, aggression, property damage or harm to peaceful citizens. Just as in a peaceful protest, they are there to ensure that your right is defended and allow you to protest that, so you have to expect this type of reaction when things aren't peacefully demonstrated. We have to stop looking and speaking about race, we are all human and created equal by God. People need to find their faith and belief and through faith you will have peace. Mark 12:31 "And the second is this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. Thank you. God bless.
Pastor Ron Cooper Turning Point of Life by Faith Ministry Memphis, TN
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Ronnie P Cooper
Pastor Ron Cooper I think a live chat forum for all of us would be a good thing. There needs to be a common ground among all Faith leaders, that gets the point across to people of our congregations and of all faith and non faith believers. That Common Ground needs to be God's words, and his teachings that are in the Bible, that we as people called to Faith need to stress and convey apparently better than we have for some, to get the understanding that we are all human, even though Society has made it about race, that it is not a race solution. This is a Humanity issue, it is a come to Jesus Revolution that needs to take place. Our society has lost it's way, people have become caught up in social media and reality TV, and it has ruined the morality of our society because it focuses and brainwashes people to believing and concentrating their efforts in vain, materialistic, sexual and non faith lifestyles. This in itself has ruined the root, core and Foundation of mankind. I understand when something takes place such as what has, it's not right regardless of what color the people are that are involved. We need to be as outraged and involved and passionate about every life that is lost on a daily basis unjustly regardless of color, creed or religion. The government, has enabled social inequality in such a way that it has caused racial inequality. They have done this by allowing it to be so easy for people just to sit on their rear ends and get welfare, by whatever means whether it be government assistance cash funding or food stamps, that if people see an easy way out with very little effort to support themselves or having to be responsible then they will choose that easy way out. And there are people in all Races that take advantage of this, so it is a problem that we as a society have to resolve, we have to resolve it in a peaceful way, and the only way to resolve something in a peaceful way is if you have peace in your heart. We know God teaches us in the Bible that we can have peace in our heart if we have God in our heart if we have accepted him as our creator and his son Jesus Christ as our savior. Then through that only will our voices come together as one to speak one common truth, one common goal, one common belief. I never have found any one religion to be any more right than the other, as long as God is the center of that belief and that the teachings are not against that of God. So this is something that is not any one race problem and it is not any one Faith problem, it is not any one cities problem, it is our problem as a people, as a nation, as a country and as humans. I am a white man, in a biracial marriage with 7 biracial children and I have been robbed at gunpoint by two black people, I have had black people shout racist hateful remarks at me I had a friend killed at the hands of a black person because they were trying to carjack him and I have another friend who was shot and almost died in a failed car jacking and I still to this day don't have a racist thread in me against anyone else that doesn't look like me. Because I have peace in my heart and I have that in my heart because I have God in my heart and everyday when I wake up I make sure that my interactions in that day with other people are positive and uplifting and encouraging with every person I come in contact with. If I put into a situation by another person's aggression, I don't change who I am because of what another person does. What is wrong with Society is parents aren't parents anymore we aren't teaching those core moral values, we have given our younger generation a sense of entitlement, no sense of earning what they want, no value in responsibilities, we are not teaching them that you go out here and you work and you earn a living, rather we are ruining are younger generation, our children, our future by allowing social media and TV to raise our children and show them improper values and materialism as the core of life. So everyone can say whatever they want to about this situation that is taking place it's bigger than just this one situation, our society, our government, we as humans need a revolution of change and the only way we can get a positive change is we have to get back to our faith. People that have true faith, not just doing it so everybody sees them doing it, but truly doing it for God then our society wouldn't have these problems.
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Karu
As an outsider to your christian faith would I have a voice in your community? The likelihood of evangelizing or converting me is absolutely zero. From my outside perspective I see the potential that the path you follow is part of the root of our problem. One of the primary tenants of your religion is the concept that non-believers must be converted at any cost, which leads to the believe that somehow christians are superior to people of other faiths and other colors.
I work with youth, and often note part of the reason they have turned away from god and the church is the lack of empathy and huge degree of hypocrisy between the actual words of your prophet and the behavior of his worshipers.
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arawngraalrd
People are going to die. It may seem unpleasant, but it beats the alternative. It's embarrassing to have someone die in your hands but, this was obviously not Racism. It was more likely the anger of a friend, but could still have been Natural Causes. George Floyd was a bouncer,along with the cop he died at the hands of, why he was refusing to get into the car, it could have been he was dying already, and maybe he could have been diagnosed more objectively. Did he die of Natural Causes, or had his friend used Inapropriate Force? I'd like to know his side of the story, but modern cops are so trained in TestiLying. I think Black People would rather that doped up White Kids would not be tagging monuments with "BLM."
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Lionheart
The poor, black and white, and all colors in-between, have been voting Democrat for years, and they are still poor, especially in Democrat driven states. Education is the key, but many don't want to be educated, then they complain the system is failing them when they hit on hard times. Many want something for nothing, especially if they have to work for it. It appears the system is broken and has been breaking down for years with no President resolving what has been growing for years. The youth, black and white, of today want riches "now" and will do anything to get it. Crime is on the increase, perhaps because they want what they see in movies, young guys with fancy cars and fancy girls. Society is broken, and each will blame the other. black vs white, white vs black, LBGTQ vs straight, religion vs no religion. Each uses their crutch to cause mayhem until they have what they want. It's not about race, it's about a broken society. I don't know who has the fix, but religion isn't it, but if it helps, go for it.
🦁♥️
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William Cureton Fox
Why isn't is a tragedy in Chicago?
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Helen Claire -Estelle Nance
Comment has been removed.
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Michael Barnett
The liberal media is the biggest threat to our freedom The liberal media is a threat to the free world. they have used their platform to brainwash the world with lies, the promotion of homosexuality, Islam, transgenderism, Global warming hoax, the love for mass abortion, coronavirus, and the hating of President Trump. the liberal media in the United States are biased and dangerous. they systematically skew the information, such as reporting news in a way that conflicts with standards of professional journalism or promoting a liberal political agenda through entertainment media.
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Michael Barnett
BabiesLivesMatter According to Beverly Beatty: Over 60 million babies have been murdered and counting. 23 million black babies take up the total of this number. While almost everyone is willing to raise a voice for #GoergeFloyd, who will raise a voice for the millions of George Floyds’ that have died at the hands of Democracts Planned Parenthood??
BlackPeople don’t be hypocrites! Don’t just raise your voice when a white Democracts cop kills a black Democracts man. Do you know how many “white Democracts abortionists murder black babies every day? If you are going to stand for injustice, stand on ALL COUNTS!!
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Alexander Clarke
Oh please!
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Helen Claire -Estelle Nance
THE SONG GOES: 'POLICE AND THIEVES IN THE STREET...FIGHTING THE NATION WITH THEIR GUNS AND AMMUNITION..POLICE AND THIEVES IN THE STREET ..BOTH FRIGHTENING THE PEOPLE WITH THEIR GUNS AND AMMUNITION....''
... YES ..ON ONE SIDE THE MILITARIZED POLICE STATE AND THE OTHER SIDE MAFIAS..IN THE MIDDLE THE POPULATION..BEING TERRORIZED BY BOTH!1
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flugo
'mike': Excellent!
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Richard S Ertel
Question... Would this man still have been killed if he hadn't been involved in criminal activity which brought the police to his location? I'm as appalled as everyone is about the tragedy that took place & I believe reforms are necessary, but the article above states the ONLY reason he was killed was the color of his skin. Like he was innocently standing on the side of the street corner minding his own business when 4 police officers stopped, got out of their cars and assassinated him. Really???? I don't condone what the officers did, but had he not been committing a crime would the police even had any contact with him? I don't believe insighting Americans around the country to burn, loot & create havoc is the answer. The ends do not justify the means.
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Tynan Q Short
“BLACK LIVES MATTER “. Yes they matter as well as white lives brown lives or green blue or pink. All lives matter. As long as we an a race the human race continue to point out the differences between skin color then there will always be a different. Just by uttering Black live matter people need to realize that even though you, they may in no way be a racist it’s promoting the vary basis of racism
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William S. Robinson
Very well said! Having grown up in the 60’s & 70’s I can say with great assurance little has changed since then. In those two decades things like this we're overshadowed by the Vietnam war in the media. That is until Dr King came along and brought the issues forward. Unfortunately, in our society, no one really cares and when a tragedy like this occurs everyone wants to have a discussion to lessen the anger and hope it blows over. These discussions in many cases are useless because no action to better the situation is even discussed much less acted upon. This is not the only incident of racism happening in our country- It's happening all over everyday under the guise of immigration control, however, Violence is not the answer, it works only to fuel. racism and give an excuse to justify its existence. It's time to come to the big table and write laws that impose real consequences for these criminal acts and enforce them. A mayor getting a photo op of his apology is not the answer. George Floyd did not deserve to die- he did not especially deserve to die begging for his life - yes Black Lives Matter as much as any other and perhaps people will start to really care and this will indeed be a turning point.
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Minister Denise
The race talk has to be done all over the world because every nationality has blasting, white and all shades in between. And each culture has their prejudices with color also. In he US it goes back to the “discovery of the Americas” when that took the advice of the native and took their land and homes away. It start with the kidnapping and human trafficking of the African salves and use them as free labor. The problem in the USA is as stated in a comment above SIN. How can you say love thy neighbor as thy self when you strip a group of people of the culture and language. Beat them until they understood your language and call them uneducated because of it. Here is an example of what I am talking about. I would say sit down, since you do speak the language you will continue to stand, you just disobeyed an order so I push you do into the chair. The next day you give that same order but this time you whipped me. The third time you gave the same order I remembered what happen the first two time so now I know that the sound that came out of you mouth that form the word sit I will do so I would get hurt. How does that make a person uneducated. There is so much rich history in the black race of Americans that help this country so why do we still have the problems we have today. Because we are not following what we learned from the Bible, Torah or the Quran and talk about the cultural differences.
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SibylTheHeretic
Africans weren't the only people who were enslaved. And the native americans were enslaving each other long before the europeans got here.
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Mark Bell
Personally I do not support anyone or any organization that supports Marxist or Socialist views. If you want that type of government, feel free to move, I’ll even help you pack!
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Helen Claire -Estelle Nance
WHITE SUPREMACY IS THE ONLY FORM OF RACISM AND RACISM MEANS THE INSTITUTIONS OF WHITE SUPREMACY;ITS A WHITE POWER SYSTEM THAT PRACTICES INJUSTICE IN ALL INSTITUTIONS OF ECONOMIC, EDUCATION, ENTERTAINMENT, LABOR,LAW. POLITICS, RELIGION,SEX ,HEALTH, MILITARY....TIME TO START PRACTICING JUSTICE!
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Brien
Umm, no. Referring to another human being as a color, any human being, is RACISM. Substitute all the color labels with human being and you will be able to see the evil for what it is. Human against human butchery that must end.
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Angel
The dictionary suggests differently...It's this liberal brainwashing that makes you think only whites can be racist...Try again skippy...
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Angel
Man was a violent criminal and drug addict. I have NO sympathy for someone who has a heart attack because he took to much Phentenlyal and freaked out when busted by police....This is NOT about racism, if it were, they wouldn't use a thug to push their agenda. Let me know when you actually have a cause to protest...
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Helen Claire -Estelle Nance
IF YOU DONT UNDERSTAND THE WORLDWIDE SYSTEM OF WHITE SUPREMACY[ white power structure] that is [the only] Racism.. ..then any thing else you Think.. you might understand ...in this regard....will only Confuse you..!1
WE must ...destroy the Unjust system of White Supremacy ....in all areas of white hegemony/power control; education, entertainment ,economics ,labor ,law. religion, politics, sex and war...all eight areas of activity..
and until this nation address and repairs 400 years of slavery[genocide] 100 years of Black slave codes/apartheid[ i was born under this system-1960] -Jim Crow and the racial caste system that still exist and mass incarceration of African in amerikka....... No Justice -No peace!!
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SibylTheHeretic
There is racism because some people want there to be racism. Sounds to simplistic to be true. You can't be a victim without a tormentor. And It is so easy to create victims and tormentors based on the color of their skin. I propose that it is not the victims or the tormentors that are the problem, it is the people who nurture these groups. I call these people liberal democrats. So the perpetuation of racism comes back to politics. We need to change the minds of those who can control and make themselves the benefactors of these groups. My life experience is that there are just as many black knuckleheads as there are white knuckleheads who are easily manipulated into victims and tormentors.
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Helen Claire -Estelle Nance
There is only ONE FORM OF RACISM ON THIS PLANET .........that is the WorldWide System of White Supremacy...the only Racism .. th white power structure that dominate nonwhite is all areas ofa activities:education, entertainment economics, labour,law. politics, religion, sex and..WAR..
nonwhite can be prejudice or bigots.. but NOT RACIST...because we have NO POWER TO DOMINATE WHITE IN ANY OF THE ABOVE AREAS!!!
Respectfully...the writers and the media are deliberately missing the real problem...while the murdering police officers are obviously racist, the question is why???...obviously police have to have their training and on-going re-training altered to teach them that fellow officers MUST stop the use of unnecessary force, and they should not be subjected to abuse from their fellow officers...but that is situational...the real problem is that America will not deal with the housing and education problems that are the real causes of racism...until that is done, there will not be any improvement...Peace...Tom B
ULC...why do you immediately put "delete comment" on my pointed, yet respectful comment???...WHY???...Tom B
Tom, I also get the option to delete my comments. I think it is just that, an option. When I read your post, I do not see the delete comment option. Peace
Brien...Thanks...Peace...Tom
@Tom - each poster can delete or edit their own comment. It's not 'commentary' on your content. No one else can delete or edit your comment (well, except for the admins I guess). Mine periodically get 'held for moderation' for some unknown reason. I've been a member for about 2yrs now...
Gail...Thanks...you and Brien have cleared this up for me...Peace...Tom
Same comment...does the ULC, which I support, fail to understand the First Amendment?...I have said nothing that relates to sedition of defamation...Tom B
Do you want open, respectful discussions or not???...Please respond....Peace...Tom B
'tom'; The lack of housing, education, opportunity, etc are NOT the problem. SIN is the problem! .You're telling me a college graduate, with limitless opportunity, living is million home will commit no crime, is not prejudiced, is not self-centered? The inner man, the heart has to be changed. You can't dress it up with respectability, popularity and success. ONLY looking to Jesus as one's ONLY Remedy, ONLY Savior will society change, person by person.
The KKK are followers of Jesus. It doesn't seem to help them at all. I live in the south with all the Jesus born agains and they are quietly prejudice, yet attend church regularly. What should be done with them?
Regular church attendance does NOT make one 'born-again' nor Christian; any more than regular attendance of a garage makes one an automobile! And, prove to me the KKK are 'followers' of Jesus, as well define 'follower'!
What should be done? They, like we, are in desperate need of a Savior. And Jesus is the ONLY way to peace, forgiveness and eternal life.
I have found more peace, forgiveness and love in my spiritual community than I ever experienced in any Christian community. The problem is that they are so arrogant to believe they are the only ones that have a grasp and connection to Spirit. Whether you believe it or not, everyone is connected to "God", each in their own way. Yet some are so cut off by their own perspective that they choose, not God, to condemn others. They have a need to feel superior in their faith. Sadly it is the path they have chosen. It is one of division, not love.
You are correct! Spot on! All religions teach hate in that each religion and subsets thereof teach that "they" are the one and only true path to everlasting life and that all the others are not. They preach superiority and that all that do not believe as they do are unworthy. One can have faith and belief without belonging to a religion or cult. God does not need money but religions do. Religions are all about control, control of what you think, say, do and to separate you from your wealth.