3276: Die Trying: The George Floyd Riots
 

Loved ones, idiots, and the nationwide 2020 protests

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It’s a waste of matches if the car is empty.

My wife and I had to explain to our black children why I was going to the protest. And when they start driving I’ll have to explain to them how to deal with the police to lessen the chances of them being murdered by the police.

Fuck the police. You’ll never see me shed a tear over a dead cop.

In a weird way, it was refreshing and cathartic to hear Keith's frustration, anger, and empathy in this episode. Not because i want anyone to feel that way - I don't - but because it echoes everything I'm screaming internally all the time.

I woke up in the middle of the night last night crying, and I couldn't even articulate to myself why. Like Keith, I deal with world events pretty passively - I do what I can, I'm as active as I can be, I donate everywhere I can afford, but it rarely emotionally troubles me in any kind of acute way. But this is different. I've really struggled with the country I live in this year, and this week really brought it to a head. I just don't know where to go from here, and that's kind of the point in all of this.

So many people in this country have been flagrantly dismissed for so long that nobody knows what to do anymore except scream and yell and finally fight back. And the heartbreaking part that keeps me up all night is that the police and the government simply escalate it instead of for one minute look at the issues at hand and try to objectively solve the problem. These are our employees, these are people who serve us, and they no longer even pretend to care about our wellbeing unless we can personally enrich them in some way. At least 20 years ago they were decent enough to lie to us about it.

Fuck that. Burn it all down.

Also, fuck their cars. To Chemda's point, yes I paid for them, but since it's my money I'd rather it go to a bonfire than to running over black people at protests.

Look just tell me it wasn't Ken so I can still listen to Daddy issues

It wasn’t Ken.

Christmas in June

Yes
 

How may use what little privilege I have now as a gay black man in this country burn the shit the fuck down you’ve got insurance you’ve got your bank account you ain’t lost shit and who the hell you think on build his shit back up bananas the brown folks so shut the fuck up you still getting pay dumb ass white people want to talk about it’s not fair then they get the sympathetic white and brown folks I don’t see and understand shit bitch please step back stop talking into some action don’t ask me what the fuck you can do do something I’m black and gay the action is all here to be seen.So don’t be crying and I don’t understand I don’t see it yes but… Fuck all the buts, LOL no but seriously fuck all the but, You looking at me like you don’t understand I’m a look right the fuck back at you because I don’t know what the fuck you want for me do you want me to saying do you want me to dance you want me to tell you a joke… What the fuck are we talking about?????

This was definitely cathartic to listen to right now. Keith talking about this reminds me of experiences talking to people in my family about racism. Those experiences that make you take a step back and review your entire relationship like you're watching The Sixth Sense for the 2nd time, looking for the clues.

Keith's rage about why someone doesn't get that they killing my people was very therapeutic this morning. I needed that.

Thank you.