[blotter_paper]

The more that protestors refrain from violent property destruction, the less likely it becomes that the three cops who were accessories in the murder of George Floyd get charges brought against them. Burning down one precinct got one cop charged (albeit with a 3rd degree); I would really love to see the other three charged, even if it requires some anonymous protestors to light up three more precincts. I'd gladly trade in police destroying citizen lives for citizens destroying police property.

[tal8d]

Ah justice.

  It is better that ten innocent persons suffer than that one guilty escape.
  -- Bizzaro William Blackstone

[paulryanrogers]

Is this meant to be sarcasm? (Honest question)

[augustt]

Yes - the actual phrase is "It is better that ten guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffer".

[paulryanrogers]

Thanks for clarifying for me.

Still, I would hope that as police are investigated they are held to a high standard of behavior. They do after all have a near monopoly on the lawful use of violence.

[tal8d]

I absolutely agree that cops should be held to a higher standard, but that is a very different discussion. Imagine trying to steer the conversation similarly for any other class of crime: "You can't blame the school shooters... they naturally strike out at what is within their reach, they should be given space to express their outrage. We need to talk about bullying."

[blotter_paper]

The topic of the week is an extrajudicial murder committed by a team of four cops; where was our restraint in deciding the fate of George Floyd? Do these officers deserve nicer treatment than this system gave Floyd? Did Floyd deserve this treatment, too? If so, why didn't he get it?

[eanzenberg]

George Floyd absolutely deserved the right treatment. He didn’t get it, and the perps should be brought to justice. Getting revenge for George’s injustice is not justice. It’s not what civilized society is built on. In the end, we were a society that protects even the murders and rapists and the worst of the worst offenders from extra-judicial revenge for their actions.

[blotter_paper]

In this pattern of cases, the system is the perpetrator of extra-judicial violence. We've had plenty of time for the system to correct itself, and it hasn't. Now a precinct gets burned down, a cop gets charges the next day, and I'm like, okay ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ that seemed to work. It's not about revenge, it's about fixing the system by any means necessary. Fire works, protest signs haven't been.

[anigbrowl]

Since police are in the habit of teargassing people who are not engaging in any violence that seems pretty inequitable.