[ben_w]

People disagree that the American police are routinely armed? That’s the first I’ve heard.

Does anyone actually disagree that the police have a presumption of justification for lethal force? Because literally every time I’ve seen this conversation, for longer than I’ve been online, the argument from those opposed to the protesters of the moment and in favour of the police response has been that they should have that presumption not if they have that presumption.

Does anyone disagree that the protestors face the prospect of injury or loss of life? Despite, to use one of far too many salient examples from this year alone, the video of a pensioner being knocked to the ground by one cop and bleeding from the head as the rest just walked around him without even attempting to offer first aid?

As for what ought to be acceptable grounds for firing… how many states are “at-will” or whatever the correct term is? In those places, anything goes.

[s_y_n_t_a_x]

You seem to have a distorted view of America.

You should probably live here before you pass judgement.

Listening to the echo chamber here and the mainstream news that comes out of America is not the full picture.

[ben_w]

I’ve had four one month long trips to the USA, three east coast, one west. I’ve walked from San Jose train station to Cupertino, from South Ferry Station to Broadway, seen the earthworks demolishing the mountains around Salt Lake City, and visited houses in Boston and Providence that are utterly alien to what I’m used to as a European.

One of the places I visited was UC Davis. The incident there has its own Wikipedia page.

In Newark, I got to see things which don’t make it into international media, like an African-American outdoor market with banners pleading the readers to treat the humans with, at a minimum, the same respect as is shown for these people’s cultural contributions to the USA.

All of this is because my ex is actually an American citizen. Heck, because of her, I’ve met Jill Stein twice.

Now, can you actually provide me with a reason to change my mind?