[Swoop]

Originally Posted by twinklesweep

Protesters are protesters; rioters, looters, and arsonists are criminals. Unfortunately, just reading the comments in this thread, it seems apparent that lumping both together fits a specific agenda. We might turn out to be concerned at the possibility that the protesters WERE the "silent majority"—and at least for the moment.

There appears to be a deliberate focus of covert groups to get people to associate protesters with criminals. I was told the extent to which people don't want to be confused by the facts (for example, the protesters themselves are, well, protesting; the criminals are burning and looting), because to blur them together fits that agenda.

One comment I read baffles me—about the friend who says EVERY "cop" is bad based on the misdeed of one. Really. Speaking personally: I'm involved with various groups—some political (some party, a couple bipartisan, one extremist), some community oriented non-political, some support groups, and on and on. From time to time the subject of law enforcement comes up, and there are some forceful views expressed, but I have NEVER known or heard anyone EVER express a view like that, nor has one ever been reported to me.... I have no way of knowing, but just from your story, the man sounds like a bigot! And that's a "friend"?

If only an unarmed, handcuffed man had not been murdered in the street in public view by a police officer in the presence of three fellow police officers who did nothing to stop him, none of this would be happening. Darn!

Actually an unarmed handcuffed man was murdered in the street, in public view, by a police officer, in the presence of three fellow police officers who did nothing to stop him. His name was Tony Timpa, but because he was white, his story wasn’t even picked up by the national news networks... No white lives matter protests, no looting, no politicians talking about defunding the police. All because of the color of his skin. Now that sounds racist to me...