Your solution of people in authority taking responsibility to administer justice is a consummation devoutly to be wished. Although I acknowledge that there are real grievances, I am frustrated that I'm not allowed to hear about them. By that I mean from the actual people involved rather than those who seek to exploit any injustice for money and power.
I remember reading a few years ago about 2 Army colleagues, one white, one black. The black officer was about to retire, and his colleague made a comment about how much better things were as far as racism went than in previous generations. His black colleague told him how he and his buddies had celebrated his enlistment by smoking a couple of cigars on a friend's front porch. The man was pulled over on his way home and briefly jailed. The officer eventually admitted to him that they had assumed a bunch of black men smoking and laughing must have been doing drugs. Of course no charges were ever filed, and the man's enlistment and career went on as planned.
I would bet that story from someone he knew had more impact on that white officer about how different races are treated than a hundred George Floyd incidents.
Similarly, I worked with a soft-spoken male colleague for about a year. 3 years later I was put on another task with the same colleague who now wore dresses and presented as a woman. I would have loved to have asked that colleague about their experience, what led to their decision, and what they had gone through. Of course, I could not possibly broach the subject, no matter how respectfully, so I'll never know.
A number of years ago, my wife and I were visiting a couple of friends when something political came up, and my wife told the other couple we were Republicans. "But you're such nice people!" our longtime friend called out in astonishment.
You are so absolutely right. The Left isn't completely wrong, any more than the Right is completely right. We have to acknowledge the harms done in the past, and those that continue, and propose solutions. I think you have touched on much of the reason we have young men shooting up schools: they have gone unnoticed, uninspired, unserved, and ignored, and now they are lashing out. Oh, I could go on, but we need real discussions.
Yes, the boys and the girls are both silly, to stick with your metaphor, and both need some sense knocked into them. Both sides suffer from willful obtuseness and ethical weakness.
Your solution of people in authority taking responsibility to administer justice is a consummation devoutly to be wished. Although I acknowledge that there are real grievances, I am frustrated that I'm not allowed to hear about them. By that I mean from the actual people involved rather than those who seek to exploit any injustice for money and power.
I remember reading a few years ago about 2 Army colleagues, one white, one black. The black officer was about to retire, and his colleague made a comment about how much better things were as far as racism went than in previous generations. His black colleague told him how he and his buddies had celebrated his enlistment by smoking a couple of cigars on a friend's front porch. The man was pulled over on his way home and briefly jailed. The officer eventually admitted to him that they had assumed a bunch of black men smoking and laughing must have been doing drugs. Of course no charges were ever filed, and the man's enlistment and career went on as planned.
I would bet that story from someone he knew had more impact on that white officer about how different races are treated than a hundred George Floyd incidents.
Similarly, I worked with a soft-spoken male colleague for about a year. 3 years later I was put on another task with the same colleague who now wore dresses and presented as a woman. I would have loved to have asked that colleague about their experience, what led to their decision, and what they had gone through. Of course, I could not possibly broach the subject, no matter how respectfully, so I'll never know.
A number of years ago, my wife and I were visiting a couple of friends when something political came up, and my wife told the other couple we were Republicans. "But you're such nice people!" our longtime friend called out in astonishment.
If it all weren't so tragic, it would be funny.
You are so absolutely right. The Left isn't completely wrong, any more than the Right is completely right. We have to acknowledge the harms done in the past, and those that continue, and propose solutions. I think you have touched on much of the reason we have young men shooting up schools: they have gone unnoticed, uninspired, unserved, and ignored, and now they are lashing out. Oh, I could go on, but we need real discussions.
Yes, the boys and the girls are both silly, to stick with your metaphor, and both need some sense knocked into them. Both sides suffer from willful obtuseness and ethical weakness.