I agree. I haven’t heard any updates regarding federal charges at all yet. I’d imagine they are being even more careful with evidence and making sure the charges are likely to get a conviction.
3 Likes
Good! Thank you for the update, I haven’t been specifically following the news and was wondering about this earlier.
3 Likes
Information was released just today about the murder of Manuel Ellis in Washington State.
Last night was the most calm downtown that we’ve seen in a week, and I only expect it to escalate now.
I'm losing my shit you guys
Fucking fuck. Washington likes to think it’s so fucking progressive and that shit doesn’t happen here but I’m still advocating for justice for two families in my city alone AND we still have not pardoned incarcerated people for crimes relating to Cannabis (NOW RECREATIONALLY LEGAL), and we know those incarcerated are disproportionately Black.
9 Likes
Hope everyone is doing well or at least ok, I’ve been consumed 24/7 with all this (from home, obv I can’t go to a protest) but thought I’d check in and say hey! Looks like some real change might come out of this, baby steps at least, so I’m off again to do what I can after I catch up a bit here. Big 
to everyone, there’s so much to do!
13 Likes
@Illathrael I’m so sorry 
I shifted career goals away from social justice-specific plans in my 20s because I knew I would break. Now that I’m older I acknowledge that breaking now and then is inevitable and part of being human and is completely okay. The trickiest task is catching your breath in the midst of a shitstorm.
In my opinion this is a powder keg because more people ignore all the things leading up to riots.
Anyone in Minnesota knows Minnesota Nice means something very different. It is not a coincidence murder of Black people keeps happening here, in the most progressive of the state’s voting districts.
4 Likes
I’m definitely overwhelmed right now, and pissed off. So I’m drafting a new letter/template, ordering a pizza, getting high, and watching cartoons. Tomorrow I’ll edit the letter, distribute among friends and send to the appropriate people who should be holding their racist murderer police who are back on the force accountable.
I definitely understand shifting away @katscratch. I think it’s just a part of me to be actively engaged in some way or another, at least for the last six years, although I have taken some short breaks and experienced periods of rest.
Constantly reacting to each new thing isn’t sustainable, isn’t good, and does lead to burn-out.
6 Likes
Ironically I ended up a lot more engaged than I would have if it was my career. I lucked into a parent group that was likeminded and aggressively, constantly learning. And then my jobs have all been in areas of long held status quo, which has led to me being able to have conversations I’d never have sought out otherwise.
And I plain didn’t have the self confidence to think I’d be effective when I was younger.
Pizza/high/cartoons A++
8 Likes
I did go, and I still feel mixed up about it. I think I’ll leave it at that, because my feelings don’t really matter right now.
This town has some good people. I am glad to have been in their presence.
7 Likes
Thanks for going and repping <3
4 Likes
My city is having a protest on Friday. I want to go so badly, but I can barely stand after a day of moderate activity.
My kid is going. I have feelings about a 14 year old going alone, but I’m not going to forbid him from going when 14 year olds in other places with other faces get gunned down. He’s a full on person.
12 Likes
I added two pairs of safety goggles to my grocery order. Kind of moot now, since HTbF wiped out on his bike and can barely walk, let alone bike to a protest and march for miles. Wonder if I still have my umbrellas… Might have given them away.
@anomalily - do you know who I should contact about getting PPB out of public schools? Mayor, city commissioner, school superintendent?
4 Likes
Friendly addition - chose the right filter for that gas mask. The olive+magenta filter will work against CN and CS tear gas.
A pink filter alone will not filter out the organic parts of the tear gas.
6 Likes
I read in news reports that they’re using OC (pepper spray) on protesters; at least that’s what they used to disperse people at Lafayette Park before Trump’s photo op. I know about OC in detail in my line of work, but am not sure of the others. Do you have specific knowledge of what’s being used on people in the street?
1 Like
CS and OC gases are both common in US police departments. Minneapolis used CS, OC, rubber bullets, flash bangs, and paint canister bullets.
My understanding is that most LE agencies in the US use CS rather than CN (Mace) due to lower toxicity.
It’s been a while since my training however.
4 Likes
OK, here’s a somewhat related question. I keep seeing that we’re supposed to have tough conversations with our racist relatives. … Exactly what does that look like?
FIL is an absolute flaming racist. He’s also 80 and lives rurally and, in my opinion, is not going to change at this point. He and I don’t speak, he can’t stand me and never has. Boyfriend and he seem to be at the stage that they simply do not discuss politics, ever, and keep their conversations very shallow. The most he does is say “Dad, please don’t use that language around me” when his dad drops N-bombs, which happens frequently. (This became their unspoken agreement after Boyfriend stormed out of their house during a visit after SMIL said that Hillary personally kills babies with her own two hands.)
I am getting the sense that this is the wrong approach, but I’m not sure what the right approach would be or what the goal is, when to me it is quite clear that he simply is not going to change. Also, Boyfriend is unwilling to have the discussion for his own mental health and sanity, he’s having enough trouble dealing with his father’s constant calls re whether he’s found work yet and pressuring him (and only him, mind you) to move back downstate. And since FIL and I don’t speak, I don’t feel comfortable randomly calling him up and saying “hey, you’re a huge racist, fucking stop it.” But I guess I should?
What would you all do? How have you had conversations about racism with your racist relatives?
2 Likes
What I’ve seen is that it’s more about confronting the family members who are not quite that extreme. You’re not going to change hearts and minds with a knock down drag out fight, which in my family is what happens with the really racist idiots. It’s about initiating the conversation when someone starts on about how all lives matter or how people shouldn’t be rioting and just be peaceful.
And of course, standing firm with the really racist idiots and saying things like you’ve already said. Setting boundaries that you’re not going to participate when they start using slurs or perpetuating stupid, blatantly inaccurate conspiracies.
4 Likes
Yes, when Boyfriend has called it out (or even when he says “Dad, please don’t use the n-word”), his dad starts screaming at him. And then Boyfriend hangs up or, if he’s visiting, leaves. I guess that is a good boundary.
3 Likes
I have the same one with my dad over a certain C word. The first time it ended with me screaming at him in front of a group of family, but he is slowly getting better about it. As am I since I no longer get rage tears and scream. But I refuse to let up, and I won’t have him speaking about women that way in front of me or Bobbin or his other granddaughters.
Eventually they get tired of the fight, in my experience. Or my grandfather who is definitely not the most progressive guy, I try to challenge him and my grandma when they start saying things about how everyone should be peaceful or that whoever shouldn’t have done whatever that got the cops called and generally they at least listen and give me a “ah she’s young and doesn’t know” smile which is annoying but at least I’ve said my piece. I like to hope that it sticks in their mind and maybe the next time they’ll hear my voice questioning them, even if they’re not fully there yet
6 Likes