Proof of what exactly? Look, your views on BLM and the African-American community are your own, as are mine.
Unlike 99% of the people in this thread, I didn't grow up in Northern Idaho, Eastern WA, rural Oregon, or the Midwest. My family is from Lawrence, MA and my formative years were spent in in the Philadelphia suburbs. Racism and culturalism in that part of America is completely different than what it is in the Pacific NW. The black, Hispanic, Asian, Italian, Irish, etc. communities butt heads with one another, and have for decades. Say or wear BLM in my hometown of Lawrence (77% Latino), and you're more likely to get a black eye than a simple eyeroll.
My point here is that so often we read message board or Twitter comments and become unglued when someone dares to have a contrary opinion. We don't take the time, nor do we care to understand how their opinion may have been shaped. I know for me, my opinion of black culture in America is likely much more harsh than someone from Seattle. Black lives matter as much as every life matters. Equality of opportunity for all of humanity is the goal, but organizations like BLM aren't activists, they're capitalists. They have zero interest in making substantive change within the black community.
Patrol, i may disagree with you but fully appreciate your position and how life has formed your opinions. You are right, we are a young nation. Where you may think that is a reason for growing pains, and that maybe we should be ok where we are, I take the following thought process.
Here is something I take serious, hold it close to me...."We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare"....it doesn't say woke left, or doesn't say ultra maga right, it says "We the people". And i take what the forefathers had setout, to form a more perfect union.
Where you may see we have come a long way, and "How did that happen to me" compares us to every other nation in the country, I must ask... why? How do we fix a problem if we don't even know it exists. Take the duke volleyball player. As some have suggested, it was a political stunt. Other evidence points out she told a teammate, they had security look into it. Maybe it wasn't politically motivated. Maybe it did happen. Maybe she misheard what the guy was yelling. Maybe the dude has Tourette's and screams out things he doesn't mean to say. But the easy fallback for some, it is the actor in Chicago all over again.
I have personally seen racism. I still see it today. Overt, on purpose, not sure , it is hard to see into someone's heart, But doesn't mean we shouldnt try to fix it. How comfortable do you think 99% of the people on this board would be going into your old neighborhood in Philly?
I get your feelings on BLM. But tell me how they get their voices heard? Tell me how they protest to facilitate change. The truth is there is zero they could do that wouldn't objectionable. Why? because In part those who object dont believe racism exists in their mind or their world.
Here are several things I have seen in Seattle. A family of 5 goes on the Victoria Clipper. Four are immediate relatives. Mom from Italy and three of her kids. One child pasty white. The others had color to their skin. Could be from many places. The fifth person in the group was an aunt, their father's sister. She is part black, along with native american and irish. The aunt was late 50's. One person got pulled over and searched as they went on the clipper, care to guess which one?
Patrol you are right. You can do anything in this country, but reminds me of Chris Rock telling about the difference between being white and black in America. He said in his exclusive neighborhood in Jersey there are three black families. Chris Rock, Eddie Murphy and Beyonce. Then goes on to say his next door neighbor is a dentist. Not the greatest dentist, just a dentist.
I know you have two sons, they have to becoming drivers age pretty soon. Do you need to talk to them about being pulled over by the police, do you worry if they get pulled over by the police?
I would venture to say many of the parents of the football players we follow live that concern every time their child gets behind the wheel.
Food for thought..
And I hope JDL doesn't find magic in one game and it is against the Cougs...he looked great in first series against MSU and then fell apart.