I have a rabid Trump supporter who attacked him for making a "political speech". When I asked what he said (I had not read it yet) I was told he spent 19 minutes doing well then start talking about "BLM, slavery and guns"!
And he did mention all three of those things...once.
So I wondered if anyone else had an opinion.
Your anger and ego will always reveal your true self.
It was 40 minutes long, so there was no way I'd listen to him talk that much. I saw a few blurbs that weren't political, they just praised those who died.
However, the comment section of ABC News on facebook was just "I can't believe he made this political". Were there overly political remarks?
(07-13-2016, 09:13 AM)BmorePat87 Wrote: It was 40 minutes long, so there was no way I'd listen to him talk that much. I saw a few blurbs that weren't political, they just praised those who died.
However, the comment section of ABC News on facebook was just "I can't believe he made this political". Were there overly political remarks?
Here are the three statements that set my friend off. And he IS my friend. Known him for almost 30 years now and worked with him any times. We agree on almost everything except politics.
Guns
Quote:That so much of the tensions between police departments and minority communities that they serve is because we ask the police to do too much and we ask too little of ourselves. (Applause.) As a society, we choose to under invest in decent schools. We allow poverty to fester so that entire neighborhoods offer no prospect for gainful employment. (Applause.) We refuse to fund drug treatment and mental health programs. (Applause.) We flood communities with so many guns that it is easier for a teenager to buy a Glock than get his hands on a computer or even a book -- (applause) -- and then we tell the police “you’re a social worker, you’re the parent, you’re the teacher, you’re the drug counselor.” We tell them to keep those neighborhoods in check at all costs, and do so without causing any political blowback or inconvenience. Don’t make a mistake that might disturb our own peace of mind. And then we feign surprise when, periodically, the tensions boil over.
BLM
Quote:With an open heart, police departments will acknowledge that, just like the rest of us, they are not perfect; that insisting we do better to root out racial bias is not an attack on cops, but an effort to live up to our highest ideals. (Applause.) And I understand these protests -- I see them, they can be messy. Sometimes they can be hijacked by an irresponsible few. Police can get hurt. Protestors can get hurt. They can be frustrating.
But even those who dislike the phrase “Black Lives Matter,” surely we should be able to hear the pain of Alton Sterling’s family. (Applause.) We should -- when we hear a friend describe him by saying that “Whatever he cooked, he cooked enough for everybody,” that should sound familiar to us, that maybe he wasn’t so different than us, so that we can, yes, insist that his life matters. Just as we should hear the students and coworkers describe their affection for Philando Castile as a gentle soul -- “Mr. Rogers with dreadlocks,” they called him -- and know that his life mattered to a whole lot of people of all races, of all ages, and that we have to do what we can, without putting officers' lives at risk, but do better to prevent another life like his from being lost.
Slavery
Quote:We also know that centuries of racial discrimination -- of slavery, and subjugation, and Jim Crow -- they didn’t simply vanish with the end of lawful segregation. They didn’t just stop when Dr. King made a speech, or the VotingRights Act and the Civil Rights Act were signed. Race relations have improved dramatically in my lifetime. Those who deny it are dishonoring the struggles that helped us achieve that progress. (Applause.)
But we know -- but, America, we know that bias remains. We know it. Whether you are black or white or Hispanic or Asian or Native American or of Middle Eastern descent, we have all seen this bigotry in our own lives at some point. We’ve heard it at times in our own homes. If we’re honest, perhaps we’ve heard prejudice in our own heads and felt it in our own hearts. We know that. And while some suffer far more under racism’s burden, some feel to a far greater extent discrimination’s sting. Although most of us do our best to guard against it and teach our children better, none of us is entirely innocent. No institution is entirely immune. And that includes our police departments. We know this
When I posted those to him last night it was from a different site but here is a link to his comments:
What he said was correct. They're statements that no one should take issue with if delivered stand alone from the funeral. It's all bipartisan recognition of issues in this country.
However, I can see why someone wouldn't find this appropriate at a memorial service. Talk about the people, what they believed it, who they were, and what they wanted.
(07-13-2016, 09:29 AM)BmorePat87 Wrote: What he said was correct. They're statements that no one should take issue with if delivered stand alone from the funeral. It's all bipartisan recognition of issues in this country.
However, I can see why someone wouldn't find this appropriate at a memorial service. Talk about the people, what they believed it, who they were, and what they wanted.
He did that.
In fact even with these topics he brought to the police and the reason they were there. I just quoted the parts where he spoke about the topic.
My response to him was that every time the POTUS speaks it is political no matter what he says. He's damned if does, damned if he doesn't. My friend would have flooded FB with posts about how the POTUS didn't care if he had NOT gone or had NOT said something too.
Your anger and ego will always reveal your true self.
In fact even with these topics he brought to the police and the reason they were there. I just quoted the parts where he spoke about the topic.
My response to him was that every time the POTUS speaks it is political no matter what he says. He's damned if does, damned if he doesn't. My friend would have flooded FB with posts about how the POTUS didn't care if he had NOT gone or had NOT said something too.
This is very true. To be honest, though, if I were in the shoes of POTUS and something came up like this I would likely go to the memorial service but save the speech like that for afterwards. He wasn't wrong in anything he said, and none of what he said was overly charged, but I just don't know if it was the right place. I get that the shooting in Dallas was essentially the culmination of a very tense week in this country with police involved shootings and something had to be said, but just not at that moment and in that place.
Just my two cents. If I were a cop and/or a citizen of Dallas, I don't know how I'd feel about that.
"A great democracy has got to be progressive, or it will soon cease to be either great or a democracy..." - TR
"The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little." - FDR
In fact even with these topics he brought to the police and the reason they were there. I just quoted the parts where he spoke about the topic.
My response to him was that every time the POTUS speaks it is political no matter what he says. He's damned if does, damned if he doesn't. My friend would have flooded FB with posts about how the POTUS didn't care if he had NOT gone or had NOT said something too.
I know he did. I saw those portions. I just would have stuck to that. Just me.
First, I give respect to POTUS for his presence; that in itself should have been enough. The BLM and slavery comments were uncalled for unless he was at a memorial for the killer. The guns comments were perfectly fine.
WTS, what anyone outside of the LEO community and the families of the deceased feel is irrelevant. I would support any opinions they had on the speech.
Here are a couple of snippets that I have issue with.....
Quote:As a society, we choose to under invest in decent schools. We allow poverty to fester so that entire neighborhoods offer no prospect for gainful employment.
Quote:We flood communities with so many guns that it is easier for a teenager to buy a Glock than get his hands on a computer or even a book
Apparently the people do not have a level of employment to purchase a firearm through traditional retail methods, so we cannot be complaining about retailers or manufacturers.
So, who the hell is this "we" that are flooding their neighborhoods will evil weaponry ?
Are legal gun purchasers who have their property stolen really being blamed here ?
Or.... is it a Freudian slip that exposes Obama's larger Fast and Furious program to arm black youth for a racial uprising, so he can declare martial law and remain in office/become king...whatever ?
I think he's getting a lot of undeserved hate for it. He did say some really really stupid things though ("easier for a kid to get a gun than a book" comes to mind) but overall it wasn't as bad as people are saying.
Now Bush on the other hand, he knocked it out of the park. I know his was much shorter, but it was incredible and included one of the most important and relevant lines I've heard in a long time. “Too often we judge other groups by their worst examples, while judging ourselves by our best intentions.” - President George W. Bush.
(07-13-2016, 04:22 PM)Aquapod770 Wrote: I think he's getting a lot of undeserved hate for it. He did say some really really stupid things though ("easier for a kid to get a gun than a book" comes to mind) but overall it wasn't as bad as people are saying.
Now Bush on the other hand, he knocked it out of the park. I know his was much shorter, but it was incredible and included one of the most important and relevant lines I've heard in a long time. “Too often we judge other groups by their worst examples, while judging ourselves by our best intentions.” - President George W. Bush.
Plus he seemed to be having a good time.
Your anger and ego will always reveal your true self.
(07-13-2016, 04:28 PM)GMDino Wrote: Plus he seemed to be having a good time.
Wait...that's what people on Occupy Democrats are freaking out about? Omg...how pathetic. Maybe that's his favorite worship song? Who knows. Of all the things to hate someone for this has got to be up there with the dumbest.
(07-13-2016, 07:21 PM)Aquapod770 Wrote: Wait...that's what people on Occupy Democrats are freaking out about? Omg...how pathetic. Maybe that's his favorite worship song? Who knows. Of all the things to hate someone for this has got to be up there with the dumbest.
I wouldn't know about that site, but I did find his behavior...odd.
Your anger and ego will always reveal your true self.
(07-13-2016, 04:22 PM)Aquapod770 Wrote: I think he's getting a lot of undeserved hate for it. He did say some really really stupid things though ("easier for a kid to get a gun than a book" comes to mind) but overall it wasn't as bad as people are saying.
Now Bush on the other hand, he knocked it out of the park. I know his was much shorter, but it was incredible and included one of the most important and relevant lines I've heard in a long time. “Too often we judge other groups by their worst examples, while judging ourselves by our best intentions.” - President George W. Bush.
more of that awesome quote from W:
"At times, it seems like the forces pulling us apart are stronger than the forces binding us together. Argument turns too easily into animosity. Disagreement escalates into dehumanization. Too often, we judge other groups by their worst examples while judging ourselves by our best intentions."
(07-13-2016, 09:44 PM)GMDino Wrote: I wouldn't know about that site, but I did find his behavior...odd.
Don't lie...you definitely "like" Occupy Democrats on facebook
(07-13-2016, 09:51 PM)BmorePat87 Wrote: more of that awesome quote from W:
"At times, it seems like the forces pulling us apart are stronger than the forces binding us together. Argument turns too easily into animosity. Disagreement escalates into dehumanization. Too often, we judge other groups by their worst examples while judging ourselves by our best intentions."
I don't think more relevant words have been spoken about the current state of this country (and the world).
(07-13-2016, 09:11 AM)GMDino Wrote: Did anyone have a problem with them?
Yes.
Imagine going to the funeral of your sister or mother who was raped and murdered and hearing some governmental official bemoan how some women wear slutty outfits.
As others have already said, outside of this memorial, his comments are not really controversial and probably don't even get mentioned anywhere. But, you're at a memorial for POLICE OFFICERS KILLED WHILE PROTECTING BLACK PEOPLE. It takes a heartless kind of bastard to bring up racist cops. It's almost as if he wants to equate all cops with the bad ones.
Let me put it this way: when you get out-"speeched" by George W. Bush, you're doing something wrong.
Imagine going to the funeral of your sister or mother who was raped and murdered and hearing some governmental official bemoan how some women wear slutty outfits.
As others have already said, outside of this memorial, his comments are not really controversial and probably don't even get mentioned anywhere. But, you're at a memorial for POLICE OFFICERS KILLED WHILE PROTECTING BLACK PEOPLE. It takes a heartless kind of bastard to bring up racist cops. It's almost as if he wants to equate all cops with the bad ones.
Let me put it this way: when you get out-"speeched" by George W. Bush, you're doing something wrong.
I can understand that point of view. I guess I came at it from the perspective of he's the POTUS and he has to kind of cover all the bases when he speaks.
I would have been fine without those references, I am OK with them in the context of his speech.
When I started the thread it was because my friends was SO upset with it that I was taken aback.
Your anger and ego will always reveal your true self.
(07-14-2016, 11:15 AM)GMDino Wrote: I can understand that point of view. I guess I came at it from the perspective of he's the POTUS and he has to kind of cover all the bases when he speaks.
I would have been fine without those references, I am OK with them in the context of his speech.
When I started the thread it was because my friends was SO upset with it that I was taken aback.
Of course, you're fine with them, you agree with them! lol
But seriously, I'd like to think that if Bush had said those things, I'd be just as upset with him. I mean, I can understand a message of promising or attempting to working towards ridding the country of violence, but a memorial service is for remembering those that died, not those that did the killing or reminding people of all that crap that still is in the world. Leave the political stuff for another time.
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I don't. 
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