Thoughts on Kaepernick & the national anthem

[egri]

Originally Posted by bn2cardz

So you want me to tell an African American woman with 4 sons that live and have lived their entire lives in Ferguson. Some one that lived and breathed all of it through the eyes of a Ferguson resident with black skin, that she is wrong about what she encounters everyday because you read an article that said otherwise? I gave her perspective as someone living it, not a bias opinion based on political beliefs or anything else. As she said to me "if it was really that bad, I am sure with 4 black sons I would have heard something by now."

I know, as does she, what the DOJ report reads. Again her opinion is that it is more about the way the people conducted themselves rather than the color of their skin. I am sorry but as a white male I will not argue with a widowed black woman with 4 sons living through all this daily that she doesn't know what she is talking about and that she is being racially profiled.

Reading Packs's reply reminded me of the time in the 1970s at a meeting of the RMS Titanic Historical Society when Ruth Becker, who survived the sinking as a child, was addressing the attendees, and told them how she had witnessed Titanic break in two before sinking. Almost immediately, one of the Titanic "experts" seated next to her grabbed the microphone away from her and announced that she only thought she had seen the ship break in two; it had actually sunk intact, and Becker was mistaken. Becker grabbed the microphone back and told him "I was there". About ten years later, the wreck was discovered in two pieces.

[packs]

It's actually not like that at all. You're placing scientific speculation against studied facts. My point was one person' anecdotal evidence does not trump a Department of Justice investigation and she may not be aware of the indignities experienced by the people around her, who live their own lives independent of her own. I didn't tell you to get into an argument with her either.

[Leon]

I also believe the DOJ is very, very racist at this point in time. Anything they say is suspect immediately, to me. Anything else and I think I get too political....This whole debate can sort of be summed up by asking all people to take accountability for their actions. If I do good it is my fault, if I do bad it is my fault. Everyone needs to live it....just my pre-tax, half cent of wisdom ....

Originally Posted by packs

It's actually not like that at all. You're placing scientific speculation against studied facts. My point was one person' anecdotal evidence does not trump a Department of Justice investigation and she may not be aware of the indignities experienced by the people around her, who live their own lives independent of her own. I didn't tell you to get into an argument with her either.

[bn2cardz]

Originally Posted by packs

It's actually not like that at all. You're placing scientific speculation against studied facts. My point was one person' anecdotal evidence does not trump a Department of Justice investigation and she may not be aware of the indignities experienced by the people around her, who live their own lives independent of her own. I didn't tell you to get into an argument with her either.

I find it enlightening to hear her perspective as someone with no ulterior motive nor influence. I thought I would share this perspective with the understanding that it is all hearsay to anyone that I am sharing it with. I acknowledge that she only has one perspective. I also understand that you don't know her so you have to take what I am second hand reporting to you with a grain of salt. I just thought I would share this seldom heard voice from someone that has an opinion based off a life lived in the circumstances and not someone forming an opinion with an outside-looking-in perspective.

I can tell you, though, that she is not ignorant about her surroundings and any suggestions otherwise by me or anyone else will not lead to a peaceful back and forth conversation, hence my use of the word "argue".