The Cockroaches Scatter

In the wake of the murder of George Floyd by the Minneapolis police, there are two interesting societal things happening which show how the paths of progressives and conservatives are changing.  On one side, the Democrats seem to be fulfilling their potential, finally embracing equality as the tentpole it should be in the party platform, but the Republicans are awaking to a stark new reality, one which shows how their embracing of "traditional" and "old fashion" values is killing them.

(Images are of assorted cockroaches.)

Let's start with the left.  Yes it was horrible what happened in Minneapolis and other cities in the days after Floyd's death, but instead of allowing the right wing natrrrative of "look at what these protestors are doing" to take hold, many Democrats were quick to insist the protestors were not the ones vandalizing, looting and burning.  That was outsiders who were using the protests as cover for their crimes.  The fact that distinction became the main stream media narrative was refreshing to say the least.

Side note:  so far a lot of white kids from the suburbs, NOT African Americans from the city, have been charged with the crimes from those days of unrest.  Undeniably some of the crimes and damage were done by minority residents of the city, but the fact remains a lot of non-Minneapolis, white people were behind the chaos.

 

Since then, the protests have gotten larger; a much louder chorus demanding an end to the systemic racism all too visible to even the stubborn in the wake of Floyd.   Republicans and the Minneapolis Police tried to dismiss protestors as trouble makers, but people had finally had enough with the injustices which have stymied the African Americans and all minorities groups, in Minnesota and around the country.  

In the 12 days since the end of the riots of Minneapolis, some protestors have vandalized, but in a more strategic way.  Disclaimer:  I'm not for vandalism, nor do I want to encourage it, but to see monuments to the worst bigots and racists in history still standing in the face of a changing nation is hard to stomach.  Protestors have ripped Christopher Columbus, Jefferson Davis and others off their pedestals (or in the case of Boston, beheaded).  

Because Republicans have always rallied around these tributes to racism as a way to fire up their base ("they're trying to erase OUR history!") these monuments to the worst of humanity have poisoned our communities for way too long.  Over the years, many Democrats have tried to get these unworthy statues and name plates removed, but they've consistently run up against a predictable problem.  It's a shame Conservative political leaders never showed the courage to stand up for what is right.  

Side note:  Let's remember many Republicans wanted to make sure Bde maka Ska kept its caucasian name, Lake Calhoun, even though it was named for one of the worst, most bigoted human beings to ever walk this country.  Also, the same Republicans were furious when the historical site Fort Snelling incorporated the name Bdote into their site; the traditional native name which resided over the meeting of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers for thousands of years. 

 

And the pressure from the protestors seems to be having a much larger impact on America.  The Marine Corps and Navy have outright banned the Confederate Flag on their installations.  And even NASCAR has said enough in regards to the Confederate Flag being flown.  On top of that, there's a strong movement to rename the military installations named after unworthy Confederate generals.  About time we treated the Southern insurgency like the enemy they are.

By not being dismissed, not being vilified, and by targeted protests, the Progressives are finally getting real change started.  There's a long way to go, but movement in the right direction is a refreshing change.

Compare that to what is going on with the Republicans.  In the wake of the George Floyd murder Republicans have had their compromised mentally exposed.  First it was "Sure what happened was bad, but you can never question a police officer."  When that didn't work, they tried to fall back to their "all Lives Matter" crap, only to be quickly shouted down.  When they tried to insist the protestors were behind the rioting, they were slapped back again.  They kept trying to change the narrative of George Floyd's death into something they could scare America with, but nothing they conjured scared Americans worse than that officer murdering Floyd.

The Republicans decided to stop trying to change the national narrative, and instead decided to return to fertile soil.  They went back to their mostly white districts and insisted the rioters were coming.  "It's ANTIFA!  They're coming...in buses...to burn down Bemidji!" As insane as that idea is, the Trump fans took it hook, line and sinker.  There are multiple reports of Republican 'posses' which took up guarding rural roads in the middle of the night waiting for an Antifa bus to come.  When none did, they didn't realize how stupid they are, instead insisting they'd scared off the Antifa hoards!

But the most interesting element of the Rights reaction to the George Floyd murder is how, feeling enabled by Trump's encouragement, they've repeatedly gone full racist in public, getting filmed on cell phones as they say horrible things to minorities and protestors.  Sometimes they themselves are posting their racism on social media for everyone to see!

California, New Jersey, Florida, Maryland, Tennessee, Arizona, Wisconsin and even here in Minnesota, have all had cases where Trump supporters, feeling there are no consequences for their actions, show off their demented, deranged bigotry, only to get a rude awakening when their identity is easily outed, and they end up losing the jobs, leadership positions, and friends.  There's something truly delicious about watching some racist ass begging for forgiveness as they realize their unacceptable racism has cost them everything.  

And they can't stop themselves!  Today a Republican politician in Ohio got canned from his doctor gig after he said African Americans might be spreading CoronaVirus because they're not washing their hands.  A Republican in Tennessee, defending why they wouldn't remove the bust of the racists bastard Nathan Bedford Forrest, implied slavery might make a comeback! 

They see each other getting caught saying the things they used to only say in private.  They see these people losing everything because of such blatant racism.  But they can't help themselves!

The kitchen light has turned on, and due to Trump enabling, they don't scatter, instead insisting the cockroach has a right to be in the kitchen.  Then they get stomped on.  It's only then they realize they probably should have scattered the minute they were caught out in the open.  

Paraphrasing what a listener to my radio show said to me; what happened in Minneapolis was truly horrible, but if Minneapolis ends up becoming the catalyst for real change in America, then at least some good can come out of it.  I think we are seeing real change in America.  The voices of the oppressed are being heard.  The voices of the oppressors are being condemned.  If this holds up, a better day might be coming for all of us!

Real change would be the Left making definitive strides in the fight to end racial injustice, and real change would be making the disgusting creatures from the extreme Right, who crawled out from under the fridge when Trump beckoned, run back into the shadows.