What is the Truth, Right or Wrong

Say it enough, tell one person, who tells 2 people, who tell 4 people, and so on; you know how it goes.  Next thing you know it is considered the truth or the way it is.

Starting as infants we are taught right from wrong. If we are taught left is right and right is left, as you grow you will call your left hand your right. If you are taught it is wrong to go around naked, you will believe that, but is it really? If you were raised that going naked is okay, there is nothing wrong with being naked, you would believe just that.

If everyone you know and everything you read says a person or organization believes/supports nonviolence, you will believe it even if you don’t have all the facts or a partial shred of proof.

So if almost every media outlet or news story says one thing, it doesn’t matter if it’s an opinion or factual; it becomes the truth in many peoples eyes.

Believe it or not, agree or not, this is brainwashing.

High profile protests, generalizing statements using keywords are inciting riots, hatred and racism. Most of us have heard or saw news reporting protests because a black person is shot.

Taking to the streets, the protesters signs in hand and chanting, have been building ill feelings towards all law enforcement, not just the officer involved in the shooting but all officers and at times towards a race of people.

Protesters have waved signs and chanted “whites are the devil”.  Yet these same protesters are saying they suffer from racism, discrimination profiling and targeted violence. Say it enough and it becomes truth imbedding in peoples lives, including the younger generations.

Are these protesters suffering from racism, discrimination, profiling and targeted violence, in some cases, yes they are. That is not the debate or bases or topic of this article.

As a young child I was taught skin color, religion or male/female, it doesn’t matter, we are all equal. Process of change had already started and what I was being taught was evident.  I have see the change, for the better; I see less racism today than I saw as a child. I see more equality among people than I saw as a child.

Does bigotry and sexism still exist? Yes it does.  Is it better than it was before?  I believe it is, at least from what I see. No I am not black or a female. I am white and a male. My view is not as in-depth as the people experiencing the inequality, racism and sexism, but on the surface I do see the change, in-depth view of white males (at least a lot of them) in the United States.

Do we really want to regress? No, I don’t think so. Yet when protesters are standing in the street yelling and screaming, waving signs stating a certain ethic group are devils, or a certain sexual orientation is evil, that is exactly what is happening.

It is not all whites or blacks that are the devil, racist or preach equality while degrading, belittling, and teaching hate.  It is only some people no matter the race, religion, or sex.

Martin Luther King, Jr. in my opinion was the greatest civil rights movement activists.  He was a man, before my time, a man I wish I could have met, sat and spoke with, a man with a message to many people have forgotten.  Message of love, respect, equality and nonviolence.

Quotes from Martin Luther King Jr.

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.  Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at time of challenge and controversy.”

“I have decided to stick with love.  Hate is to great a burden to bear.”

Martin Luther King Jr. marched in peace.  Mr. King Jr. protested in peace.  This man drew tens of thousands of people to follow, protest and march with him, keeping to nonviolence.  He lead by example.

Martin Luther King Jr. did not just protest about equal rights, he acknowledged not all people of any one color or religious belief contained hate or racism in their hearts, mind or emotions.

Martin Luther King Jr. knew, to be heard by the masses, violence and hatred could have no part in protests.  He knew he had to lead by example. He knew he had to lead with…. respect.  He treated himself with respect, he treated his protesters with respect and he treated those he protested against with respect.

Are all whites, blacks, Muslims, Christians, bad? Repressive? Racist? Ignorant? Sexist? NO! Generalizing groups of people is prejudice.

The truth or appearance of truth

Protesters have the right to voice their opinion, free speech, it is guaranteed by the Constitution.  Time and time again we have seen protesters rising up, demanding equal rights AND spewing hatred, racism, PREJUDICE. The same they are protesting against. Two wrongs don’t make a right.

Unfortunately, younger generations are learning it is okay to be violent, it is okay to hate, it is okay to prejudice.  It is not.  Recent protests are teaching only half truths, stop the prejudice and inequality.  The protests are teaching lies, it is okay to be hateful, it is okay to be violent.

Again, say it enough, see it enough and it becomes acceptable, the way of life… or truth.

Mr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I hope I have done you, your quotes and your memory justice.

With respect,

R martin

#BlackLivesMatter, #BlueLivesMatter, #PoliceMatter, #Respect, #MLK,  #protest,

Black Lives Matter, Where Are You?

Phoenix, suspect “allegedly” attempts to run down 3 police officers. http://abcnews.go.com/US/surveillance-video-shows-moment-suspect-run-phoenix-police/story?id=42068647

Philadelphia, suspect goes on deadly shooting spree, first ambushing an officer and then killing one person and wounding 5 others. http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/09/17/anti-cop-note-found-at-scene-deadly-philly-rampage-gunman-identified.html

Where is Black Lives Matter group?

Why are they not out protesting Phoenix? Is it because the suspect is black? Is it because the police officers are white?

Why are they not out protesting in Philadelphia? Again, is it because the suspect is black? Or is it because the ambushed officer is black and so was the shooter?

These are both excellent opportunities for the Black Lives Matter organization to speak up.  Why? Because it was a black officer that was shot!  It should not matter the color of the suspect (or the officer for that matter but to prove a point), but Black Lives Matter should be standing up and protesting the violence against the black officer.

I find it interesting (in a reverse discrimination sort of way) a black man shoots a black officer and there is no protest.  The reverse of an incident in Milwaukee that lead to civil unrest when it was first reported the shooting involved a white officer shooting a black suspect. Shortly (a couple of days later) it was confirmed the black suspect was actually shot buy a black officer.

Black Lives Matters should also be standing up and protesting FOR the officers.  This is a prime opportunity to protest against violence against police officers and ANY person by black people or any person for that matter.

Black Lives Matters seeks headlines promotes them only if it fits their “cause”.  Even though, according to Black Lives Matter website, the organization is promoting the end to violence against blacks. Well, the officer shot in Philly, is black! So protest!! I mean it!  If Black Lives Matter wants the country to get behind their cause, they should be protesting at every turn when violence is involved with a black person whether they are the victim or the suspect.

Unfortunately, there is no sensational headlines to be made from a black person shooting a black officer.  It does not draw in as many readers, therefore, not as much advertising dollars and that is why most major news media offered little to no news reporting.  It is also the same reason Black Lives Matters did not protest, there would be few from the public to get “mad” and protest and there would not be as much media attention to further their cause.

All lives matter!

R martin

Black Lives Matter! Don’t all lives matter?

In 2013 a group was formed called Black Lives Matter. Via media outlets there have been an increasing number of stories regarding the deaths of blacks. I understand the premise; a group to bring attention to the deaths of black individuals in hopes of finding ways to reduce the violence and longevity of black people.

 

Keeping in mind news outlets are selling the news. Whether it is newspapers, on television or on the web, it is their job to bring you the news and the more of you that tune in, means more views, higher ratings; all of which equal advertising dollars.  That is how news media makes their money. The more sensational the story, the more viewers and more advertising dollars.

Has there been a sudden rash of law enforcement killing black people? You would think so with all the news coverage these events receive. More views, more dollars.

What about law enforcement killing white people? The news stories of these of events are of greatly lower percentage.  However, the actual events involving law enforcement involved in the deaths of white people are more common than black people.

If a white persons is killed by law enforcement little to no media attention is brought forth because it does not bring in viewers. Now a black person being shot (no matter the circumstances surrounding the event) brings in viewers, it brings people to the streets, arms raised, chanting, screaming for justice all of which is promoted by most media outlets.

Most media outlets fuel the fire.

It is standard practice in most law enforcement agencies to restrict an officer to administrative duties when the officer is involved in a shooting. Does the media inform the viewers of this? Most don’t and some will state the regulations of administrative duties but only once or twice. NOT six or seven or twenty times the same media outlet will tell you a black person has been shot by an officer.

Most media will state they are unsure of what exactly happened and the circumstances surrounding it, however they are happy to show the viewers the 100 plus “friends” of the “victim” all saying he/she was a perfect, law abiding citizen with a grieving mother and now fatherless or motherless children.  For days the headlines are filled with additional stories/comments regarding the person who died. Stories of protesters, riots, marches, pictures of signs demanding justice for days and days.

Weeks or months later when the whole story comes out, if the officer was justified, he/she is condemned at the very least by not receiving the coverage the incident and condemnation of the office originally received during the onset.

People, everyone matters!  Black, brown, green, white, all people, all races, all colors, all religions; LIFE MATTERS!

R martin