I agree with what you have said about leadership and "feel good" oration..
But what we got are demagogues ..mores the pity.

The historical aspect ..I am not so sure. Because what I hear is the anger expressed as these things in some form still being perpetrated or the "impact of" still being felt. I have been stopped by a police officer once in my life and I am 63 years. I was speeding. The person that was shot while sitting in his car...he was stopped 53 times and he was 28 years I believe. Of the 53 times -- 5 or less resulted in a ticket or a repercussion of some sort. And so I cannot speak to what I am not. Earlier I was speaking to the state of affairs internationally.

drdawg said:As we all should be, Rosie.

We need strong leadership, not strong oration. And feel-good oration is all we get. We are reminded that we (Christians) were responsible for the Crusades and therefore, what should be expect? The Crusades ended over 700 years ago. We are reminded that we were part of slavery and Jim Crow and therefore, what should we expect? Slavery ended over 150 years ago and Jim Crow laws were abolished over 50 years ago. Were these (now) historical events hurtful and wrong? Of course. But using historical events as a reason, no, not a reason, an excuse to hurt and to kill, is pure nonsense. There is no one alive who even knew someone who was a slave. Unless you are older than 60, you won't have been exposed to Jim Crow laws.

Totally agree!

My granddaughter Sophia just had her first sleep away... She is 7.

I think 7 is waaay too young...but that would be a topic for grumpy thread....besides her parents are not asking my opinion.

But, that being what it is...I am sad that she is growing up so fast....

But maybe that is a topic for a happy thread because she is growing into a bonnie lass!

MISSINGROSIE said:Some will poo poo this as trying to kill a dinosaur with a stick but I believe it is education. And not the kind we can get from books or lectures. A true hands on experience about how and what others live and experience. Empathy building education. That is how early humans did it..by living together and working towards common goals..food, shelter..promotion of the family unit. Not an "us against them" mentality. More a "together we stand ..divided we fall" philosophy.

Get rid of the media, stop them from giving a stage a forum to fringe elements just for the sake of a story. Why let the masses hear the rot coming from a sick head(s) thus allowing those of a weaker mind to buy into it and to actually believe themselves to be in danger or persecuted? Fine those fools.. Criminally charge those who purposefully incite via "news" privileges..make them unpopular. Make them responsible. We celebrate our democracy - as we should - but under the guise of "freedom of speech " it has led to abuse by those who have control of our airwaves.

The world needs to get smaller not bigger. Planes and boats and many forms of major transportation are not the great inventions they are considered to be... Once maritime navigation equipment was invented to bring sailors across oceans and to avoid danger, it brought invaders from other lands to distant shores and then the problems began. Men want to conquer..they want to expand their resources....man wants to impose itself upon man. It never ends ... Ways and social norms were brought in and imposed by the strongest upon the weakest..and peoples who had functioning societies were oppressed. Look at our own nation. We know what comes from oppression. Think how angry we get when things are not done our way in our own homes..when our belief is that we are not respected ..when someone we love touches our stuff..changes the way we do things.. now take those bad and angry and resentful feelings and project them out a million fold and onto strangers and not onto those we love -- this is what we got.

I am disgusted.

Thank you for the acorn Susan I am glad my post stuck a common cord.

Sad times. My condolences to all involved.

yw Rosie

I feel like there is no empathy left in the world

Ronnie, if there was no empathy left, none of us would care about the events that transpired Sunday. Courtesy, common sense and kindness seem to be running in short supply.

Jean you just made me cry happy tears...I am so grateful for our corner of the world here at NGA

In my humble opinion, 99.9% of us (at least in the deep south where I am) still care deeply about our family, our community, our state, and our country. I can only hope and assume that this is true all over the US. Anarchism, like a cancer, quickly spreads when left unchecked. Without swift and sure consequences for destructive actions, we will continue to see our grand nation torn apart. Whether you like the Republican Party or not (and/or Donald Trump), I pray that peace will prevail in Cleveland this week. I am not optimistic though, and that's sad.

I guess you all know that the Baton Rouge killer apparently had absolutely no ties to Baton Rouge or even to Louisiana. He was a native of MO.

I hope you're right Ken...

I am pretty sure I am, Ronnie. You know, I don't know a single person, not a one, that would set out to harm another human being. Do you?

I don't Ken...thankfully

Let's just say that all the great folks here on ATP/NGA would say the same. We simply represent what America stands for.

It's too bad it's come to this. Too much violence...and so little unity in this country. Seldom do people/government really work together for peace and justice and freedom these days. But I strongly disagree about getting rid of the media. A free country has to have free media or it ceases being free. True, the media is often largely profit-driven and sometimes plays to the extremes and sensationalism. And of course, certain media is wholly owned by powerful groups that have political agendas they're pushing, so those don't just inform, they sometimes misinform or preach their agenda. I don't know what the answer is there, but there will always be media, either free or not. Hopefully, more people will be drawn to those minority of media that at least try to get the impartial truth out there and aren't entirely driven by profit, sensationalism or political agendas.

I can say I know one or two bad apples...( not murderous ..but bad ) and grateful they stick out like sore thumbs! In frustration, I said that there should be military on the ground in Ohio to let our men and women in blue know that they are not out there exposed to everything, and a friend just about slaughtered me!!!! No kidding...and she was in my house! Chowing down on my food. I certainly let her express her opinion. I have a 5'2 inch niece who is a police officer ( she THINKS she is 6'2 - always did ) nephews..who are fathers... cousins...all sorts of family in law enforcement.. Not that it should be different if I did not..but it does bring it closer to home.

I guess I have lived a sheltered life.

I live one now Ken, rarely tune in to the news unless I need to know if there is a thunderstorms coming for my dogs. Try to only follow the positive things. I think that's why I get so sad at these horrible tragedies.

Daddy used to say: "Nothing good happens after midnight". I guess I sort of took that to heart.

Heck, my saying now is: "Nothing good happens after 9:00 PM". Do you think I am actually getting old?