I think news organizations that immediately attack the black lives matter movement after an unarmed black man is killed, should be downgraded from credible news sources to  fearmongering, political propaganda machines. There are enough historical and current examples to justify such an exclusive name for the movement, as in to specify black lives. But if acknowledging the deep emotional scarring caused by generations of slavery, discrimination, and racism is too much for people, then they should rename the movement in their minds to the #stopshootingunarmedblackmen or #calltripleainsteadofmurdersomeone movement.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that black lives matter means anti-cop or anti-white. It doesn’t. One can desire safe streets for all people, including police officers, while maintaining the expectation that skin color doesn’t justify murder and that an officer’s training applies across all races, genders, sexual orientation, etc..

Also, I am growing tired of people/politicians using the freedoms hard fought for in this country as a platform to spout off about American exceptionalism, but then ridiculing those who protest for the advancement of these same freedoms as unpatriotic. People are allowed and should be expected to call awareness to human rights violations or infringements upon our freedoms.

If an issue is a waste of time it will fade. We lose interest in nonsensical bullshit. Even though news has become about ratings over information sharing and politics about fame over policymaking, in time, bullshit fades away. It’s the real issues that linger like a bad cough growing worse until treated, lest they be left alone to spread life threatening infections to the lungs.

Discrimination exists, the black lives matter movement is real, people are being gunned down by those sworn to protect them. We have a nasty cough America. People don’t want to sit next to us on the train and the infection is spreading. We have the symptoms, and we’re being told how sick we are. It’s time to listen to those with credibility and get on a path to healing. This ‘us vs. them’ mentality is exhausting and ugly. These phony “liberals are us” and “ultimate conservative dailys” brands of news outlets are tearing us apart. Don’t limit your thinking, expression, and forms of political engagement to a string of memes riddled with bias, conspiracy theory, and hate. Get out there and meet people. Have a barbecue, throw the ball around, and talk about this stuff for fucks sake. Don’t fall for it when they try and tell you how many enemies you have and how bad they all are. We’re better than that.

That is all.