I feel guilty but.....

[ApatheticNoMore]

tbh Minneapolis (and St. Paul) did not need any more well-meaning protesters from other states than we already had.

no doubt true, but in Rob's post he was talking about attending a local protest in *Phoenix* (about Minneapolis etc. but IN Phoenix) and not being able to.

[sweetana3]

I immediately thought of the LA riots of 1992. Almost 30 years ago and has anyone learned anything?

[Gardnr]

tbh Minneapolis (and St. Paul) did not need any more well-meaning protesters from other states than we already had. In fact, I was disappointed to see Al Sharpton make the trip; I really do not see what he adds to the conversation. There are plenty of African-Americans here who understand what's going on, what could fix it, and how to discuss it effectively. It's not like we needed the press coverage on Sharpton; it was already here.

Our home is at least five miles from the mayhem seen in the news.

Thank you for the REAL life view on what is happening there. I've never understood looting of any sort-it all destroys someones' livelihood and likely that of several families in a small business.

I am sorry for the destruction and ensuing havoc created there.

[ApatheticNoMore]

I immediately thought of the LA riots of 1992. Almost 30 years ago and has anyone learned anything?

Fake committees that don't do anything, that are pure grift were put into place and exist to this day, I'm not sure what else.

[SteveinMN]

no doubt true, but in Rob's post he was talking about attending a local protest in *Phoenix* and not being able to.

Not the impression I got from this thread:

SO and I would like to be in Minneapolis protesting right now - but can't wisely do so due to travel risk. It could be said that if there were no pandemic, we'd be working and unable to go - true enough - but it still bites anyway.

I have so so so much respect for the activists on the ground and do dislike myself a bit for not being there.

In fairness, I don't see Rob as one of those "bust $#!+ up" anarchists. But I don't think any place needs outsiders coming in to an already volatile situation.

[iris lilies]

The Ferguson riots were the same here, picking up steam in subsequent days due to out-of-towners wanting in on the action.The real protestors with sincere intent went home at night, but that’s when the destructive element came out.

As an aside, I watchEd the video clip of the Cup store owner where George Floyd was picked up, or maybe he was the manager? Anyway, the guy with the Arab name. Boy did he come off well on the video. Man they should hire him for regular PR work for I don’t know What, but hire him! He was well spoken, sincere, and convincing.

[catherine]

Hey, I haven’t raised a finger about the Chinese cracking down on Hong Kong, and I’m sleeping well at night.

'Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are." Benjamin Franklin

I know you are not as complacent about justice as you sometimes appear to be, LDAHL, but I thought this was a fitting response to your post to Rob.

[bae]

Not the impression I got from this thread:

However, in the initial post of this thread, started a bit later in time, Rob says:

Protests of the Minneapolis PD Murder came to Phoenix.....and I didn't go.

Seems to indicate it is a Phoenix-located protest he didn't go to.

I think it would have been foolish to self-deploy to a disaster zone to "protest", whatever that would mean in these circumstances. Working locally though doesn't seem particularly problematic.

I saw the Minnesota governor's presentation today, he seems like a decent leader.

[frugal-one]

Talked to my son earlier today. He called to tell us he was leaving his home in Minneapolis but not yet sure where to go but to let us know he was ok in case we called. There were fires all around, people protesting the last few nights in the streets in front of his house and down the street, altercations with police, gun shots all night, neighborhood stores trashed, police station and apartment building still burning. He was being texted that the white supremists were being called into the area with guns (I don't know who was texting). These were not locals (as SteveinMN) also stated. He was really freaked by it all. He said to watch unicorn riot on YouTube to see what is happening.

[Alan]

I think it would have been foolish to self-deploy to a disaster zone to "protest", whatever that would mean in these circumstances. Working locally though doesn't seem particularly problematic.

I don't know.....there were violent protests in Columbus Ohio as well. https://fox8.com/news/protesters-sto...isperse-crowd/
750 or so miles doesn't seem to be far enough away from the source to keep people from acting out and I understand there's been similar mayhem in other cities as well. It's getting hard to tell the difference between protests and riots.