It’s been an extraordinary week in what is turning out to be an extraordinary year. Hundreds of thousands of people of all races and nationality took to the streets around the world – to protest the systemic racism that allowed fthe murder of George Floyd – and so many other black Americans – at the hand of police..
Yes, the peaceful demonstrations for Black Lives Matter were hijacked by people who were more interested in creating havoc than getting justice, and the police response in some cities has been horrific – illustrating the need for reform. Yes, there was looting and arson that caused more suffering for small businesses that have already been hurt by the response to the pandemic. And yes, that pandemic rages on, which means there will likely be COVID-19 spikes in cities that saw demonstrations.
But there is hope as the demonstrations have grown, and curfews have given way to tentative measures and discussions of police reform in many American cities.
And then there is the Administration’s response to the demonstrations in Washington, as Trump and Barr sent in the military and gassed peaceful protesters in Lafayette Park – so Trump could get a ridiculous photo op in front of a church – all broadcast live on television.The abuses – which include the arrival of mysterious government forces with no agency identification and a new fence surrounding the White House – prompted military leaders to finally push back on the president’s authoritarianism.
And it should be noted that Trump appears to be panicking while his 2020 poll numbers plummet. This extraordinary year will only get more extraordinary.
MOMocrats Karoli, Aliza Worthington, and Donna Schwartz Mills discuss the week’s political news from a progressive point of view on this DemCast podcast.
