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There have been thousands of demonstrators of all colors and creeds taking it to the streets of over the past week to protest the killing of George Floyd by a Minnesota police officer. A very small group of them have turned the peaceful demonstrations into violent riots by breaking windows, looting and getting into confrontations with police.
These troublemakers are as diverse as the peaceful demonstrators. But when the narrative is told by authorities, people of color will no doubt scapegoated for the violence and destruction.
That’s probably why a group of black peacemakers pulled the skateboard out of this white teenager’s hands as he attempted to bash in a storefront window.
A great example of black people standing up against those who use the demonstrations as an excuse to vandolize and riot happened over the weekend in Los Angeles when a woman tagged “Black Lives Matter” on Starbucks storefront.
The two protestors were confronted by a black woman who chastised them saying, “Y’all doing that for us and we didn’t ask you to do that,” she says in the video. “Listen, don’t spray stuff over here where they gonna blame black people for this, and black people didn’t do it.”
Yesterday evening, just after delivering an address to the nation, President Trump walked across the White House lawn, across Pennsylvania Avenue, and up to St. John’s Church, Lafayette Square. Why? To have his picture taken with a Bible.
Not to pray. Not to share any faith-based thoughts. Just the photo op.
That’s the simple story, which is silly on its face. But the backdrop makes it all the more surreal.
The president’s address just prior included a threat to deploy the military to control rioting, which has taken place in or after some of the nation’s protests over police brutality and racial injustice. In his speech, he said he was “an ally of all peaceful protesters.”
But in order for the president to take his Bible-holding photos, a large group of peaceful protesters legally assembled near the White House were forced back by police and the National Guard, using tear gas. According to ABC News, some people were beaten with batons and shields, including at least one news photographer. Watch the incident here:
The disconnect between the president’s words and what was happening outside the White House gates while he said them is stunning.
Equally stunning is the fact that the church didn’t even know he was coming. Gina Gerbasi, a rector at St. Johns, was working in the patio area of the church square to offer water and aid to protesters when she was blindsided by the violent dispersing of the crowd. She wrote on Facebook:
“Friends, I am ok, but I am, frankly shaken. I was at St. John’s, Lafayette Square most of the afternoon, with fellow clergy and laypeople – and clergy from some other denominations too. We were passing out water and snacks, and helping the patio area at St. John’s, Lafayette square to be a place of respite and peace. All was well – with a few little tense moments – until about 6:15 or so. By then, I had connected with the Black Lives Matter medic team, which was headed by an EMT. Those people were AMAZING. They had been on the patio all day, and thankfully had not had to use much of the eyewash they had made. Around 6:15 or 6:30, the police started really pushing protestors off of H Street (the street between the church and Lafayette Park, and ultimately, the White House. They started using tear gas and folks were running at us for eyewashes or water or wet paper towels. At this point, Julia, one of our seminarians for next year (who is a trauma nurse) and I looked at each other in disbelief. I was coughing, her eyes were watering, and we were trying to help people as the police – in full riot gear – drove people toward us. Julia and her classmates left and I stayed with the BLM folks trying to help people. Suddenly, around 6:30, there was more tear gas, more concussion grenades, and I think I saw someone hit by a rubber bullet – he was grasping his stomach and there was a mark on his shirt. The police in their riot gear were literally walking onto the St. John’s, Lafayette Square patio with these metal shields, pushing people off the patio and driving them back. People were running at us as the police advanced toward us from the other side of the patio. We had to try to pick up what we could. The BLM medic folks were obviously well practiced. They picked up boxes and ran. I was so stunned I only got a few water bottles and my spray bottle of eyewash. We were literally DRIVEN OFF of the St. John’s, Lafayette Square patio with tear gas and concussion grenades and police in full riot gear. We were pushed back 20 feet, and then eventually – with SO MANY concussion grenades – back to K street. By the time I got back to my car, around 7, I was getting texts from people saying that Trump was outside of St. John’s, Lafayette Square. I literally COULD NOT believe it. WE WERE DRIVEN OFF OF THE PATIO AT ST. JOHN’S – a place of peace and respite and medical care throughout the day – SO THAT MAN COULD HAVE A PHOTO OPPORTUNITY IN FRONT OF THE CHURCH!!! PEOPLE WERE HURT SO THAT HE COULD POSE IN FRONT OF THE CHURCH WITH A BIBLE! HE WOULD HAVE HAD TO STEP OVER THE MEDICAL SUPPLIES WE LEFT BEHIND BECAUSE WE WERE BEING TEAR GASSED!!!!
I am deeply shaken. I did not see any protestors throw anything until the tear gas and concussion grenades started, and then it was mostly water bottles. I am shaken, not so much by the taste of tear gas and the bit of a cough I still have, but by the fact that that show of force was for a PHOTO OPPORTUNITY. The patio of St. John’s, Lafayette square had been HOLY GROUND today. A place of respite and laughter and water and granola bars and fruit snacks. But that man turned it into a BATTLE GROUND first, and a cheap political stunt second. I am DEEPLY OFFENDED on behalf of every protestor, every Christian, the people of St. John’s, Lafayette square, every decent person there, and the BLM medics who stayed with just a single box of supplies and a backpack, even when I got too scared and had to leave. I am ok. But I am now a force to be reckoned with.”
In addition, St. John’s Church, Lafayette Square posted a statement on social media stating that they were “shocked” by the president’s visit and “even more appalled at the violent clearing of Lafayette Square to make the visit possible.”
The bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Washington also issued a statement condemning what took place on and around church grounds, saying that the president’s message was “antithetical to the teachings of Jesus and everything our church stand for” and that she was “outraged.” She pointed out that the president did not pray when he came to the church, nor did he acknowledge “the agony and sacred worth of people of color in our nation who rightfully demand an end to 400 years of systemic racism and white supremacy in our country.”
Speaking on behalf of the Diocese, she added, “In no way do we support the President’s incendiary response to a wounded, grieving nation.”
Powerful words from leadership of the church President Trump chose to use for optics.
After a night of peaceful protests in Downtown Phoenix turned destructive on Saturday night, pro-football punter Marquette King brought people together to clean up the mess the next morning.
King is best known as an All-Pro punter for the then-Oakland Raiders from 2012 to 2017. He briefly played for the Denver Broncos in 2018 and most recently kicked for the XFL’s St. Louis Battlehawks.
On Sunday morning, King sent out a tweet asking for people to join him helping to clean up the city.
“Since I’m a resident of AZ I’m gonna be in Downtown Phoenix around 10ish with gloves and trash bags cleaning up the city,” King tweeted. “All races are welcome to come clean the city with me. Officers should come too.”
Over a dozen people showed up to clean up graffiti and broken glass in the downtown area.
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Some of the people who turned up to help were friends with King, like former ASU quarterback Robert Newslon, Jr. Some had never heard of King, but just wanted to help.
“So I just went on Twitter and I found ‘Phoenix cleanup’ and I search for that and I saw Marquette’s post and I didn’t know who he was,” another said.
King saw the cleanup as an opportunity to bring people together. “It’s a lot of division and I’m all about peace and love and that’s what I want my message to be,” King told reporters.
After the cleanup, King thought the day was a huge success.
“Today was a success. #GeorgeFloyd was a believer in peace and love as well as myself n everyone that was out here today helping people in Phoenix,” he tweeted. “It’s ok to be different! I choose to make an impact in showing love n peace. Make a difference but be smart and calculated.”
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In his tweet, King noted that it’s “ok to be different!” and that’s s huge reason why, even as a punter, he managed to be one of the most popular players on the Raiders during his tenure.
King was known for his booming foot as well as his ability to cut a rug on the field.
Here’s his patented Donkey dance.
There’s also the famous flag dance (that got him flagged for a penalty.)
King ranked among the top punters in the game during his NFL career. Rumors have it that his eccentric style led to him to being cut from the Raiders by the team’s new coach Jon Gruden in 2018.
While his style may have made him a bit much for the No Fun League, King believes that his attitude has helped him be a better person and to help those around him.
“I like to make other people’s day,” he told The Undefeated. “You might catch [someone] that might want to kill somebody today, but you walk up to them and you’re like, ‘How’s your day going?’ You know, then you crack a joke … [they] might not want to kill [that someone] today. You never know.”
“Everybody being themselves and not worrying about what other people think about them,” he added. “It’s just loving one another. Encouraging one another. And being positive.”
We’re almost halfway through 2020, and one of the good things that has come from it are these YA books.
Two of the police officers were fired from the Atlanta Police Department the day after the violent encounter.
