Last week I heard that a group which called themselves "Woke Ogallala" were organizing a peace march in my old hometown, in memory of George Floyd. I rolled my eyes, thinking that a handful of people might show up.
Keep in mind that this is a red county, in a red state. However, I was mistaken. According to the local newspaper there were several hundred who participated. And they also had some "outside agitators ", show up in the form of the Nebraska Militia, a loosely organized, right wing group. Two of the members were toting semi-automatic weapons. According to my sources, the Nebraska Militia weren't local people, though they offered to sign up any who wanted to join. They had few takers. The march went off peacefully. It would never have taken place in the 1960s. There are probably less than a dozen black residents of Ogallala, which has a population of around 4500. But I think people showed up to observe 8 minutes and 46 seconds of silence out of a recognition of common humanity.
The above picture is from the local newspaper, the Keith County News, which had the following to say:
"Peace Walk -- On Sunday, a group of several hundred individuals (above) began walking from Legion Field south to Spruce Street and the Keith County Courthouse for an 8 minute, 46 second period of silent remembrance for George Floyd, who was killed by police at Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Nebraska Militia (below) was also present, stationed on the lawn in front of the courthouse, with two members carrying AR-15 semi-automatic weapons. Members of the militia began shouting as the group got closer, but no altercations occurred. "
A shift in tectonics? I don't know, anecdote isn't data. But I find it hopeful.
The national politics are tracking with what you're reporting. Both the president and the Republican-majority Senate want to do police reform - as does the Democrat-majority House, of course. The president already has issued an executive order (probably of questionable legality and effect, but it's an election year).
ReplyDeleteI think we can take this burst of lawmaking energy as a sign that the country is united, especially behind police reform.
As of this past Sunday, I had heard a GOP senator state that one of the issues still to be ironed out between the parties is the question of qualified immunity. I hope they can figure out how to agree. I wonder if all this happening in an election year is both a blessing and a curse: a blessing because it motivates our elected officials to do something; a curse because neither side wants to let the other side claim credit for getting something done. Personally, I think it can only help the reputation of our legislature if something gets done, and both sides have a self-interest in that, if they're willing to look beyond tomorrow's headline.
Yesterday, I was out for a bicycle ride and realized I had a flat tire. I had no repair kit and no cell phone. I stood there wondering my next step would be when a pedestrian came walking by. I asked him if I could use his cell phone to call my wife. He immediately agreed, only afterward thinking to ask me if I am COVID positive. My wife didn't pick up, so he kindly offered to go get his SUV and give me and my broken-down bike a ride home (a distance of less than two miles). I gratefully agreed.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, during the drive, as we crossed through an intersection with the town's main drag, I noticed that there were 6-8 people, all white as far as I could tell in my brief glimpse, wearing face masks and holding up signs that said "Black Lives Matter". This was at about 5:30 pm on a Wednesday. I was hearing horns honking in support.
Had I been driving, I would have circled the block, gone back, parked and taken pictures for our blog.
My suburb isn't one of those liberal enclaves; nor is it a bastion of conservatism. We're split, roughly down the middle -and I think most of us sort of land somewhere in the middle. I wouldn't describe many residents of this area as woke (although, because of intergenerational change, there may be more wokers around here than I had previously realized). But there are a lot of good people around, and a lot of them are church members - this group was standing near a Lutheran church, and it occurred to me that they might be from the church.
Judging from the newspaper picture and another one that my sister sent, most of the marchers were women. The ones toting the AR-15s and shouting were men. Which wasn't a good look, and didn't imoress anyone. There are local guys who own semi-automatic weapons, I am related to some of them, but they would have thought it was bad form to carry them on main street in front of the courthouse.
ReplyDelete"imoress" should be impress.
DeleteI think you are right that something is happening. I think I mentioned that our Pubic Defender's office -- lawyers and clerks -- went out and took a knee on the county's lawn for 8'46". Going out wasn't amazing. Using the lawn wasn't amazing -- these are the defenders of poor people who get charged with crimes. (The majority of those appearing before local judges are poor, can't think why.) But the PD and many of her staff had a fist in the air. The prosecutor's office also staged a lower-key action.
ReplyDeleteA lot of what needs to be done will take more thinking than can be done by Congress in an election year. I'm thinking, for example, of responses by someone without a gun and boots to 911 calls where the presumptive perp seems to have mental issues. But even the Republicans LCD plan is mainly worth enacting.
Then there's this directive from our governor, Pete Ricketts. He has threatened to withhold federal coronavirus relief from counties that require masks to be worn in county offices. This is a *WTF* moment; it goes against Ricketts' own advice, imploring the public to wear masks in stores. Previously he hasn't done too badly handling the Covid crisis, but I'm not sorry he's term limited out next time. My feeling is he's angling for a Senate seat after he leaves office as governor. He's hitched his wagon to the tea party/MAGA star. Here's hoping that star supernovas (or maybe turns into a black hole).
ReplyDeleteHe's hitched his wagon to the tea party/MAGA star. Here's hoping that star supernovas (or maybe turns into a black hole).
DeleteI vote for the black hole. It will make the whole lot of them invisible.
Typical Florida story: Gun shop owner here won't let in anyone who IS wearing a mask. Florida law -- he says correctly -- forbids p
ReplyDeletepeople from wearing masks while carrying a gun.
The gun you need now is a supershooter watergun filled with Lysol solution.
DeleteA couple of thoughts on that. Wearing a mask does impair your vision downward. Had 9 stiches in my lip a couple of weeks ago to prove it (ALWAYS take a shopping cart when shopping with a mask on!). Another thought, people might suspect that someone carrying a gun and wearing a mask was a robber. Not that I want to encourage the ones who eschew wearing a mask as a political statement.
DeleteKatherine, I am so sorry about your fall! I am sure it was painful, both physically and emotionally. I am a longtime klutz so I know how these things can happen.
DeleteThanks Jim! Feeling much better now. And it could have been much worse.
DeleteCertainly looks like something is changing. But what? And where? And when? And how?
ReplyDeleteThe 8:46 moment--a lot of people can respond to that, especially if they saw the video of Officer Chauvan with his knee on Floyd's neck, staring directly at the camera with a look of "fuck you." We don't usually get that kind of direct and unabashed look from someone, especially a cop, murdering someone.
The power of the photograph: think of Vietnam and the girl running down the road with napalm burning on her back. Or Abu Ghraib.
There are moments when we wake up to what's going on. 8:46 is possibly one of them. And as long as enough people are willing, and have the time, to march or stand with their signs the after-possibilities will linger....maybe long enough to produce some good legislation and changes of heart. Bravo to Olgallala. Even jaded New Yorker march and keep marching.
I saw many youtube videos which were TV news coverage of the murder containing short edited clips. I eventually found the full video unedited and watched it in entirety to get the full impact.
DeleteJust watched (LIVE!) an English Premier League football (soccer) game. Where their names are usually printed on the back of the uniforms both teams had the legend "Black Lives Matter" instead. Also the players and referees had a shoulder patch with the same message. AND everybody, including refs and coaches, took a knee before the start of the game A certain pudgy president would go absolutely bonkers seeing that, especially if no one told him they were English teams.
DeleteThe initiative, according to the announcer, came from the players themselves, and it is league-wide.
Unrelated, fireflies showed up here this evening.
DeleteMargaret, are you going to be able to spend time in firefly country this summer?
Alas...not at the moment. You will have to keep us posted on how the firefly community is doing this year.
DeleteThe fourth of July week is usually the peak at our cabin in the middle of nowhere. They would still be tentative right now.
Like the tree that falls in the middle of the forest without anyone to hear it; they'll still be there without anyone to see and be amazed.