Chauvin Charges Were Just Upgraded from Murder 3 to Murder 2,; Three Other Officers Charged with Aiding/Abetting Murder

Yes! Thanks be to God, still in the hearts and minds of so many who've been praying for justice for George  :)

Like I said in this post - it was murder 2, at the very least (see that post for the differences in charges and how Minnesota law differs from most other states).

Sorry the little dudes in this meme are both white, but it's all I could find to best illustrate this verse, in this case - hopefully you'll get the idea anyway :)


We gotta not only seek fair justice, but lift up, and give voice to, those without a voice, or those wrongfully denied a voice - just like Jesus did  :)








But don't let go completely just yet - gotta make these charges stick, this time ;)

Thus, I know this image is graphic, but we can't forget it as we go along - and we need to keep people looking at it, despite their  discomfort, until we start to see some real, sincere and sustained change - not just new laws or new consequences/oversight, but hearts and minds ...

The American insistence and refusal to face facts about ourselves, or even talk about our past honestly, is exactly the thing that keeps us in the past and this country from healing - it keeps enabling a broken, dysfunctional system.

Often,  having experienced this myself - the thing we refuse to do is actually the thing that heals us :)

Thus, THIS time, we're not going to deny racism exists anymore, refuse to talk about our racism in the past or currently, gloss over it, pretend like it didn't happen, "move on/let it go!" just because others demand us to, because they're uncomfortable. 

Though it's true that "rehashing" and "dwelling aren't healthy" - neither are ignoring, denying, pretending, dismissing, and minimizing are even unhealthier and worse - it only enables the problem to continue and causes resentment to grow.


You can't "rehash" something that has never been heard and properly addressed in the first place.


In fact, no issue has ever been resolved by just demanding/screaming at people to "Move on!" or "Let it go!"

If America is big and brave enough for war, then we're big and brave enough to take it on the chin - allow, and maturely handle, hearing the separate experiences of others, face the truth about ourselves, our failures, and our wrongdoings, and take responsibility for them - without making excuses, projection, deflection, further bullying to shut them up so we don't have to look at it, and/or blame the victim - especially just because they could take no more and shouted and demonstrated the equivalent of: "Stop it, that's enough!  No more!"



We finally need to learn to just deal with the consequences of our prior choices, and we should apologize and make amends as many times as it takes, and for however long it takes.



Because the fact is, there never has been justice, making amends, or restitution for their slavery, segregation, and continued  racism  - we just keep adding insult to injury - and we have a few centuries of injury to make amends for. 


Only then can everyone properly heal and move on. 

Resolution usually requires, at the very least, discussion.  And by that, I mean, a discussion towards resolution, where both parties are heard without bias and without victim-blaming.

Refusing to discuss the past at all is what stops all progress towards resolution, resentment only grows, and we're doomed to repeat the problem.

In fact, the true victim of a situation will never demand or scream at others: "Just move on!" or "Let it go!" 



Because likely, they have let it go and tried to move on already, a thousand times - they've tried to change direction, but unfortunately, you keep doing what you're doing, the exact same way, again and again - so now it's your turn to try a new direction.

In fact, demanding somebody else to "Just move on!" and "Let it go" is typically a dead giveaway they're either the bully, or they're enabling and protecting the bully/bullies - either out of fear of the bully/ies themselves or fear of them losing some benefit the bully provides and being bullied themselves - and they don't want to have to look at that truth ;)

Sometimes people say these things in a loving way, that you should move on  for your own health, out of concern for you - 

However, you can tell the difference, can't you?  

"I'm really worried about you, not being able to get past this, it's consuming you. And you're talking to a brick wall with these people, they're not going to listen and all you're doing is allowing themselves to claim they're a victim of YOU.. How can we find another route and how can I help?"

 - VS - 

"Just move on, let it go!  God, enough whining!"

If it's the latter?  

Then you know that's about helping you and out of concern for you,  that's about concern/helping themselves ;) 

On, those occasions, what "Just move on/Let it go!" really means is:

"Shut up and give up - I don't want to face the truth and I don't want anyone else to find out the truth, either. So do what I say and pretend along with me and there won't be trouble. " ;)

Then you really should move on, because you're hitting a brick wall - but only with that person (and any enablers).

But don't give up in general - find others who will listen :)

IMO, the victims should always be who decides when justice has been fully served, when there's been resolution and restitution - they should get to decide when it's time to move on.

On that note, for George Floyd ... 

Mr. Floyd,

I am still so sorry for everything you went through - and we are doing our best to not let you die in vain and seek justice for you and so many others suffering under the current justice system. I hope God lets you see us trying, as well as that some unprecedented, good, unifying things are happening, in this country, as a result.

I know God won't intervene in free will, he promised he wouldn't - but God can turn something horrific into something beautiful, some wonderful change - if we allow him to :)

Love,


Chrystal and Mark Chaplow

PS - Thank You, George W. Bush ...

(Edited)

Thank you, very well said ... in fact, it's beautiful :)

I'm glad you're awake, now, and that you finally understand, my Episcopal-Christian Brother :)

I forgive you, for your handling of Katrina and the war :)

The outsourcing of my job 4 times - which was at your urging to Congress in exchange for corporate tax breaks -  and the recession that followed the crash in October 2008 -  will take me more time - and more effort on your part - but this is a start.

God's blessings upon you and family :)

Local Clergy Join the Protest - All Kneel in Prayer on Main Street

12 members of the clergy, Christian and Jewish, joined in last night - then cops, clergy, and protesters all knelt in prayer  at the intersection of Main Street and Midland :)

Amen!

THIS is where I see Christ in the situation - you just have to look in the right places ;)


Night #5 - and still no riots, no looting, no fires, no national guard, no shooting, no tear gas, no rubber bullets, and only 2 arrests here.

That is because the police response of kneeling, hugging, walking with, and praying with the protesters has made all the difference, here :)

All under the direction of LFUCG Police Chief (and Mark's former coworker and friend), Lawrence Weathers ...

Keep going, Lexington, you're doing great - so proud of you!!!


Once again, lyrics written by my Episcopal Christian sister, Julia Ward Howe ...








Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord
He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored

He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword
His truth is marching on!

Glory, glory, Hallelujah! Glory, glory, Hallelujah!
Glory, glory, Hallelujah! His truth is marching on.

I have seen Him in the watch fires of a hundred circling camps
They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps
I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps
His day is marching on
Hallelujah, Hallelujah!

In the beauty of the lilies, Christ was born across the sea
With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me
As He died to make men holy, let us live to make men free
While God is marching on!

Glory, glory, Hallelujah! Glory, glory, Hallelujah!
Glory, glory, Hallelujah! His truth is marching on!
His truth is marching on! And on and on and on and on and on

PS - For anyone interested in the back-story behind Julia Ward Howe, here is the story told by her great-great-great grandson, Charles Wiggins Putnam ....








In this excerpt from "The King's Ministry Series:  The Way of the Stars" Written in 1916 (which I'm now reading)  ...


Julia describes in her own words how and why she wrote the song: 

PS - Trump's Tear-Gas-Induced Selfie, Using MY Burnt Episcopal National Church, as a Prop ...

As you know, I am a confirmed Episcopalian since 2007.

We are are comprised of largely educated, mostly leftist Christians, with a few right moderates -  who did not vote for, nor do we support Trump - because we believe virtually everything Trump says and does is contrary to the actual teachings of Christ and done for money, power, and popularity.  

We also believe in actively being stewards of Christ, and servants of our fellow man and this earth.

In fact, we are committed to social justice as part of our church doctrine.

Thus, because our church has not supported/criticized Trump, Trump and the GOP have vilified us as 'CINOs' and "Demonrats" and "Demrats."

So, like most other Episcopalians, I was more outraged with Trump's ordering of dispersing tear gas to remove the crowd in front of St. John's Episcopal Church ...

...  just so he could take a selfie of himself, in front of OUR burned Episcopal national church, using it as a prop ...

 
...  than I was with the church burning itself. 


AND - he was holding the bible upside down in most of the photos, until somebody pointed it out?!? 

(If that's not a metaphor for what he's done to Christianity, I don't know what is lol.)

I agree with Bishop Marian Budde when she said, "Everything he has said and done is to inflame this violence."

I could only add ...

Oh hell, no - how dare you tear gas protesters, just to clear space for you to take a selfie  - using MY burnt national church as a prop?!?

Especially after you've vilified our church and us leftist Christians as CINOs and Demonrats!



If you're going to go out among the people, you should be walking with, praying with, and hugging them, like my city's priests and actual police force is doing (see below post) - because it's working!



Thief in the temple?

GET. OUT. OF. MY. FATHER'S. HOUSE.

Before somebody chases you out, with a whip, like Christ did :)

More Police Hugs, Prayers, and Walking With Protesters Here In Lexington

Still no riots, no fires, no looting, no tear gas, no rubber bullets, and no National Guard here (despite what happened in Louisville) :)

That is because the Lexington Police have chosen instead (like a few other cities have done) to walk along with the protesters, hug them, and pray with them in support.

The first arrest of the protests was made, some idiot tried trying to incite a riot.

However, it didn't take - he was unsuccessful.  

Police walked, hugged, and prayed with the protestors instead :)

Go LFUCG PD and Lexington people -  I'm so proud of you! 

"...But Some More White Dudes Are in Space Again, So It's All Okay " ;)

... or is that 'FAKE NEWS!' too?  ;)

My husband and I just keep saying the above, at random times, just to keep our sense of humor in all of this lol.

(It's a reference to the Gil Scott-Heron poem, "Whitey on the Moon" from 1970,  found in this post.)

Don't get me wrong - I love space missions - but I think both the timing and billions of public and private money being spent on this are both beyond inappropriate, and frankly, absurd - and you know how irreverent my sense of humor can be with the absurd ;)

I also don't care for the distraction-tactic effort either, thanks - sorry, but not all of us are easily distracted by flying, shiny metal objects and technology - and considering current affairs, I think it's clear we Americans have distracted ourselves long enough from the reality of racism in this country. 

So when do we say it?

Anytime, but some examples are after someone says something like ...

"I have to go back into the schools to work again, on Monday, despite still not having enough PPE and testing, and people are worse than ever about not respecting social distancing ..."

"But whitey in space again, so it's okay." 

"So ... Louisville's still on fire - along with just about every other city in America - curiously only cities where police forces didn't support/join in the protests like Lexington and some other cities did. "

"Whitey in space -  all is well."

"I love Andy Beshear, but caving in to pressure from McConnell and Trump to call in the national guard - instead of just encouraging Louisville cops to handle it like Lexington cops  (see below post) - HUGE mistake ..."

"... because the Louisville Metro Police Department and the national guard just shot into the crowd, killing a Louisville restaurant owner, then FINALLY fired the Louisville Metro Police Chief."

"Had they fired that a-hole 2 months ago, when Breonna was shot - or even a week ago, when the protests began - we wouldn't even be here. Then Louisville added insult to injury by not encouraging their cops to actually join in on the protests like Lexington did."

"But whitey's in space again, so it's all good."

"Jobs are being cut all over the city and state, and there's a rumor public schools are next ..."

"Whitey in space - no need for alarm."

"Okay ... but earth itself has just broken into pieces, the bowels of hell are exposed, and the hounds of hell have been unleashed onto all of humanity! ..." 

"Oooh, but look - SpaceX Dragon is so shiny!  Racism? What racism?"

"Our omniscient, omnipotent white benevolent patriarchs are flying above us, as we speak, and in control - praise be to Trump!"

(Okay, nobody actually said that last one - I just wrote that to crack myself up and to stretch my point out past the already inherent absurdity, for people who still don't get it. ;) Or last night, when hanging my plants back up, when my husband came home from the store, he was talking to a different neighbor in our building about all of this. 

I just shouted down from the balcony, "But ... but ... you guys ... what are you worried about? Some more American and Russian white dudes are in space again, so it's all good."

Everyone laughed - mission accomplished.  

Thank God everyone in my building (but not all buildings in this community) shares my opinion and already know and get my smart-ass, absurd sense of humor ;)

Exactly what message are we sending our young people, here? 


"That's right, little boys and girls watching from all over the world - dream all you want, but the fact is, 50 years later, if you're not a conservative-Christian, wealthy, white male from the U.S. or Russia - you ain't going nowhere!"



Sorry, I can't help myself - I am chronically that kid that can't keep from containing myself from saying, "What are you all talking about... you know dang well that emperor's buck nekkid!"

Because some stuff just seems so obvious to me, but I have to remember, most people either genuinely don't see it, or they like enabling and pretending along that Emperors wear clothes ;)

We're Doing Things in Lexington Differently - And It's Working :) LFUCG PD is Kneeling, Hugging, and Praying with Our Protesters :)

After the crowd began chanting "Kneel with us! Kneel with us!" ...

... at least these police officers -  did :)

They also played "Rock, Paper Scissors" with the protesters ...  lol  

... and hugged them ... 

And finally, they prayed with them ...

And THAT, Ladies and Gentlemen, is how good, non-racist cops - with the true love of Christ in their hearts - truly behave!

As a result, thus far, there have been ...

No riots.

No fires. 

No looting. 

No shots fired or violence. 

No tear gas or rubber bullets.

In fact, I can see God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit of God at work, here :)

Never underestimate what the power of love, kindness, mercy, and fair justice can do  :) 

And the fact is, cities where cops have responded in this way have seen less of the above actions, if any at all. 

We're a mostly blue city, a tiny dot in a sea of red  - though even liberal Lexingtonians are still often too afraid to take a hard line about much of anything and are often oblivious to inequity and what life is like for the less-fortunate and suffering - both political sides are often still a fan of victim-blaming and demonizing the less fortunate and suffering.

And yet, we're making me proud, at least right now, with our peaceful protests and our police response :) 

Once again, as I mentioned below, that is due, in large part, to our awesome Chief of Police, Lawrence Weathers. 

Though not always true, because many times, people are still going to do what they're going to do regardless, when angry  - especially righteously angry ...

... oftentimes, how we respond can make all the difference, Ladies and Gentlemen :)


PS - I note that many famous Republicans, both locally and nationally - who just 4 years ago,  famously said 'racism doesn't exist anymore, in this country' - are now tweeting their support - not for the riots, but for the protests, saying they are just as disgusted and broken-hearted by what happened to George Floyd as we are.

Plus they're also saying things like "We will do better" and "We have got to do better."

Gee, ya think?  

And you will? 

You promise? 

What took you so long to wake up? 

Well, better late than never, I guess. 

You are still welcome to U.S. party :)

However, may I recommend that from now on, perhaps listen more than you talk (especially out of your arse about people and issues you have no personal experience with)?

And by that, I mean more listening to the voices of others who aren't just like you, but also listen to your heart? ;)