further reflections

I remember the first time I saw anti Vietnam marchers throwing bottles and rocks at cops.  It just seemed wrong, we were supposed to be the ones who got our heads busted.  The model I was thinking of was the black civil rights marchers who it seemed advaced their cause by getting their heads busted in the south which made the north more sympathetic to their cause.  At the time I wondered how getting my head busted would prove that the war was wrong, but you know, you had to do something.

That is something that the current demonstrators are saying.  When they are interviewed they go into some detail about Floyd George's death, and then there is the litany of all the other black deaths by cop also to some detail and that is followed by that short little quip at the end, you have to do something, which is the weak end of their argument, like a huge box kite with a little ribbon attached to it.  You know if you have to do something why not do ten thousand jumping jacks, why not sacrifice a virgin? 

The problem of  police brutality towards black people is not something easily solved.  It will take a lot of hard thorny work, time and patience.  Whether these demonstrations will have any effect on that is way up in the air.


Those guys tossing bottles and rocks at the anti Vietnam demonstrators were infiltrators of some sort.  The main organizers of the marches didn't want to get into a riot.  I am getting closer to thinking that the rock and bottle tossers of the current demonstrations are also that:  Antifa, right-wing provocateurs, jag offs who just get off on random destruction,  Probably a combination of all of them and likely we will never know. 

Since this weekend in Chicago there have been a lot more demonstrations which have been peaceful, and a lot of looters who don't even pretend to be demonstrating about anything.  I want to say this for the record, from everything I have seen I think that the cops have been very professional.  There's still a lot of crap going on elsewhere, but when your city is in trouble you tend to focus less on what is going on on the outside.

The bridges are still up, and I will imagine they will stay up through the weekend.  There are actual national guards around downtown, Division to Cermak, Halsted to the lake.  If you want to get into the area you have to prove that you live or work here.

On the other hand the city has been opened up a little,  It's pretty complicated as to what is open, but I think the details will be in the newspapers that are now sitting in the hallway on the other side of my door.  Will I be able to have a beer with a buddy?  Should I take the risk even if it is allowed?