Thoughts to ponder

HEARTLESS, this is my last request. Either share your opinion of each video that you post, and don't toss out an insult at the same time as you post it, or it gets moved to the Ring for being spam and rude. I've asked nicely multiple times, I'm done asking.

As I posted on another friend's FB timeline when he made the same assertions, we don't even know who the suspect is who shot those officers. Since we don't even know who they are, how can there possibly be assumptions made that they are BLM, or with any other group, political party, etc?

I do not in any way condone these horrific acts against the police, or the protestors blocking a hospital entrance and yelling horrible things, but can we wait for facts to come in before assuming who they are and why they did this? There's more than enough rumors, misinformation, and flat out lies flying around social media and news, on both sides, and it takes each of us to stop what we can. Even FOX News didn't mention BLM, or Antifa, when reporting on the shooter or the protestors. What the players in the NFL are doing pre-dates this incident and isn't an endorsement for violence. Frankly, it would be nice if the NFL organization itself would stay out of it as well since their track record of being on the right side of justice is abysmal. They shouldn't be allowing any names of anyone to be put on uniforms, unless it's someone football-related.

www.cnn.com/2020/09/12/us/los-angeles-co...t-compton/index.html
www.foxnews.com/us/protesters-hospital-l...fs-deputies-ambushed

The problem with making blanket statements like "Democrats support this"or "BLM did this" without proof is the same problem as saying that "Republicans are racist" because of the words and actions of a few: it's putting everyone in that party, in that group, in the same box and ascribing those extremist beliefs to all that only some, those who should be condemned, for holding. If we ever want to get back to working together, get back to civility, with moderates on both sides being the driving force publicly and privately, then we all need to stop making these assumptions and all-encompassing statements that further drive a wedge between us.

If you'll notice, the ongoing riots and looting (which, for the record, I also condemn) are happening in only a few cities in this country, despite the fact that the majority of large US coastal cities are left-leaning. This isn't a whole party problem, it's a few mayors and governors who are doing a piss-poor job of leading. It isn't all the NFL players, it's some of them, and we're where we are today because of a lack of listening to understand and flat out vilifying the other side. Call our leaders out for their ineffectiveness, don't say all Democratic leaders support terrorists, or all police shooters are BLM, or all rioters are Antifa or White Supremacists, all Republicans are racists because that's how dialog gets shut down and our society degrades further. I actually had a friend post that all police were KKK, and I had to reply in astonishment, "Does that mean the black ones too?" People don't think before they comment, and it adds to the problem.

Don't let the media's focus on what's burning and bleeding for ratings and clicks misguide us on the facts that the majority of the country decry these actions, want peace and order, justice, equality, fairness, truth, and a return to civility while working on our problems together. Don't let assumptions obscure the facts.