The problem is, black people DO have to go around fearing the police. Because of racial profiling, black people are pulled over and stopped by the police at a disproportionately high rate. I once was going through TSA and had accidentally left a knife in my backpack. They confiscated it and threw it out, letting me go passed with just a warning, but we both know had I been black, it may not have gone so smoothly. That is my white privilege, and that makes me feel guilty for all those without the same fortune. I'm sure you have seen a lot and I want to thank you for your years in the service, but that makes it all the more important for you to not ignore these problems, and as an upstanding citizen, to please do something about it.

I don’t ignore the problem and I understand that blacks may fear police, but this needs to start in the homes, not on the street. Not in the government, but at home. A huge part of the problem is what kids are taught and now they have social media and if that’s your source of news, god help us all. I was taught to not hate. I lived in a very diverse neighborhood. We all went to school together. I get it. I’ll never support BLM or other hate groups (and I consider them hate groups because they only concentrate on the disenfranchised of the day while hating on the rest of us, mostly white) Yes, they tossed rocks, bricks and stones at the protests (all over the news). I’m sure there will be more stories to come out. Seems wherever they are, there’s always looting and property destruction (which only enforces to the rest of us that, hey, maybe they should be locked up). I know there are other groups involved. But all these gaming sites are in friggin liberal cities (cant miss them because it’s only coincidence that protests start in them mostly) and quite frankly, I’m tired of seeing it everywhere.

The government and by extension the police are your "white lives matter". White people and the government held black people back for years whether through slavery and segregation, and then we suddenly let them go, even though whites and their communities had seen hundreds of years more worth of investment. There's obviously no way black communities could ever catch up with some extra support, but were STILL denied leases and investment through practices like redlining. The 20 richest people in the United States are all white. Black people make up around 12 percent of the population, and I'm sure if you extended that list you would not see a black person for a while. I wouldn't think it's fair to say every single black person doesn't work hard, so it must have something to do with the system. I nor anyone else said your life was hard. I'm sure it was difficult, much more difficult than mine. I live in one of the safest neighborhoods in the country, and that's why I feel I have a responsibility to improve life for those who have it harder (go back to my TSA example) than you and me, i.e. minorities.

I agree. That’s why I support only Folds of Honor and sometime wounded warrior. They support every race, creed, religion, gender. I wish more people would serve. There are many benefits and you wont have to lead a life of crime or be homeless.

But black people need the most help. That is what I was saying before.[b] I am not saying you should not support those causes[/b], however in the current socioeconomic climate, minorities and black Americans need help overthrowing established issues with policing and the system. That is why black lives matter exists, and the main reason people dislike them if because white people feel disenfranchised because of its name, and they are not used to feeling that way. Black people feel the same living in our country [b]every single day[/b].

Im certainly not tyrying to demean your statement in any way. I totally agree that in a lot of areas, blacks are targeted unfairly. Just offering a different point of view. Being in many different places and working, living mainly in urban/suburban areas, I’d like to think that most of the country is not that way and I’d like to think (yes a little faith I know), due to the religious make up of this country, I think the only whites that feel disenfranchised are the ones who are on the hate train. My friends tell me stories, sure. But we are 330 million people and the light shines only on the bad because thats what sells papers. The stats simply dont bear out that it is a widespread epidemic. Is it a problem? Sure. Do blacks need help? Again, Sure. I just think some groups are just the wrong messengers. There’s no MLK as far as I know leading the charge. Know what I mean? I apologize if you find any of this offensive. It wasnt intended to be.

Thanks for talking with me man, just to tie what I was saying back to your original post (the only issue I took) was that black people need this pedestal because many of them legitimately are treated like trash in this country by established systems. Appreciate the respectful debate! 🤝