Why are people protesting and rioting in the midst of the Covid-19 crisis?

Watching a recording doesn't give you access to their inner thoughts.

Agreed.

Do you have any evidence to support such charges?

Christians have been praying for a very long time, doesn’t appear to have done much good.

That’s what the racists are saying.

How did Floyd end up with the fake bill? Was it planted on him like some people said?

Your guess is as good as mine, he may have been knowingly trying to pass a counterfeit note or he may have been an innocent who received it in his change.

In any event he didn’t deserve to be murdered by the police.

No he didn't.

The $20 does not matter whether Mr. Floyd used it and intended to pass it as fake or not. That crime does not warrant the police to handle this man in the way they did not even close. So that should not even be a factor in this discussion.

You are right it is not wise to closely protest without masks under these circumstances and certainly not to riot. But you need to understand the anger and the anguish. This is more than one man (although I believe everyone is agreement that man was murdered and his life in itself is important as anyone else) – but it is just one more black man treated wrong. It happens all the time – not necessarily someone being killed (although happens way too much as well) but the inappropriate treatment than happen to many African Americans simply because of their appearance.

Many people of all backgrounds and groups have tried to do things previously but nothing seems to change. So just imagine the frustration, the anger, the fear and the grief many people of having especially people of color. How would you feel if you were walking in your neighborhood and the police asked for you identification for no reason at all? That if you were to say why are you asking? The police may consider you a threat and wrestle you to the ground? You did nothing, just even politely asked them why are they questioning you?

I think MLK explained it best when he said:
“A riot is the language of the unheard”
“…riots do not develop out of thin air” but rather there are certain conditions that exist “in our society which must be condemned as vigorously as we condemn riots.”

Whites get killed in America by Whites and minorities. Some of the people doing the killing are cops. How come you don't hear about that in the news?

It's because of racism. Progressives object to black people being killed even when it is justified self defense. They have no objection to white people being killed even when they are innocent.

Can you walk in your neighborhood without someone suspecting of you doing something criminal?

Do you fear if you get stopped by the police, they will immediately arrest you at best; hurt you or kill you at worst?

I would be curious if there is a statistic on the number of black men that are killed while being arrested versus white men?

Also police officers are supposed to be trained to only use lethal force if absolutely necessary. We are supposed to trust the police to do so. I have high respect for police officers and they do have a very dangerous job. However, unless someone can prove to me otherwise - it seems that black men are disproportionately harassed suspected and killed by police officers than any other group.

I am guessing from what I read about you that you are a young white man - so you cannot (and neither can I) fully appreciate what someone must feel in this situation. The more I read from the perspective of someone in those shoes - the closer and more I can appreciate.

Read this article - this was 5 years ago but I think it makes it pretty clear on the terror this poor man felt.

https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2015/12/07/massart-professor-account-police-stop-resonates-online/7vATA9Cg70L8bAbBSEuvhP/story.html

Mr Goldman is an African American.

He’s unique and defies description.

He’s full of contradictions, and seems to have had a very sheltered upbringing. Many things one would consider common knowledge are a revelation to him.

I’m actually quite fond of him.

Well forgive my ignorance.

I do like goldman - I think he is unique. And to be honest - although he seems to rub many people the wrong way - I see no "meanness" in anything he says -

Yes I'm an African American. My biological mother is African American and my biological dad was a White Jewish man.

It's been said in America that fair-skinned African Americans are treated better than dark-skinned ones. I'm fair-skinned and I think that is true in my case.

A young White woman I know said I look like a "White guy with an Afro". Other people said I look Hispanic or Latino. I have predominantly Black features though.

I look something like Redfoo.

Yes to your first question, no to the second.

I live in the suburbs in a predominantly White neighborhood.

thanks for answering -

It could be everyone knows you in your neighborhood - it is odd me defending what I have heard from either reports, stories or directly from those that I know myself - how they are fearful of police.

I thought what that professor explains how he was terrified for his life when these police officers stopped him. I felt so sad - how terrible it must feel -- here you are this honest working person and yet you are fearful because of how you look and not your actions.

But I am glad for you that you do not have this fear - I would not want anyone to have to feel this way.

I'm a Christian. I'm not concerned about cops bothering me. I don't give American cops any reason to bother me.

Izzy is correct - I've lived a secluded/reclusive existence most of my life.