We here at RISE NEWS came across the photo below on social media a day before the tragic slaying of five police officers in Dallas.
We found it absolutely repugnant at the time but did not say anything.
We were wrong not to.
We all need to take a stand when we see people post horrific images because sometimes they can inspire people to do horrific things.
Here is the image in question:
We will not be “outing” the person that posted the image because they are a private citizen and we hope they will learn from this mistake without their reputation being damaged in the process.
From the post:
“This photo may offend some individuals and I clearly don’t give AF! America needs to realize that it’s not about BLACK OR WHITE PEOPLE. It’s more about these crooked ass so called law enforcement officers. Now, there are some good ones and I applaud you for standing in unity and going against negativity and protecting this country but some of you abuse your authority when you in a little position of power. #RIP #AltonSterling”
No one posted arguing that the image was terrible.
In fact, some people egged it on.
One person wrote:
“There are good cops out the there. But there are too many bad ones too. Racism is strong in this country. A lot of the problems with these deaths is because of a racist society. I’ve been here long enough to see a lot of it. Just think what our parents and there parents have seen.”
Another said:
“I take issue with the so called good ones too because most of them allow this shit to go on and don’t say anything.”
We agree that Black Lives Matter.
There is no question that police violence and systemic racism in our justice system are real issues that we have not done a good enough job in weeding out as a country.
There are racist cops. There are dirty cops. There are bad cops.
But there are also really great cops who take their jobs seriously and work everyday to protect the people of this country. Without them, we will have no peace. Without them, we will have no democracy.
While the Black Lives Matter fight must continue to go on as the deaths of young black men in this country will undoubtedly continue as this summer grows hotter, we must all do our part in lowering the rhetoric.
Posting a photo to social media depicting a police officer having his throat slashed by a ISIS like figure with American flag colored gun straps is not helping.
It is not good social commentary. It is not interesting. It is only vile.
Of course this does go both ways.
All of us have seen countless racist memes pop up on our feeds from time to time or the words All Lives Matter as a substitute for real conversation about what is needed to make things better.
We are wrong when we don’t confront people who post those images as well.
We can make things better in this country. We can create a better future where the relationship between the police and people of color can be strong and respected.
But we can certainly not have this future if we don’t trust each other. And we certainly can’t bring about that future if we hate each other.
Love and respect is the only answer.
And it is time that we all do our part.
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This Politician Dressed Up Like Donald Trump At An AIDS Walk To Make An Important Point
North Miami City Councilman Scott Galvin is known for his unique approach to serving his constituents.
An early adopter of email newsletters and blogging to keep people that live in his city informed, Galvin has recently started producing web videos for the same purpose.
But none of that quite compares to what Galvin did to support the Florida AIDS Walk and Music Festival.
Galvin is not afraid to take a stand on issues that are a bit bigger than North Miami, a diverse northern Miami suburb with nearly 60,000 residents.
So he decided to make fun of Republican Presidential front-runner Donald Trump to raise money for the AIDS walk.
Galvin dressed as “The Donald” and walked around the event carrying fake money with Trump’s face on it.
“I’ve been wearing silly costumes in the Walk since 2009, when I was a leprechaun,” Galvin said in an interview with RISE NEWS. “I always try to do something unique, as it’s a big point in my fundraising efforts. This year, I truly didn’t have an original idea. And then I saw a recent Republican debate. My costume immediately became clear.”
Galvin has been involved with AIDS walks for years and has been walking in them since 2007.
While most people at the walk understand that Galvin was making fun of Trump and his arrogant manor (he was also saying one-lines as he walked around like “I’m building a wall around YOUR house”), some people didn’t get the joke.
“A few were unsure, however, and wondered if I was supporting Trump,” Galvin said. “A few wouldn’t even take my fake money and just gave me disgusted looks.”
While it was all in good fun, Galvin said that he really does believe that Trump poses a threat to the LGBT community.
“An affront to any minority community is an affront to us all,” Galvin said. “If we sit silently as Trump insults Mexicans and Muslims, who will be around to defend us when it is our turn?”
Galvin’s efforts seemed to have paid off as he was able to raise around $8,000 for the walk.
“Trump’s campaign is as much a hot mess as I was walking in the sun wearing a clown wig and orange make up,” Galvin said. “At least I was able to turn his idiocy into a few laughs for a good cause.”
Cover Photo Credit: Scott Galvin/ Facebook
RISE NEWS is a grassroots journalism news organization that is working to change the way young people become informed and engaged in public affairs. You can write for us!
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Supreme Court Strikes Down Texas Abortion Law
The Supreme Court struck down a Texas abortion law Monday that advocates argued made it more difficult for women to receive an abortion. The court ruled the law placed an undue burden on women. The court’s opinion is available online here. Justice Stephen Breyer authored the court’s opinion. The court ruled 5-3. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg… Read More
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#VestGate: UK University Challenge Program Ignites Controversy Over What It Means To Be “Intelligent”
University Challenge, hosted by Jeremy Paxman and witness to the UK’s most intelligent of students going head to head to represent their universities, is a show which can clearly be seen to favour substance over style.
Focused on providing only the most gruelling of questions, its reputation is one of baffled English home-audiences rejoicing when answering correctly between themselves, university pride, and the classic jumper-collared-shirt combo. However, one episode, which aired last week, hosted one contestant whose choice of attire raised more than a few eyebrows.
Kamel Shah of King’s College, Cambridge, injected a certain amount of controversy into the show courtesy of his leather vest and gold chain.
Raising questions on the idea of propriety, some argued that the values of BBC 2, typically home of the straight-edged middle-class crowd, had been compromised. For many, the clothing choice was regarded as a sign of disrespect, aligned on ideas of good manners and appropriate attire which being on a show as esteemed as University Challenge supposedly demands:
My mum would be horrified if wore a leather vest on #universitychallenge. She was mad at my graduation photo earring. pic.twitter.com/Jn0det8QAz
— The Weirwolf (@jon_weir) September 7, 2015
WHO IS THAT IDIOT IN A VEST ON #UNIVERSITYCHALLENGE?! Completely improper! *immediately writes letter* — John Franklin (@JontyFulminates) September 7, 2015
However, the issue of the vest could be seen to prompt a much deeper discussion. When it comes to representations of intelligence, is there something inherently problematic in disputing the decency of someone who refused to toe the line of what many see as an out-dated ideal?
Shah in his leather vest, dragging #universitychallenge kicking and screaming into the late 1990s.
— Ali (@AliBonce) September 7, 2015
King’s Shah – brave choice of vest-top, defying usual boring clothes expectations for #universitychallenge. Nice one!
— Ted Loveday (@TedTalksUK) September 7, 2015
It is no secret that questions on the University Challenge appeal to an educational standard more at home with the privately-educated than anything else; which isn’t to say that its audience must simply be privately-educated. It simply suggests that when questions are focused on, for example, literature of the 17th century, Latin translation, or minimalism in music, one wonders at the concept of common knowledge, and knowledge in itself.
An example of previous University Challenge questions:
“Your starter for 10: A schoolboy play-on-words between Latin and English, what jocular translation is usually given to the phrase semper ubi sub ubi?
Three bonus questions on the opening lines of novels:
(a) Which novel, first published in serial form from 1914 to 1915, begins “Once upon a time and a very good time it was…”?
(b) “It was a dark and stormy night”’ are the first words of the 1830 novelPaul Clifford by which writer, whose other works include Eugene Aramand The Last Days of Pompeii?
(c) The novels Midnight’s Children, The Thirty-Nine Steps, Robinson Crusoe and Tristram Shandy all open with which word?”
What does intelligence mean and what is it measured by? When contestants famously previously failed to recognise a musical question sampling the modern R&B sounds of Frank Ocean, one must wonder as to what extent the non-typical, but very valid, contributions of the rest of the world are unnoticed by the majority’s standards.
It is very likely that Shah’s vest is improper, a fashion faux-paux which does not do well to read too much into. We cannot be sure that he donned the chain and the vest to question the legitimacy of educational standards. However, it is also clear that the impropriety can be interpreted as a sign of defiance. Within the elitist environment with which we both patrol the playground of the deemed intelligent and set the standard, there are remnants of inequality which would favour the symbolism of, for lack of better words, of the jumper-wearer over the vest-wearer.
Tonight a man in an owl jumper is seen socialising with a man in a leather vest. #UniversityChallenge #GeekAndGangsta pic.twitter.com/CXhcHKFyaK — Steve Hewitt (@Me_Scuba_Steve) September 7, 2015
#GeekAndGangsta. The hash-tag speaks for itself. It’s clear our clothes feature their own identities, can speak without saying of our cultural awareness. But as culture is so easily manipulated, the inference of what this can mean cannot be easily decided upon.
The conclusion is that Shah chose to don non-typical attire on a game show set to test intelligence and provided the ripples of an aftermath which suggest that clothing is not just clothing: the underlying current of values being tied up with appearance, and in this case intelligence, is definite.
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Cover Photo: Iain Weir/Twitter
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