The Importance of Being Human

I want to write something important. Something powerful. Not because I view myself as important or powerful, but because the subject I intend to write about is so very important to me. I want to write about people and their right to exist. Most people don’t question their right to exist. Existence should be a given. I am; therefore, I exist. It should be an inalienable right. Inalienable. Remember that. When orders are signed to make someone an illegal alien by people who are immigrants or children of immigrants, it is the worst sort of privilege. Getting honest, poor, hardworking people to buy into the rhetoric of fear is the worst kind of betrayal of the privilege someone has been given to help someone else in need. If one believes, as I do, that we are only made strong long enough to help each other, then one understands my dilemma. I can’t be too heavy-handed with facts and articles supporting my position. To do so is elitist. I can’t appeal to my own experiences. That rhetoric is anecdotal, and I can’t prove that my experiences are symbolic of the rule rather than the exception. I don’t have the money or the power to overwhelm a media outlet – much less all of them – with my version of facts. I can’t buy advertising that will repeat my words verbatim until they are accepted as truth no matter how outrageous they might be. But I have a laptop. And sometimes I think I can write a little. I have to try. If I were in a position of authority, especially if I could have been in such a position years (decades, centuries) ago, I would not allocate money to foreign defense. We live in a country a hemisphere away from the problems of Africa and the Orient and the Middle East. If people want to abandon those problems by coming to our shores, we should let them. We should take great care of them so that they want to bring their loved ones to the Utopia our country promises. We should not send soldiers to change their countries’ ways of life. Our soldiers should be here learning as much as they can about new immigrants, understanding their language and culture and helping us adapt to each other. In fact, if our soldiers only went overseas to protect people, and not cheap oil, I think we would be closer to living in a Utopia. And if we are going to invade a country for its minerals (oil and coal are not scientifically minerals, but legally, they are included as minerals in terms of mineral rights), the least our leaders could do is be honest about it. American employees are getting pulled off US oil rigs because foreign oil is so abundant and cheap. Instead of making the connection between foreign wars and cheap imports, people are being told to fear and blame immigrants for their joblessness and resulting poverty. Poor and tired – exhausted, really – people believe what is pounded at them by the people in charge. It takes a long time to start to question authority and power, even to the absence and abandonment of logic. So clearly, I have a soft spot for immigration. I happen to find people inalienable. Then I get hit by the two by four of how I can care about people but not be pro-birth. And the simple explanation is that I don’t consider every ejaculation or menstruation a baby. A more complicated explanation is that I’m not a doctor. I have, however, been pregnant. And the juxtaposition of those two informs me that I can not make laws to account for every pregnancy situation. Without looking at improbable statistics, I would wager that there is an unplanned pregnancy for every couple desperate to conceive their own baby. I don’t know why the world works that way. I do know that these unplanned pregnancies and childless couples cannot be paired together like some crazy TV reality show match game. I wish it were that simple. On top of that complication, there are wanted babies who cannot be saved by current medical advances. Abortion of these babies to save the mother and provide a chance for a viable baby to be conceived and born seems the most humane course of action. In the meantime, pitting two groups of emotional, vulnerable people -- the childless and the unplanned pregnant -- against each other is the very definition of cruel. Chances are neither has the money or the resources to help the other, if and when they are able to connect. Then disreputable people sweep in, hoping to profit from both sides – selling babies, stealing babies, keeping children from loving families, allowing children to stay in abusive households or squalid orphanages. This behavior is inhuman and inhumane. If we spent the time and resources fighting THIS instead of constant legal battles over reproductive rights, I believe we would have much better results. Because I love little people, I support abortion. Not just choice, but abortion. I can’t prevent child abuse. I can’t prevent cults and sex trafficking and a lot of bad behavior. Ideologically, however, I can support the idea that if people only had babies they wanted, loved, and were ready, eager, and able to care for, then we would have additional resources to crack down on bigger problems that result from children who are uneducated, poor, bored, neglected, targeted, and abused. If instead of shooting people who walk into Planned Parenthood, or shouting Bible verses at them, people held signs –as my friend suggested – offering to pay expenses or adopt unwanted children or provide emotional support, I could believe in the goodness of the common person that I sometimes fail to see. Abortion is not the only reason people go to Planned Parenthood. The pregnant woman murdered in Colorado a little over a year ago was not there to have an abortion. She was murdered by a mentally unstable man who believed fake videos about Planned Parenthood’s only purpose. I happen to think that people supporting the actions of that mentally unstable man should reflect long and hard before proclaiming a pro-life stance. I tire of the rhetoric that Planned Parenthood’s only purpose is abortion. I especially tire of this rhetoric from craft stores who buy cheap goods from countries with mandatory child limits and forced abortions. It’s not about the money, either, people. I get that soulless argument a lot. Funny, I’m not supposed to complain about a portion of my taxes supporting war or the death penalty – but people can sure complain about paying for other people’s condoms, boxes of pills, IUDs, or abortions. Dollar for dollar, there is no argument. I’ve also seen enough parents complain about other people’s children’s behavior in grocery stores to know that if there was a free box of condoms that a judgmental shopper could hand a parent – well, let’s just say my grocery store trips could be a lot more interesting.  It is too about the money. If money weren’t an object, traffickers wouldn’t traffic. Not drugs, not people. If everyone had the resources to truly do what they wanted, we might all live on private islands and not give a damn about anyone else. There are rich people for whom the true value of money is as meaningless as Monopoly money is to me – but they need to keep score with their balance sheets. The acquisition of wealth is a great game, and there is little room for second place – no room for losing ground. If we eliminated money – as some stores and government offices have done, going cashless to prevent robberies – some people would still have more than ten cars, a private jet, and a yacht while others would only have the rags on their backs or maybe a couple trash bags’ worth of possessions. Overwhelmingly, the people living paycheck to paycheck with underwater mortgages and massive bills will give more of themselves to help those seeking handouts in soup kitchens. Equally overwhelmingly, a rich person could write a check for funds they would never miss that could do more good than a thousand poor people helping poorer people. Which is why we allow charities to exist. Which is why we should crack down on charity fraud, kickbacks, and related bad acts. Which is why we should be mindful of rich people eluding taxes and fine them heavily for not compensating their employees fairly and pocketing the difference. Which is why a college education should be freely available and not a requirement of entry level employment. And why we should crack down on and break up for-profit colleges that break promises they make to desperate students. Which is why we need a livable minimum wage that includes all medical care from conception to burial or cremation. And why such medical coverage should not be tied to a job or an employer whose ideology may differ from our own. And why it should be as easy to walk into a health insurance agency and establish a personal relationship with an agent as it is to walk into a car insurance agency or tax preparation office. When we are at our most sick and vulnerable, we are most human. We should not be beans counted in an office by people who only know us as numbers on a page. That we perpetuate this is inhumane. I believe that a person is strong to help someone who is not. I believe we can do more together than apart. I believe that self-care is important and self-sacrifice is admirable, but selfishness to the detriment of the common good is the reason the colonies overthrew the monarchy and the reason we should not allow ourselves to be ruled by a tyranny today. I believe in We the People and I believe in the American Dream And if you still don’t – why not? How can I help you address whatever fear is holding you back?

The Importance of Being Human

I want to write something important. Something powerful. Not because I view myself as important or powerful, but because the subject I intend to write about is so very important to me. I want to write about people and their right to exist. 

Most people don’t question their right to exist. Existence should be a given. I am; therefore, I exist. It should be an inalienable right. 

Inalienable. Remember that. 

When orders are signed to make someone an illegal alien by people who are immigrants or children of immigrants, it is the worst sort of privilege. Getting honest, poor, hardworking people to buy into the rhetoric of fear is the worst kind of betrayal of the privilege someone has been given to help someone else in need. If one believes, as I do, that we are only made strong long enough to help each other, then one understands my dilemma. 

I can’t be too heavy-handed with facts and articles supporting my position. To do so is elitist. I can’t appeal to my own experiences. That rhetoric is anecdotal, and I can’t prove that my experiences are symbolic of the rule rather than the exception. 

I don’t have the money or the power to overwhelm a media outlet – much less all of them – with my version of facts. I can’t buy advertising that will repeat my words verbatim until they are accepted as truth no matter how outrageous they might be. But I have a laptop. And sometimes I think I can write a little. I have to try. 

If I were in a position of authority, especially if I could have been in such a position years (decades, centuries) ago, I would not allocate money to foreign defense. We live in a country a hemisphere away from the problems of Africa and the Orient and the Middle East. If people want to abandon those problems by coming to our shores, we should let them. We should take great care of them so that they want to bring their loved ones to the Utopia our country promises. We should not send soldiers to change their countries’ ways of life. Our soldiers should be here learning as much as they can about new immigrants, understanding their language and culture and helping us adapt to each other. 

In fact, if our soldiers only went overseas to protect people, and not cheap oil, I think we would be closer to living in a Utopia. And if we are going to invade a country for its minerals (oil and coal are not scientifically minerals, but legally, they are included as minerals in terms of mineral rights), the least our leaders could do is be honest about it. American employees are getting pulled off US oil rigs because foreign oil is so abundant and cheap. Instead of making the connection between foreign wars and cheap imports, people are being told to fear and blame immigrants for their joblessness and resulting poverty. Poor and tired – exhausted, really – people believe what is pounded at them by the people in charge. It takes a long time to start to question authority and power, even to the absence and abandonment of logic. 

So clearly, I have a soft spot for immigration. I happen to find people inalienable. 

Then I get hit by the two by four of how I can care about people but not be pro-birth. And the simple explanation is that I don’t consider every ejaculation or menstruation a baby. A more complicated explanation is that I’m not a doctor. I have, however, been pregnant. And the juxtaposition of those two informs me that I can not make laws to account for every pregnancy situation. 

Without looking at improbable statistics, I would wager that there is an unplanned pregnancy for every couple desperate to conceive their own baby. I don’t know why the world works that way. I do know that these unplanned pregnancies and childless couples cannot be paired together like some crazy TV reality show match game. I wish it were that simple. On top of that complication, there are wanted babies who cannot be saved by current medical advances. Abortion of these babies to save the mother and provide a chance for a viable baby to be conceived and born seems the most humane course of action. 

In the meantime, pitting two groups of emotional, vulnerable people -- the childless and the unplanned pregnant -- against each other is the very definition of cruel. Chances are neither has the money or the resources to help the other, if and when they are able to connect. Then disreputable people sweep in, hoping to profit from both sides – selling babies, stealing babies, keeping children from loving families, allowing children to stay in abusive households or squalid orphanages. This behavior is inhuman and inhumane. If we spent the time and resources fighting THIS instead of constant legal battles over reproductive rights, I believe we would have much better results. 

Because I love little people, I support abortion. Not just choice, but abortion. I can’t prevent child abuse. I can’t prevent cults and sex trafficking and a lot of bad behavior. Ideologically, however, I can support the idea that if people only had babies they wanted, loved, and were ready, eager, and able to care for, then we would have additional resources to crack down on bigger problems that result from children who are uneducated, poor, bored, neglected, targeted, and abused. If instead of shooting people who walk into Planned Parenthood, or shouting Bible verses at them, people held signs –as my friend suggested – offering to pay expenses or adopt unwanted children or provide emotional support, I could believe in the goodness of the common person that I sometimes fail to see. Abortion is not the only reason people go to Planned Parenthood. The pregnant woman murdered in Colorado a little over a year ago was not there to have an abortion. She was murdered by a mentally unstable man who believed fake videos about Planned Parenthood’s only purpose. I happen to think that people supporting the actions of that mentally unstable man should reflect long and hard before proclaiming a pro-life stance. I tire of the rhetoric that Planned Parenthood’s only purpose is abortion. I especially tire of this rhetoric from craft stores who buy cheap goods from countries with mandatory child limits and forced abortions. 

It’s not about the money, either, people. I get that soulless argument a lot. Funny, I’m not supposed to complain about a portion of my taxes supporting war or the death penalty – but people can sure complain about paying for other people’s condoms, boxes of pills, IUDs, or abortions. Dollar for dollar, there is no argument. I’ve also seen enough parents complain about other people’s children’s behavior in grocery stores to know that if there was a free box of condoms that a judgmental shopper could hand a parent – well, let’s just say my grocery store trips could be a lot more interesting. 

It is too about the money. If money weren’t an object, traffickers wouldn’t traffic. Not drugs, not people. If everyone had the resources to truly do what they wanted, we might all live on private islands and not give a damn about anyone else. There are rich people for whom the true value of money is as meaningless as Monopoly money is to me – but they need to keep score with their balance sheets. The acquisition of wealth is a great game, and there is little room for second place – no room for losing ground. If we eliminated money – as some stores and government offices have done, going cashless to prevent robberies – some people would still have more than ten cars, a private jet, and a yacht while others would only have the rags on their backs or maybe a couple trash bags’ worth of possessions. Overwhelmingly, the people living paycheck to paycheck with underwater mortgages and massive bills will give more of themselves to help those seeking handouts in soup kitchens. Equally overwhelmingly, a rich person could write a check for funds they would never miss that could do more good than a thousand poor people helping poorer people. Which is why we allow charities to exist. 

Which is why we should crack down on charity fraud, kickbacks, and related bad acts. 

Which is why we should be mindful of rich people eluding taxes and fine them heavily for not compensating their employees fairly and pocketing the difference. 

Which is why a college education should be freely available and not a requirement of entry level employment. And why we should crack down on and break up for-profit colleges that break promises they make to desperate students. 

Which is why we need a livable minimum wage that includes all medical care from conception to burial or cremation. And why such medical coverage should not be tied to a job or an employer whose ideology may differ from our own. And why it should be as easy to walk into a health insurance agency and establish a personal relationship with an agent as it is to walk into a car insurance agency or tax preparation office. When we are at our most sick and vulnerable, we are most human. We should not be beans counted in an office by people who only know us as numbers on a page. That we perpetuate this is inhumane. 

I believe that a person is strong to help someone who is not. I believe we can do more together than apart. I believe that self-care is important and self-sacrifice is admirable, but selfishness to the detriment of the common good is the reason the colonies overthrew the monarchy and the reason we should not allow ourselves to be ruled by a tyranny today. I believe in We the People and I believe in the American Dream. 

And if you still don’t – why not? How can I help you address whatever fear is holding you back?

Racism, a Basketball Game, and an Election

People who think racism doesn't exist are missing a lot. Part of that is insulation from life in (usually, though not always) affluent white-dominated communities. Living in GA has opened my eyes to so many things. But another part of people thinking racism doesn't exist is somewhat willful ignorance. I brought something to a Springdale educator's attention privately in an effort not to make waves -- and for my trouble got told if I wasn't personally affected, then I shouldn't complain about being offended by something, even if it was racist, and even if the educator was on the record acknowledging racist content -- but people should just understand it was all in good fun. So who should complain?

These ladies are feeling affected, they are following a protocol which has been established by a pro-athlete. They spoke with their coaches about it. It wasn't a whim decision. For me, the push back they are getting says more about how far we have to come as a nation than their silent protest ever did or could.
These ladies are students. They are at the University to learn not just subject matter -- they are learning how to be adults and learning how to be heard. And that is HARD. It is hard for adults at 30 and 40. These young ladies are in their late teens or early 20s. 

I think it is wrong to criticize someone for any kind of protest without having previously engaged the protester in something that addresses their concern. And merely telling the ladies that they don't have a concern is disrespectful at a high, high degree.

People who are generally confused or not knowledgeable about racism in this country -- to me, that's like saying the Holocaust didn't happen and sexism isn't prevalent. I try to excuse as much as I can; I try to understand where people are coming from, but come on. Have they not seen how our President has been talked about -- the birther movement, the threats of lynching -- how did they MISS that? Do they not know what caused the riots in MO, NC, and other places? People not getting fair trials? Do they not understand about the Innocence Project -- what it is, what it does, and who it helps and needs to help? Do they not hear the awful things one of the presidential candidates says about (women,) immigrants and minorities? At some point, ignorance is not an excuse. Smoking causes cancer, drinking alcohol can cause liver damage, and being black can get you arrested, shot, and killed at a higher rate than being white. 

There are people who tweet Darius Rucker that he has no place in country music. There are people willing to yank Gabby Douglas's medal because she wasn't respectful enough. 

Racism can be a bit more subtle -- though we also have evidence that it is direct. You know when someone is looking at you in ways that make you uncomfortable. You may not be able to articulate it. But it still exists. We need to listen to people when they express their discomfort -- especially our young women. We need to give them safe spaces to express their concerns. 

The athletes may be more privileged than the people they kneel for. Maybe they aren't doing it for themselves, but for someone who didn't get their opportunities. And they are shedding light on intolerance. 

Kneeling is not a sign of disrespect. People kneel in their churches. They kneel to pray. For the talking point that kneeling is ever disrespectful -- really? To me, talking that kind of nonsense attempts to criminalize someone for their difference of opinion. And that hurts my heart. It makes me VERY angry. 

When our biker friends prevented Westboro Baptist Church members from protesting military funerals, that was a good protest. WBC was chanting and holding up signs condemning soldiers because we have equality in the military. And the bikers stopped it. The WBC was wrong to protest funerals. Their protest was disrespectful to grieving military families. What the bikers did was important.

Our best effort, until we know how to address the concerns racism presents, is to invite these athletes and people with concerns to talk to us. We need to listen to them. We can't do that while defending the status quo or telling them they are disgusting. We need to find out what they need and then we need to be willing to be uncomfortable so we can provide it. And one thing we can do immediately -- as white folks -- is to tell our neighbors to listen first. We are the privileged race/class. We do have a responsibility to help, and not to harm. 

It's good to struggle with this, but we've got to do more than that. And we need to understand that at this late stage in the game -- in 2016 with a really disrespectful POTUS candidate -- there are people who don't believe equality is a goal for people watching from the sidelines or worse, criticizing people for trying to raise awareness.

I was talking with some fellow authors this weekend and we laughed, but shook our heads at our shared experience. We have a whole month dedicated to black history, but MLK and Rosa Parks were the two representatives of the month mentioned year after year. We talked about all the history lessons where there was the token black and the token female -- and three white guys. Even lessons on suffrage dealt more with the men who fought against it then the women who fought for it. There is more to our history. We need to be open to it.
This post was created in response to the outrage some of my old neighbors had that six students took a knee during the anthem at a Lady Razorback game. And in light of those same people expressing their outrage who are simultaneously backing a candidate who supports violence and oppression of immigrants and minorities. I can't believe we are talking about this vote being close. I hope there is a landslide on Tuesday evening after the polls close -- but we ARE divided. We have some MAJOR problems that people are turning blind eyes to. And we need to help people to be heard. We need to help people to see the truth. I know it's hard. It's also important.

White Discussion

Tonight, a sixteen year old student -- with a 3.8 GPA, two jobs, a clothing line, and a book of advice for people his age -- is launching his book. And because I helped him publish that book, I'm part -- a very small part -- of that story. And I've got to worry that this young man might not be safe getting to his own book launch and getting home afterwards.

I worry about all my students. But not quite like this. 

Because my guy -- because, yeah, that's how I think of anyone I've helped publish -- is getting a lot of support for his success. And it isn't the book that has made him successful. He's been a National Agri-Science Finalist. Twice. Which means he won all the semis and local competitions leading up to Nationals. That GPA -- did I mention that? A clothing line? A guy with a clothing line? And two jobs -- two jobs where he isn't the boss and he has to miss a lot of life and a lot of fun and a lot of teen age experiences.

He's 16. He wants to be successful and he wants to help teens. 

He's 16. And he towers over my five feet eight inches. Which might be a problem.

Because when this young author gets off work, when this honor roll student clocks out, when this National Agri-Science Finalist walks to his mother's car, when the young guy with the clothing line is driven home by his mom -- in fact, all the time -- he's black. 

I have watched people flock around this guy. In fact, I've encouraged it. He's 16. The GPA. The clothing line. The two jobs. Now the book. A BOOK. My son won't willingly write a single page essay, and this guy wrote a book.

We should support sixteen year old young men with big goals and bigger dreams. 

We shouldn't have to worry about 16 year olds getting shot because they are tall.

Sixteen year old authors shouldn't have their book launches shadowed by racism.

Even if they tower over tall women like me.

Even if they are black.



I was thinking about tonight's book launch when the following exchange occurred yesterday on FB:
A -- Original Poster -- she married a HS classmate of mine. For many topics of frugality, we're on the same wavelength. But I saw a different and ugly side of her tonight. And I think it comes from where we grew up, in the same lily white community where there were so few people of color that we could think all manner of ignorant things and if they left our mouths, there wouldn't be any repercussions. We honestly didn't think. As the exchange will show, the other people involved just don't know. 
B -- OP's friend
C -- OP's friend
D -- OP's friend
E -- OP's friend
And then there's me. I didn't block my name. 

A

Ignorance. Pure and simple

-0:47

114,448 Views

Townhall VideoLike Page (This is the video: https://www.facebook.com/166408686759982/videos/1187457451321762/ It came from a conservative Facebook group, and the video title (shown below) is misleading.)

7 hrs · 

Charlotte Activists: Get Ready For More Violence, We're Not Going To Stop.

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B

Could not agree more. Instead of helping the situation, he is going to help make the situation much more worse! Be part of the solution and not the problem!

Like · Reply · 1 · 5 hrs · Edited

Phyl Campbell SO what is the solution? That football guy took a knee and people are going nuts, so people clearly don't think peaceful protest is the solution. I'm equally appalled when people suggest killing Hilary Clinton is an option if she wins the election. I don't think electing DT is the solution. I think equal rights is a solution. I think better pay, equipment, and training for officers is a solution. I think HEAVILY fining CEOs who steal from their employees is a solution. But some people think that would be too expensive. So clearly the people that are being killed -- being SHOT and killed by police -- aren't worth as much to people who think it's too expensive. So what is the solution?

Like · Reply · 1 · 2 hrs

 

A

 Solution-- bring God back into our country. Plain and simple. Some may not agree. Some will agree.

Like · Reply · 1 · 2 hrs

Phyl Campbell But the same group of people who think the football player should be fired or tortured or whatever also think Muslims should be deported because they support Sharia law. 

And there are more wars between religious groups than between religious groups and Atheists. 
So I don't think bringing God back (God is ALL OVER the South, judging by the number of churches and preachers) is the solution. But I'm open to hearing other suggestions. Honestly.

Like · Reply · 1 hr

A

 I don't have the solution and won't pretend that I do. What I do know is that, people as the one in this video are only fueling the racial fire. When was the last time a person of any race was pulled over, fully complied with what he or she was asked to do and was killed? You couldn't pay me enough to be a police officer right now. There are too many Monday morning quarterbacks, that want to tear apart decisions that these officers make. Don't be a thug, and do what you are told. If I were to get pulled over tonight, and did not comply, went back to my car, or showed any action that made an officer feel threatened I would probably get shot. Think it would make the national news?

Like · Reply · 1 · 25 mins · Edited

C

 Agree! Follow the rules! There's no racial motive to this.

Like · Reply · 18 mins

Phyl Campbell Do you know how many times people have been pulled over for driving while black? And it didn't make the news?
I know I'm more likely to get pulled over more than women in mini-vans. I know when we get pulled over, we are less likely to die if we are white. 

But don't listen to me -- watch this:

 (https://www.minnpost.com/eric-black-ink/2016/07/driving-while-black-gop-sen-tim-scott-tells-his-experiences)

Driving while black: GOP Sen. Tim Scott tells of his experiences

MINNPOST.COM

Like · Reply · Remove Preview · 8 mins

Phyl Campbell I watched the video you shared again. The headline says there will be violence, but the speaker only mentioned economic boycott of the city of Charlotte. And that is totally understandable protest.

Like · Reply · 5 mins · Edited

A

not accurate. He speaks of regress and not getting justice. He speaks of telling his"brothers" to keep doing what they are doing and it will not stop.

Like · Reply · 2 mins

A

 I'm always up for good debate, but there is no end to this. Someone will always be wrong. My opinion. Stands firm. Obey the law, live to see another day. Continue to act like thugs, and pay the consequences. Pretty simple. Are there going to be rouge cops. Sure. Just like there are corrupt teachers, coaches, managers, and diplomatic leaders.

Like · Reply · Just now

Phyl Campbell Not accurate? You're kidding me. Or we somehow watched different videos. Is it possible we saw different videos? I really want to understand where you're coming from, but these people are DEAD. I'm having a hard time getting past that. DEAD. Our classmates are freaking out trying to figure out how to tell their kids to be safe. Another person was shot for reading a book in his car.
If people weren't being SHOT DEAD, I could call this a debate. But this is a tragedy.

Like · Reply · Just now

A

 A book? Read a little deeper. Police recovered a loaded firearm in the car. I guess he was using the pistol as a book rest. Nothing to see here. Sure he's dead. Because he didn't obey commands. Obey the law. Carry around guns and don't comply. You get shot. I have no remorse for that. It's not because he's black. I don't care what color he was. Obey the law, it's simple. Millions of people do it everyday and don't get shot.

Like · Reply · 2 mins

Phyl Campbell Terrorists can be taken into custody after killing people. Alive. Police put bullet proof vests on suspected shooters and they get to stand trial.
This guy MIGHT have had a loaded gun in his car. Who was he shooting? Why is he dead? That person's van broke down. He was walking away with his hands in the air. Why is he dead? She was in a jail cell. Why is she dead?
WHY ARE THEY DEAD?

Like · Reply · Just now

A

 The man from Tulsa was fried out of his mind on PCP. Officers recovered mass quantities in the car. The van was not broke down, the man was hallucinating and said the car was on fire

Like · Reply · 1 min

A

 Liberal media strikes again.

Like · Reply · Just now

Phyl Campbell Can you prove that? Even if that was 100% true -- WHY ARE THEY DEAD? Why are they not worthy of a trial? Why do actual murderers get protection that they don't?

Like · Reply · Just now

A

Can you prove it was just a book? Can you prove that the guy in Tulsa was telling the cops he was simply going back to his car? Everyone wants to assume the worst.

Like · Reply · 22 mins

Phyl Campbell "Everyone" wants to assume the worst? The guy is DEAD. I don't have to assume the worst. He's DEAD. I mean, you might be assuming the worst, because if he wasn't killed and then killed a bunch of people -- if the cop killed one person to save a bunch -- OK. I could understand that. But I don't see any evidence that supports that. I see a guy that's DEAD.
That's not my liberal agenda, although I am a liberal and I am proud to fight for equal rights. It isn't equal that James Holmes is alive and going through trial, Dylann Roof is alive and getting justice, Robert Lewis Dear is getting justice -- and they are all white and they all actually killed people (allegedly) -- and that in the same country, Keith Scott is DEAD, Terence Crutcher is DEAD, Tamir Rice is DEAD, Sandra Bland is DEAD. And I could list many many more.

Like · Reply · Just now

D

Ignorance, will get you know where. Its unfortunate that anyone has to be subjected to any kind of violence ,no matter what the job,color religion or race. We need to stand together as one nation,only then will we all win.

Like · Reply · 2 mins · Edited

E

Does boycott = looting?

Those of us who are white need to keep talking. The actual person we're arguing with may not listen. Chances are they wonder why Obama wasn't in the White House on 9/11 or they think DT will make America great again. And we're not really talking to those people who won't listen.
But we're talking to them to get help. To bear witness. For the rest of everybody at the table to see the crazy and know that they won't be alone because we've already called out the BS. They will have a ride home if they stand with us. So give them a place to stand.

I will when I get home tonight. I gotta go help a guy celebrate his success. And if you want to join me, get details here: book launch event

Phyl Campbell is Author, Mother, Dreamer. She writes and conducts workshops on a variety of topics: Education, Women/Feminism/Equality, Book Reviews, and Writing. Her books are available on Amazon. If you'd like to see her speak at an upcoming function, contact her via her website or Facebook page.