Violence Begets Violence

[anirbas]

America burns churns with the bitter
fires of civil unrest and righteous
indignation of its citizens

Chaos reigns supreme after dark
night falls across nervous states
molotov cocktails take fiery flight

(All because...)

The black gentleman said "I. Can't. Breathe."
I. Can't. Breathe." What's that? "I. Can't. Breathe."
Publically lynched murdered before the shocked
eyes of the entire nation by three policemen
while the fourth stood watching doing nothing

Cell phone video footage captured each horrid
minute each labored effort to draw breath
"I. Can't. Breathe. I. Can't Breathe."
Until Mr. Floyd's eyes bugged
from his head and he died

(Violence begets violence and now...)

America burns churns with the bitter
fires of civil unrest and righteous
indignation of its citizens

(All because...)

Four police officers didn't listen
to Mr. George Floyd's repeated pleas-

"I. Can't. Breathe.
I. Can't. Breathe.
I. Can't. Breathe."

Now, none of us can.

[darkness0within]

A very powerful comment on the current situation Anirbas.

George Floyd's death has sent shockwaves through society.

I understand the anger. I understand the peaceful protests. I also understand the need for change in society.

We are at a turning point. Right now. This moment. And how people act from now on will define the future of civilization as we know it. The major governments around the world are pretty much on their knees due to the full stop of the economy. Debt is at record levels and it is us that will ultimately have to bail out our respective countries.

[phantasm]

The older I get, the more appalled I get at the people who fail to engage their brains. Not much surprises me anymore, but it leaves me mentally shaking my head. It's like people aren't thinking with their brains, but with their amygdalas instead. It's a part of the brain that, more or less, sits on top of the spinal cord and has two parts, one in each hemisphere of the brain. I mean, come on people, develop your higher cognitive functions.

I'm reminded of a line put in the mouth of Yoda: Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering. Or is Star Wars so intellectually complex that it soars over the heads of some people?

Department of Corrections: I'm not quite right about the *precise* location of the amygdala... but it's in the neighborhood.