Remember when protesting the lockdowns was “selfish” and “dangerous”? The cognitive dissonance involved here, including from the Almanac in writing this, is shameful. And that’s coming from someone who mostly supports this peaceful protest.

I guess defending our freedom isn’t a good enough cause for some people. Or, more likely, they just want to shut down people they disagree with, and the pandemic was just a convenient excuse.

Isn't it strange that these protest are over one bad police officers actions in comparisons to the number of homicides that occur regularly by citizens? Critical thinking of looking at the larger problem has been loss. Just interesting:

San Jose alone this year (Too many to list for the whole Bay Area)

Jan. 12: Michael Muns III, 21
Jan. 15: Richard Huy Nguyen, 26
Jan. 25: Nancy Garcia Rodriguez, 56
Feb. 7: Fernando Jesus Fernandez Arredondo, 25
Feb. 13: Arturo Castillo-Reyes, 30
March 10: Unidentified man
March 22: Jose Cisneros-Partida, 32
April 6: Zane Blake Groves, 22
May 3: Lawrence Taylor, 51
May 7: Anh Tu Vo, 37
May 13: Shannon Galbraith, 25; Amador Landa, 26; Issac Landa, 25; Johnnie Perez Damian, 25
May 17: Francisco Ibarra, 51
May 24: Unidentified woman

Protesting about an event that occurred 1,900 miles away from Palo Alto....

Spend the time educating ones self about local events and instead of protesting use that energy to focus on how one can actually get involved to solve problems. Blocking a freeway just causes a problem for another who might actually be going somewhere to help or solve a problem (Paramedics, scientist, medical professionals, plumbers, electricians, first responders, and even mothers and fathers just trying to get home to make dinner for their family).

I’m disappointed in the comments here. Someone from my school took the initiative to organize a *socially distanced* protest to support the Black Lives Matter movement and the turnout that was received made me feel like our community cares. The Black community is struggling right now and as white/nonblack POC in the Bay Area, we need to step up and show our support by signing petitions, calling legislators, attending protests and donating. If you commented something negative on this well written article- go donate $100 to this link to send money to community organized bail funds. Do better, be better. You have a responsibility to be a good ally. Web Link

Minneapolis may not be next door, but racism and targeting POC is a real problem in our very own Menlo Park police department. I have observed it firsthand, even filed complaints with the police over one particularly egregious incident, but their focus is CYA, not remedying deep-seated biases.

I'd guess that most posting here are not POC and have not encountered this behavior themselves. But unless it is acknowledged and rooted out, it will continue to infest our community. I applaud the students for organizing an event to draw attention to issues that are pervasive throughout our country, and hope to see more new approaches to centuries-old decay.