Big protests happening today
https://twitter.com/asb_breaking/status/1292145402158907393?s=21
Based on what I know from what 2 Lebanese friends have told me, it Lebanon was pretty cosmopolitan not that long ago but itâs been in sharp decline in recent years.
One distant branch of my family are Lebanese Christians who fled the civil war back in the 70âs. These are not adventurous risk takers, but things were stable enough about 10 years ago that they took the whole family back for a visit and reunion with everybody who had stayed behind. Three generations comfortably went with few worries; elderly, kids, some with Lebanese ancestry, and others who had married in. They all had a great time. I doubt any of them would try a repeat today even without Covid and explosions.
1 Like
You know how Germany has problems because they have a lot of refugees? Lebanon has 70 times as many refugees per capita as Germany.
My friend who is from Lebanon went back last summer with the whole family, and typically goes every year or two. He thinks this will push the country into mass protests, and possibly even an ousting of the entire political class. Also, Trump mentioned help for Lebanon yesterday, right? Seems like multiple players should be competing to see who can help the most, not only in this crisis, but also with the refugee crisis.
Unseen footage shows moment of Beirut explosion in 4K slow motion https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1CvRTqDJhc
7 Likes
Jesus. So the person who shot the close up of the fireworks (or whatever) had about 40 seconds between the first and last blast .
From the last few frames of the video you get a glimpse of the photographer. Hopefully my spoiler tags work:
1 Like
15-love.
love-15, cops were serving
6 Likes
Cops worldwide must be so shook that people arenât just obediently choking down teargas and are throwing it back at them instead.
1 Like
Itâs simultaneously unsettling and inspiring to see this level of unrest all over the globe. People have had efuckingnough.
Iâve been thinking about this a lot, but cops spend a lot of time fucking with people, and people only put up with it because of a combination of a moral high ground and a monopoly on legal violence. So why the hell are cops trying their hardest to show people that they donât deserve the moral high ground? How do they expect that to work out?
I donât remember where I read or heard it but the basic idea was a lot of cops have a strict father mentality where their natural role is to punish people who misbehave, so anything they do in that regard is morally correct. They also seem to know that politicians generally are fine with them busting heads and they have powerful unions that ensure they never face repercussions for anything short of murder so theyâre probably banking on being able to continue business as usual once the protestors get tired of being gassed and beaten.
Luke warm take: cops are by and large not very smart people. Average for IQ is almost certainly below societal average. What you are asking would require more complex thought and foresight.
1 Like
I donât really like takes like this. I think they oversimplify the complex social and psychological dynamics at play that lead to corruption and the militarization of police against their neighbors. Itâs always easy just to write people off as stupid, but that doesnât help solve the problem. But it doesnât even matter, so what if they are stupid, there are plenty of stupid people out there who are wonderful, friendly, caring people. It probably makes the situation worse because itâs further separating us from each other.
2 Likes
Pro tennis players?
Seeing people all over the world rise up in solidarity is inspiring. Seeing some of these kids stand toe to toe with cops in riot gear, taking a beating and not budging in the name of justice and equality and democracy is inspiring.
There was a girl in LA who looked like she couldnât be much more than 18, she was probably like 5â2 and tiny. She had locked arms with some fellow BLM supporters and the cops picked her and started jamming the baton into her abdomen and ribs. Then slamming it into her legs. Sheâd stumble, sheâd bend over in pain, then sheâd stand back up and look toward the sky and keep taking it. I was watching this live on CNN during the George Floyd protests, thinking, âDamn if weâve got this girl out here taking a brutal beating for the rights of others, we might have a shot after all.â
Itâs just so depressing that the world is spiralling in the wrong direction with increasing speed, and that the best among us are on the receiving end of injustice and brutality.
But there is inspiration to be found.