The Man Laughs at Our Rioting - We Should Change Our Style of Fighting

We should see by now that the protesting – let’s be honest, the rioting – in the streets does not work. The problem lies within the system and the omni-unaffected owners thereof. The system abandoned the common people, we should go ahead and admit that too, and the ugly truth reveals that the few beneficiaries, the absolute elite by true definition will not get affected by the same situations that affect the common people; they have backup plans, they have resources to comfortably accommodate any situation that us commoners would consider catastrophic and life altering (assuming survival). It may in fact benefit them greater in times of crisis – their daily bread gets bought with wars, fighting and death across the world and right here at home. But let us also not forget that business as usual, well, they own all of that too: corporations, regulatory agencies, governments and intelligence agencies, the elusive invisible government that may take orders from Satan (not sure if I joke or not…). So, certain businesses thrive as a side effect of natural disasters or other massive destruction scenarios and the elite enjoy their share of that tragic success as well. All of this to say, we cannot literally fight the system and win; it cannot happen, we can’t even literally fight the system and hurt it. We have to stop reacting this way so we can come together and fix the system the right way.

We first need to learn to let go of our anger so that we can begin to control ourselves. I will not completely dive into the mind control rabbit hole with the intentional calcification of our pineal glands through water fluoridation and other FDA approved additives in our food to keep our mental abilities suppressed and our cognition slightly less than optimal, with unusually mild temperaments to what should be obvious abuses, but I will say we need better control of our thoughts, our philosophies, our reverence of other life (plants, animals, humans, humans of different ethnicities and races, probably extraterrestrial). We need to become physically fit and strong, eat nutritiously and naturally, and more importantly, become spiritually strong. I don’t say to go turn into yogis or monks and become too holy to exist in the common world, but I believe we need to find that balance, all of us, so that we may start to heal societal wounds together, through our exploration of our own feelings and the feelings of others. I believe through this balance we begin to identity the source of that anger and begin to heal it.

People who achieve this balance start to look at the world differently, they see their problems differently, they see their place differently, and they begin to live their lives differently. They call it awaking, or becoming enlightened. Now there exists much more to this concept, I give a highly oversimplified version to get us started on the right path to correcting our problems in an effective way. Once that anger that normally causes us to react too soon, or too harshly, generating internal angst and self-doubt and all sorts of negative juju dissipates, we free ourselves to see that solving the problem does not equate to hurting the man or even getting even with him: it starts at letting go.

Now, I do think they feel most comfortable when we feel most comfortable and so small in a big world – can’t help ourselves even if we wanted to. Fortunately, we can! But we have to come together to do it. I do not mean in a hippie, let’s hold hands at the park kind of way, I mean literally, we need to come together as communities and face our issues at City Hall – not to shoot up City Hall and shut down the system, where again the elite continue to benefit, but to do much worse and participate in our local governments. People who do not vote (especially in local and state government) cause a great amount of harm and dishonor to all recipients of civil rights, especially those who do not receive enough of them – you set us all back and you shoot us all in the foot! We should be aware of our elected officials, their functions, their views, and their potential power over us. We should understand our vote for local and state elected officials actually over powers our vote for President of the United States. It offers more impact on who may end up becoming President later on as some of the state officials will cast an electoral vote which currently overrides the popular vote (literally, the vote for President doesn’t count, it more accurately would get called a poll), a stupid aspect of the system that remains because we have not yet learned how to work together as communities coming together with other communities to absolutely insist a change in the magic language that controls the system (much like Latin chants cast magically spells).

We will not solve societal problems overnight. Racism will not die tonight and police brutality will not stop tomorrow morning. These problems get so deeply rooted in people that it becomes hard for them to even acknowledge, more or less let it go. All we can do amounts to exercising patience and encouraging people to find their balance so they may one day release their anger. This process seems painstaking and insufferable with some people, but we cannot fail them; we exist as one, they fall, we fall, you fall, I fall.

As our communities slowly start coming together, accepting and embracing diversity and moving past labels and pseudo-classes, we will slowly start healing as a society. Our increasing influence in our government, our vigilant oversight of their actions, our accountability that we demand from our leaders will all start to make the very real changes that will save us. We begin to become able to address and change more serious hurdles like the fact that free energy technology got created over a hundred years ago yet we continue to increase the ‘cost’ of electricity. We can learn to adapt to green energy industrially that will move us away from fossil fueled vehicles, much along the lines of Jill Stein’s proposed Green New Deal, based off the successful New Deal presented by FDR. We could eliminate the IRS, stop paying taxes, do anything we as common people, not corporations, agree upon. We can literally change the world in so many ways when we learn to wake up, come together, and actively participate in the system. Can’t beat them, join them?

We need to become the system and make the system work exactly how we want. Sure it will take time, sure it does not make such a visible impact at first – it won’t make the nightly news – but it will keep our communities that much safer, that much tighter, and over time, more and more together. With so many people in this country, a little coordination and no army could take us all down. Our power to heal and control the system frightens the elite – probably the only thing – but as people currently accept the corruption and inability to do anything, the notion that we might come together and hijack our system back has become so absurd to them they would probably laugh at hearing of it. They find comfort in our complacency.

By the time we have learned to manage our government, as a patriotic right and duty, these rich and powerful elite will still have their riches and their statuses; however, we will have learned that we do not need them near as much as we thought. We will no longer fear them nor be concerned of them. We will have learned that their powerful stronghold amounted to our weak perception of our own abilities, a strength that comes from the calm inside of us, even if surrounded in chaos like the eye of a storm. Our inability to embrace each other and work together remains the only thing keeping us down.

We will take our system back. We will not continue to fight in the streets and damage our own communities while the powerful elite sit back and laugh. We will find our balance, heal our own wounds, and release our anger. We will come together and uplift each other with respect and tolerance. We will unite and become active in our government so that corporations and the elite alike learn to submit to the power of our unity. We must make America (and the entire world) for the people again. We must awaken.

Where Does a Real Cop End and a Real Person Begin?

I know a few cops and would love to hear their real cop opinions on events at the construction site of the Dakota Access Pipeline, as well as their philosophical stance on public policing in general.

As a cop, where do you draw your professional line?

When do you decide to stop following marching orders – or just do your job – when it conflicts with the protection and service to which you swore an oath? Likewise, at what point do you become consciously aware that your orders conflict with that service and protection?

For what, if anything, will you place your personal conviction to protect and serve other Americans over your professionalism?

I almost refuse to believe that the officers lack awareness of the fact that this water source supplies the only clean drinking water to these people, and if anything goes wrong with the pipeline’s construction or everyday use, from completion until forever, these people will simply thirst to death and die – a second gift of genocide to the native Americans from the contemporary Americans. The police officer sawing that cast-like restraint with a handsaw (no possibility of harm there, right?) totally knows that, right?

Actually, he if knows not, that suggests an entirely different, uglier problem that could exist within the policing regimes: brutal, unadulterated ignorance. Sadly that possibly and probably exists, although a separate issue and topic to tackle, compounding bad situations much like this, and creating an environment where people seemingly get murdered by police officers, execution style, for what appears as not adequately stroking authoritarian ego – my, harsh perspective and opinion that I do not apply to every police officer.

So how do real police officers perceive the actions of these police officers installed at the Dakota Access Pipeline construction area? Do real cops believe that corporations over step the rights of humans for corporate greed, yet must comply with their job for personal, familiar security, or do cops find these protesters – protesting their most basic right to water – a true problem and feel they need stopped?

That perspective obviously affects the impact on his or her role and actions taken in any situation. It may even allow them to disconnect slightly, to facilitate actions that others, the general population for example, may find harsh (or unlawful, cruel, even treasonous).

Silent wars hide in the headlines

We face new wars. Corporations actively waged nothing short of a war upon the Native Americans fighting for a basic need of survival: clean water. An entity resembling the shattered remains of a people controlled government has waged war upon the consciousness of said people, subconsciously instilling fear of enemies, neighbors, the different. That same entity waged war upon the consciousness of our police forces, a similar tactic, subconsciously instilling fear of losing control of a person pulled over, a small group of people, a large mass of protestors, the people. The simple objective of these two collective-couscous altering wars facilitates a loss of control - revolt - in the people while simultaneously crafting a deeper alliance by police forces to the higher governing forces that write their checks.

I sincerely hope that the police have not generally become so insensitive from policing (and I often do fall short of remembering how dangerous and stress generating a police officer’s life becomes) that he or she cannot recognize simple human indignation when it occurs. I feel bad for what I would consider a ‘good’ cop installed in situations like this. I think I can safely say most of us do not go to work with the pressure of the possibility of unknowingly becoming part of a situation that could pivot the history of an entire nation, a very powerful nation, filled with very power entities (corporations), with interests in a situation that you now manage via the authority invested in you by a people that you may or may not be letting down.

What do you do?

What do you do as an officer when you truly feel that your marching orders defy your oath? If you feel conflicted in any way as an officer and you would like to express any concerns you have in policing that you feel you cannot adequately discuss or address with your superiors – I would love to hear about it. I have no interest in names, identifying information, or subjecting anyone to a loss of their employment. I just want to hear from the real mean and women facing real and heavy problems that might need outside exposure and analysis. Shoot me an email with anything you would like to share to brandonjcarver@gmail.com.

What Message Did We Miss With Kaepernick Dismissed?

Since I did get on Facebook recently, I learned a football players name: Colin Kaepernick, the one who did not stand up for the national anthem in protest.

"I [will not] stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color. [The issue seems] bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way, [past] bodies in the street and people getting paid leave [while] getting away with murder."

It did not surprise me to hear his stance on the state of America, if one watches any news or participates in social media, he can see that the declining state of America dominates current political conversations. We have a republican presidential candidate that seemingly wants us terrified of going to the grocery store – we might get shot.

With all of the conversations launched through the #BlackLivesMatter movement – the good, the bad, and the ugly – Kaepernick’s simple, silent protest I saw as just another muffled voice in the crowd, another everyday person becoming unpleased with the current state of affairs.

I saw the following statement from the NFL as a sort of validation of how little I felt about his protest, honestly not giving it too much consideration at the first glance of the headline:

"The national anthem, a special part of the pre-game ceremony, [offers] an opportunity to honor our country and reflect on the great liberties we afford as its citizens. In respecting such American principles as freedom of religion and freedom of expression, we recognize the right of an individual to choose and participate, or not, in our celebration of the national anthem."

I did note to myself that many people would initially find his protest, an exercise of one of his basic rights as a free American, as off-putting or distasteful, but I did not think long enough to foresee that people would become so angry, so fast, and stay that way!

The American flag does mean many things to many people, and one certainly has a right to feel passionately about the flag, but I also think it unfair to say that the American flag does not mean many things to Kaepernick. His protesting the National Anthem and not saluting the American flag symbolizes an expression of discontent and a demand for action to resolve the root issues causing that discontent. I see that as an honorable act.

I see how one can view Kaepernick’s protest as offensive and want to write him off completely, yet I want people to understand that protests have a deeper meaning, and sometimes the conversation just needs hearing. One can say many things, like why the national anthem, why the football game, why not this, that, and the other? But possibly the goal was simply to get a conversation started – you nailed that part, Kaepernick – and instead of expending energy taking offense, we should expend energy fostering these tough conversations that are needed to address this very real issue that really exists.

Kaepernick Simply Said What We Are All Saying

Police brutality and racial inequality unfortunately dominate news headlines. It hits a city far away on television, then it hits closer to home – sometimes it does hit home. An entire movement – #BlackLivesMatter – spawned as a result of trending police brutality and racial inequality.

These problems really require our attention, and if I personally could get more people talking about solutions, I would! Kaepernick simply became aware of his position and the opportunity that he had, and he simply felt convicted to use that position for the cause. I personally thank him for understanding that we need better and for risking his livelihood just to help get that message out there. I also feel obligated to continue that conversation on ending police brutality and racial inequality in my neighborhood and nationally – the least, right?

But Kaepernick Does Not Know Oppression, He Can Leave This Country If Unhappy

After starting this piece, I thought about not even addressing some of the negative reactions I have witnessed, which actually moved me to research this topic more and begin writing. But I am going to address a couple common responses because I have become disconcerted with the actions of so many people, not just in reacting to Kaepernick, but in general.

The lack of respect that I witness in online conversations concerns me, especially regarding sensitive topics that are imperative for the well-being of our country.

If you matriculated out of elementary school, “if you don’t like it, you can leave,” should no longer be considered a valid, adult response to someone. If you are still in elementary school, when you perceive someone as different from you, or they anger you, you should look for similarities and try to solve your problems amicably – like adults.

Also, at no point did I hear this guy say that he himself felt oppressed. I see people talking about his fat NFL contract and his wealth as if it carried any relevance. I do not believe he protested for his own benefit, but for the awareness of the police brutality and racial inequality. I think the memes and references to his millions side step from the real point, almost intentionally, as if admitting a disinterest in having the real conversation.

Update - All Charges Against Ehud Halevi Have Been Dropped

I recently wrote about this incident and am so thankful to learn that all charges against homeless man Ehud Halevi have been dropped. Thanks was issued to over 100,000 people that signed the Change.org petition from Rabbi Moishe Feiglin.

NYPD Brutally Attack and Beat Homeless Man Ehud Halevi In Synagogue

The NYPD is under fire again - guess why...

You can see in this video that the violence and the extent of the violence was completely uncalled for. They need to be fired after all of the charges are dropped. Watch the video and if this pisses you off as much as me, be sure to read and sign the Change.org petition below.

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Sign The Petition

On October 8, 21-year-old Ehud Halevi was sleeping in a youth center run by the New York synagogue where he's a member. Ehud is homeless, so his Rabbi -- who runs programs for at-risk youth like Ehud -- had told him back in September he could sleep there.

In a video that's now gone viral on the internet, two New York police officers are shown waking Ehud in the early morning. Even though Ehud explains to them that he has permission to sleep at the center, they try to arrest him. Then, the officers beat Ehud for almost 5 minutes straight -- even after Ehud can be seen lying down.

And despite the NYPD's beating, it's Ehud who's being charged with assault, and he faces 5 years in prison.

Rabbi Moishe Feiglin feels terrible. This happened at his synagogue’s center and to one of his congregants -- and he just wants Ehud's nightmare to end. Rabbi Feiglin started a petition on Change.org calling for the Brooklyn District Attorney to drop all charges against Ehud.



So far, the NYPD officer who was most involved in Ehud's beating has only been minimally disciplined -- his gun has been taken away and he's been placed on desk duty -- but the other officer hasn't been disciplined at all. Rabbi Feiglin says this is unacceptable. Ehud was eventually arrested and charged with trespassing and assaulting an officer, even though the video shows he didn't fight back.

In the past several months, several tapes of NYPD officers engaged in disproportional and violent exchanges have drawn heat to the department. With pressure rising, Rabbi Feiglin thinks that the support of thousands of people behind Ehud now can get the charges against him dropped.

Click here to sign Rabbi Feiglin's petition calling on the Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes to drop charges against homeless youth Ehud Halevi, who wasbeaten by police.

Thanks for being a change-maker,

- Emilia and the Change.org team