Hoyas Wore "I Can't Breathe" Shirts Pre-game vs KU.

[aughnanure]

To put it another way, you expect them to be "seen but not heard". Well, I think they have a right to be heard, too.

This, so much THIS.

[stever20]

it's funny thru this now and reading this thread- it feels like Georgetown is maybe back to being Georgetown a bit if you know what I mean. Georgetown thru Thompson always stood for issues. I still remember to this day him walking off the floor to protest Prop 42. That edge maybe has been missing from the program since Thompson retired.

[dmac80]

I'm assuming most of the posters here are white and old. Isn't it a bit tone-deaf to critique college basketball players who are predominantly black to not speak their mind about what is clearly a racial politics issue? Especially since most of us sit around all day commenting on message boards about how well they are performing for our entertainment? The irony is a bit too juicy.

You are right in the first part about the Hoyas historically but please spare us the "white and old" bs. That line is so tired. I'm 34 and virtually everyone I know my age and older finds the protests ridiculous. Is that old?

I'm 38 and white, and yes, we are both old compared to college kids born in the 1990s.

You and I and a lot of the posters here are the same demographic as the police officers involved in the incidents sparking these protests. The student-athletes are basically the same demographic as the victims of the violence.

Maybe you can see that comments disparaging a simple t-shirt wearing protest could be construed as a) lacking empathy b) tone-deaf and/or c) racially motivated?

To put it another way, you expect them to be "seen but not heard". Well, I think they have a right to be heard, too.

1)38 isn't old. College kids are young.

2)Racial issues where white people and black people are involved need to be a two way conversation, not a lecture where "old white people" get to be quiet and told how racist they are.

3)Mike Brown wasn't a victim, no matter how much some people stomp their feet and cover their ears when told of the mountain of evidence (including many African American witnesses) suggesting he was a high, violent, criminal who attacked a police officer and was shot in the hands and front only (not running away with his hands up).

4)The second "victim" also had a rap sheet a mile long, resisted arrest, and unfortunately was put in a choke hold that police are not suppose to use. The officer should face some penalty for that, although I'm not sure how you are supposed to subdue a large man who is resisting arrest. I don't have a ton of sympathy for those who resist arrest. Put your hands behind your back and shut up.

5)I do feel bad both people died because in both cases it was unnecessary until in the first case Mike Brown decided to attack an officer and try to take his gun. Don't attack police, don't go for their gun, and don't resist arrest. If you disagree with the circumstances of the arrest that is what courts are for.

6)Although I prefer not I think we're headed to every officer having a wearable camera to record every single interaction. Then we'll see who is being unreasonable 99% of the time in these interactions.

7)As far as being seen and not heard, I'm not a fan of those representing their company or school or whatever making political statements as a general rule. Didn't say they couldn't do it, just not a fan. That I totally disagree with the protesters in this instance only adds to it. Wear the tshirt when you're not on tv representing your company/school. And how about you protest black on black violence that is a major epidemic or the black on white violence that is far more prevalent on a daily basis in this country than a police officer gunning down some innocent black person just for the hell of it.

[mel ott]

[U Mad?

No, they can say what they damn well please because they're people. Christ, you want to make it against NFL policy for players to state their opinions? They already tell them they can't wear non-league sponsored headphones (they still do). These people are not owned by their teams and the league and don't do everything for your approval. You don't pay them to play a game and then tell them you own what they can say outside of game minutes.

And yes, maybe whites should just STFU for a little and realize what is really going on. And I'm white! It doesn't offend me because police brutality, first off, isn't a problem that only affects white people and secondly, just because whites aren't targeted and killed by police as often doesn't mean it's not an issue I can care about.

I don't know why you are so angry if someone doesn't agree with your position? First, "they can say what they damn well please because they're people". Second "maybe whites should just STFU". Not people or is because their old and white? Most here said that individuals have a right to represent their opinions but not represent their university (though you seem to think it's only those that think like you that should voice an opinion).

Also, just to get some facts that may not represent what you said, from the Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice, CDC:
In 2012, 123 blacks were killed by police with a gun
In 2012, 326 whites were killed by police with a gun



If there is police brutality it should be addressed on a case by case basis. Making general statements against them as a racial thing I believe is wrong.

[bird_call]

3)Mike Brown wasn't a victim, no matter how much some people stomp their feet and cover their ears when told of the mountain of evidence (including many African American witnesses) suggesting he was a high, violent, criminal who attacked a police officer and was shot in the hands and front only (not running away with his hands up).

4)The second "victim" also had a rap sheet a mile long, resisted arrest, and unfortunately was put in a choke hold that police are not suppose to use. The officer should face some penalty for that, although I'm not sure how you are supposed to subdue a large man who is resisting arrest. I don't have a ton of sympathy for those who resist arrest. Put your hands behind your back and shut up.

5)I do feel bad both people died because in both cases it was unnecessary until in the first case Mike Brown decided to attack an officer and try to take his gun. Don't attack police, don't go for their gun, and don't resist arrest. If you disagree with the circumstances of the arrest that is what courts are for.

6)Although I prefer not I think we're headed to every officer having a wearable camera to record every single interaction. Then we'll see who is being unreasonable 99% of the time in these interactions.

As a counter-example to Mike Brown and Eric Garner, I'll raise you Tamir Rice, the 12 year old shot by police in Cleveland because he was brandishing a toy gun.
http://www.cnn.com/2014/12/12/justice/cleveland-tamir-rice/index.html

Maybe that was just an isolated incident. What do the statistics say?
“The 1,217 deadly police shootings from 2010 to 2012 captured in the federal data show that blacks, age 15 to 19, were killed at a rate of 31.17 per million, while just 1.47 per million white males in that age range died at the hands of police.” Maybe whites commit crime at rates 20 times lower than that of black kids? I guess that's possible, but it sure seems unlikely to me.

And finally, 38 is old. These kids are 19. I am old enough to be there dad, if I had been a bit less naive about premarital sex back in 1994.

[dmac80]

I am not going to go digging up statistics but black crime rates are off the charts compared to whites, so that factors to into what you shared in terms of police shootings, interactions, etc.

Further I again would assert 19 year olds are 'young' (and naive and still learning what an adult is). 38 year olds are not 'old'. Old is 75, 80,90.

[sciencejay]

This thread has clearly devolved into a ridiculous string of attacks, most of which are based upon stereotypes.

However, looking back upon my youth as a white male growing up, I realize that I didn't have regular anti-police experiences such as getting pulled over and harassed for nothing (black skin), nor did any of my friends. Many, many black males did have those experiences, as did many of their friends. The depth of their distrust of the police is extremely hard for whites to appreciate. Here's a great editorial written by ESPN's Jason Whitlock that articulates far better than I could the anger that explodes when police get off for killing young blacks: http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/id/1198 ... ks-breathe

There are seriously different "American" experiences for those growing up with colored skin. This is a serious issue and slinging crap at those who disagree with your position(s) simply doesn't help. But maybe the shouting makes one feel better (and involved)?

[NJRedman]

You are right in the first part about the Hoyas historically but please spare us the "white and old" bs. That line is so tired. I'm 34 and virtually everyone I know my age and older finds the protests ridiculous. Is that old?

I'm 38 and white, and yes, we are both old compared to college kids born in the 1990s.

You and I and a lot of the posters here are the same demographic as the police officers involved in the incidents sparking these protests. The student-athletes are basically the same demographic as the victims of the violence.

Maybe you can see that comments disparaging a simple t-shirt wearing protest could be construed as a) lacking empathy b) tone-deaf and/or c) racially motivated?

To put it another way, you expect them to be "seen but not heard". Well, I think they have a right to be heard, too.

1)38 isn't old. College kids are young.

2)Racial issues where white people and black people are involved need to be a two way conversation, not a lecture where "old white people" get to be quiet and told how racist they are.

3)Mike Brown wasn't a victim, no matter how much some people stomp their feet and cover their ears when told of the mountain of evidence (including many African American witnesses) suggesting he was a high, violent, criminal who attacked a police officer and was shot in the hands and front only (not running away with his hands up).

4)The second "victim" also had a rap sheet a mile long, resisted arrest, and unfortunately was put in a choke hold that police are not suppose to use. The officer should face some penalty for that, although I'm not sure how you are supposed to subdue a large man who is resisting arrest. I don't have a ton of sympathy for those who resist arrest. Put your hands behind your back and shut up.

5)I do feel bad both people died because in both cases it was unnecessary until in the first case Mike Brown decided to attack an officer and try to take his gun. Don't attack police, don't go for their gun, and don't resist arrest. If you disagree with the circumstances of the arrest that is what courts are for.

6)Although I prefer not I think we're headed to every officer having a wearable camera to record every single interaction. Then we'll see who is being unreasonable 99% of the time in these interactions.

7)As far as being seen and not heard, I'm not a fan of those representing their company or school or whatever making political statements as a general rule. Didn't say they couldn't do it, just not a fan. That I totally disagree with the protesters in this instance only adds to it. Wear the tshirt when you're not on tv representing your company/school. And how about you protest black on black violence that is a major epidemic or the black on white violence that is far more prevalent on a daily basis in this country than a police officer gunning down some innocent black person just for the hell of it.

I don't think you understand what the word victim means. Also, now just saying "Im fed up with your harassment" to police is now resisting and grounds for being killed on the street. Rap sheet a mile long? Oh so he now totally deserved to die! He got caught selling loosies a bunch of times and some weed arrests and a DUI. KILL HIM!!!!!!!

No thats not what courts are for because the courts always side with the police in disputes about police conduct. Your idea of accepting authority blindly is disturbing.

[NJRedman]

God damn, some people forget what country we're in and our history.

Says the guy with the cartoon Indian avatar.

And I have that logo on my arm and know and work with a bunch of native americans. I think thats not nearly as offensive as systematically racist and violent police state.

[bird_call]

To get back to the underlying complaints, can someone tell me why peaceful and respectful civic discourse reflects badly on the university?

Behaviors that reflect badly on a university might include:
breaking the law
academic fraud (UNC anyone?)
recruiting based on under the table money/sex/jobs
shaving points
not knowing how to read