Webb: Virtue signaling versus solutions
Are you getting or have gotten tired of what’s happened since the killing of George Floyd by Derek Chauvin? Chauvin worked for a police chief voted into office by Democratic voters, in a Democratic-controlled city, in a Democratic-controlled state. Eighteen complaints against him ignored by a Democratic prosecutor, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (Minn.), a failed Democratic presidential candidate.
Whose fault is this again? Answer: still Chauvin, but context matters.
More virtue signaling from Hollywood apologists. Self-important, self-effacing Hollywood liberals are not suddenly relevant to the discussion just because they apologize in a not-so-clever video. Now I suppose whites should continue to perform acts of biblical contrition to blacks. I’m sure many of you have seen or you can search for the videos on social media.
Corporations are virtue signaling and pledging lots of money to Black Lives Matter (BLM) and social justice causes under various organizations. So far, according to an analysis done by Black Enterprise magazine, nearly $1.7 billion dollars has been pledged to Black Lives Matter.
Companies, many of which have underpaid employees, are giving tens of millions to Black Lives Matter and social justice. Was there an analysis done of a series of actions that would be a solution and then a determination of the money needed to enact their corporate virtue?
Michael Jordan pledged $100 million to BLM over 10 years. It’s his money to do whatever he wants. Before you dive into the instant reaction, I personally admire Jordan. He took a world-class performance on the court to create a world-renowned brand and as a businessman has grown that brand successfully. I just expected a little more than handing over some cash. How did he arrive at this amount? Was there a plan issued with the dollar figure?
Here’s how he could’ve done it better, education. $10 million per year invested in education in targeted communities along with help for single parents would give many children a better shot at a brighter future.
Here’s how David Robinson did and does it better. The Admiral founded Carver Academy in 2001, named after George Washington Carver, and then converted it to a tuition-free charter school as part of the IDEA public schools network. IDEA public schools (Individuals Dedicated to Excellence and Achievement in public schools) is a not-for-profit charter school operator that serves those who are economically disadvantaged. With the help of Robinson and others they have changed children’s lives for the better and therefore in part their communities.
Jordan should pay attention. Maybe he has a plan, and if so, I suggest making that as public as the donation.
The utopia that is a dystopia.
Originally the Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone, now the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest, it is in reality “Lord of the Flies” with insurrectionists and guns instead of schoolboys with sticks. How long before there’s a Piggy? Peaceful end is possible but not likely. How do you retake the land? I’ve got a few ideas.
Ask people who want out to leave if they can in a one-hour window at noon tomorrow.
Then, shut off electrical, water and cellular service. After all, they want to be an autonomous nation-state. Since they don’t want the presence of law enforcement, send no response if 911 is called. If there is a call for fire or emergency medical services, follow the guidance that is similar to the San Francisco proposal for police nonresponse to nonthreatening situations.
Leadership is needed, not virtue signaling. Corporations, Hollywood or other public figures will go home to their gated residences and sleep well tonight.
The president should speak frankly about racial issues, separate issues of police brutality and focus more on core solutions. Too often the federal government, state governments and elected officials at all levels pontificate or throw money at the problem. We need solutions, not window dressing.
In the upcoming rally, Trump should address Tulsa as an important point in history and why we’ve come very far since the 1921 Tulsa race riot. Also, remind America that Abraham Lincoln was the Republican who freed the slaves and got a bullet in the back of the head as thanks.
The real solutions, regardless of skin color, have common threads. Education and income disparity must be dealt with in all underserved communities, not just black.
Children and adults must be given the opportunity to recognize that there are other alternatives to criminality. Reduce the need or attraction to commit a crime to survive and you reduce the number of interactions with police of which a percentage will go bad.
When police brutality rears its ugly head, we have a system to deal with it and elected officials and the police unions must work together to address this problem in law enforcement.
These are a few and there are many more practical solutions. It’s up to the American people to decide whether riots are the solution, or the hard work that will take time, is a better path forward.
Webb is host of “The David Webb Show” on SiriusXM Patriot 125, host of “Reality Check with David Webb” on Fox Nation, a Fox News contributor and a frequent television commentator. His column appears twice a month in The Hill.
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