You've probably all seen it. Doc Rivers' news conference. Let's take a closer look (transcript, with comments):
What stands out to me is just watching the Republican Convention. They’re spewing this fear, right? You hear Donald Trump and all of them talking about fear. [NOTE 1]. We’re the ones getting killed. We’re the ones getting shot [NOTE 2]. We’re the ones that were denied to live in certain communities [Note use of the past tense]. We’ve been hung. [Really? When, exactly?]. We’ve been shot. All you do is keep hearing about fear. It’s amazing to me why we keep loving this country [NOTE 3], and this country does not love us back [NOTE 4]. It’s really so sad. I should just be a coach.
It’s so often…reminded of my color. It’s just really sad. We’ve got to do better, but we got to demand better. We got … Yo, it’s funny. We protest and they send riot guards, right? [NOTE 5] They sent people in riot outfits. They go to Michigan with guns and they’re spitting on cops, and nothing happens. [NOTE 6] The training has to change in the police force. The unions have to be taken down in the police force. [NOTE 7]
My dad was a cop. I believe in good cops. We’re not trying to defund the police and take all their money away. [Really? Are you paying attention?]. We’re trying to get them to protect us, just like they protect everybody else. [NOTE 8]. I didn’t want to talk about it before the game, because it’s so hard, to just keep watching it. That video, if you watch that video, you don’t need to be black to be outraged. You need to be American and outraged [NOTE 9]. How dare the Republicans talk about fear? We’re the ones that need to be scared. We’re the ones having to talk to every black child. What white father has to give his son a talk about being careful if you get pulled over? [NOTE 10]. It’s just ridiculous. It just keeps getting … It keeps going. There’s no charges. Brionna Taylor, no charges, nothing. All we’re asking is you live up to the Constitution. That’s all we’re asking, for everybody, for everyone. Thank you.
NOTE 1: Nobody is “talking about fear.” The Convention showed videos of riots where property was being destroyed; innocent, uninvolved people were being assaulted, and police were having lethal objects thrown at them. There is no need to tell people that these are fearful events.
NOTE: 2: Statistically speaking, this is total nonsense. The number of Black people wrongfully shot and killed by police is microscopic, and is perfectly consistent with similar incidents involving white suspects. When compared with the number of Blacks killed by other Blacks, it is less than a footnote.
NOTE 3: Black people loving this country? Are you serious?
NOTE 4: There are millions of WHITE PEOPLE paying exorbitant sums to see mainly-Black people pay childrens’ games. How’s that for “love”?
NOTE 5: Nobody sends riot police to peaceful protests. And even if they would, so what? There should be no conflicts, as long as the “protesters” obey the law and don’t destroy anything or harm anyone.
NOTE 6: What is he talking about? I saw people throwing lethal objects at police, and police being castigated for trying to defend themselves.
NOTE 7: The UNIONS? Where is this coming from? Police should have no right to have representation in the face of phony charges?
NOTE 8: Rivers seems to forget that in every one of the recent cases, the police were on the scene for the specific purpose of protecting the interests of an innocent person – and always a Black person, for what that’s worth.
NOTE 9: Actually, a normal “person” who is interested in justice will wait until ALL the evidence is in, and not make a definitive judgment based on someone’s cellphone video.
NOTE 10: When I was young, I was white, and my father had the same talk with me. Be respectful of police, show them your hands. Don’t make any sudden moves, and even if they are in the wrong, just do what they say, and we’ll sort it out later. What does that have to do with race?
And by the way, in EVERY ONE OF THE RECENTLY NOTORIOUS CASES, if the “victim” had simply done what the police asked them to do they would still be alive. Every one. So I guess their fathers never had that "talk" with them...assuming they knew who their fathers were.
What stands out to me is just watching the Republican Convention. They’re spewing this fear, right? You hear Donald Trump and all of them talking about fear. [NOTE 1]. We’re the ones getting killed. We’re the ones getting shot [NOTE 2]. We’re the ones that were denied to live in certain communities [Note use of the past tense]. We’ve been hung. [Really? When, exactly?]. We’ve been shot. All you do is keep hearing about fear. It’s amazing to me why we keep loving this country [NOTE 3], and this country does not love us back [NOTE 4]. It’s really so sad. I should just be a coach.
It’s so often…reminded of my color. It’s just really sad. We’ve got to do better, but we got to demand better. We got … Yo, it’s funny. We protest and they send riot guards, right? [NOTE 5] They sent people in riot outfits. They go to Michigan with guns and they’re spitting on cops, and nothing happens. [NOTE 6] The training has to change in the police force. The unions have to be taken down in the police force. [NOTE 7]
My dad was a cop. I believe in good cops. We’re not trying to defund the police and take all their money away. [Really? Are you paying attention?]. We’re trying to get them to protect us, just like they protect everybody else. [NOTE 8]. I didn’t want to talk about it before the game, because it’s so hard, to just keep watching it. That video, if you watch that video, you don’t need to be black to be outraged. You need to be American and outraged [NOTE 9]. How dare the Republicans talk about fear? We’re the ones that need to be scared. We’re the ones having to talk to every black child. What white father has to give his son a talk about being careful if you get pulled over? [NOTE 10]. It’s just ridiculous. It just keeps getting … It keeps going. There’s no charges. Brionna Taylor, no charges, nothing. All we’re asking is you live up to the Constitution. That’s all we’re asking, for everybody, for everyone. Thank you.
NOTE 1: Nobody is “talking about fear.” The Convention showed videos of riots where property was being destroyed; innocent, uninvolved people were being assaulted, and police were having lethal objects thrown at them. There is no need to tell people that these are fearful events.
NOTE: 2: Statistically speaking, this is total nonsense. The number of Black people wrongfully shot and killed by police is microscopic, and is perfectly consistent with similar incidents involving white suspects. When compared with the number of Blacks killed by other Blacks, it is less than a footnote.
NOTE 3: Black people loving this country? Are you serious?
NOTE 4: There are millions of WHITE PEOPLE paying exorbitant sums to see mainly-Black people pay childrens’ games. How’s that for “love”?
NOTE 5: Nobody sends riot police to peaceful protests. And even if they would, so what? There should be no conflicts, as long as the “protesters” obey the law and don’t destroy anything or harm anyone.
NOTE 6: What is he talking about? I saw people throwing lethal objects at police, and police being castigated for trying to defend themselves.
NOTE 7: The UNIONS? Where is this coming from? Police should have no right to have representation in the face of phony charges?
NOTE 8: Rivers seems to forget that in every one of the recent cases, the police were on the scene for the specific purpose of protecting the interests of an innocent person – and always a Black person, for what that’s worth.
NOTE 9: Actually, a normal “person” who is interested in justice will wait until ALL the evidence is in, and not make a definitive judgment based on someone’s cellphone video.
NOTE 10: When I was young, I was white, and my father had the same talk with me. Be respectful of police, show them your hands. Don’t make any sudden moves, and even if they are in the wrong, just do what they say, and we’ll sort it out later. What does that have to do with race?
And by the way, in EVERY ONE OF THE RECENTLY NOTORIOUS CASES, if the “victim” had simply done what the police asked them to do they would still be alive. Every one. So I guess their fathers never had that "talk" with them...assuming they knew who their fathers were.
