Enraging

There is rioting in the streets of Rotterdam, which is not far from where I live. An impromptu protest against our government’s Covid measures. In addition, an announcement came today that private fireworks will be prohibited on New Year’s Eve and people go so wild about that? Is there seriously nothing better to violently protest?

And then I also read that Kyle Rittenhouse has been acquitted of the killings he did in Kenosha, Wisconsin. How is that even possible? Don’t tell me this has nothing to do with racism. As someone on Twitter said so aptly…

You know in normal countries showing up some place with an assault rifle to act as a vigilante would get you serious jail time without having to shoot two people dead

— James Felton (@JimMFelton) November 19, 2021

And hey, in some countries you can’t even easily buy an assault rifle, let alone get away with shooting people. I’m sure he was scared and shot because of it but he shouldn’t have been allowed to even walk there unhindered with an assault rifle in the first place!

It’s 2 am as I type this and tonight I go to bed with this angry song in my head…

… and hope I can view the world a little more positively in the morning.

Covidiots on the rampage…

… here in The Netherlands the past few evenings and probably this evening as well and that makes me furious. Read this if you want to know more: “Curfew stays despite ‘scum’ riots in Dutch cities“.

This past weekend an evening curfew started from 9 pm till 4.30 am to combat the further spread of Covid. The curve has been going down for the regular Covid 19 variant but is on the rise for the British variant, which is far more contagious. We’re basically battling two pandemic diseases at once now. There has even been a riot outside a hospital, for crying out loud! Seriously, what do these rioters think is the alternative: just all go out and party and kill each other instead through transmitting this disease? A few weeks ago, on January 6th, everyone was aghast at riots in the Capitol in Washington DC and now we have riots here. Not instigated by political leaders, thank goodness, but riots nonetheless. If they were peaceful protests I could understand but rioting like this over a night time curfew to protect each other? Where is the sense?

_{Sign in The Hague that says: “I understand that you’re angry but violence doesn’t help. – An ordinary girl}“

I despair at the idiocy of the human race.

I shouldn’t be surprised…

…. but I’m in shock at what I am seeing in the US on the news right now! Republican senators opposing the constitution and refusing to certify the election results, Trump urging protesters to march on the Capitol and protesters actually breaching the building and marching inside!

^{Source CNN}

Pro-Trump protesters have breached the police lines around the East Front of the Capitol and are now crowded on the steps outside. pic.twitter.com/mjG2AKedCf

— Steven Portnoy (@stevenportnoy) January 6, 2021

The mob has gotten into the building. https://t.co/zIZ87ptO98

— Steven Portnoy (@stevenportnoy) January 6, 2021

Just now on the BBC a reporter said, “In another country, another continent, this would be a failed state.” The USA has become so very ugly under Donald Trump and I feel such dread… has US democracy died?

My thoughts with the US tonight

What Mr. Guterres, General Secretary of the UN, said…

I am heartbroken to see violence on the streets in our host country and our host city of New York.

Grievances must be heard, but should be expressed peacefully – and authorities must show restraint in responding to demonstrations. pic.twitter.com/1i3w7OtCEq

— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) June 2, 2020

Leaders in all sectors of society must invest in social cohesion so every group feels valued.

That means addressing inequality & discrimination, strengthening support for the most vulnerable and providing opportunities for everyone.

— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) June 2, 2020

I hope I don’t wake up tomorrow (or rather, later today) to a Tiananmen 2.0 in the US.

Source: https://www.neweurope.eu/article/the-lasting-tragedy-of-tiananmen-square/

I had many more words written in another post but decided to not publish that. I get incoherent when I’m angry and that doesn’t help. Just three short points I want to make:
– Black lives matter!
– Listen, talk and change; violence (looting or militarized response) is not the answer.
– Please vote when the time comes.

I was thinking of not posting anything ‘trivial’ anymore for a few days but this trivial stuff keeps me sane. So, I’m letting my next scheduled post (the final fictional crush challenge) go live in a couple of hours anyhow in order to retain a sense of normalcy in this crazy world. I know I am privileged enough to be able to do so.

To my friends in the US: my hopes for a peaceful discourse are with you. Please stay safe and stay well!

Brexit protest – will it help?

Been catching up a little with the news again today after I took a small time-out for a few days because it all got a bit much. So, it seems yesterday there was a huge march in London protesting Brexit. Hundreds of thousands, maybe even a million, marched! March 29th as Brexit date is looming (only 5 more days!) and I doubt this protest will change much, but I can only hope. Protest signs last year during the Trump visit were good, signs protesting Brexit yesterday were just as good! As I’ve been reading, I’ve been collecting images. In support of protesting Brexit, here’s a collection of the signs I enjoyed most (click on images to enlarge).

The Revoke Article 50 petition is up to 5 and a quarter million signatures when I checked just now:

(https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/241584)

… but I doubt that even that will stop Brexit. I don’t think anything will stop it now, unfortunately, but I will keep on hoping.