By Carol Frenier
I was much encouraged to read in multiple Vermont publications that many readers questioned the presumptive racist interpretations of both the State Street vandalism in Montpelier and the Facebook post by Windsor Principal Tiffany Riley.
The verbal assault on Riley as “prejudiced,” “lacking in judgment” and “expressing ignorance and hate” was particularly unwarranted. She said that she supported Black Lives Matter but not their “coercive measures,” and she didn’t think “people should be made to feel they have to choose black race over human race.” For that she was verbally excoriated and put on administrative leave.
Windsor Principal Tiffany Riley
Black Lives Matter supporters may be surprised to hear that many thoughtful people, maybe even the majority of Vermonters, agree with Riley’s post. And for many of us, painting “Black Lives Matter” on State Street is no more appropriate than painting “Make America Great Again” on that same street. Both are political statements that point to policy issues that can and should be debated in a free society, not plastered on our public roads.
Instead of informed debate, today we have perpetual ad hominem attacks meant to silence those with whom the left disagrees. Over the past few weeks those attacks have become increasingly physical as well as verbal — including the act of defacing State Street with a political slogan regardless of whether they had permission to do so or not. Why were these painters surprised that someone with a different political view would respond?
I am reminded of a time several decades ago when the abortion controversy in Boston erupted in violence. Shocked by the situation, leaders from both sides committed to a series of meetings in an attempt to “tone down” the atmosphere. The first thing they did was to give every participant a chance to say what they would like from the other side.
Most memorable to me was the abortion proponent who asked the other side to stop calling her a murderer. Imagining myself in a similar series of meetings today, I know what I would ask for: stop calling me a racist.
The idea of systemic racism is now weaponized to implicate any person who questions orthodox leftist views about race. This is so prevalent, especially among the young, that they are completely blind to their own bias, a bias that will be acutely visible on State Street for as long as the yellow paint lasts.
As for Ms. Riley: I hope she is swamped by great lawyers willing to provide pro bono services for her lawsuit against the educational establishment. Unfortunately, that won’t relieve the wound of being unjustly attacked by the people she thought were her friends.
Carol Frenier is a business owner living in Chelsea, Vermont. She is the chair of the Orange County Republican Committee.
Tiffany, you have clear thinking folks in your corner. Being in favor of black lives matter as wel as ALL lives matter is hardly a sin. It’s humane and reasonable. Being opposed to violence is to be commended. Keep the faitth.
Here is a thoughtful perspective
> Here’s an interesting perspective on the problem of race in America today.
>
> L.Todd Wood, a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, flew special operations helicopters supporting SEAL Team 6, Delta Force and others. After leaving the military, he pursued his other passion, finance, spending 18 years on Wall Street trading emerging market debt, and later, writing. The first of his many thrillers is “Currency.” Todd is a contributor to Fox Business, Newsmax TV, Moscow Times, the New York Post, the National Review, Zero Hedge and others. For more information about L. Todd Wood, visit LToddWood.com.
> By L. Todd Wood
>
> ANALYSIS/OPINION:
>
> I know of no white person alive today in the United States who has ever legally owned a black slave or any slave for that matter. Almost 700,000 mostly white men died 160 years ago to end slavery. Jim Crow ended generations ago. Yet black America, for the most part, is still locked in inner-city gang violence and economic hardship. Why?
>
> Is it because America is racist? Is it because of some overhanging white supremacy? Is it because of the Illuminati?
> No, unfortunately, it is because of black culture and the adoption of Democratic Party government dependency.
>
> We have just had eight years of the first black president. Black athletes and entertainers routinely earn multi-million dollar incomes. I can easily name several black billionaires without even trying too hard. A large percentage of black America is very successful. But, it is not enough. Too many black youth are being left behind. And it is no one but black America’s fault.
>
> No one can solve this problem but black America. No one can throw enough money at it. We’ve tried that. Black America needs to look in the mirror and stop blaming others, especially white people.
>
> I am obviously white and conservative, and I served in the military; which, during my time, was as color blind as you could be. I can also honestly say I don’t give a damn what color your skin is, neither do any of my friends. I do care about your actions.
>
> Blacks are around 14.6 percent of the population according to the 2018 US Census Bureau. Depending on what study you look at, they commit around 40 percent to 50 percent of violent crime in America. Of course, there is going to be a problem with police. And, of course, there are some bad policemen. However, those bad apples do not kill black people statistically anymore than they kill white people. Even Harvard said that recently. If you were a cop, and you had to work in a neighborhood infested with crime and murder, wouldn’t you act differently than in a neighborhood where there was little crime? The most effective thing black America could do to improve its relationship with police is to significantly reduce violent crime where they live. Yes, that means change the culture of where you live and your community.
>
> I for one am tired of being blamed. I am tired of dealing with people who only want something from others. I don’t oppress anyone. I don’t hold anyone down. I’m tired of getting on the D.C. metro and seeing white people being harassed by roaming gangs of black youth with their pants around their knees. Yes, you want a white person uncomfortable? That makes me uncomfortable. It’s our nation’s capital and it’s embarrassing.
>
> Blacks have nothing but opportunity in America. Try finding the same opportunity anywhere else in the world. If you are born in America, you’ve won life’s economic lottery. Take advantage of it.
>
> The problem is this generation has been taught an agenda of cultural Marxism by our education system. They’ve been taught to be a victim, and it’s still going on. All you have to do is watch the young black female student at Yale screaming at the college president to understand that. Blacks in America don’t even know how good they got it.
>
> Don’t kneel when my anthem is played. Too many people died for that flag. You are free to protest but not then. I am free to not watch or pay to watch you play if you do that. The NFL should make it a rule that you stand for the national anthem. There is no free speech to disobey a private employer on private property. This would solve the problem immediately.
>
> The NFL has deeply offended most of America. They will pay an economic and reputational price, as they should.
>
> We have a real cultural problem in this country, the result of the Leftist multicultural agenda. Multi-ethnicity is perfect and should be encouraged. Having more than one American culture is destroying the country. But then again, that is what the Left wants.
>
> Do Black Lives Matter?
> It is your job to determine if this is a racist rant or just a review of factual data.
>
> WHAT IF ALL THE BLACKS SUDDENLY LEFT AMERICA, WHICH IS 14.36% OF THE TOTAL U.S. POPULATION:
>
> Amount of people in poverty would drop – 34%,
> The prison population would go down by – 37%,
> Welfare recipients would go down by – – – 42%,
> Gang members would go down by – – – – – 53%,
> Chlamydia cases would go down – – – – – – 54%,
> Homelessness would go down – – – – – – – -57%,
> Syphilis would go down – – – – – – – – – – – -58%,
> AIDS and HIV would go down by – – – – – – 65%,
> Gonorrhea would go down – – – – – – – – – – 69%,
> Average ACT scores would go UP – – – – – – 5.5 points,
> Average IQ would go UP – – – – – – – – – – – -7.4 points, putting us 3rd in the world tied with Japan,
> Average SAT scores would go UP almost – -100 points,
> The average income for Americans would go UP over $20,000 a year,
>
> BUT DEMOCRATS WOULD LOSE 76% OF THEIR VOTING BASE!
>
> And, many criminal defense attorneys would have to find another line of work!
>
> Yes, Black lives DO matter!
We disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure requirement by supporting each other as extended families and “villages” that collectively care for one another, especially our children, to the degree that mothers, parents, and children are comfortable.
From the comment below….notice above statistics portray a broken family from big city policies we are coincidentally adopting in Vermont. It’s not a race thing.
Bet if you put in Vermont DCF profile, all white, you’d find matching statistics. The game plan is faulty. Vermont like these inner cities is getting stinking rich of keeping people poor and families broken.
Forgive exactness, but wasn’t it Pres. Johnson’s “Great Society”, that went door to door in the Black Neighborhoods,telling mothers that they could get baskets of money for their family,
BUT ONLY if ther was NO MAN in the house?!!
So only a small part of young black children have a father figure – especially not a father with a JOB, actively supporting HIS Children and HIS Wife. And the mother, knowing that more children means a larger welfare slice…
……. Well guess what.
The “Father figure” becomes the tough guy, with a gun, who presides over a Gang warring neighborhood.
Something everyone should do is read what Black Lives Matter openly believes. Here’s one snippet from their website: “We disrupt the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure requirement by supporting each other as extended families and “villages” that collectively care for one another, especially our children, to the degree that mothers, parents, and children are comfortable.” Disrupt the family? Seems to me that’s a big part of the problem.
Well written Carol; well written.
The American Bolsheviks, the Progressives, the Left practice a dogmatic religion fanatically intolerant of heresy. As Joe Biden himself put it in his Iowa fair speech, “We choose [doctrinal] truth over [veridical] facts.” Doctrinal truth, e.g. geocentric universe, requires no proof, denies contradiction, demonizes dispute and is true “because we say so.” All else is heresy. They seem always to be explosively furious with anyone who points out that they cannot create their own reality.
The BLM movement has turned into the punitive “groupthink” of Orwell’s 1984 – “if you possess information that conflicts with the prevailing orthodoxy, you are expected to either distort your position or keep it to yourself” for fear of retribution or being ostracized !
BTW – Ms. Riley won’t need a “pro bono” lawyer, a good lawyer will see a big payday in taking the case on a contingency fee basis.
Let’s see I think we have a First Amendment with states freedom of speech !!
Oh yeah, that only applies if it’s a Liberal speaking their voice for there agenda
biased BS………………
All Lives Matter