Perhaps the BEST B1G Forum anywhere, here at College Football Fan Site, CFB51!!!

I honestly don't really want to get too deep in this, because in the end, you are going to be more concerned about this than I am. But I just keep getting pulled in.

You're right. I overstated the focus of the coalition of groups BLM, and the part of BLM that has a website, is involved with (understated the breadth of its focus). I still doing think it's particularly well organized.

I didn't question if any elected officials supported it. I disagreed with you that it was gaining to the power to rival the two primary parties.

Factual challenge on the, I think, Fox News article: Headline: 'Squad' Dems Tlaib, Pressley introduce bill to defund police, give reparations."

Body: "The legislation has not been introduced."

You also wrote three congresswomen, but the article says two.

To answer your much ado part, I suppose I'm just tired. There's so much to freak out about in the world. I'm worn down by all of it. And if the great worry is "The left is going to get its stuff together and push through pie in the sky stuff" I don't believe it'll happen. I'm just skeptical that way.

I don't support a lot of what's in that proposal. I'm neutral on chunks of it. I assume 98 percent of it will never push through. I'm guessing you might agree with even a piece or two.

Anyway, I find it weird that I'm calling for it to "slide in under the radar so to speak." The chunks of it are in a big presentation online. The loudest and most influential voice in media turned it into clicks with ease. Maybe I'm a sleeper cell so sleepy, I don't even know I'm doing it.

Anyway, I wish we had enough sports to not be discussion this. Hopefully soon.

Good post. 

I am worn down by it as well. I actually think some of the ideas that are considered pretty radical by many are worth discussing. I suppose the one thing that does wrangle me a little bit is when I detect false pretenses-in other words coming in with one narrative but having a hidden agenda behind it.  My modus operandi has always been to put the cards on the table and not waste time. 

Generally speaking, private schools have a much higher success rate of educating kids than do public schools. While there are a number of factors that contribute to that, it should not be dismissed out of hand simply because you disagree with the political position of the politicians that passed such legislation.

If my kids were subjected to a failing school where half of the kids didn't want to be there, where there was a drug problem and violence, I would take every opportunity I could to get my kids out of there and into a private school where generally speaking, the kids WANT to be there. And due to how my wife and I have handled our finances over the years, we could afford to do so.  

However, many inner city kids that are being raised in a single parent home, don't have that option yet their families are still paying taxes that support the local public school. What is the harm in allowing those families the same opportunities as those of us in different living conditions? Are they any less deserving of a good education?

I'm not against private schools or choosing to enroll your kid in a private school, but private schools' finances should be a bubble and have zero overlap with public funding.  

On your last paragraph, that's a plan for bad schools to get worse.  If everyone who wants better for their kid leaves, THAT is the harm:  that existing local school freefalls.  That handful of families who care staying and helping is the only way that school improves.  That group growing and helping is the way out of failure.  What's the harm?  It's total harm.

I'm not against private schools or choosing to enroll your kid in a private school, but private schools' finances should be a bubble and have zero overlap with public funding. 

On your last paragraph, that's a plan for bad schools to get worse.  If everyone who wants better for their kid leaves, THAT is the harm:  that existing local school freefalls.  That handful of families who care staying and helping is the only way that school improves.  That group growing and helping is the way out of failure.  What's the harm?  It's total harm.

Just so. It's not a huge secret as to why the schools suck. White people fled so their kids wouldn't be in school with black kids. It's been a 75 year race to the bottom.

And yes, I'm pessimistic. Very much so. 

I "came of age" as an adult in a very hopeful time--when technology made instant worldwide communication possible. It broke the barriers of the "mainstream media" controlling the narrative. It gave a voice to people who labored in obscurity previously, and democratized information. 

I thought that it would allow people to break down barriers. Instead people used the fracturing of the narrative to build nice safe cocoons around themselves that they filled with confirmation bias and never again would be challenged by anything that would make them uncomfortable--thus ensuring that they couldn't DARE be bothered with personal growth. 

It was then that I turned from an optimist to a pessimist. It was then that I realized that humanity's insular tribal stupidity wasn't a lack of knowledge or opportunity--it was a lack of desire to be anything else. 

So I'll keep yelling into the abyss, because I'm a stubborn jackass. But I've lost all optimism that any of it will make a difference, ever. 

I find it helps to chat with strangers at times, also, which we do fairly often.  We dine outdoors now exclusively if we go out, and that seems to help.

I was briefly chatting with a dude today because he had on a USMC hat.  Turns out he was just wearing it, but he thanked me for my service before I could correct the impression.  I had showed him my ring which has the EGA on it.  

I often complement folks on their dogs, which can open a brief convo.  Everybody here just about has a dog.  One couple had a very large dog that was clearly a puppy of some kind, they said it would hit 120 pounds.  I know the building in which they live, 2 BDR apts.

Beautiful dog, black, white, and light brown ....

I suspect most folks wearing a USMC hat served in the Corps.  Most, like 75% or so, I'd guess.

Some are supportive parents of course.

Folks wearing camo pants?  Not so much.

Marines are not supposed to wear their uniform off duty, while traveling, shopping, etc.  That is why you will see guys/gals at the airport in camo from the Army but not the Marines, or Navy either.  I don't know if the Army requires it or not.

Marines are allowed a brief stop for gas etc. if they are headed to the base in uniform, and at ceremonial events, while recruiting,  etc.

You can of course often spot an active duty Marine walking around in street clothes.

Stanford cutting 11 sports