Don't Try To Cover Your Butts Now
This is a time for solidarity. The millions around the world taking to the streets to protest the death of George Floyd and the murderous impunity of modern militarized police forces need all the support they can get. The easiest way to do it is with a Tweet. Just a few keystrokes, major brands, organizations, and media figures whose voices all have some cultural weight behind them can strengthen the cause. After all, how will the nation begin to heal without knowing where Netflix stands in all of this? But in the mad rush to be on the right side of the issue, a few folks kind of, sort of forgot that their actions have helped bring us to this point.
YouTube, for instance, tweeted their solidarity, and even promised financial support:
It's a kind gesture that will never be able to undo the hatred YouTube has helped spread as maybe the single biggest source of influence for the modern rise of white supremacy other than the White House.
Meghan McCain chimed in with this surprisingly impassioned declaration of bullshit when George Floyd's autopsy report tried to blame his death not on the knee that slowly choked him but on heart disease:
Her righteous Chardonnay-fueled white girl indignation is undercut by her husband, who co-founded the right-wing extremist blog The Federalist, a site that used to have a "Black Crime" keyword they'd tag on stories in case their racist readership needed to submit to feel inferior to.
The NFL tweeted their condolences toward the family of George Floyd. The message ended with a promise to work hard to eliminate "these systemic issues together with our players, clubs and partners."
Hey, NFL, remember when Colin Kaepernick peacefully protested this exact issue throwing a fit over right now by simply taking a knee? And then remember how everyone lost their minds and he never got a job in the NFL again even though he's unquestionably better than half of the garbage quarterbacks out there? The NFL and its clubs and partners outright rejected peaceful protest, thus setting the stage for violent protests, because what the fuck else are you supposed to do when the peaceful solution is violently rejected but the problem persists? Did these people forget that we know exactly who they are, what they've done, who they associate with, and the progress they've collectively and individually hindered?
Careful with the outpouring of support there, folks. Keep this up, and the protesters will shower your home with little thank you notes attached to the bricks they'll chuck through your windows.
Luis can be found on Twitter and Facebook. Catch him on the "In Broad Daylight" podcast with Cracked alums Adam Tod Brown and Ian Fortey! Check out his regular contributions to Macaulay Culkin's BunnyEars.com and his "Meditation Minute" segments on the Bunny Ears podcast. Listen to the first episode on Youtube!
Top Image: WEBN-TV, YouTube
