Watched the opening of the George Floyd hearings this morning. A few initial takeaways:

- I used to dislike Jerry Nadler, but took a liking to him today. He spoke very well in his initial statement. Hit upon some very good key points. Sounded sincere in what he was saying. I know Denilson would probably disagree with me and call him just another veiled white supremacist... but whether he is or not is besides the point. He did the hearings justice by his opening statement.

- Politics remain as shitty as usual. The second speaker, Rep. Jim Jordan (R), was totally predictable in his statement. Careful to extend his condolences to Floyd's brother and family in the beginning... hypocritically saying a few of the right things... HOWEVER.............

Someone explain to me what the FUCK good does it do to mention the rioting and looting in a hearing designed to address police brutality and racial profiling. Wrong place.... wrong time.... you political ass wipe.

All it does is say "Yes, but...." to the grieving families of Floyd and those black families who have suffered recent, similar losses.

You want to talk about rioting and looting...... make a separate hearing to address THAT..... you fucking marionette.

The rest of the speakers followed suit, according to their political party. Too bad even something such as this has to fall neatly along party lines. I would've loved to have seen a Republican as disgusted with the Floyd murder as those on the other side.

And frankly I'm tired of the "VAST, VAST, INCREDIBLY VAST MAJORITY OF POLICE ARE FINE UPSTANDING AMERICANS" line of bullshit. It flies in the face of what is common knowledge by now.... and that is the existence of systemic racism in law enforcement. Nadler, to his vast, vast credit..... said as much.

To be clear, I'm not in favor of the radical idea of de-funding the police. Police forces are IMO necessary, and will always be so.

But significant changes have to happen and they have to happen NOW. No more fucking lip service like there has always been after every murder of a black man by a white cop.

Kudos to Floyd's brother for appearing at the hearing and speaking. It couldn't have been easy, as he had just buried his brother yesterday.

About the only thing I would have added to his speech was "We shouldn't still have to be talking about these issues in 2020. This problem should've been addressed LONG AGO."

- I thought Rep. Karen Bass expressed herself very well also, and came across as equanimous, being a black woman herself.



Anyway.... I hope this time things actually change for the better.