Brian Stelter was just on CNN calling events around the country “disturbingly widespread” and “terrifying”, but it wasn’t at all clear to me just what part he’s disturbed or terrified by. Personally, I’m disturbed and terrified by the fact that we seem incapable of fixing what causes people to be in the streets to begin with.

Before this segment, Don Lemon had an extended conversation with Reverend William J. Barber II, who helpfully explained to viewers that there’s this entire wider context to what’s happening, such as disparities in health and wealth that black Americans and other people of color deal with even before bearing most of the brunt both of COVID-19 itself and needing to keep going to work during the pandemic—a conversation there really needs to be more of.

That’s the disturbing part, and the terrifying part. I’m neither disturbed nor terrified by the protests or the property damage, excepting the fact that they arguably are commensurate to and revealing of the ongoing violence to which they are a response.

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Addenda

1. This is the first I have had on any kind of television news in almost three months, I think.