Shaw66 Posted June 1, 2020 Posted June 1, 2020 Everything is upside down. In our little world, the world of the Buffalo Bills, we’ve suffered through decades that sometimes gave us heart-breaking disappointment, sometimes gave us seeming endless futility, sometimes gave us false hopes. It’s been a soul-crushing journey, and yet the souls of Bills fans survived. And now, when the Buffalo Bills and their fans finally seemed to be leaving all of that behind, seemed to be finding true success and having genuine cause for optimism, now when the football world finally was coming to recognize that the Bills’ time actually was coming, the real world has stepped in and said “not so fast.” First the COVID-19 pandemic struck, taking human life world-wide, threatening us with death and economic disruption, if not desolation. The pandemic threatens our little world, too. It threatens to derail the 2020 NFL season or at a minimum to take from us the joy of being with our team as it continues its ascent to the NFL’s higher echelons. Now our cities are burning, again, as white America is reminded, again, what black America never forgot: that we have not yet cleansed ourselves of the 400-year-old curse of slavery and racism. It’s easy for us white folk to ignore the trail of bondage, brutality, and murder of black people that is as much a part of our history as freedom and prosperity has been for white people. Both are part of who we are. Still, in our little world, Bills fans persevere. We are in this for the long term, and we will have our day, if not this season, then soon. The Bills will prevail. And the United States perseveres. We are in this for the long term, and we will continue to build a world that honors, respects and dignifies our common humanity. We too will prevail. Listen for a minute to a man who understands these truths better than I, and notice the souvenir lovingly displayed on his bookshelf: Bishop Curry We all can be proud that one of us, a Bills fan and an American, speaks with such wisdom. GO BILLS!!! The Rockpile Review is written to share the passion we have for the Buffalo Bills. That passion was born in the Rockpile; its parents were everyday people of western New York who translated their dedication to a full day’s hard work and simple pleasures into love for a pro football team. 18 3 2
VirginiaMike Posted June 1, 2020 Posted June 1, 2020 Amen brother. I hope we can get to a place in America where men are judged by their actions and achievements and not by the color of their skin. America is a very separated now and what we need is a unification of all in thoughts a beliefs. I hope we get there in my lifetime! Go Bills and Go America! 2
Happy Posted June 1, 2020 Posted June 1, 2020 Hear, hear. Good post. I would encourage everyone to watch and listen to Bishop Curry's video that Shaw66 linked. BTW, he has a Bills helmet in the background over his right shoulder. It's a shame that a small fraction of police officers have to give law enforcement a bad name. Maybe these events further encourages a discussion of race relations in America as well as respect for innocent people and their property. A lot of small businesses lost, if not everything, a good portion of their property and they do not deserve that. Oh, and some of these businesses are owned by minorities; something that the 'protesters' don't consider. 1
Don Otreply Posted June 1, 2020 Posted June 1, 2020 Damn well put Shaw66, you always do such a fine job of putting pen to paper, thank you! Go Bills!!! 1 1
scuba guy Posted June 1, 2020 Posted June 1, 2020 (edited) Of all the posts for years that I have read of yours this is by far the best ever heart warming. And for are country as a hole heart saiding Thank you sir for your service the tbd Edited June 1, 2020 by scuba guy
Troll Toll Posted June 2, 2020 Posted June 2, 2020 I apologize in advance, this will not be a popular post... This week is a microcosm of the larger issues at play. A white man kills a black man in a horrendously negligent manner and the story blows up. Black communities respond by rioting, burning down their own communities and killing each other and those actions are downplayed in magnitude. I have a hard time seeing how any real progress in inter-race relations will be made until progress in the black on black crime is made. Why would other communities trust people from a community that can’t trust itself? 1
First Round Bust Posted June 2, 2020 Posted June 2, 2020 Troll Troll yours is too popular a post with some it seems....but its more than one week...its 100 days of being isolated by an invisible particle that comes to life thru our neglect; followed by 40 million unemployed; then a $20 dollar crime becomes the crime of the century and the many morgue men of Minny cant even agree on the cause of death....this is what it felt to live 100-200 years ago it seems...haven't we learned anything other than to want to continue to empower the wealthy ,idolize jocks etc
LB48 Posted June 2, 2020 Posted June 2, 2020 1 hour ago, Troll Toll said: I apologize in advance, this will not be a popular post... This week is a microcosm of the larger issues at play. A white man kills a black man in a horrendously negligent manner and the story blows up. Black communities respond by rioting, burning down their own communities and killing each other and those actions are downplayed in magnitude. I have a hard time seeing how any real progress in inter-race relations will be made until progress in the black on black crime is made. Why would other communities trust people from a community that can’t trust itself? Well said! This victim isn't squeaky clean. How many of you have been sent to prison?? Floyd was charged in 2007 with armed robbery in a home invasion in Houston and in 2009 was sentenced to five years in prison as part of a plea deal, according to court documents. 1
njbuff Posted June 2, 2020 Posted June 2, 2020 1 hour ago, Troll Toll said: I apologize in advance, this will not be a popular post... This week is a microcosm of the larger issues at play. A white man kills a black man in a horrendously negligent manner and the story blows up. Black communities respond by rioting, burning down their own communities and killing each other and those actions are downplayed in magnitude. I have a hard time seeing how any real progress in inter-race relations will be made until progress in the black on black crime is made. Why would other communities trust people from a community that can’t trust itself? Well said troll. Black victimization is the lie that the MSM continues to spread and in the same breath ignore the black on black crime. Until that issue is tackled, we are going to continue to spin this cycle. 1
Shaw66 Posted June 2, 2020 Author Posted June 2, 2020 I didn't want this thread to go off on a debate about these issues, but it was inevitable. I'd like think that at least people could agree on the Bishop's message. Follow the link in the OP and just listen. It's only a couple minutes. He's a Bills fan, and his humanity is impressive.
LABILLBACKER Posted June 2, 2020 Posted June 2, 2020 3 hours ago, scuba guy said: Of all the posts for years that I have read of yours this is by far the best ever heart warming. And for are country as a hole heart saiding Thank you sir for your service the tbd I agree. This is one of Shaw's best. As human beings we have to stop this disgusting behavior that has existed for over 2 centuries.
WhoTom Posted June 2, 2020 Posted June 2, 2020 2 hours ago, LB48 said: Well said! This victim isn't squeaky clean. How many of you have been sent to prison?? Floyd was charged in 2007 with armed robbery in a home invasion in Houston and in 2009 was sentenced to five years in prison as part of a plea deal, according to court documents. Did the court documents indicate that he received a death sentence that he somehow dodged? Did he do anything to deserve to be strangled to death by four guys who have taken oaths to uphold the law ... to serve and protect? I have friends and family members who wear the badge, and I'd like to think that the overwhelming majority of law enforcement officers are decent people, but unless they're willing to police themselves, nothing is going to change.
Shaw66 Posted June 2, 2020 Author Posted June 2, 2020 10 hours ago, LABILLBACKER said: I agree. This is one of Shaw's best. As human beings we have to stop this disgusting behavior that has existed for over 2 centuries. Thanks to you and others for their compliments.
Commish Posted June 2, 2020 Posted June 2, 2020 Does Two Bills Drive have an official Poet Laureate? I'd nominate Shaw66, but I don't know if his Dolphins haiku equals his prose...
Figster Posted June 2, 2020 Posted June 2, 2020 (edited) 17 hours ago, Troll Toll said: I apologize in advance, this will not be a popular post... This week is a microcosm of the larger issues at play. A white man kills a black man in a horrendously negligent manner and the story blows up. Black communities respond by rioting, burning down their own communities and killing each other and those actions are downplayed in magnitude. I have a hard time seeing how any real progress in inter-race relations will be made until progress in the black on black crime is made. Why would other communities trust people from a community that can’t trust itself? We have a large number of protesters who are very angry and have every right to be in my humble opinion. Within this group we have a smaller number of people taking advantage of the situatiion with hidden agenda's and corrupt intentions. The protesters real message of " help me, I can't breath" becomes clouded. White or black, or any color in between we can't lose sight of the real message and its something we can all understand. The contrast between light and darkness is not always clear... Edited June 2, 2020 by Figster
stuvian Posted June 5, 2020 Posted June 5, 2020 my fear for the Bills is that that as they reach their peak under Beane - McDermott, Covid 19 will derail their season like the baseball strike did to the 94 Montreal Expos. I think we are on the verge of major social change regarding race relations. The status quo doesn't work any more. You cannot have an identifiable segment of the population excluded from opportunity, prosperity and equality. We cannot be cavalier about the loss of life of black people at the hands of the state. We cannot have a justice system where persons of colour are not afforded the presumption of innocence. We also need to redefine what is meant by "Good Policing". Having people die in custody for passing $20 of counterfeit, selling single cigarettes or shop lifting can never be consider good police work. The video by the African American NFL stars demanding accountability by the league regarding Kaepernick cannot be ignored. Canada has racism too. This isn't just about the USA.
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