NROP: The only way to fight racism…

Burning in the streets

… is with violence.

That, of course, is sarcasm on my part.

No matter where you live in the world, chances are you have heard about a guy killed by a police officer who kneeled on his neck for too long.

How is it that the US news makes its way around the globe so swiftly? Why do I learn more about the rest of the world from blogs on WordPress rather than the news? Does anyone feel overwhelmed by the stories from the US? Or thinks that it is unfair that their own news does not reach the US that often?

A little over a week ago, I heard about the terrible news of a police officer killing a man. It saddened me. Why? Because life was lost. I did not know the victim or his background, but I still felt for him and his loved one. Some of you might think that my being sad is not enough. Some of you might think that I should do more, and you might be right. If there is a situation in which you can help make the world a better place, I firmly believe that you should.

A couple of days after the tragic event, on a Friday evening, I received a text message from work. It was an automated message telling us to stay away from a specific part of town due to gunfire. Instantly, I opened my search engine to check what was going on. What I saw horrified me – people were rioting by setting some businesses on fire and looting others. There was no mention of the shooting, so I hope it means that the suspect was quickly apprehended, the gun recovered, and no one was hurt. Thankfully, I was nowhere near that part of town. I was safe at home.

Two days later, while walking down the street in yet another part of town, I heard: “I can’t breathe!” and my eyes immediately darted to the opposite side of the road. A small group of protesters walked, holding signs and chanting. My heart skipped a beat in the time between I heard the chants and then saw that the demonstration was peaceful. I did not want to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Only minutes after that encounter, my companion’s phone went rogue and announced that there was a curfew being imposed and that we had to get back home as soon as possible. We were slightly disappointed that our time out was cut short, but we knew it was for our safety.

Why was I worried about being near the protesters? While some really have good intentions, others give activists a bad name. They have nefarious reasons for taking part in such demonstrations. I heard a woman say something along the lines of: “We are trying to send a message, but we are going about it the wrong way.” Indeed. How does looting stores prevent racism? If businesses fall, the people employed there (of all races) might face layoffs. Is that what you want for your fellow brothers?

In Minneapolis, there is talk about dismantling the Police force. One of the council members says that no police would make their city a better place. Instead, he wants to focus on the community taking care of itself.

“We had already pushed for pilot programs to dispatch county mental health professionals to mental health calls, and fire department EMTs to opioid overdose calls, without police officers. We have similarly experimented with unarmed, community-oriented street teams on weekend nights downtown to focus on de-escalation. We could similarly turn traffic enforcement over to cameras and, potentially, our parking enforcement staff, rather than our police department.”

Boy, am I glad I do not live in Minneapolis! The author of the article goes on to say that in his ideal world, a $20 grocery transaction would not be met with pulling out a weapon or even handcuffs. Free stuff for everyone!!! Let us make stealing legal!

Blue lives matter. This is a post I wrote in the past on the topic of protesters and the hate directed at the men and women in blue. What has changed since I posted it three years ago? Absolutely nothing. We still blame all of the Police for the actions of the few. We still see them as enemies.

In the UK, a female police officer is in the hospital with multiple injuries. She has a collapsed lung and broken ribs after the horse she was riding got spooked and threw her off, straight into a traffic light. The horse acted that way because the protesters threw things at the Police, including a bike. Why do we forget about animal cruelty when we are fighting for racial equality? Why do we forget about female empowerment when we are on the other side of the barricade? Why do we pick and choose our agendas depending on the day? Do we really believe in what we say we do?

We often think that we are too small to make a difference in this huge world. In some cases, that might be true. However, I urge you to try. Motivational speakers will tell you that you can do anything if you only try. If that mentality works for you, that is great! I, on the other hand, prefer to take smaller, but actionable steps. How do you get to the top of the building? You do so by climbing the steps. One at a time. The same applies for making a difference. Look around you. Commit to making a difference in your household today. Then, maybe expand it to your workplace (if you do not work from home) and the local community. It is hard to do something for someone thousands of miles away and track the change. If we all focus on what is around us, we will help make a world of difference.

One day at a time…

Have you taken part in an anti-racism riot? Please, share your experience.

Have you gone to a demonstration in the past? Please, share your experience.

How do you think racism should be solved?

Do you think we should do away with the Police? Why/ why not?

Stay golden,

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58 thoughts on “NROP: The only way to fight racism…”

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  2. You have made some very good points here and the outrage and violence is not the way to deal with anythings. The Police do a valuable job but they need to refine rules about how they treat ordinary people in the street regardless of race. Looting and breaking down businesses in the area is not the way. As you say there are always those riding on the back of a protest with their own agenda.

    I have not protested or attended large areas which are volatile. The US seems to headline on everything and yet the selfsame things are going on in different countries. There always has to be a group bullying others for their own ego.

    Today I was going to write a post became distracted looking for photos ended up seeing masses of refugee photos there so many from all over the world it makes me question if they are refugees or opportunists some go through a great deal of suffering to journey to hopefully a new life. Only to be badly received by their choice of destiny country who is not prepared to accommodate them.

    This worldwide problem is going to take a lot of shifting. You are right it has to start at home get some order in place there and then extend to the local community if it is possible depending on their mindset. Bless you Sam.

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    1. We are told that stereotypes are not a good thing. That we cannot lump all apples together. That there are some good and some bad ones in every group. And then we try to dismantle the police force because they are brutal. Isn’t it funny how we pick and choose when certain rules should apply and when they shouldn’t?

      Absolutely. Back in the day, I feel like everyone wanted to follow the US. The ‘American Dream’ was something people from around the world wanted to achieve. Now, I’m not sure why people choose to still follow in this country’s footsteps when it comes to negative things. LEARN from us.

      Refugees… a great topic of controversy. I believe that some really are trying to get out of hell but some…

      Thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts.

      Stay golden!

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  4. There’s a lot to unpack here. I enjoyed the read.

    It’s interesting how the news from the US always gets such wide play. Then again, it’s mostly the big stories and another black man being killed by a white police officer is always going to get noticed.

    I’m not sure where I fall on the perspective of getting rid of the police and replacing it with community policing. I think it works well in lots of places. I’m not sure, however, that the US is the right location. Serious changes need to be made. The police should not be a paramilitary group. More policies on de-escalation are obviously seriously needed.

    Using this to further polarize the US, to further increase the divide between us and them, left and right, Democrat and Republican, is horrifying to see. The internal stresses the US is facing are severe and I wonder about how things will progress and what the US will look like before too long.

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    1. Yes, it will. However, I read on another blog about a black woman in the UK being killed by the Police and I definitely heard nothing about it until now.

      The US is the Wild, Wild West. While I think there might be some places that this could work, on a larger scale, this sounds insane.

      I definitely share your concerns regarding the polarization and the future of this country. I like to think that everything will be alright but I’m really skeptical about it happening anytime soon.

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  5. I think you’ve brought up some great points! Violence will never lead to anything good and small steps add up. This is a marathon and I see change coming but it’s something that will take time and consistent effort. I think that people also have to be ok with differences in stance. There will always be differences but I think we have to leaen to live together in peace with differences. I don’t know how the change will come but I think it starts from within and with the people close to you. Thanks for the post good stuff!

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    1. Indeed. We should make sure we are changed before changing others.
      I’m confused about differences. One day it’s what makes us special and unique and the next, it’s something that makes us hate one another.

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  6. If there’s anything history has taught us, it’s that violence always starts a chain reaction, and one that deals huge losses to every party involved in it. What happened to Floyd was horrible. No one should have to suffer like that. But if all people are going to do is respond to this violent act with violence, I’m worried that it will only aggravate the problem.

    I don’t think it’s a good idea to get rid of the police. Then again I may be wrong. Racism is a pandemic that requires our joint effort to solve. And I feel that the only way we’re ever going to end racism is by ‘reforming’ our individual selves. The old saying “Change begins with you” has never been truer.

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    1. I agree that violence is not the answer. Your comment made me think about people who say wars are evil but then have no qualms about going out on the street and being a part of a violent protest.

      Ditto. We need to reform ourselves. True change happens over time. Anything that changes rapidly runs the risk of backfiring.

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  7. A terrifying time we live in indeed. I do think that there’s a bit of confusion between issues of racism and police brutality that make it a bit harder to get the message behind a couple of riots but I’m glad that the world is trying to make this issue heard, raising awareness for people who seemed oblivious on the matter, and that everyone is trying to do something in their own way to get things done. It’s sad that looters and whatnot profit from this to create chaos but, hopefully, despite all the damage, we’ll evolve as a society a bit faster now…

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  8. You’ve made some good points, but I think the “few bad apples” reasoning for excusing the police is wrong. Yes, there are a few bad apples that go as far as killing, but systematic racism can be seen simply by looking at statistics of both law enforcement and the courts through the years. Just because you don’t kill someone doesn’t mean you’ve treated them fairly. In Minneapolis, for instant, a statistic was just release that physical force is used with a black suspect SEVEN TIMES MORE than it’s used with a white one. Either there is racism — maybe even unconscious — or you’ve got to say black suspects are SEVEN TIMES MORE aggressive. African American men are incarcerated at FIVE TIMES the rate of white men in America. African American women are incarcerate at double the rate. Again, there is either racism at work, or you’ve got to say black people deserve to go to jail more than white people. In America, one out of three black men will see the inside of a prison cell (even if just for one day) in their life. For Latinos, it’s one of out of six. For white men, it’s one out of 17. This is not an issue of a few bad apples. There are many, many bad apples. There are only a few rotten ones. We need both the rotten and the bad gone.

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    1. I’m not excusing the police. I am just saying that I don’t think we should get rid of them entirely.

      When it comes to your statistics, I think the truth is somewhere in the middle like with most things. Yes, racism might be involved and yes, some people might be more aggressive than others.

      I don’t like how you worded: “there is either racism at work, or you’ve got to say black people deserve to go to jail more than white people.” I don’t think people, in general, deserve to go to jail. But those that commit crimes, do.

      Why do some people end up in jail? There is a multitude of factors. Why have I not? Because I’ve done everything I could to avoid it.

      If you want to talk statistics, incarceration of African-Americans is actually on a decline. The male rate dropped by 24% from 2000 to 2015. Caucasian rates went slightly up. Among African-American females, the rate went down by 50% while it went up by 50%b among Caucasian women. [https://www.themarshallproject.org/2017/12/15/a-mass-incarceration-mystery]

      The rate went up from 24% to 34% since 2006.

      “In 2018, black Americans represented 33% of the sentenced prison population (…) Whites accounted for 30% of prisoners (…) Hispanics accounted for 23% of inmates.” [https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/05/06/black-imprisonment-rate-in-the-u-s-has-fallen-by-a-third-since-2006/] That looks somewhat equal to me.

      [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incarceration_in_the_United_States]

      I do agree that the world would be a better place if we only had “the good” left.

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  9. Oh, man! So, having been around the world a bit, I have to say that there is some bizarre focus on the US. We are the front page news in so many foreign countries’ papers even when shit isn’t going down. We are both hated and revered the world around.
    The news does shift at a stupid pace. This weekend, someone brought up the fact that there are still children being held in cages, and being sickeningly mistreated aside from likely never seeing their parents again. Oh, we all just forgot about that, didn’t we? Ugh!
    To the point of the most recent tragedy though, I have to challenge the question of violence. From my background and experiences, I have to say that some forms of oppression will not let up without it. I would argue that segregation would not have ended if peaceful marching and demonstrations were the only tactic. Oppression, by definition, is via force, and can only be dispelled by either a greater force or eventual absence of the oppressed as has become of most Native American populations.
    At the same time, this isn’t a matter of slave owners or unjust laws being followed even more unjustly. This is a matter of a necessity. Anyone claiming absence of police is a good thing needs to go visit a country that can’t afford a proper police force and experience it for themselves! A third world country under riot makes our dumpster torching and looting look like a daycare. It’s literally Kalashnikovs and Molotovs in some parts of the world that media doesn’t dare go to sensationalize. So, considering a more full spectrum of police absence-presence, I think we need to focus on the upkeep of the police force. To be dead honest, I think there needs to be a stronger filter for racism in the force. In the age of rapid meme generation, I would question pics of cops bearing tattoos from a damn the man rant, but it doesn’t seem to be an isolated claim. Is the police force really being populated by white supremacists? How could we put a stop to that??
    Going further, I think another major point of all this is the use of force in so called acceptable protocols. Is it really necessary to force a crowd out of the streets? The riot response needs to focus on defense. Put out fires, help businesses owners secure their shops, START A FUCKING CONVERSATION! Protestors are holding signs telling you quite succinctly what the problem is. They are filling the streets for as long as it takes to get someone’s attention, but who is listening? Who is really, honestly, hearing them, telling them they are heard, and considering their premise? Would there be any of this going on if that cop had the whole weight of the law thrown at him and then some from the get go?
    Nobody of authority seems to be opening up to ask how the government can make it better. Nobody gets on a megaphone to ask the crowd what it needs, do they? Nobody is looking at the police and public relationship as, well, a relationship. We all need to work on it.
    My partner’s girl is mixed. For 9 years of her life, she has thought highly of police, having an uncle that’s proud of his time as a deputy. But now what? How is her perspective going to change as she experiences this? And how do we, the parents, prepare her for life under this sort of shadowing threat that we, ourselves, aren’t subject to? I don’t feel compelled to smash windows over it, but it’s certainly come to matter to me on a very personal level. Though I don’t mean to condone it, I do say that riots ought to continue until the government’s attitude improves. Didn’t this country kick off it’s human rights effort with a riot in Boston? Why is today any different? Government corruption is exactly why we have a right to bear arms, after all, and burning stores ought to be seen as an appetizer to the call to arms citizens might otherwise be responding with.

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      1. My accusation is that news shifts too rapidly. Aside from splitting hairs over the construction of containment, the point is that it’s still very much a concern, even more so with the pandemic. Yet, there’s little mention of it anymore.
        What about the death rates for covid? The news was tracking the numbers hard up until they actually started decreasing, and then just stopped mentioning them. Onto the next breaking headline…

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    2. Yes, we, as a country, seem to be a role model for many. Not always for the good.

      Yes, the news forgets about certain things quite quickly. It’s always onto the next best thing. Even if it disregards the previous issue (see: social distancing and wearing masks vs. protesting).

      I agree with you there – a violent revolution is the surest way to achieve some sort of a different state of things. But it bothers me how people will talk about hugs fixing everything one day and then participating in violent protests the next.

      Vetting officers better? I’m all up for it. Not everyone is suited for the job they do. But whose fault is it? Only those who decide to hire said individual. Is he going to do his job right or not?

      “Is it really necessary to force a crowd out of the street?” If they don’t have a permit? YES! Why? For everyone’s safety. If I’m driving, I want to get from point A to point B without having to stop and reroute. I don’t want to be worried about hitting people who randomly decide to walk in the middle of a highway. It IS for their protection.

      I’m pleased to hear that your girl has a positive role-model in her uncle. She knows that they aren’t ALL bad. And I think that’s what bothers me. We are told not to stereotype, yet only when it’s convenient for us.

      You do have valid points regarding the issue. Yes, there is an issue. Yes, it’s been going on for a while and nothing has changed. Yes, it needs to be addressed. Leaving things in the hands of our government is… not ideal. You’re bound to become disappointed. That’s why I encourage to make a difference in your world every single day. With actions.

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      1. There is something of a point to not protesting in the streets. A highway or main through streets certainly aren’t ideal. We only saw one bridge closed down (the one that always closes for events) and a few shop windows bricked, the rest was pretty much flowers and signs. That it’s a problem for commuters might be valid in other cities, but absolutely not here. But, the safety of citizens is exactly the reason those people are there. Is the commuters’ safety this one time more important than the everyday safety of certain citizens? Worrying about a detour once off is hardly comparable to worrying about your safety with every single police encounter of your life. Have you ever seriously considered not putting your registration in your glove box because you could just that easily get shot for reaching for it? That is the reality of black people in America.
        There are still instances to this day that my partner and I have to physically handle her child into time out, literally kicking and throwing fists. I don’t know how to put it to her that such behavior is going to end badly, but I absolutely can’t just hope the police will be professional with her when the time comes, now can I? She has certainly turned a new page this year as far as schooling, I am very happy to say. Still, there is a rage in that child I’ve never seen in a person before. If overreacting is the problem, whom do we address it with? Because honestly, there seems to be a disposition of overreacting from both sides. Getting shot in the back is obviously unnecessary, but it’s just as blindly one sided to ignore the fact that running from the police is not a good idea, either.
        It’s all pretty screwed up on both sides. I don’t have anything to do with the protests, but I have everything to do with the situation at home. I’d love for someone to have some actual help, but unfortunately the help I get is advice on all the extraneous precautions a black child needs to take to be safe from the police. How do I get her to simply not be explosively reactive with authority in the first place? So far, I can only get her contained by use of force in those moments. It doesn’t bode well for the future, does it?
        Yes, I would say that both sides are fairly out of line, but the final authority is not the government, it’s the people. We don’t have a right to bear arms for fear of individuals, it’s to retain the ability of the people to overthrow the government should it become necessary. So, I feel like the real question here is, “Is it really necessary to riot?” Just what would you consider an effective way to address the situation, then?

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  11. I have been trying to educate myself on things like White Privilege. I have family and friends that are African American and what I have heard from them makes my heart weep. I do not condone the rioting that is going on, but I am beginning to understand the anger. Watching what is happening at peaceful demonstrations, actions by the police, sickens me. I live in Canada and we have often said we don’t have the same issues here, but we do and I am learning about them. Whether it is African Americans or Indigenous People, they should be treated the same as all other people. I am going to stop now as this makes me sad and angry. I agree that recognizing there is a problem is the first step, but we need to go further than that this time, policies need to change.

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    1. Although issues in the US always seem larger than life, we cannot forget about those issues in other countries. You’re absolutely right – things might not be happening on such a large scale, but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist.

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  12. I’m dubious on the idea of scrapping the police. I think it’s drastically oversimplifying things to say that the problems in Black communities all stem from the police. We have a couple hundred year history of disenfranchising African-Americans and destroying their families, that doesn’t go away just because you got rid of the police.

    That said, the fact that Minneapolis is going in this direction kind of offers a bit of a controlled study on the idea. If it works out, great. If crime and murder go up it would really suck, but at least we’ll know it’s a bad idea.

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    1. Agreed. We seem to be thinking so simplistically. There needs to be more thought put into change.

      What a way to see the silver lining. My first thought was: “I’m glad I don’t live anywhere near there.” You’re right – it’d be good to see how things evolve, but I cannot help but feel terrible for the good and honest citizens there that might have to pay the price.

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  13. During pre Covid time, demonstrations are common sights in some SEA countries. People go on streets to fight/voice out their belief, rights(so to speak). Many times, I can tell you (sadly) they do not know why they are there for. It was evidently shown during the interviews with the media covering the masses gathering. Some honestly said they were here people watching. Some came because their friends were here, so they came to give morale supports. Some came because of the monetary gains (free meal voucher etc). Well it happened.
    When truely questioned the purpose of their presence, only a fraction can explain the cause they are fighting for and offer suggestions on how matter of concerned can be addressed and the possible solutions.
    Like what you have mentioned, three years on, after your previous post…nothing has changed. So as innocent party, what can we do? In my opinion, single-effortly as an individual I stop forwarding messages that hinted racism, provoke emotional crisis, controversial topics.
    Thank you for sharing, Goldie. It’s such a comfort to know, someone genuinely care about current affairs. Take care and have a good day. Stay safe.

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    1. Absolutely! Not everyone knows what they are protecting against. Sometimes it’s just something that’s trendy. Or to support friends.
      There you go. Good on you for changing the things that are in your control.
      Thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts!

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  14. I really wonder why this police officer did it.
    He lost his job.
    His wife left him.
    And hopefully he will be rotting in jail.
    What was he hoping to achieve?
    Was it an act of racism?

    I witnessed a silent demonstration once.
    A bunch of people put a V for Vendetta mask and showed images of animal abuse.
    I am of course against it, but at that point those people annoyed me because they were blocking half the street and I had things to do.

    Rioting is another way of protesting.
    Effective? I doubt it.

    I think professions such as the police should do a yearly mental screening just to see if the values are still where they need to be.
    They surely have to a yearly medical test, so why not include this as well.
    Or maybe just better management, but I doubt that exist.

    How to stop racism?
    I personally don’t think slogans such “black lives matter” and “white people are privileged “.
    It sounds provocative in my opinion.
    I know I know. That makes me an immediate racist asshole despite the fact that I never treated anyone badly because of their race and background.
    Actions speak more than words, right? I guess not.

    But maybe this because I am not from the US.
    In Europe we have our own conflicts.
    Eastern Europeans will never be fully accepted in the Western European society and
    Moroccans will always be seen a scum.

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    1. That’s a good question. I don’t think he realized what he would later lose as he did it, though. I do wonder what was going through his mind. Was he having a bad day? Did he really feel threatened? Was he tired and unaware? Don’t know.

      Yup, same. I don’t appreciate the protests that stop me from doing what I want to do. I know it sounds calloused, though.

      I’m not 100% sure, but I’d like to think some sort of a mental evaluation is performed every now and again. The thing is that… we can say one thing but then do something totally different, anyway.

      Stereotypes are not just an American thing. It’s like that everywhere. Stereotypes DO come from somewhere and are based on some sort of truth after all. Should they persist? No. But that doesn’t change from people acting according to them.

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  16. When I read this post I remembered an old post I had written then I went digging for it,
    I wrote it just after a wave of protest while they weren’t fueled by racism the police where the big bad wolf
    https://becomingthemuse.net/2015/12/11/of-the-flames-of-a-revolution/
    I have just read it again and thought wow that was five years ago and seems like I could have been writing from an incident from yesterday…
    Doomed to have history stuck in a loop
    ~B

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  17. Racism — of all kinds — frustrates me. It seems like a lot of people try to deal with racism by making racism an even bigger deal. But the effect that seems to have is just a reversal. People still get treated differently because of their color. Politicians and business owners tout having “black support” or having hired a bunch of “minorities.” Recently I believe I even heard a story about a very young white girl who was being taught to be ashamed of the color of her skin. Why can’t people just be people? Why can’t we just be honest with each other and go from there? Instead, it feels like if you see people as more than just groups to pander to, then you’re immediately assumed to be an enemy.

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    1. I could not agree more. I often wonder why not everyone sees it that way. In the end, I think it might have something to do with greed. Everyone wants to be on top. In reality, it’s not about equity. It’s about not being worse and hopefully better because being on the same level is never enough. By trying to fight assumed hate, some plant the seeds for a new kind of hate. That’s why we will never be equal and live in peace.

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      1. “It’s about not being worse and hopefully better” — that’s exactly it. Is it greed, though? Or, is it insecurity? Perhaps that’s simply nitpicking, as I’m sure if you traced the one far enough back, it would lead you to the other. But, think of the connotations: One denotes selfish desire; the other, a sad, lonely fear. Which do you think drives most people, at the end of the day? Which do you think drives US — you and me? There’s a vast array of emotions that we all experience: fear and frustration, hate and love, confusion and sadness; and that’s exactly why we CAN be equal and live in peace. Even if we don’t as a whole.

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      1. I’m on the nihilistic side of stoicism so, yeah, cynic is my middle name.
        The real problems are hidden beneath a facade created by money and media. As long as there is power and influence there will be inequality.

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  20. It all feels “too big”. I agree with taking small steps. Archie is out there protesting. While I fear for his safety I can’t help but feel proud of him for following his own heart. I am not one to protest, I don’t feel a pull to participate.

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  21. Awesome post and wow! I have never protested or gathered for any political reason. My thoughts are that I hate how others create that head space for me. What I mean, is that racism doesn’t exist in my life. And, I only mean that by “me” “how I live my life” I don’t think that way at all, never did. My grandmother taught me to just love, be me, and give everybody a piece of my heart and treat everyone with respect. She would always say, “there’s a place at the table for anyone”. That’s how I live my life, sorry, it’s true. You know, it absolutely blows me away to see what’s going on in the states. It really trips me out that it exists as much as it does. Did and still do. Come on, I don’t get it. I only hope things change for the better and we all finally see each other as alike human beings just trying to be happy, raise families, and prosper. I pray that day comes. Thanks for the this.

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    1. My mindset is exactly like yours. I was raised to look at people for who they are and not pay attention to their skin color, age, social status, etc. But people say that is not the right way to go about it. It makes me roll my eyes so much. Just yesterday, I was watching a video on diversity tip for work and the speaker said that not seeing a difference between people is wrong because we are all different. Well, which one is it? Can we make up our minds? Again, I think it’s about being better than others and not being “equal.”

      I second your sentiment. The problem is that the more some people push, the more others will resist. That will not lead to a balance.

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      1. I get all of this. We do, you’re right. And not seeing difference, get out of here.Ah, you’re a human being, I’m a human being. That’s it. I hate that BS. People telling me how I need to be…next!

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