Black Lives Matter

I know all my subscribers expect to see a RiverKeeper Flies post each week. But it’s hard for me to focus on fly fishing content with all the protests and unrest about underlying issues in America today.

I see you…I hear you…I’m learning.

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I may not have the right words, but I feel I need to say something and not be silent.

Fishing doesn’t seem to be important today.

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14 Comments

  1. Hello John. First, thank you for saying something, anything on this topic. I am what most people would call an old white guy. I almost never comment on blogs and almost never comment or “like” on Facebook. Why? Because I am afraid. I am afraid of being attacked because I said something that someone else didn’t want me to say, or because I didn’t say it properly in their mind, or because they decided that I didn’t have the “right” to speak on the matter. This is a time I will try to overcome my fear. Bullies of all skin colors want to silence our faltering efforts to engage in civil conversation. My age and health contribute to my fear of confrontation of the sort that you have received. I was brave in my youth, but lately …. Today I’m writing to thank you for trying to stand up against people being murdered in our country. Bravo.

    1. Hi Jay

      Thanks for leaving a Comment on my RiverKeeper Flies website.

      I too, had many of the feelings you expressed. But this time, I decided to take actions. I appreciate you speaking out.

      John

  2. Thank you for your support at this time in our nation. We watched the movie “The Help” last night and though it depicted this nation and it’s racial divide in the early 60’s it certainly seemed like the same message and divide is still with us today. Tight lines.

  4. Thanks John.
    Racism has no place in this world and it will take everyone collectively to address it.

  6. Thank you, John. I stayed away from marches and demonstrations because of the virus. Thanks for helping me express what is in my heart.

    John O’Connor
    Eugene

  8. The best way forward that I can see. Thanks John.
    “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing” Edmund Burke (short version)
    An updated version of this would be “…for good people to do nothing.”

  9. Stuff your virtue signaling. I’ve been reading for years and love the escapism. Important things happen all the time you don’t talk about because this is a fishing blog. You helped no one with this display of pathetic white guilt. You feel so bad, do something productive. Do something when others aren’t guilting you into doing it. This isn’t something. Funny how you never talked about this before? Or any other issue that wasn’t fishing that I’ve seen. Are you going to black out for the dozens of dead black men who killed each other on memorial day weekend? You going to “blue out” for the dead cops after this week? Pathetic inaction disguised as action. I gaurantee nobody appreciates your B.S but self loathing white people. Here’s my slow hand clap at your bravery.

    1. Rashid – You’re right, this is a fly fishing blog and it’s the first time a subject has been different. Each week I find a subject to write about and I was struggling to find something without some people saying I was tone deaf to what was going on in America the last week. As I said in my post, I’m listening.

      I don’t plan to have a discussion with you or anyone else on my website, but I plan to contact you via email. I’ll listen if you listen.

      John

      UPDATE – Well Rashid, I sent an email to the one you provided. Are you really a RiverKeeper Flies follower? If so, I invite you to leave another comment with your real email address.

  11. Thanks John. We all need to repeat and practice the saying, “I you, I hear you, I’m learning”, every day of the rest of our lives.

  12. Thanks for being aware and commenting about our current state of the union. There are greater concerns than fishing .

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