"Beware those in whom the urge to punish is strong." - Goethe

[Comatose Sphagetti]

I will NEVER understand celebrating the misery of another; self-imposed misery or not.

That is all.

[Raven]

1. I think we're celebrating justice.

[Miguelito Loveless]

2. There is a desire for justice

and there is a desire to punish. I try not to confuse the two.

[soothsayer]

3. I'm advocating for redemption, like he softens his heart and learns from this

[TwilightZone]

4. Many are celebrating that justice was done...

in a case where it was never clear that that would be the case. In a case similar to many in which justice wasn't served.

[MarcA]

5. Sounds like a description of Chauvin. n/t

[qazplm135]

6. If you think

This is pure schadenfreude, you are vastly misreading people.

[Kid Berwyn]

7. Sad all around.

And sad for our country.

What have we become?

[ProfessorGAC]

8. Unrec

His misery is not what's being celebrated.
Your accusation is insulting.

[CrackityJones75]

17. Hear hear!

The op is off their rocker on this one.

For ALL the injustices that have happened we must celebrate when we get it right! So that we can continue to get it right in the future.

[smirkymonkey]

31. +1000

[Hekate]

9. "Beware those in whom the urge to excuse away murder is strong" - Hekate

We saw murder done before our very eyes. We saw the face of a cold-blooded killer staring straight at the cell-phone camera, daring anyone to stop him.

JUSTICE needs to be done, and justice needs to be SEEN to be done. We have a long, long way to go in this country, but Justice was done this day.

[Nevilledog]

30. +10000

[hunter]

10. Certain cultures train people to accept punishment...

... and take joy when others are punished.

Healthy cultures simply remove dangerous people from ordinary society without any cruel punishment or death penalty.

[Caliman73]

11. Curious as to why you assume people are celebrating someone's misery.

That was not my first reaction when I heard the verdict. It was not what I assumed other people on DU were reacting to either. Certainly there are some who are happy that Chauvin has not gotten away with murdering Floyd. There are likely even some who are enjoying the fact that he will receive a consequence.

Again, it would be interesting to see your explanation as to why you jumped into the assumption that people are happy to punish Chauvin and why you would post it here.

[nolabear]

12. At whom is this assumption directed?

The people waving the Black Lives Matter signs? Those people who watched Mr. Floyd die? We who mourn and rage against so very many power killings? The people praying their thanks?

This is so much bigger than your assumption.

[meadowlander]

13. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for justice." Matthew 5:6

[Hekate]

23. "Justice, justice shall you pursue" -- Deuteronomy 16:20

RBG had that inscribed and hung on the walls of her SCOTUS office

Thank you, meadowlander

[mcar]

14. Read the room

[LanternWaste]

15. "Beware those who conflate celebration of justice and celebration of misery...

For there you may find self-righteous sanctimony posing as wisdom at the expense of truth"

- Me.

[LAS14]

19. So well said!!! A second Goethe we have!!!! nt

[FlyingPiggy]

21. 1000%

[CrackityJones75]

16. I am sorry... WTF????

A man was found guilty for the murder of another. I can find all kinds of reason to celebrate that!

Additionally, if he is found not guilty my city burns! So yeah I can be happy that the man was held responsible for his actions. Especially when so often men in his position are not held accountable.

However, in the end a man died. A man died and that should not be forgotten. George Floyd was murdered on a street in my city.

[gldstwmn]

18. Oh boy.

[StarfishSaver]

20. "Beware those in whom the urge to tell people who so rarely experience true justice that celebrating

a rare instance when we actually received that we are immoral is so strong that they would go out of their way to pronounce it on a public message board."

[lillypaddle]

22. So bake the motherfucker a cake

I just don't get you. Your empathy seems very misplaced. Feel some for all the dead POC and their families, all of those who were killed without mercy or a second thought.

[ecstatic]

24. Excuse me? What I'm celebrating is that a jury of Americans

put away their biases and decided that cops are not above the law and don't have the right to kill people, even if that person is black or struggling with addiction. For me it's not even about chauvin at this point, although I'm glad he's getting locked up. They can throw away the key for all I care. I'm sure there are a lot of other places where you can go whine about chauvin's fate.

[Comatose Sphagetti]

25. "... glad he's getting locked up."

I cannot be "glad" about the forthcoming 24/7 nightmare of misery Chauvin is about to experience, self-imposed or not.

Been there. Done that.
Wouldn't wish it on anyone.
The whole thing is sad.

[TwilightZone]

27. Would you prefer that he not be locked up?

Because that was the alternative here.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with being "glad" that justice prevailed and that he will be held accountable. Your chastisement of those who are relieved or happy or grateful that there will be accountability is rather odd.

So, what's your solution other than to criticize others? What do you think the outcome should have been? How do you think Chauvin should have been held accountable?

[Withywindle]

34. Ever had someone close to you murdered? I have.

The only people I feel any sympathy for here are George Floyd's family and friends. The pain they went through and are going through is something I would never wish on anyone. (Even Chauvin's family and friends. He'll still be alive and able to talk to them, so they're still better off than everyone who loved George Floyd.)

I also feel sympathy for those who loved every victim of racist police brutality, who won't even get this much justice.

Chauvin? I don't give a fuck about him. He could easily have chosen not to sadistically kill another human being.

I'm celebrating accountability more than this individual person's fate. I'm celebrating a sign of a possible end to police immunity and invincibility. I hope many more convictions follow. It's not out of a sadistic vengeance against this individual. It's about the signalling that what he did is wrong, and a uniform is not a shield from the law. If even ONE other cop thinks twice and spares a life out of worry they might face consequences, it'll be worth it.

[UnderThisLaw]

26. "Don't do the crime if you can't do the time" - Baretta

[RobinA]

28. Thank You!

Punishment and blame seem to be touted equally by both sides of the aisle these days. It makes me sick.

[TwilightZone]

29. He doesn't deserve blame or punishment?

That's certainly a novel argument.

[ecstatic]

35. Both sides, eh?

Sorry that you feel "sick" over the verdict. Get well soon!

[Comatose Sphagetti]

36. Agreed

Way too much authoritarian, "f-him, lock him up, put him under the jail, hope he rots" attitude from some on these threads.
I would think we would be beyond that.
The ideal consequences for the perpetrator?
I don't know.
Misery and terror it is not.

[LanternWaste]

37. Try if you will, to realize that one's visceral and emotional reactions

are not the same as one's formal and more considered position.... else we are forced to also conclude that the authoritarian sentiment you allege is as real and as absolute as the sanctimony I infer in your own.

Six of one, half a dozen of the other...

[TwilightZone]

38. You're misrepresenting the vast majority of postings on DU about the trial.

[skypilot]

40. As a former cop...

...he will experience misery and terror in prison whether we wish it on him or not.

[skypilot]

32. Unrec x Infinity + 1

*

[ChubbyStar]

39. I concur!

I always check profiles when I read something like this on DU, I laughed when I did.

[Withywindle]

33. That's why it's always good to be skeptical of cops

Especially those who appear to take so much sadistic delight in violently punishing tiny petty non-violent "crimes." Especially those who kill over a possible fake bill, over a minor traffic violation, over selling loose cigarettes, over playing in a park with a toy gun, etc. etc. etc. Especially those willing to beat, maim, and blind protesters. Especially those eager to cover and make excuses for others who do these things.