There is a time
for tolerance….
and a time for intolerance.
Free speech
is allied with beauty, it has
honor and virtue: It does
not spill blood
or destroy property, it does not
block traffic or endanger
the lives of innocent people. It does not
interrupt. It has no reason
to be policed, tear gassed
or water cannoned. Just listen
and bear witness
to the words and wisdom
of one Martin
Luther
King.
Anarchy
is ugly, it is
reactionary
and inciting. It is ISIS and ANTIFA
spilling blood and destroying
countries. Anarchy beheads,
blocks traffic and freedom
of speech. It has
every reason to be policed, tear gassed
and locked in prison. Just listen
and bear witness
to the venom and violence
of Berkeley’s activist riots.
Oh yes, there is a time
for tolerance….
and time to unleash the police.
Richard Rensberry, Author at QuickTurtle Books®
QuickTurtle Books® 
Nice one 👌
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Your powerful words remind me of the images captured by a kaleidoscope, ever changing yet somehow remaining the same, history repeating itself – yes, we must be witnesses but also as Gandhi has said, we must be the change we want to see!
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I resided in Berkeley for many, many years. It could have been the change we wanted to see in the 1960’s, but It was high-jacked by extremism, moral degradation, prostitution, pornography, drugs and activists with special interests and violence. The wheels that remain turning there are driven by insanity. It has no resemblance to the moniker “Free Speech Movement”. It is where free speech died. But yes, we move on, we must be the change we want to see. The cost of freedom is constant vigilance.
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Yes.
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Good to see you online again Richard.
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Thanks, I do get on the Internet sporadicly. I will come visit your delightful poetry again soon. I wish you the very best.
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Thank you very much.
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