Okay... so I've been weeping tonight...

Not a very mirthful post I'm afraid.  Today 12 police officers were shot in Dallas, following the shootings this week of two black men caught on tape which will turn your stomach.  Random thoughts...

• The outpouring of flowers and memorials on the two police cruisers in Dallas are both sad and inspirational
• Diamond Reynolds, the significant other of Philando Castile who was shot and killed by police in her car, has incredible poise.  Her narration of the video showing an officer still pointing a gun at her dying boyfriend was precise, remarkably collected, and calm.
• Diamond was later interviewed and asked about the Dallas police shootings.  Her response was absolutely spot on - she began to cry and she offered obviously heartfelt condolences to all the families of the officers killed in that shooting, and conveying the notion that she and they were both mourning the loss of their loved ones - in essence saying they were all in the same boat and how wrong it is that they are.
• David Brown, the Dallas police chief, made an opening statement that if you have the chance to hear in its entirety is well worth watching.  He is a man with a foot in both "camps" for lack of a better word.  His main message?  Things must change.  They cannot stay the way they are.
• Tonight, CNN is cutting between footage of the Dallas memorials, and the Black Lives Matter rally tonight in Atlanta that they didn't have the good sense to postpone.
• Talking heads on both sides of this are fueling the fire, while others are trying to dampen the tension.  Cudos to the latter, and shame on the former.
• Sadly, it seems that many black men, and many police officers feel exactly the same way - they feel like they are in danger when they go out.  They are afraid they will get shot - that people are out to kill them.
• One black police officer I saw was asked if he is afraid of the police when he's off duty.  He said he was.  That he had forgotten his wallet one day, so had no id as a police officer or his right to carry.  He said he was very scared that day.
• It is all so sad and useless.  I want to help.  I don't want to take sides.  I wish there was a Black and Blue Lives Matter movement.