# How Wichita Kansas handles "Black Lives Matter"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-wichita-kansas-handles-black-lives-matter/760227>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [July 18, 2016, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-wichita-kansas-handles-black-lives-matter/760227 "2016-07-18T17:43:44Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2016, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-wichita-kansas-handles-black-lives-matter/760227/1 "2016-07-18T17:43:44Z")

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Simple. They [hold a picnic together](http://www.kansas.com/news/local/article90213592.html) to break down barriers and discuss common concerns.

Such a great idea as a way to work out problems.

Have other communities tried this?

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**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2016, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-wichita-kansas-handles-black-lives-matter/760227/2 "2016-07-18T18:00:24Z")

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Well, when Gordon Ramsey is out at the picnic of course everyone is going to be nice with such good food to chow on.

> [@](#):
>
> …Gordon Ramsay for hours, according to the protesters, they agreed to break bread together instead.

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**Author:** ![Urbanredneck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ea5d25/32.png) [@Urbanredneck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Urbanredneck)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2016, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-wichita-kansas-handles-black-lives-matter/760227/3 "2016-07-18T18:08:37Z")

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> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#):
>
> Well, when Gordon Ramsey is out at the picnic of course everyone is going to be nice with such good food to chow on.

I know. The coincidental name got me also.

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**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2016, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-wichita-kansas-handles-black-lives-matter/760227/4 "2016-07-18T18:48:49Z")

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> [@Urbanredneck](#):
>
> Simple. They [hold a picnic together](http://www.kansas.com/news/local/article90213592.html) to break down barriers and discuss common concerns.
> 
> Such a great idea as a way to work out problems.
> 
> Have other communities tried this?

This sounds like a good idea that went well; I applaud the police and the community organizers for their calm & rational efforts.

I think this event would need to be repeated about 1,000,000,000 times in the US for it to make a difference, tho. This needs to be the normal type of interaction people have, not an anomaly.

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**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\
**Post date:** [July 18, 2016, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-wichita-kansas-handles-black-lives-matter/760227/5 "2016-07-18T19:44:51Z")

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Many, many communities and police departments have had peaceful, constructive discussions with BLM and other civil rights advocacy groups. Good, honest dialogue has been exchanged by well-meaning adults intent on improving things. But peaceful discussions don’t usually make the news.