From Donald Trump’s presidential campaign to the historic climate deal, the online community at MSNBC had a lot to say about some of the biggest topics of the year. Here’s a roundup of a few of the comments and conversations that happened in 2015.
On Tamir Rice
On December 28, 2015, a grand jury decided not to indict any officers involved in the shooting death of 12-year-old Tamir Rice. The decision came more than a year after the shooting took place and was a blow for the Rice family. This commenter shared thoughts about the non-indictment decision.
%E2%80%9CI%20served%20on%20a%20grand%20jury%20this%20year.%20%20EVERYTHING%20about%20the%20grand%20jury%20is%20geared%20towards%20making%20indictments%20as%20easy%20as%20possible.%20%20The%20whole%20attitude%20is%2C%20%27go%20ahead%20and%20indict%2C%20don%27t%20worry%20about%20it%2C%20let%20the%20trial%20jury%20deal%20with%20judging%20guilt%20or%20innocence.%27%20So%20any%20DA%20who%20can%27t%20get%20an%20indictment%20on%20a%20case%20as%20lopsided%20and%20troubling%20as%20this%20worked%20DAMN%20hard%20to%20make%20sure%20no%20indictment%20was%20forthcoming.%20%20Another%20case%20of%20deliberate%20premeditated%20malfeasance%20and%20collusion%20between%20justice%20officials%20and%20police.%E2%80%9D’
On Donald Trump
When Donald Trump announced that he was running for president, no one could have predicted his staying power in the polls. Flash-forward six months later and the business mogul remains the front-runner in the Republican presidential field. Trump’s inflammatory comments about Mexican immigrants, Syrian refugees and Hillary Clinton have led many into engage in political discourse. The following commenter discusses Trump’s use of the word “schlonged” in reference to Clinton’s loss of the 2008 Democratic primary race.
%E2%80%9CAs%20a%20woman%2C%20I%20would%20hope%20that%20every%20woman%20out%20there%20would%20be%20highly%20offended.%20You%20wouldn%27t%20want%20anyone%20saying%20that%20about%20your%20mother%2C%20daughters%2C%20nieces%2C%20Aunts%20and%20your%20grandmothers.%20And%20especially%20the%20Repub%20women%20that%20say%20they%20support%20this%20guy.%20You%20got%20so%20many%20other%20candidates%20you%20could%20get%20behind.%20Even%20Donald%20Trump%20must%20have%20a%20line%20that%20he%20can%27t%20crossed%20and%20still%20get%20support%20from%20the%20base.%20Having%20said%20that%2C%20many%20of%20the%20Repub%20men%20should%20be%20rethinking%20their%20support%20right%20about%20now%2C%20cause%20I%27m%20sure%20some%20have%20wives%2C%20daughters%2C%20mothers%2C%20girlfriends%2C%20so%20forth%20and%20so%20on.%E2%80%9D%20′
On Black Lives Matter
The Black Lives Matter movement dominated headlines this entire year. From disrupting various presidential campaign rallies to protesting the deaths of Freddie Gray, Laquan McDonald, Tamir Rice and Sandra Bland, the activists have made their presence known in the face of opposition and backlash. The community member below responded to a commenter who said “ALL Lives Matter…just not Black ones. That’s the movement’s fatal flaw!”
%22No.%20Bill%2C%20today%2C%20right%20now%2C%20on%20this%20post%2C%20on%20this%20video%2C%20in%20these%20times%20Black%20Lives%20Matter%20and%20your%20inappropriate%20interjection%20to%20derail%20what%20is%20happening%20in%20this%20country%2C%20shows%20your%20fatal%20flaw%2C%20the%20inability%20to%20understand%20a%20complex%20and%20important%20issue.%20Until%20you%20can%20understand%20what%20Black%20Lives%20Matter%20means%2C%20you%20shouldn%27t%20distract%20from%20the%20movement.%20Perhaps%20you%20should%20stop%2C%20listen%2C%20and%20learn%20before%20posting.%22′
RELATED: Civil Rights activist attacked on Twitter
On Caitlyn Jenner
When Caitlyn Jenner revealed she was a transgender woman, people everywhere lauded her courageous move. She received the Arthur Ashe Award for courage at the ESPYs. Below a community member applauds the importance of Jenner’s speech.
%22Every%20parent%20of%20a%20transgender%20child%20should%20record%20Caitlyn%20Jenner%27s%20acceptance%20speech%20and%20play%20it%20for%20their%20child%20every%20morning%20and%20every%20evening.%20It%20is%20true%2C%20%22None%20of%20us%20were%20born%20the%20same%22%20and%20if%20we%20truly%20believe%2C%20regardless%20of%20our%20religious%20upbringing%2C%20that%20a%20supreme%20power%20created%20the%20earth%20and%20all%20its%20inhabitants%2C%20then%20we%20are%20all%20different%20from%20each%20other.%20For%20me%2C%20I%20support%20what%20Caitlyn%20Jenner%20has%20done%2C%20is%20doing%2C%20and%20will%20do%20going%20forward.%20What%20a%20wonderful%20world%20we%20live%20in%2C%20if%20only%20we%20could%20remove%20hatred%20for%20people%20different%20from%20ourselves.%20It%20is%20truly%20easier%20to%20hate%20someone%20than%20to%20accept%20and%20love%20them%20as%20their%20God%20created%20them.%20Thanks%20to%20the%20Arthur%20Ashe%20Foundation%2C%20you%20made%20July%2015%2C%20very%20special.%22′
On SCOTUS’ same-sex marriage decision
On June 26, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on a key case that led to a major victory for the LGBTQ community: The legalization of marriage for same-sex couples. The move was a step forward for marriage equality, and this commenter encouraged celebrations, but also highlighted that the work is not yet done on this crucial issue.
%22This%20particular%20battle%20has%20been%20won%20but%20the%20war%20is%20not%20over.%20%20Those%20who%20denounce%20today%27s%20ruling%20will%20not%20be%20silent%20in%20their%20fury%20and%20will%20work%20tirelessly%20to%20overturn%20or%20undermine%20it.%20%20As%20wonderful%20as%20today%27s%20ruling%20is%2C%20perhaps%20more%20important%20in%20guaranteeing%20equal%20justice%20under%20the%20law%20than%20Obergefel%20would%20be%20a%20federal%20ENDA.%20%20Our%20current%20Congress%20will%20never%20bring%20up%2C%20let%20alone%20pass%2C%20a%20federal%20Employment%20Non%20Discrimination%20Act%20so%20we%20need%20to%20look%20ahead.%20%20Learn%20which%20candidates%20in%202016%20%28for%20President%2C%20Senate%2C%20House%2C%20Governor%2C%20Mayor%20and%20even%20Register%20of%20Wills%29%20support%20the%20issues%20that%20matter%20to%20you.%20%20Volunteer%20your%20time%20and%20money%20to%20their%20campaign%2C%20and%20register%20and%20VOTE%21%20%20Don%27t%20forget%20our%20next%20president%20is%20likely%20to%20make%202%20or%203%20SCOTUS%20appointments.%22′
On Obama’s climate agenda
Recently, officials from hundreds of nations convened in Paris to create an action plan on reversing the effects of climate change. President Obama has made climate change one of the biggest priorities of his administration and has been vocal about getting the ball rolling. In an article where Obama addresses the issue of climate change in Alaska, the commenter below was having a discussion with another community member about knowledge of climate change.
%22Secondly%2C%20one%20of%20the%20reasons%20sea%20ice%20is%20around%20in%20larger%20amounts%20than%20predicted%20is%20because%20warming%20is%20actually%20WORSE%20than%20previously%20forecast.%20Omg%2C%20but%20ice%20is%20cold%21%20How%20does%20warming%20create%20more%20ice%21%20I%20know%2C%20I%20know%2C%20unfair%20of%20me%20to%20bring%20up%20a%20point%20that%20requires%20more%20than%20ten%20brain%20cells%2C%20but%20there%20it%20is.%20Warmer%20water%20temperatures%20are%20drawing%20cold%20air%20down%20from%20the%20upper%20atmosphere%2C%20creating%20a%20fan-like%20effect%20on%20the%20ocean%27s%20surface.%20This%20creates%20a%20little%20more%20thin%20surface%20ice%2C%20but%20isn%27t%20good%20news%20since%20ice%20is%20only%20.01%25%20of%20the%20ocean%27s%20mass%2C%20and%20the%20fact%20that%20the%20water%20is%20warmer%20is%20far%20worse…%22′
You can always check out other comments made by the MSNBC community and join in to discuss the biggest stories of the day here.
MS NOW staff