ARCHIVE: What NOT to Say About Ferguson
Originally published on Facebook, November 25th 2014.
*Trigger warnings: racism, violence, Ferguson, flag-burning*
Here’s what NOT to bring up when you talk about Ferguson:
“Not all white people are racist”: This is definitely the wrong thing to say right now. Yes, not all white people are terrible- most of them are actually really great. But Ferguson is about shedding light on the struggles black people face day in and day out so when you say *not all white people* you’re making it about you. It’s not about you. For once, it’s actually not about white people. Instead of #notall-ing, try genuinely listening to black people and learning more about racism.
Flag burning: Yes, I love my country and respect all of the people that have fought and died for equality and freedom as much as the next gal, but last night’s flag-burnings didn’t happen without a reason. People were burning flags because they were frustrated with and disappointed in and angry at America for letting them down, for effectively telling them that the lives of black teenagers don’t matter. Their rage is justified, and it’s not our place to judge whether their flag-burning was too. It is my opinion that flag-burning should not upset you more than the death of Mike Brown and how poorly it was handled afterwards. The thing to take away from this is that if someone burning an American flag offended you more deeply than someone –actually not just anyone but a police officer- killing a black man and the justice system letting him go scot-free, then you have your own issues.
“They’re pulling the race card”: When I hear this, I just imagine a black person whipping out a deck of cards and holding up one of them and putting the deck back in their pocket so they can take it out again when the next opportunity arises. The idea of a race card is so problematic. Black people can’t choose to pull the race card because for them, racism is a reality they face every single day. It’s exhausting to call out each and every micro-aggression so they don’t do it but it doesn’t mean racism doesn’t exist. When they start talking about issues like Ferguson, they’re not *playing the race card*, they’re talking about their own lives and how dangerous and terrible and awful racism is. They physically can’t play any sort of race card because they physically can’t pick and choose to experience racism.
#AllLivesMatter: Yes. All lives matter. I agree. But changing the hashtag from #BlackLivesMatter *erases* the experiences of black people like Mike Brown and the hundreds of other black Americans like him who have died at the hands of police brutality. As much as we all long for a world where the color of our skin isn’t as important as our character, we can’t ignore the role that race plays in cases like Ferguson so we *can’t* pretend that race doesn’t matter.
“It’s not a racial issue”: Um. There are actually people who think this. My suggestion is to unfollow/unfriend because there’s no winning with folks like this. Ferguson is clearly a racial issue. Look at my last status and then come back here and tell me that it’s not. Don't look at Ferguson like it's an isolated incident- look at it as part of an epidemic entrenched in racism that plagues millions of black Americans each year.
Let’s just all be equal and love each other: YA I love this sentiment but again, it glosses over the fact that racism is an UGLY reality that we can’t ignore. I wish we could. I really wish we could. But it’s real and we can’t pretend that it’s not. We can’t really love everyone (I mean everyone not just the someones who look like you) wholeheartedly until get through these really tough issues of racial violence.
These LOOTERS are perpetuating the same violence they’re protesting against: Hmm. Yeah, this is the one semi-valid critique I’ve heard but comparing the violence of the protestors to the violence faced by Mike Brown is a really faulty comparison. It’s like comparing apples to peanuts. Yes, both cases involve violence (the first more than the latter imo) but one is the manifestation of white supremacist brutality and the other is the overwhelming and emotional response of people who are hurting and genuinely trying to make sense of this mess. Keep in mind that the media’s skewing what these protestors (“rioters”) have been doing. In many cities, the police were the first to incite by using tear gas and smoke. The Brown family has been really graceful and their wishes are for peaceful protests, but I’m not sure if it’s anyone’s place to judge the black rage that has followed last night’s decision.
Stop tweeting and actually do something: Unfortunately, not all of us can be in Missouri right now but anyone and everyone who supports the Brown family CAN show solidarity through the internet. If just one person reads one of my tweets and takes a moment to pause and reflect on their beliefs, then I feel like I've helped effect meaningful change so STOP trying to SILENCE my voice THX
He wouldn't have been killed if he didn't steal from the convenience store: wOw are you seriously victim-blaming right now? Are you telling me he deserved to die because of some petty crime? Because that's what it sounds like. No one's saying he's a saint- we're just saying that he -and no one- deserves to die like that. Don't cloud the issue by bringing up what he may or may NOT (he actually didn't steal cigarettes that day) have done when you talk about his horrific death. Maybe he could have avoided it -maybe- but that still doesn't explain the soaring numbers of black Americans abused and killed by the police each year.
The freedom of speech clause goes both ways so when people say dumb things, you’re allowed to call them out. Likewise, it’s just as fine to quietly and peacefully unfriend/unfollow people who post hurtful things because it’s not your *responsibility* to educate people on matters like oppression. You can if you want and I support you wholeheartedly if you do, but know that it’s okay to be quiet and grieve silently if that’s the healing you need. It’s not the job of black people or any other oppressed group to have to explain themselves to their oppressors or larger society as a whole, but I find that conversation is so constructive to change so I personally want to help dismantle some problematic attitudes and beliefs.
We can use events like these to broaden our horizons and address our own privileges and prejudices OR we can be lazy and not challenge what we think we know and just perpetuate more racism. The choice in our hands, and I urge us all to do right by not only Mike Brown but also the hundreds of black Americans whose stories we never hear.
(Again, not an authority so please let me know if my opinions are problematic because I want to exchange in constructive dialogue! This was by no means a conclusive list, but rather a collection of my activist thoughts!)
#BlackLivesMatter
Here’s what NOT to bring up when you talk about Ferguson:
“Not all white people are racist”: This is definitely the wrong thing to say right now. Yes, not all white people are terrible- most of them are actually really great. But Ferguson is about shedding light on the struggles black people face day in and day out so when you say *not all white people* you’re making it about you. It’s not about you. For once, it’s actually not about white people. Instead of #notall-ing, try genuinely listening to black people and learning more about racism.
Flag burning: Yes, I love my country and respect all of the people that have fought and died for equality and freedom as much as the next gal, but last night’s flag-burnings didn’t happen without a reason. People were burning flags because they were frustrated with and disappointed in and angry at America for letting them down, for effectively telling them that the lives of black teenagers don’t matter. Their rage is justified, and it’s not our place to judge whether their flag-burning was too. It is my opinion that flag-burning should not upset you more than the death of Mike Brown and how poorly it was handled afterwards. The thing to take away from this is that if someone burning an American flag offended you more deeply than someone –actually not just anyone but a police officer- killing a black man and the justice system letting him go scot-free, then you have your own issues.
“They’re pulling the race card”: When I hear this, I just imagine a black person whipping out a deck of cards and holding up one of them and putting the deck back in their pocket so they can take it out again when the next opportunity arises. The idea of a race card is so problematic. Black people can’t choose to pull the race card because for them, racism is a reality they face every single day. It’s exhausting to call out each and every micro-aggression so they don’t do it but it doesn’t mean racism doesn’t exist. When they start talking about issues like Ferguson, they’re not *playing the race card*, they’re talking about their own lives and how dangerous and terrible and awful racism is. They physically can’t play any sort of race card because they physically can’t pick and choose to experience racism.
#AllLivesMatter: Yes. All lives matter. I agree. But changing the hashtag from #BlackLivesMatter *erases* the experiences of black people like Mike Brown and the hundreds of other black Americans like him who have died at the hands of police brutality. As much as we all long for a world where the color of our skin isn’t as important as our character, we can’t ignore the role that race plays in cases like Ferguson so we *can’t* pretend that race doesn’t matter.
“It’s not a racial issue”: Um. There are actually people who think this. My suggestion is to unfollow/unfriend because there’s no winning with folks like this. Ferguson is clearly a racial issue. Look at my last status and then come back here and tell me that it’s not. Don't look at Ferguson like it's an isolated incident- look at it as part of an epidemic entrenched in racism that plagues millions of black Americans each year.
Let’s just all be equal and love each other: YA I love this sentiment but again, it glosses over the fact that racism is an UGLY reality that we can’t ignore. I wish we could. I really wish we could. But it’s real and we can’t pretend that it’s not. We can’t really love everyone (I mean everyone not just the someones who look like you) wholeheartedly until get through these really tough issues of racial violence.
These LOOTERS are perpetuating the same violence they’re protesting against: Hmm. Yeah, this is the one semi-valid critique I’ve heard but comparing the violence of the protestors to the violence faced by Mike Brown is a really faulty comparison. It’s like comparing apples to peanuts. Yes, both cases involve violence (the first more than the latter imo) but one is the manifestation of white supremacist brutality and the other is the overwhelming and emotional response of people who are hurting and genuinely trying to make sense of this mess. Keep in mind that the media’s skewing what these protestors (“rioters”) have been doing. In many cities, the police were the first to incite by using tear gas and smoke. The Brown family has been really graceful and their wishes are for peaceful protests, but I’m not sure if it’s anyone’s place to judge the black rage that has followed last night’s decision.
Stop tweeting and actually do something: Unfortunately, not all of us can be in Missouri right now but anyone and everyone who supports the Brown family CAN show solidarity through the internet. If just one person reads one of my tweets and takes a moment to pause and reflect on their beliefs, then I feel like I've helped effect meaningful change so STOP trying to SILENCE my voice THX
He wouldn't have been killed if he didn't steal from the convenience store: wOw are you seriously victim-blaming right now? Are you telling me he deserved to die because of some petty crime? Because that's what it sounds like. No one's saying he's a saint- we're just saying that he -and no one- deserves to die like that. Don't cloud the issue by bringing up what he may or may NOT (he actually didn't steal cigarettes that day) have done when you talk about his horrific death. Maybe he could have avoided it -maybe- but that still doesn't explain the soaring numbers of black Americans abused and killed by the police each year.
The freedom of speech clause goes both ways so when people say dumb things, you’re allowed to call them out. Likewise, it’s just as fine to quietly and peacefully unfriend/unfollow people who post hurtful things because it’s not your *responsibility* to educate people on matters like oppression. You can if you want and I support you wholeheartedly if you do, but know that it’s okay to be quiet and grieve silently if that’s the healing you need. It’s not the job of black people or any other oppressed group to have to explain themselves to their oppressors or larger society as a whole, but I find that conversation is so constructive to change so I personally want to help dismantle some problematic attitudes and beliefs.
We can use events like these to broaden our horizons and address our own privileges and prejudices OR we can be lazy and not challenge what we think we know and just perpetuate more racism. The choice in our hands, and I urge us all to do right by not only Mike Brown but also the hundreds of black Americans whose stories we never hear.
(Again, not an authority so please let me know if my opinions are problematic because I want to exchange in constructive dialogue! This was by no means a conclusive list, but rather a collection of my activist thoughts!)
#BlackLivesMatter
Comments
Post a Comment