Brilliant post in comments on Raw Story:

[tblue37]

[RestoreAmerica2020]

1. Harry Belafonte: To realize Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream, white America needs to change.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/amp/show/harry-belafonte-to-realize-martin-luther-king-jr-s-dream-white-america-needs-to-change-course&ved=2ahUKEwjfwdb4wofeAhUHJHwKHZ0EBjgQFjAAegQIBBAB&usg=AOvVaw0a1vZ4gXaPRxs2T9IvxW6Q&ampcf=1

[tblue37]

3. This. And straight people must step up. And men must step up. And those without disabilities must

step up.

Those who benefit, however subtly, from the oppression of marginalized groups must step up, because the voices of the oppressed and the marginalized simply do not register in the ears of the powerful.

Some of us are privileged in some ways, marginalized in others. If we make common cause, we can make our voices heard--but we absolutely cannot afford to shrug our shoulders and disengage, because for so many it is literally a matter of life or death.

[bdamomma]

13. well said

[RestoreAmerica2020]

20. Yes. Also, many unarmed Black men have been assaulted (killed) by racist police almost daily.

Last edited Mon Oct 15, 2018, 08:36 PM - Edit history (2)

...my,son is gay and a person of color with an ethnic surname .. I fear for his llife if encounters a racist bigoted police offcer (no not all are racist) if pulled over for not using turn signal or for nothing at all..or just because he's black. Or, what if meets up wth white supremacist kkknazis' who hates gays as well as poc as he leaving a gay club...is beaten, harmed; or worse. murdered; or discriminated at work for being Black, gay disabled. Consider if you encounter a Black man who is gay, and disabled(veteran) does one see gay first, disability ..NO! Racists see color ..for us at DU, democrats we get it...we know we are all equal, but not out there.... Blacks, Hispanics, Native Americans, Asians, Muslims all non white citizens, immigrants and refugees they are hated for the color of their skin...seen as less than--since the advent of this Country. Michelle Obama said when asked about rascim while in the WH for 8 years "some people just couldn't get past the color of her skin" this comment from an accommplished, highly educated, confident woman...in 2018, 21st century we still have a racist bigoted faction in Amerikkka. I,agree that we must all coalesce around each other but agree wth Mr Belefonte that since hatred toward a people of color is a racist caucasian construct, practice in America, a lie that white peoole are better ...a lie that has been handed down through generations (yes the lie included nonchristian s, lgbt wevseebit in action every day ) then they, white people must be part of the solution by breaking the cycle of hate. How?We can register young new voters to the democratic party. All young people will perhaps be better, more inclusive, notcarry the baggage of racism and bigotry and hate of non white, non christian, lgbt ...they are our hope for a better and just world. ps unedited, phone is losing charge. Will edit later. Paz.

[lunasun]

2. Amen!

say it

[iluvtennis]

7. Ditto.

[uponit7771]

4. K&R

[luvallpeeps]

5. apathy is the devil

If we want a democracy, we've gotta participate. It grates on my nerves when people say things to the affect of "if voting mattered, they'd make it illegal" not realizing that is exactly what they'd love to do. They spend a lot of time trying to figure out how to disenfranchise people. They selfishly forget to recognize that it was other's blood, sweat and tears that got us here to begin with. Now it's our turn. We rode in on their coattails, and we have to get engaged and fight for what's right and fair. If not, we'll all be in hell, but they'll deserve it.

[calimary]

26. Welcome to DU, CharleyDog.

Indeed. They've done more to divide us and set us upon each other like no other time in our history outside of the actual Civil War. We've got a societal civil war now.

If you don't vote, then you're part of the PROBLEM, NOT part of the SOLUTION.

VOTE, DAMMIT!!!

[Hekate]

6. That is beautiful

[only my opinion]

8. In Theory Only: A Reply

If it does not effect me, and I have no direct knowledge of an injustice, why should I care? There are always two sides to any story, so how do I know what is true. Just let me be, I have enough problem in my life, why should I complicate it? Do you know, yesterday I was an hour late in getting home because some mob was protesting something and blocked traffic? My riding lawnmower is not working and now I have to mow an acre of land by hand. Now that is a problem, just leave me alone, we all have problems. I do not want to talk about politics, they are all corrupt anyway. By the way, what do you think of the new Jet QB, did you see the way he played yesterday? Now that is important.

[uponit7771]

11. If this person's children was being taken from them and they had no idea how they were doing or even

... their health or if they were alive

or, if this person owed thousands more in taxes because SALT deductions were reduced by Red Don's rich person give away

or, if this person's loved one had a pre-existing condition and couldn't get HCI to pay for medicines.

or, [fill in one of thousands of issue]

Then they would be more engaged and would try and find out the issue.

The reason the OP is hard hitting because its saying the people who really don't want or need to be engaged are privileged ... NOT ... to have any of the aforementioned affect them.

Democrats should make sure to appeal to some of the non voters through these issues

One that is hard hitting is pre-existing conditions, not a total game winner cause republicans never ever get sick :rolleyes: but its a start.

[only my opinion]

12. That is the point, unless it directly effects them, they do not care

They are not political, the privileged don't want change. The people who are non-privileged are more likely to vote then the privileged because they see the effect government has on their lives. The privileged will complain more about the government then the non-privileged, but not on site like this. These sites are for the political. The privileged complain to each other and reinforce each other in their view. And then they vote for Trump. Because Trump is not part of the corrupt establishment, the system, he will break it up. And you know, Trump is doing just that, and while we despair, they love him for that.

[onit2day]

24. Talk about a rationalization. How easy it is to justify indifference

Voting should be mandatory as the basic admittance to a Democracy. Like taxes

[calimary]

30. Welcome to DU, only my opinion!

Yeah. I get that. So that means the rest of us have to work extra hard, because we DO care. And we know it DOES affect us all, directly, including Mr. Lawnmower.

Seems to me there are some who are just unreachable.

No matter how often we point out how those marvelous fairy tale tax cuts only helped the 1%, and of those who think trickle-down actually worked this time because they got a one-time bonus, that big company on average spent ONE PERCENT of its tax windfall on the working stiffs at the bottom of its food chain, while 100 times that much went into the pockets of the CEO and board of directors and the stockholders in stock buy backs.

No matter how all those nice CONservative judges being shoved into our courts - who WILL rule against you nonvoter, who WILL look the other way when some state's reoubli-CON secretary of state renders you unregistered to vote even when you followed the rules.

No matter how your kid won't be able to vote when he or she goes away to college and that state's republi-CON secretary of state renders him or her ineligible to vote.

No matter that maybe you have an accident out there in that acre you now have to mow by hand. Trip and fall, break your leg, lose your footing and tumble down a hill - and what if you can't get help? What if you can't afford help? Especially since Democrats are the ones who are determined to protect your access to AFFORDABLE health care, and continued protection for pre-existing conditions.

And the argument could go on...

But then again, some people just aren't reachable. In that case, you hope Mr. Lawnmower usually votes GOP. Btw - if he does, I would tell him not to bother, "you know, trump's gonna pull it out anyway. He's got this. You don't even have to bother!"

[Fullduplexxx]

9. It's not just those who dont want to get political it's also those who sit out elections

Cause their candidate didnt "excite" them enough to vote. Or not vote for your party nom cause she's too close to wall street or not bernie enough.
There are people here who want to give w.v. back to the cons because manchin votes with demsONLY 60% of the time .

[7962]

27. THIS

[Laura PourMeADrink]

10. Interesting take. And true. To take a step further

I have heard it talked about in such a disparaging way too. She likes to talk politics hahaha. Or warnings,. " No politics this evening.". (Red state)

So, apathy, "not-my-problem", and anti-intellectualism. thanks

[smirkymonkey]

14. K&R

[treestar]

15. self government by We the People

means participation. They never lived in a monarchy or dictatorship to appreciate how great that is.

[Scurrilous]

16. K&R

[Bernardo de La Paz]

17. Text so search engines find this brilliant statement

I want my friends to understand that "staying out of politics" or being "sick of politics" is privilege in action. Your privilege allows you to live a non-political existence. Your wealth, your race, your abilities or your gender allows you to live a life in which you likely will not be a target of bigotry, attacks, deportation, or genocide. You don't want to get political, you don't want to fight because your life and safety are not at stake.

It is hard and exhausting to bring up issues of oppression ( aka "get political" ). The fighting is tiring. I get it. Self-care is essential. But if you find politics annoying and you just want everyone to be nice, please know that people are literally fighting for their lives and safety. You might not see it, but that's what privilege does.

Kristen Tea, http://motherwiselife.org

[Lucky Luciano]

25. A great statement.

Last edited Mon Oct 15, 2018, 10:59 PM - Edit history (1)

I had a few posts deleted from their Facebook page a few months ago because I was calling them out on their cuckoo bananas anti-vaxx philosophy.

[TwistOneUp]

18. Brilliant!

Every American of voting age should read this aloud, after the Pledge of Allegiance.

[Cognitive_Resonance]

19. Exactly! nt

[SunSeeker]

21. K & R

[yonder]

22. K&R, thanks for this

[Pepsidog]

23. Thank you. I will spread these wise words around. I'm tired of people giving me the evil eye

everytime I bring up politics.

[zentrum]

28. Damn straight but also ignorant

.....as hell.

To not be political is to be purposefully uniformed about the food you feed your kids, the student debt your middle class kids will be in, your health needs in old age, your iinterest rates, the empty store fronts in your town or city---so the privilege is there, around all of it, but only an idiot would think they don't eat, sleep and breathe the political.

[tblue37]

29. + a brazillion! nt