Why White America Demonizes the #BlackLivesMatter Movement — And Why That Must Change

[brer cat]

The strategy of #BLM and why white people dislike the activists are explored in this excellent piece by Sincere Kirabo that he posted on LOWPAWS. I recommend reading the entire article since I can only post a small portion.

1. Black Lives Matter Disrupts the Status Quo of What Our Culture Has Decided Is Normal and Acceptable

Black Lives Matter has successfully produced a culture-wide rude awakening. Both directly and indirectly, their efforts have sparked more honest conversations about race and racism in the US. BLM’s in-your-face style of protest makes it hard to simply overlook.

2. Black Lives Matter Asks White People to Confront Their Role in Anti-Black Racism

BLM rightly highlights social imbalances.

White fragility inhibits the potential for social growth because these feelings care more about sheltering white egos than it does confronting deep-rooted sources of racial disharmony.

3. Black Lives Matter Shines A Spotlight on Everyday White Supremacy

White supremacy isn’t only embedded into the tapestry of our culture, it is part and parcel to our subconscious perceptions. This necessarily prejudices the way white America perceives the objective and representatives of Black Lives Matter.

4. Black Lives Matter Refuses to Shut Up

These aren’t punk kids who cause political disruptions as a form of entertainment.

BLM protestors are concerned people who believe both the civil and human rights of all Black lives should be held to a higher standard — and their work isn’t in vain.

http://everydayfeminism.com/2016/04/white-america-blacklivesmatter/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=SocialWarfare

[safeinOhio]

1. Very good points

Those in the majority, in power and really have little to complain about, feel left out.

[rusty quoin]

2. Yeah, egos.

White fragility inhibits the potential for social growth because these feelings care more about sheltering white egos than it does confronting deep-rooted sources of racial disharmony.

That is the biggest, in my opinion, thing to overcome. Admitting that you have been wrong all along is really troubling for most people. They would rather fight than listen. They choose to classify BLM as them...those people, rather than even discuss their experiences.

[brer cat]

3. I think you are right.

One of our members, OneGrassRoot, refers to this as "othering," where we segregate people who are not members of the social norm. She has written:

Societies are complex, with a hierarchy of social order determining one’s perceived value and worth as a human being. Changes or threatened change to these norms are what create the tension and friction, as people in the non-dominant groups speak out and stand up for their innate human rights and dignity.

Both the Civil Rights movement and #BLM have forced white people to examine not only our social order, but our feelings about those perceived values and worth, and "white fragility" (what an apt term!) is an inhibiting factor. We deny our white privilege because we "earned" our position; we shout out our liberal creds...hey we don't discriminate, we have black friends. But we don't dig into our feelings about the absolute basic truth: Human rights and dignity are innate; they are not "ours" to gift or bestow upon another person or group.

When Michael Brown was brutally murdered, there was a rush by many white people, including some "liberals," to "other" him: he was just a thief (he asked for it); he should have known to follow orders from a cop (bad parenting); he was a big, scary black dude (of course Wilson was intimidated). The othering allowed many whites to justify Wilson's actions, to lessen Michael Brown's value as a human being, to take away his rights and dignity. #BLM shouted back: they weren't yours to take away. Can we white folks put aside our egos to talk about this?

[rusty quoin]

6. When it got to the part where Michael Brown became an angry dangerous thing,

needing to be put down after the first volley of shots...the most rediculous thing I may have ever heard accepted in my life. He turned into a Minotaur charging the officer, after he was shot...fuck any witness who was an actual witness. It brought home how damaged our country is, and how deep rooted rascism still is.

I just couldn't believe the Trayvon Martin result. Then Eric Garner...on video....Tamir Rice..video again...12 y/o...toy gun...cop car slams on brakes..one second?..shoots and kills. Brutality unimaginable...break the guys neck in Baltimore.

Many white...too many white Americans stand their ground and think these other Americans are something else..not Americans like us. Boy do we have a big problem. It makes me so very sad.

[MrScorpio]

7. That's exactly right nt

[JustAnotherGen]

4. Kick and Rec

[Kind of Blue]

5. Thanks, brer cat!

Saving for later when I can give it full attention.

You guys at LOWPAWS are doing great with information sharing. I love it!

[ismnotwasm]

8. K&R

[Kind of Blue]

9. I'm loving Kirabo's timely assessment and thorough

overview of exactly what BLM is doing and has achieved. I love how history is used as a shield deflecting any denial of blackness as the core problem. As Baldwin once said to a white friend visiting Harlem wanting to discuss the so-called Negro problem, "We don't have a negro problem. We have a white problem."

I really like how Kirabo reiterates that simply stating Black Lives Matter created a backlash and those words created an undeniable political instrument. Those 3 words put the experience of blackness first and foremost. A language comes into existence by means of brutal necessity, and the rules of the language are dictated by what the language must convey. ~ Baldwin again.

Most of all, I'm loving -what I notice in this article- that more and more we're no longer pleading to be seen as human beings, that's now repugnant to me, but "Shines A Spotlight," as Kirabo says, "on Everyday White Supremacy" because white people are trapped in a history they don't understand - another Baldwin quote. We've accepted supremacy for it is and BLM is doing a fine job drowning white America in it, that it must come to terms with its oppression in every part of society. Hopefully, as LOWPAWS is trying, under that spotlight, white America can figure out a way to live with its fragile self while living with us.

Thanks, brer cat, for the article. It's always nice to sit and assess what's happening before our very eyes as revisionists are desperately trying to change the meaning of events so far.

I apologize for the repeated use of Baldwin. Kirabo reminds me of him.

Go LOWPAWS for Facing IT!

[brer cat]

10. No apology needed.

The parallels are there, and it is never inappropriate to quote Baldwin. You are also spot on about the revisionists already at work to change the meaning of the movement!

[OneGrassRoot]

11. I'm so glad you posted that here...

I haven't been as active on FB this past week, but I recall wanting to post this piece here.

Love his stuff!

[brer cat]

12. I go long periods without getting on FB also.

Maybe between us we will post the best things here for others to share.

[OneGrassRoot]

13. There are a few excellent groups there...

I wish I didn't have to work, and instead reading and researching and sharing great info could be my job.