Many people seem confused about why there are continuing protests at the symphony, at baseball games, at a farmers market, at a democratic fundraiser in Hot Springs, etc. And, most likely as these types of protest continue and grow, more people may be asking why. So, I am going to try to explain my reasons for participating and supporting such protests. I can not speak for everyone involved, but here is my reasoning. First, the goal. For me, the goal of these protests is to save lives. In order to understand that goal, you have to agree with a number of propositions. First proposition: Systemic racism (as defined as prejudice plus power) exists. If you dont believe racism exists, these protests will always be confusing to you. And, you can stop reading now. Nothing else I am going to say in this post will make sense if you deny the existence of racism. (I am not going to attempt in this post to prove that racism exists, folks much more eloquent than I have written books and reports and doctoral theses demonstrating that racism exists.) Second proposition: The processes used to eradicate racism over the past 400 years in the culture we now call the United States may have changed the types and visibility of systemic racism (and many would argue have decreased systemic racism significantly), but have failed to eradicate systemic racism. If you believe that systemic racism exists, then you must accept this proposition as well. If the processes we have used to eradicate racism worked completely, it would already be eradicated. Third proposition: With less overt racism enshrined in the laws, the way to see systemic racism is to look at patterns. Regardless of the details of any particular disciplinary incident, the pattern of Black children being suspended from school in much higher percentages than White children in this country points to a systemic issue. Regardless of the details of any particular traffic stop, the pattern of Black people being stopped in much higher percentages than White people points to a systemic issue. Regardless of the details of how any individual attained their wealth, the pattern of racial disparity in household net worth points to a systemic issue. Regardless of the details of any particular shooting, today there is a pattern of extra-judicious killing of Black men and women much more often than White men and women in this country that points to a systemic issue. And, I could go on and on. My point is that the best way to understand racism today is to look for these patterns. (Personally, I think this is where it breaks down for many people of goodwill. They get caught up in the particulars of any specific incident brought to their attention, and do not explore more deeply and see the patterns.) Forth proposition: Systemic racism kills people. Historic examples include: the Middle Passage, slavery, the Civil War, lynching during Jim Crow, and race riots from 1896 in North Carolina to 1992 in Los Angeles. Black and White lives have been lost as a result of systemic racism. I dont claim to know every historical and current instance of how system racism kills people, but I have seen enough evidence to know it does. Fifth proposition: People resist change. People get comfortable with the status quo, especially if they are not the ones experiencing the negative aspects of the status quo. So, the purpose of the protests is to make visible the patterns of systemic racism so that the status quo becomes uncomfortable enough to the people with the power to enact change that they will be willing to look at and make changes in the systems, policies, and practices that create systemic racism, and, if those are changed, lives will be saved. I chose these kinds of protest because the other methods for change have not worked, and I want to save lives. If you believe that racism doesnt exist, you are right to disagree with the protests. If you do not believe that systemic racism exists, you are right to disagree with the protests. If you do not believe that systemic racism costs people their lives, you are right to disagree with the protests. If your comfort at the ballpark or the symphony is more important than saving lives, you are right to disagree. If the success of a particular business, event, or organization is more important than saving lives, you are right to disagree. If you believe that without agitation, people will spontaneously change the systems, policies, procedures, and attitudes that create systemic racism, then you are right to disagree. For me, I protest because I want to save lives.
Posted on: Sun, 05 Oct 2014 19:56:26 +0000
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