12 Things White People Can Do Now Because of Ferguson

[xchrom]

http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politics/12-things-white-people-can-do-now-because-ferguson

***SNIP

1. Learn about the racialized history of Ferguson and how it reflects the racialized history of America. Michael Brown’s murder is not a social anomaly or statistical outlier. It is the direct product of deadly tensions born from decades of housing discrimination, white flight, intergenerational poverty and racial profiling. The militarized police response to peaceful assembly by the people mirrors what happened in the 1960s during the Civil Rights Movement.

2. Reject the “He Was a Good Kid” narrative and lift up the “Black Lives Matter” narrative. Michael Brown was a good kid, by accounts of those who knew him during his short life. But that’s not why his death is tragic. His death isn’t tragic because he was a sweet kid on his way to college next week. His death is tragic because he was a human being and his life mattered. The Good Kid narrative might provoke some sympathy but what it really does is support the lie that as a rule black people, black men in particular, have a norm of violence or criminal behavior. The Good Kid narrative says that this kid didn’t deserve to die because his goodness was the exception to the rule. This is wrong. This kid didn’t deserve to die because he was a human being and black lives matter.

3. Use words that speak the truth about the disempowerment, oppression, disinvestment and racism that are rampant in our communities. Be mindful, political and socially aware with your language. Notice how the mainstream news outlets are using words like riot and looting to describe the uprising in Ferguson. What’s happening is not a riot. The people are protesting and engaging in a justified rebellion. They have a righteous anger and are revolting against the police who have terrorized them for years.

4. Understand the modern forms of race oppression and slavery and how they are intertwined with policing, the courts and the prison industrial complex. We don’t enslave black people on the plantation cotton fields anymore. Now we lock them up in for profit prisons at disproportionate rates and for longer sentences for the same crimes than white people. And when they are released, they are second class citizens stripped of voting rights and denied access to housing, employment and education. Mass incarceration is The New Jim Crow.

[santroy79]

1. How about stop with the race baiting

White people this & white people that..... all it does is divide us

[boston bean]

2. It certainly separates you and those who think like you

from people who understand the points being made and who aren't out to derail conversations for malicious intent.

[santroy79]

3. well I didnt bother reading it because of the title

I come to the DU everyday and this is like the 4th post that has something about "white people" in the title. Just gets old.

[pinboy3niner]

4. We feel for you

[boston bean]

5. You know what gets old.

White people worrying they are the ones who are discriminated against, in the face of what is going on down in Ferguson, MO. White people, deflecting, minimizing, victimizing themselves in the face of racial discrimination and racism playing out before our very eyes.

That's what gets old.

[kdmorris]

8. Um, what???

You know what gets old? Watching the police gun down young black men while white people whine about being called white.

[JaneyVee]

9. White people are so oppressed.

[Heidi]

12. Yes, we poor, poor put-upon white people.

Bless our hearts.

[boston bean]

16. I'm white and I don't feel at all divided by the mere posting of this article.

Actually, I feel solidarity!

I'm sure you do as well.

[Heidi]

18. Yep, absolutely.

I think the member has his "us" confused with our "us."

[VanGoghRocks]

32. Which side are you on, now, which side are

you on?
They say in Ferguson Town
There are no neutrals then
You'll either be a rebel son
Or a thug for 'Culloch's men.

Which side are you on?
Which side are you on?
Which side are you on?
Which side are you on?

RIP Pete Seeger.

[LiberalElite]

14. 4th post?

You're here "everyday" and complain something being mentioned 4 times? Patience, grasshopper.

[MohRokTah]

21. It's incredible a jury let this stand 3-4 eom

[Heidi]

39. The alerter also finds it disheartening.

[JaneyVee]

26. If you did bother reading it,

You would realize its a message of unity, not division.

[JustAnotherGen]

27. Use the trash function

put the word 'white' in the box - and poof! Away all of this goes.

You won't need the vapors that way.

[gollygee]

31. I can think of a lot of things that get old

but having to read "white people" in four subject lines shouldn't be too upsetting. Get over it.

[chervilant]

36. Really?!?!

Maybe you need to avoid reading AND posting on these threads. I know a surefire way to avoid seeing posts (and posters) who offend: use your IL.

As a matter of fact, I'll exercise that option right now. Buh-BYE!

[moriah]

38. If you didn't bother reading it, how did you get into the thread?

You would have had to have clicked the title. Even if it gets "old", it must somehow grab your attention enough to want to click and comment.

You could always just trash threads that "get old".

[99Forever]

6. Did you actually say that here?

Might I suggest a quick self delete?

[kdmorris]

10. Looks like he/she is too busy doubling down to self-delete

I am aghast...

[MohRokTah]

22. And a jury let his original post stand, 3-4 eom

[kdmorris]

7. It's not race baiting, you idiot

Without us, this will continue. It's white people looking the other way (and participating in many cases) when young black men are shot that contributes to the feelings of anger and disenfranchisement of African Americans. Just look at the difference in coverage from CNN and the live stream "I am Mike Brown". The police gassed a bunch of peaceful protestors... they were standing there with their hands up and the police tear-gassed the shit out of them. Most of them were black. But lately, more of them have been white, and that's a good thing. When the police start tear-gassing the shit out of white people, then white people start taking notice and realize that this is about police brutality and an unjust death of a young black man... something that happens practically every day.

So, speak for yourself. It doesn't divide me. I WANT to know that I can do to help and I found this article to be very good. It included some points that I hadn't thought of (stop the "he was a good kid" narrative, for example)

Are you sure you're in the right place?

[Heidi]

11. "Us," huh?

[LiberalElite]

15. yeah - who's

the "us"?

[Heidi]

17. I think the member is referring to his own "us,"

and not DU's "us." Telling, isn't it?

[pinboy3niner]

33. DU's white people tend to not be defensive about things like this

We tend to understand reality and agree with statements about it without feeling like we're being personally attacked.

[pinboy3niner]

13. And don't even get me started on short people!

[OneGrassRoot]

23. LOL!

You made me, literally, laugh out loud. Thank you.

[pinboy3niner]

25. If I can give you a laugh, OneGrassRoot, it's truly my pleasure

Thankyou for all you do.

[pinboy3niner]

19. You should shed the defensiveness and realize it's not about YOU

If you're an enlightened white person, consider yourself excepted. We may even teach you the secret handshake. )

[hootinholler]

34. Wait, there's a handshake?

[pinboy3niner]

35. We weren't going to tell you, but now I've spoiled it *BLUSH*

[roody]

28. You totally missed the message. nt

[Ikonoklast]

30. You only speak for yourself.

You *do not* speak for me.


If stuff like this rankles you, it does speak volumes about you, however.

[MuttLikeMe]

20. K&r

[Laelth]

24. k&r for exposure. n/t

-Laelth

[Jokerman]

29. K & R for an excellent article.

[chervilant]

37. K&R

Great cross-posting of an essential article! Thanks!