12 things white people can do now because Ferguson

[cali]

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.

5. Examine the interplay between poverty and racial equity.

The twin pillar of racism is economic injustice but do not use class issues to trump race issues and avoid the racism conversation. While racism and class oppression are tangled together in this country, the fact remains that the number one predictor of prosperity and access to opportunity is race.

<snip>

http://qz.com/250701/12-things-white-people-can-do-now-because-ferguson/

[Recursion]

1. "but do not use class issues to trump race issues and avoid the racism conversation"

If I could write that line in flaming golden letters and put it up at the top of every race-related thread, I would do that...

[1StrongBlackMan]

11. +1 ...

Please repeat this several times. It needs to be heard ... especially here on DU.

[TBF]

12. I agree -

and it is an issue for many on the extreme left. They tell me class is above all the divider and if we want to help blacks, women, animals etc we have to first deal with the capitalism. I agree it has to go, but I think we can - and must - focus on more than one thing at a time.

For anyone interested, this is a good article from SW that addresses how intertwined oppression is (and could easily apply to racism as it does to sexism):

Marxism, feminism and women's liberation
January 31, 2013

Sharon Smith, author of the soon-to-be-republished Women and Socialism: Essays on Women's Liberation, examines how the Marxist tradition has approached the struggle to end women's oppression, including its attitude toward other theories, in this article based on a talk given at the Socialism 2012 conference in Chicago.

INESSA ARMAND, the first leader of the women's department of the 1917 Russian Revolution, made the following observation: "If women's liberation is unthinkable without communism, then communism is unthinkable without women's liberation." That statement is a perfect summary of the relationship between the fight for both socialism and women's liberation--neither is possible without the other.

more here: http://socialistworker.org/2013/01/31/marxism-feminism-and-womens-liberation

[JonLP24]

27. I'm on the extreme left and I never went with a class over race argument

For one, the differences in race by gaps in wealth, poverty, etc. African-Americans have been in a recession since the Reagan administration, hit hardest along with Hispanics during the great recession.

------------------------

Two major factors helped to widen this wealth gap in recent years. The first is that the housing downturn hit black and Hispanic households harder than it hit white households, in aggregate. Many young Hispanic families, for instance, bought homes as the housing bubble was inflating and reaching its peak, leaving them saddled with heavy debt burdens as house prices plunged in places like suburban Phoenix and inland California.

Black families also were hit disproportionately by the housing collapse, because heading into the recession housing constituted a higher proportion of their wealth than for white families, leaving them more exposed when the market crashed. Higher unemployment rates and lower incomes among blacks left them less able to keep paying their mortgages and more likely to lose their homes, experts said.

Discriminatory lending practices were also a factor. “We know that communities of color, their rate of subprime or predatory loans was twice what it is in the overall population,” said Tom Shapiro, the director of the Institute on Assets and Social Policy at Brandeis University.

<snip>

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/29/business/racial-wealth-gap-widened-during-recession.html?pagewanted=all

I'm not sure what the arguments consist of that you run into but most of the time the people that deny any sort of racial caste system are people towards the other side of the middle. A couple here that used to show up faithfully to "white privilage" threads I suspect are trolls because they usually hang in the gun forum that will defend police brutality (has to be open to interpretation like Gates or otherwise *crickets*), or show up to agree with something Cosby said.

Class is important but the racial disparities can't be ignored, doing so strengthens them. A poor african-american is more likely to live in neighborhoods with high crime and underfunded poorly performing schools.

[UglyGreed]

2. Revolution 67

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1033496/

An illuminating account of events too often relegated to footnotes in U.S. history - the Black urban rebellions of the 1960's. Focusing on the six-day Newark, N.J. outbreak on July 12, 1967, the film reveals how the disturbance began as spontaneous revolts against poverty and police brutality and ended as fateful milestones in America's struggles over race and economic justice.

[UglyGreed]

3. Cry Freedom

South African journalist Donald Woods is forced to flee the country after attempting to investigate the death in custody of his friend the black activist Steve Biko.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092804/

[santroy79]

4. How about

6. When the police tell you to stop you dont run at the police causing them to shoot you, thinking they are defending themselves.

[cali]

5. how about even if you run, you don't deserve to be riddled with bullets?

now go away.

[INdemo]

6. Ok now ..So what excuse would yo use for

a cop shooting a 12yr old child with a toy gun?

[B Calm]

7. I guess cops don't have stun guns anymore?

Go away!

[daleanime]

9. ........

[rhett o rick]

14. I don't think you should "go away". I think you should stay and learn.

A huge problem in this country is that too many of our children are raised as authoritarian robots. Taught to do what mom and dad say, do what the teachers say, do what the priests says or boy scout leader or soccer coach say, do what the boss says, do what the Sargent says and do what the police say, WITH OUT QUESTION. We have taught generations of robots that can't think for themselves. We have not taught our children to be skeptical of abusive authoritarianism. We have not taught our children to question authority, use common sense, and not blindly follow.

Your statement is a logical fallacy. Of course we should not run at the police. But your statement implies that is a problem. The problem is that police are shooting people in vehicles, in their beds, walking away, sitting in cars, walking down the sidewalk, and even laying on the ground with handcuffs and people like yourself are cheering them on. I am guessing you think those actions are helping the problems our society is having or at least using it as a diversion.

There are only two sides to this class war. Think about it before you choose the side of the Ruling Olgarchy.

[santroy79]

21. Wait one second

I'm not talking about all the times cops overused their power & countless times cops should have been put in jail.

But this case this time the facts are the facts. He operated with in the law. The guy robbed a store. Attacked a cop. Assaulted him with punches and slamming the door on him and refused to surrender and ran at the cop in a attacking way. Should the guy have been shot to death. no. But can anyone cry foul. Hell no

[rhett o rick]

22. I ask that you keep an open mind. You don't know what you claim are facts.

And some of what you claim as facts, don't make any sense. The story you stated is a well put together biased account promoted by gun lovers and conservatives. Whether or not Michael Brown robbed a store is immaterial. You don't get the death penalty for robbing a store. And it isn't clear that this officer used that as an excuse because we aren't sure he knew Michael Brown robbed anyone. Who is claiming Michael Brown attacked the officer? The officer? Any witnesses? Even if Michael Brown fought with the officer, it's obvious that he then fled and was shot in the back. It doesn't make sense that Michael Brown fled 100 yards then turned and ran at the officer. It was not necessary to shot Michael Brown 12 times, he was unarmed and at the distance he was murdered, he was not a threat.

Since you opened the door to making up facts, howz about this fact -- There is no accountability for officers that kill. Statistics will prove that out.

[santroy79]

26. are you kidding me rhett o rick ?

I read the testimony of the case. I read what the officer said. But the reason we know what he said is true is because witness 10 a black man can forward and testified and everything witness 10 said matched the cop said. The reason witness 10 came forward was because he couldnt take all the lies he was hearing. Which was that he had his hands up surrendering.

The other facts that you didnt take the time to find out was HE WAS NEVER SHOT IN THE BACK. Also that the last shots fired was only 6 to 8 feet away which during police training is well with in the danger zone.

I agree robbing a store isnt the death penalty. But resistance arrest and assaulting a cop could get you shot

[rhett o rick]

28. You seem eager to rationalize this murder away. This whole thing is a circus.

A prosecutor calls a Grand Jury with the purpose to prove there is enough evidence to indict. Why did he call for a Grand Jury if he couldn't prove his case? He was smart, call a GJ and "fails" to indict so no one can question. It is extremely rare that a prosecutor can not get a GJ indictment but with a month of testimony, hand crafted by the prosecutor, this prosecutor failed to get an indictment. This prosecutor clearly had/has an agenda and not only didn't try to get an indictment, he worked hard to make sure that this police officer gets away with murder. And apparently some are happy to see Wilson walk. High fives down at the police bar.

Some say rationalization is the key to happiness, but I doubt it.

[santroy79]

29. That's not true

I agree police abuse their power way too much. They should be held accountable. I'm as anti gun as pretty much anyone else but this is not the case for all this protesting. Makes no sense at all.

The guy just robbed a store and assaulted a policemen and resisted arrest. That could get you shot and in this case it did.

It's sad and his crimes do not justify the outcome but because of his actions is the reason he got shot. He has no one to blame but himself. The police officer acted within the law

[rhett o rick]

30. I find your rationalization to be very disturbing. "He has no one to blame but himself. "

He was murdered in cold blood. His actions did not justify that. You are basing your rationalization on the obviously biased Grand Jury testimony that was not cross examined by anyone that stood for fairness. NO ONE SPOKE FOR MICHAEL BROWN. You don't know that officer Wilson acted within the law. But you seem to want to believe it. Officer Wilson stands for the racism and failure of our justice system that not only allows but promote officers to shoot to kill first and worry about it later.

Police departments are a sanctuary for psychopaths. It's almost daily that a police officer or officers unload their guns into the bodies of innocent people. How about the poor unarmed bastard that got shot 42 times for reaching for his wallet. High fives at the police bar. Near where I live a mentally ill man wouldn't come down from a tree so one of the police officers shot him. He lived, but really?

[santroy79]

31. again rhett o rick

your trying to hang this police officer for the crimes of other police officers. You keep bringing up what other cops did. You have to judge each separate. Your argument akes no sense and would never be allowed in a court of law. You want to find this cop guilty for what other cops did wrong. Not sure about you but thats not what I want in America.

Stop saying he murdered Brown. Its insulting. If Brown did not rob a store and did not assault a police officer he would not have been shot.


The Grand Jury was not biased. They let EVERY witness testify. Even the ones the lied to frame a cop. Got on the stand and said he was shot in the back. Those lies you even reference earlier. But after the investigation it was proven he was not shot in the back. Its like you want to ignore the facts and witness of people like Witness # 10 who ended up being a honest Black man that came forward. I would say that person should be a hero .... that under all that pressure from his community and race he would come forward to set the record straight.


I know you and all these people wanted this story line to fit your objective with all the other crimes cops have committed but it doesnt. Just own up to it and fight the good fight with the countless other crimes cops are guilty of because banging the drum on this one makes people look foolish.

Guys robs a store, attacks a policemen, resists arrest and then ends up shot. No kidding.

[rhett o rick]

32. I will try one more time. The prosecutor didn't charge Officer Wilson before he called a GJ.

That is extremely unusual. The prosecutor had a huge conflict of interest. His father was a cop shot on duty. His family works for the same police department as Officer Wilson. He has to work closely with the police department and indicting Wilson would have made his job impossible. These are reasons there should have been an unbiased prosecutor brought in. If you read the testimony you will notice the glaring method of questioning witnesses. His office was not trying for an indictment but for exoneration. His office presented a defensive case for Officer Wilson. That is a corruption of the GJ system. He allowed Officer Wilson to testify. This is unheard of. Why? Because in every other case THE PROSECUTION IS TRYING TO INDICT. That's their job. The prosecutor in this case, presented a case, he questioned witnesses to provide Officer Wilson's side. NO ONE PRESENTED MICHAEL BROWN'S SIDE. So when you use the testimony from the corrupted GJ, for your rationalization, I can't agree.
Most GJ cases last less than a week, but this case lasted 3 months and yet this prosecutor couldn't squeeze out a indictment. Do you know how unusual that is? 99.99% of GJ come in with an indictment. 3 months of testimony and this prosecutor still failed to do what every single (99.99%) other prosecutor has done. Why? Because he wanted Officer Wilson exonerated.
You try so very hard to rationalize away this murder. Just because Wilson is a police officer does not give him the right to murder in cold blood. Your rationalizations would fit all these murders. The boy in the playground. It's murder if the officers DO NOT TRY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM WITHOUT SHOOTING. How about the poor bastard in his doorway reaching for his wallet? 42 shots into his body within seconds. There is a huge problem and those in our society that rationalize away these lives are enabling this behavior.

This is injustice at it's grossest.

[noiretextatique]

23. how about STOP swallowing whole the self-serving statements of people

about why they used deadly force? how about some critical thinking and analysis, not colored by race, if possible?

[B Calm]

8. 13. Register to vote and get involved in local politics!

[old man 76]

10. It is so

I agree the constitution and bible have been used to justify more injustice then any other documents.

[jamesatemple]

13. Well stated!

As one old man to another, our lives are far too short for us to see an end to injustice in any of its forms. But, just maybe, we'll be able to observe the continuation of the stuttering, halting steps of progress continue toward that end. And, we can hope that our great grandchildren won't think of us as mindless barbarians.

[cali]

15. are you referring solely to this country?

in any case, although that may be true, it's also true that the constitution and the bible have been fundamental in the quest for social justice in this country- think of the abolitionist movement, MLK and the civil rights movement, Brown v Board, etc.

It's not so much the bible or the constitution or any other document, it's how they're used and who uses them.

[el_bryanto]

16. Number 2 seems very important to me

Because once you start postulating that as a Good Kid he didn't deserve to die, it opens you up to those who support the murder of black kids to say "Well he wasn't a good kid. He was a thug." Which they will. Repeatedly.

It's a good list all the way though though.

Bryant

[maced666]

17. Boy, this goes south early, point 2 - 'was a good kid'

We all saw his strong-arm robbery of the store less than hour before confronted by the cop. You't see that video and say good kid at the same time. Well, others might, for me the video does not lie.

The 'black lives matter' is a good exercise I suppose, but those who need reminded of that are a small minority. Who won't be reading this.

So what is this other than another preachy 'hey white priveledge you are what I say you are now sit down and shut up while I show you how to TRY not to be a racist - though you will ALWAYS retain a little racism"

ugh. It's just....crap.

[cali]

18. there are 2 competing narratives- good kid/thug

the video is not the sum total of Michael Brown's life.

and anyone who thinks that that those who need to be reminded that "black lives matter" is willfully ignorant. There is an astounding body of evidence that contradicts that smug claim. You're reading this and YOU clearly need to be educated and reminded that black lives matter.

oh, and learn how to write coherently and spell.

Your post: Disgusting. Ugh. A pile of stinking shit.

[heaven05]

20. crap?

yeah, what you just wrote, typical "blame the victim" BS. All of this you wrote belongs in a garbage dump. Try to find some empathy in that stone you call a heart. Oh, never mind you won't be able to.

[noiretextatique]

24. according to your reasoning, anyone who "allegedly" robs a store

SHOULD be gunned down. and yes, given the centuries of rampant racism in this country, it seems many people need some reminders on how to recognize and deal with it. if they chose.

[heaven05]

19. thank you Cali

well understood, well written, truth personified and agreed with totally.

[AverageJoe90]

25. An honest attempt for sure, but I'm afraid there are some real issues with some of what was said.

(BTW, please read carefully and thoroughly before responding. Thanks. )

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.

This, at least, is true, and in fact, there are valid concerns that something on the order of CoIntelPro may be operating in this country in recent years; one may also search for the "King Alfred Plan" and "REX-84".

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.

I can understand where the author is trying to come from here, but the truth is, the "Good Kid" narrative does not *automatically* imply that Michael Brown was an exception; it really depends on the person. And I'd replace "black lives matter", with "ALL lives matter", because, to be truthful, African-Americans are not the ONLY minority group in danger of being targeted.

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.

Yes, I think most of us can agree that anger against decades of police incompetence, corruption, etc., is indeed justified, and that many people were indeed acting peacefully. However, though, the sad truth is, some other people *did* engage in violence, in rioting, and yes, looting, too. We as a whole should condemn that, just as we rightfully condemn violence done by the corrupt cops in Ferguson(of which there was a fair amount).

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.

That much is true, though it should be noted that Latinos, too, are also incarcerated at much higher rates than white people.

5. Examine the interplay between poverty and racial equity.

The twin pillar of racism is economic injustice but do not use class issues to trump race issues and avoid the racism conversation. While racism and class oppression are tangled together in this country, the fact remains that the number one predictor of prosperity and access to opportunity is race.

While this is not good, unfortunately, at the same time, we have quite often had the problem of some people using race issues to trump class issues and to avoid a conversation on classism.

6. Diversify your media.

Be intentional about looking for and paying close attention to diverse voices of color on the tv, on the internet and on the radio to help shape your awareness, understanding and thinking about political, economic and social issues. Check out Colorlines, The Root or This Week in Blackness to get started.

This is actually one of the better points here, and I know I've been doing this for several years myself. However, though, I should add that we should be careful in what sources we pick in this regard, because not every source is necessarily a good one(for example, Brittney Cooper and Chauncey De Vega aren't people I'd recommend).

7. Adhere to the philosophy of nonviolence as you resist racism and oppression.

Dr. Martin Luther King advocated for nonviolent conflict reconciliation as the primary strategy of the Civil Rights Movement and the charge of His Final Marching Orders. East Point Peace Academy offers online resources and in person training on nonviolence that is accessible to all people regardless of ability to pay.

Possibly the best point that could have been made, though it seems to conflict with some of the statements made in Number 3.

8. Find support from fellow white allies.

Challenge and encourage each other to dig deeper, even when it hurts and especially when you feel confused and angry and sad and hopeless, so that you can be more authentic in your shared journey with people of color to uphold and protect principles of antiracism and equity in our society. Go to workshops like Training for Change’s Whites Confronting Racism or European Dissent by The People’s Institute. Attend The White Privilege Conference or the Facing Raceconference. Some organizations offer scholarships or reduced fees to help people attend if funding is an issue.

As I said for 6, it's always good to make connections, but do be careful about who you choose; for example, if they put too much emphasis on "white privilege", or if they push the idea that only white people can be racist, period, it's probably best to not stick around, unless you feel confident in your ability to disagree.

9. If you are a person of faith, look to your scriptures or holy texts for guidance.

Seek out faith based organizations like Sojourners and follow faith leaders that incorporate social justice into their ministry. Ask your clergy person to address antiracism in their sermons and teachings. If you are not a person of faith, learn how the world’s religions view social justice issues so that when you have opportunity to invite people of faith to also become white allies, you can talk with them meaningfully about why being a white ally is supported by their spiritual beliefs.

This is another good one.

10. Don’t be afraid to be unpopular.

Let’s be realistic. If you start calling out all the racism you witness (and it will be a lot once you know what you’re looking at) some people might not want to hang out with you as much. That’s a risk you’ll need to accept. But think about it like this: staying silent when you witness oppression is the same as supporting oppression. So you can be the popular person who stands with the oppressor or you can be the (maybe) unpopular person who stands for equality and dignity for all people. Which person would you prefer to be? And honestly, if some people don’t want to hang out with you anymore once you show yourself as a white ally then why would you even want to be friends with them anyway? They’re probably racists.

Okay, but that's far from the only possible situation in which you may become unpopular. What needs to be emphasized is the truth, regardless: and, to be honest, if pointing out that, for example, intrapersonal racism is not unique to any one ethnicity, anywhere, or that the Bill of Rights was intended to apply to all free citizens and not just white landowners, may make some uncomfortable, then that's how it is.

11. Be proactive in your own community.

As a white ally, you are not limited to being reactionary and only rising up to stand on the side of justice when black people are being subjected to violence very visibly and publicly. Moments of crisis do not need to be the catalyst because taking action against systemic racism is always appropriate because systemic racism permeates nearly every institution and community in this country. Some ideas for action: organize a community conversation about the state of police-community relations* in your neighborhood, support leaders of color by donating your time or money to their campaigns or causes, ask the local library to host a showing and discussion group about the documentary RACE – The Power of an Illusion, attend workshops to learn how to transform conflict into opportunity for dialogue. Gather together diverse white allies that represent the diversity of backgrounds in your community. Antiracism is not a liberals only cause. Antiracism is a movement for all people, whether they be conservative, progressive, rich, poor, urban or rural.

Now here's some constructive dialogue.

12. Don’t give up.

We’re 400 years into this racist system and it’s going to take a long, long, long time to dismantle these atrocities. The antiracism movement is a struggle for generations, not simply the hot button issue of the moment. Transformation of a broken system doesn’t happen quickly or easily. You may not see or feel the positive impact of your white allyship in the next month, the next year, the next decade or even your lifetime. But don’t ever stop. Being a white ally matters because your thoughts, deeds and actions will be part of what turns the tide someday. Change starts with the individual.

This is a list of just 12 ways to be an ally. There are many more ways and I invite you to consider what else you can do to become a strong and loyal white ally. People of color, black people especially, cannot and should not shoulder the burden for dismantling the racist, white supremacist system that devalues and criminalizes black life without the all in support, blood, sweat and tears of white people. If you are not already a white ally, now is the time to become one.

People are literally dying.

Black people are dying and it’s not your personal fault that black people are dying because you’re white but if you don’t make a purposeful choice to become a white ally and actively work to dismantle the racist system running America for the benefit of white people then it becomes your shame because you are white and black lives matter. And if you live your whole life and then die without making a purposeful choice to become a white ally then American racism becomes your legacy.

The choice is yours.

Yes, but it can be damn hard to not be tempted sometimes. the anti-racist movement needs to get it's act back together as soon as humanly possible. No more being afraid of "tone policing" when it's needed, simply for fear of upsetting a few on the fringes. No more dabbling in these ultra-radical intrepretations of "privilege" theory. It's time to become more practical.

So, in all honesty, I can tell that Janee Woods really tried here, and she managed to make some great points, to her credit. But this piece also fell short in a number of ways, and this is something that keeps hindering us. And we can't afford that anymore; I know it's a truth some may not want to hear, but we've got to keep striving to improve our dissemination of the message, and perhaps even the message itself, from time to time. And if we do that, it *will* help us.

Just my two cents, so take it as you may........