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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums"sad internalized black pathology": BLMS activist attacks Black writer, is "disgusted"
Marissa Jenae Johnson is reacting to criticism of her Sanders rally interruption by going on Facebook with this:
Here is what is disgusting her:
Before I criticize the August 8 disruption of the Social Security and Medicare rally in Westlake Park by Black Lives Matter activists Marissa Johnson and Mara Willaford, I want to make a few things clear. One, I support the Black Lives Matter movement, which is decentralized and more like a cloud of urgent conversations and interactions than a conventional political organization. BLM might be seen as a necessary adaptation to the ether-like age of social networks. And in this respect, it is not exceptional. Other such clouds formed in Iran in 2009 and Egypt in 2011. Only racists believe BLM is wrong to insist that black Americans are disproportionately harassed, arrested, jailed, and killed by law-enforcement officers. These claims are supported by hard data, numerous studies, and the experiences of thousands of black Americans. I also share the opinion with Seattle's BLM members that, though our city is progressive (gay mayor, socialist council member, and so on), it maintains an economic and social structure that benefits mostly whites and often blocks opportunities for blacks and reinforces black poverty.
...
That said, I disagree with the BLM action not because Bernie Sanders marched with Martin Luther King Jr. and therefore clearly paid his not-a-racist dues and should be left alone by black activists (GOP Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell also marched with MLK). My point is simply that, as imperfect as Sanders is, and as imperfect as white progressives are in this city, it still makes more political sense to form alliances with them rather than risk isolation. As much as I may agree with the content of Johnson and Willaford's disruption, its context (an event that was not for Sanders but for a very important issue that affects millions of black Americans) and its brazen disrespect clearly closed rather than opened a lot of people to the BLM cause.
True, some of the people who booed Johnson and Willaford were likely racist, but many were simply upset by what they perceived, with good reason, as arrogant behavior. The event had been happening for hours, and it had taken months to organize and promote. Speakers knew well in advance the amount of time they were allotted to express their concerns. Then, suddenly, two people break out of nowhere, take the mic, and appear by their actions to claim that their cause is far more important, more pressing than the one many had come to support. This, I'm sorry, is going to rub a lot of people the wrong wayand not because they are racist but because they are human. Rudely jumping the line rarely excites cheers and applause in any of the colors of our kind.
At present, BLM is not a political organization; it is instead a movement, a mood, a roiling cloud of posts and hashtags. As such, it can for sure have an immediate impact and grab the headlines. But the big question is this: Can it have a lasting impact? If it hopes to do so, it will have to consolidate, form a clear structure, create democratic procedures for action, and make alliances with other like-minded political organizations. This is straight talk; this is political realism. BLM will certainly evaporate if it is isolated from one of the major groups that's politically open to its concerns: the progressive left.
http://www.thestranger.com/news/feature/2015/08/12/22681317/the-bad-politics-of-the-black-lives-matter-protesters-who-interrupted-bernie-sanders
enough
(13,259 posts)geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)snagglepuss
(12,704 posts)Her attack on such a cogent writer is completely irrational and exposes her ideologically-driven and fanatical state of mind.
His being such an excellent writer makes clear that she is not dealing with reality. His description of BLM "as a cloud of urgent conversations and interactions." is not only bang on but beautifully poetic. I love how he picks up that cloud image later, writing that "BLM will certainly evaporate if it is isolated from one of the major groups that's politically open to its concerns: the progressive left."
Supersedeas
(20,630 posts)that can swing both ways
snagglepuss
(12,704 posts)Philosophy is open-ended search for answers but ideology isn't. Ideology is closed system, a complete package, which offers itself as a set way understanding the world and prescribes exactly what needs to be done to change it. For these reason ideology is akin to religion rather than philosophy.
Starry Messenger
(32,342 posts)More ink has been spilled to trash one Black woman and her life on DU than I have ever seen expended for anything else.
BillZBubb
(10,650 posts)Do you support her trashing him? Is he a racist? Do tell?
And as for Sandra Bland, everyone here is interested in that case. The reason there is less discussion is because we are all in agreement. That's to be expected. As more information on the case comes out, discussion will pick back up.
Starry Messenger
(32,342 posts)Response to Starry Messenger (Reply #7)
Kurska This message was self-deleted by its author.
JackInGreen
(2,975 posts)we all need to get over and passed it or we'll be stuck here glaring at eachother while everyone else walks right over the lot of us.
romanic
(2,841 posts)Why are you comparing apples and oranges here? And why go out of your way to defend Marissa; she put herself in the public eye and is now under scrutiny by other black writers and bloggers. If you want to complain about a black woman being "trashed", go complain to the black writers and bloggers calling her out and stop worrying about what people here have to say. -_-
Starry Messenger
(32,342 posts)Don't need your permission for expressing my opinions.
whathehell
(29,067 posts)I didn't know her, but felt VERY about her and sent a bouquet of flowers
to her funeral with a personal note of condolence to her family.
Hydra
(14,459 posts)...And what will be done to prevent what happened to her in the future.
Marissa, on the other hand, is just running around damaging BLM as I pointed out originally, and the BLM leadership is going with it for whatever reason. I'd prefer she do her "work" under a more appropriate mantle, such as Outside Agitators 206, rather than attacking people under the guise of saving people like Sandra.
Starry Messenger
(32,342 posts)"prefers." I don't remember her asking for requests. That's really not how the whole protesting thing works.
Hydra
(14,459 posts)And police brutality? You're more interested in defending someone who is hurting the movement and is now stepping in new and interesting realms of dividing within the target of said racism?
Please explain to me how that works...
Starry Messenger
(32,342 posts)uponit7771
(90,347 posts)BillZBubb
(10,650 posts)It is about smart politics versus dumb politics. The Seattle hijacking is an example of dumb politics.
While Johnson enjoys her ego trip and 15 minutes, Mr. Mudede actually wants to accomplish something.
zeemike
(18,998 posts)But the ones that get the most attention are the loudest.
And that is true for all races, realigns, and political hacks.
The attention is their reward.
noiretextatique
(27,275 posts)I have been clear: I do not support the Seattle 2. I support BLM and Bernie Sanders. I support his hiring of BLM activist Symone Sanders as his press secretary. And I support her plan to integrate BLM into Bernie's campaign. I am black...and I approve this message
zeemike
(18,998 posts)These murdering cops must be stopped. And in the political landscape Sanders is the only one I see that actually has a plan to do that.
Eleanors38
(18,318 posts)BillZBubb
(10,650 posts)Lizzie Poppet
(10,164 posts)What a fucking trainwreck...
GoneOffShore
(17,340 posts)She's gotten 36 hours.
MisterP
(23,730 posts)LuvNewcastle
(16,847 posts)out there besides BLM that advocate for people whose lives are hanging in the balance. Jumping the queue to bring attention to your cause at a rally organized for another vital cause is bound to make some people angry. It would be fine to ask for attention to speak at the rally, but it isn't okay to commandeer the stage like Johnson and Willaford did at that Soc. Sec. and Medicare rally. It's not only rude, it's disrespectful to the organizers and the crowd, who are there for another very serious issue.
Waiting For Everyman
(9,385 posts)Couldn't agree more with the writer, on all points. Thanks for posting it, uhnope.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10027073109#post19
TM99
(8,352 posts)If you do not think and act as I do then you are...not a true believer, are a part of the patriarchy, or in this case, have internalized black pathology.
Fuck she might as well have called him an 'uncle tom'.
It is a well-written article that encapsulates my thoughts exactly.
romanic
(2,841 posts)She did call him an "Uncle Tom".
TM99
(8,352 posts)This shit risks not only tearing us apart in our own communities but also within the only damned political party that might really give a shit about black lives mattering.
haikugal
(6,476 posts)It's interesting to me that this young woman villifies the writer of this article while supporting Louis Farrakhan...
noiretextatique
(27,275 posts)From teabagger to black nationalist. I know she was a child when her parents were teabaggers, but I still note the extremism.
TM99
(8,352 posts)As a teenager she embraced on form of extremism, and now as a young 20 something she has embraced another.
I am torn between wanting her to continue this self-destructive path so that she implodes and those supporting her see the error of their way and just wanting her to disappear after her 15 minutes of infamy are up.
pnwmom
(108,980 posts)mmonk
(52,589 posts)I get different answers when I try and nail it down in this context.
flying rabbit
(4,636 posts)one of Seattle's alternative newspapers.
JackInGreen
(2,975 posts)The Stranger tends to concentrate on counter culture.
treestar
(82,383 posts)what a surprise!
He makes some good points.
KittyWampus
(55,894 posts)romanic
(2,841 posts)or says something truly hateful on social media; we should just let her slide back under the bridge like the troll that she is. Let's not give this hateful bigoted fundy anymore publicity.
Vinca
(50,279 posts)cali
(114,904 posts)questions
noiretextatique
(27,275 posts)I think she is naive as hell...black nationalism 101.
Hydra
(14,459 posts)The problem is that she's been lionized by certain groups that want to use her. The problem is that they own her now, and she will have a disproportionate footprint in all of this for a long time, not unlike Sarah Palin, ironically enough.
On the other hand, she's accidentally highlighting all the reasons why equality and unity are the better answer.
noiretextatique
(27,275 posts)Her 15 minutes should be over.
NaturalHigh
(12,778 posts)Seriously? This woman is disturbed.
Eleanors38
(18,318 posts)KittyWampus
(55,894 posts)Because some black people used a Bernie Sanders (AND O'Malley) events as a platform for attention.
What could some DU'ers motives possibly be?
haikugal
(6,476 posts)Seriously, you believe that? That's just sad.
This wasn't posted in a 'safe' group..it's a political forum.
NaturalHigh
(12,778 posts)We shouldn't be discussing things on a discussion board.
Amazing. Just amazing.
noiretextatique
(27,275 posts)Ridiculous black nationalistic rhetoric coming from a naive mental midget.
Bluenorthwest
(45,319 posts)to use an Obama event as a platform. What could their motives possibly be? That question is of double interest considering so many who were so actively denigrating LGBT activists for being 'too rude to the wrong person' are now presenting as strong advocates of disruptive politics.
So what about that? Every last DUer seemed fully entitled to start OP after OP on the subject, mostly furious straight men.
There are many, many such threads with straight people who now support such activism saying 'anyone who at anytime or for any reason heckles anyone is a compete and total fool'.
So are you saying straights have that right? You took part, many times.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022957643
Response to Bluenorthwest (Reply #53)
KittyWampus This message was self-deleted by its author.
Prism
(5,815 posts)And the exchange I had with someone in it.
Man, sometimes I'm just as prescient as . . . anyone with the reasoning skills of an average twelve year old. But still!
sabrina 1
(62,325 posts)It's fascinating to read the arguments there AGAINST hecklers and to read the arguments FOR them by some of the same people, today.
Either you have a crystal ball or you are correct, some things are just so predictable that even a 12 year old could do it!
Prism
(5,815 posts)It really is odd watching the BLM reaction vis a vis how protective people were of the Obamas against protest.
sabrina 1
(62,325 posts)What I saw from that thread was a total flip flop on the issue of heckling as a legitimate method of protest, to the point of being remarkable.
Waiting For Everyman
(9,385 posts)Last edited Fri Aug 14, 2015, 03:40 PM - Edit history (1)
Somehow or other I missed that episode.
So when the shoe's on the other foot, all this understanding that's being demanded is nowhere to be found. Why am I not surprised?
Very enlightening, thanks for posting it.
aikoaiko
(34,172 posts)JustAnotherGen
(31,828 posts)Cool! For the record - I've always looked at McConnell as more of an opportunist than a bigot.
deathrind
(1,786 posts)Still does to some extent if it gets organized and some clarity in a roadmap to achieving the goals (a roadmap that already exists, has since the sixties). But those lady's jumping up on stage and acting like as they did and the evolving exclusionary tactics are not part of that roadmap.
Hydra
(14,459 posts)Which is fine if they want to go it alone...but they are demanding Democratic Party support, so they aren't actually going it alone.
Tipperary
(6,930 posts)Rec.
haikugal
(6,476 posts)The Straight Story
(48,121 posts)On du all white people are racists, straights are homophobes, and men are misogynyists.
It's how we build coalitions here - tell people they suck and are bad when they are on your side anytime they don't completely agree with your view/assessment on something.
Been called all those things and worse on here by so called 'progressives' when I didn't always agree with them. Sad what has become of DU over the years, and it's worse now with the outright wars/hatred over dem candidates. We don't enemies, we rip ourselves better than anyone on the right every could.
Prism
(5,815 posts)Attacking her does two problematic things:
1. It gives a misguided individual the attention she clearly craves.
2. It alienates sympathetic people who see this as a form of bullying.
The thing is, the ignoring approach is best. If this young woman wants to keep attention, she'll keep saying increasingly outrageous things. In the end, she'll take that one step too far, and that will be the end of that. People will rapidly disassociate.
I was more radical and mouthy when I was her age. I cringe at some of the shit I said. I would not want the world particularly examining and attacking me for it at that time. I give her slack.
But constantly highlighting and going after her is doing no one involve any favors. Not her, not us, and not Bernie Sanders.
She highlighted her cause, had a major candidate make some campaign adjustments, and got people talking. Awesome. Let's move on now.
lumberjack_jeff
(33,224 posts)Leave BLM to the scolds.
Well said, Mr Mudede.