I'm going to drop this here...

[notadmblnd]

81. You know, I was accused of not reading the OP and insulted by another poster

Last edited Sat Aug 15, 2015, 05:32 AM - Edit history (1)

who has no clue in regards to my life experience. I've repeatedly heard it stated here recently that "no white person has ever or could ever experience POCs suffering" as if it is some kind of contest as to who has suffered more throughout history.

Never mind that women have been oppressed since the beginning of time, burned at the stake as witches, demonized in religious texts. Committed to mental institutions at the hands of their husbands when they became too "emotional" to deal with. Not allowed to vote, not allowed to own property. Left destitute to live in the streets if they were to be divorced. Beaten and abused, raped and murdered by controlling, insecure husbands and boyfriends. Hell no! We got no idea what being oppressed for hundreds of years could possible feel like. It is assumed that because I'm white I couldn't possibly know the pain of those oppressed.

I can't help but wonder how many of these posters here have actually had their 13 year old sons chased down by the police, put face down in the dirt. I know have. You know what his crime was? Riding his bike while black. Then arrested for having "drug parphenalia" because the LEOs aren't even smart enough to tell the difference between a crack pipe and bike wrench. No, I could never truly understand or feel a person of color's pain, anger and rage at the hands of LEOs. Therefore nothing I say is relevant. It is assumed that by virtue of my skin being white, I'm still part of the problem.

No, I'm supposed to join in lockstep support else I'm just a racist whitesplaining. My thoughts, questions and opinions disregarded or ridiculed. Questions I have asked go unanswered. My life and my feelings can be dismissed by these few people, but it's demanded of me not to dismiss theirs. I'm supposed to understand where Ms Johnson is coming from. I'm supposed to see that, I am supposed to support her tactics not questions asked. And even if I do, I'm still just a "liberal white supremacist" because I could never understand or feel a POC pain. Or I haven't done enough, fast enough to change the system.

Grace Lee Boggs is about to celebrate her 100th birthday. She is a Chinese American philosopher, writer, and activist in Detroit, who has spent 75 years of her life in the labor, civil rights and Black Power movements. She has some really wise thoughts on affecting change and has said- "you have to change yourself- in order to change the world." She believes that non violence is an important philosophy because it respects the capacity for all humans to grow. Even though I have never and probably will never meet her, I have great respect for her as a fellow human being. PBS recently aired a documentary on her life entitled "American Revolutionary; The Evolution of Grace Lee Boggs"

I'm certain that I will dismissed, however, I would encourage everyone to take a look at it if they have a chance.

I do think I can understand Ms. Johnson's rage but I don't support her or what she has stated under the Black Lives Matter movement. I do agree with the founders of the movement who have stated reasonable goals. Ms. Johnson her own goals though- that I can not buy into and no amount of pressure, ridicule or dismissal by those who will blindly follow her here is going to change my mind.

I feel much like you- everything I have done has been of no consequence, it has all been meaningless because people such as Ms Johnson can't let go of their rage and the only thing that really matters to her is expressing it- loudly, rudely and hurtfully to many who have worked their entire lives trying to change the system and make this country a better place for all people. I sincerely hope she feels better now.