Last night was a testament to the Black Lives Matter movement

[jwirr]

8. I think you are right that some oppose all forms of disruptive

activism. But I think you are absolutely wrong about what many of us are angry about.

First of all I have been a disruptive activist since the 60s. But when I say that I get the "well that does not count" bull from many younger activists. So that means that we are here on this board that discusses voting and it does not matter that we forced that voting rights bill through in 1965 with our own disruptive activism? If that had not happened in the 60s we would not need to be on this board at all because we still would not be able to vote at all. All of us who have been working for civil rights for many years are more angry that we are not considered allies than that there are still protests.

Secondly, it is automatically assumed that we are racist and complicit in establishment racism because "none of that matters". We are placed on the same level as trump, roof, the violent police and the KKK.

It is assumed that we have some magical power to change laws and actions that are taking place in cities far from where we live. And it does not matter that we voted for President Obama because he promised hope and change. Nor does it matter that we lobbied to get Loretta Lynch into the leadership in the Justice Department.

To think that we do not care what is happening with the issue of police violence and to various civil rights issues is to ignore the fact that many of us are as helpless as you are when it comes to TPTB. That many of us are supporting the demands that you are making regarding the issues.

We want to help - but when we try all too often the door is closed and we find we are being labled as the cause of what is happening today.

There are real enemies that need to be faced down - rw churches, Rs, city counsels that allow bigoted police forces in minority communities, prosecutors who side with the police instead of the people, states that obstruct voting rights, economic justice for those who have been forever left behind and too many issues to be able to name them all.

We need to fight these enemies together and stop the in-fighting. And IMO that starts with getting the Senate and (if possible) the House back into the hands of the people while keeping the WH in hands of a Democrat who has the veto power. Without that happening I do not see much hope for change.

So I support BLM and want to do what I can to help but you need to stop rejecting our help. We are not the enemy.