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Everyone is talking about the riots, so...
5 years ago
General
I'm very wary about what I say here as this seems like an easy way to lose friends. I'd like to start by saying that I don't live in the US, so my opinion is undoubtedly going to be out of touch. That being said, things that I have seen written about how 'all lives matter' seem painfully tone-deaf to me. The issue here for me is that white people simply don't have the same recent history of widespread slavery, oppression, and in this case, being killed by the people who are supposed to protect them. The fact that all lives matter should be a given, but within this context, it sounds really insensitive when so many, because of their skin colour, are at greater risk of poverty, of being on the receiving end of racism, of being killed by law enforcement, and live in the shadow of society that wilfully treats them poorly.
As for the riots, theft, property damage, and whatnot. I in no way condone violence. However, I don't think that people should be surprised. People have been protesting for civil rights and for positive change for decades, and their voices are just not being heard. Based on the statistics I have seen, there has not been a significant improvement in the rates of death by the hands of law enforcement in years. And only now are their voices REALLY being heard.
Those are my thoughts on the matter. I'm willing to listen to what others have to say. However, I'll be honest right now and say that I'm not really interested in more white American males telling me that I'm wrong and that this is 'how it is'. I'd actually like to hear from people of colour.
As for the riots, theft, property damage, and whatnot. I in no way condone violence. However, I don't think that people should be surprised. People have been protesting for civil rights and for positive change for decades, and their voices are just not being heard. Based on the statistics I have seen, there has not been a significant improvement in the rates of death by the hands of law enforcement in years. And only now are their voices REALLY being heard.
Those are my thoughts on the matter. I'm willing to listen to what others have to say. However, I'll be honest right now and say that I'm not really interested in more white American males telling me that I'm wrong and that this is 'how it is'. I'd actually like to hear from people of colour.
I know very well the feeling of USA protesters, because in my country we've been rioting and fighting for months for dignity, social justice, and against capitalism, and will return to the streets as soon as the pandemic is over (or even before, who knows).
ACAB.
You don't seem out of touch to me at all.
I think you've got it exactly right.
Also:
"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." -- John F. Kennedy, 35th President of the United States, on the importance of preserving democracy
Also wanted to thank you for standing your ground against that right wing whackjob. Unfortunately, willfully ignorant people like him are way too common over here.
No worries... I moderate a political group elsewhere so I'm kind of used to it. Often people like that have the loudest voice, but they're not the majority.