#blacklivesmatter racism is a human problem

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ag0MwmwGyG0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-_WXXVye3Y

Letter from Birmingham Jail (ext)

By Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., 16 April 1963

"First, I must confess that over the last few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in the stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen's Council-er or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate who is more devoted to "order" than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says "I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I can't agree with your methods of direct action;" who paternalistically feels he can set the timetable for another man's freedom; who lives by the myth of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait until a "more convenient season."

Shallow understanding from people of goodwill is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection."

https://www.haydenplanetarium.org/tyson/commentary/2020-06-03-reflections-on-color-of-my-skin.php

Some books on my shelf

2 Attachments

I haven't really got much to add, great thread...

I grew up in as multicultural an environment as you could get, in my little council block my neighbours were Portuguese, Irish, Spanish, Turkish, Nigerian, Jamaican, Indian and then your English, Irish and Scottish...

At school I got tons of racist abuse for being Spanish, the Italian, Portuguese and Turkish kids would get it too... Even tho' we were all white, we weren't the right kind of white... The Jamaican kids didn't get hassled cuz they were the toughest, African kids would get picked on, Asian kids probably got the worst of it, London in the 70s and 80s was no picnic, even if you were a little kid... I got beaten up loads of times for being a dago...

Anyway, I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to grow up around other cultures, I've always been very curious about the way other peoples live, what they eat, what their houses look like, how they interact as a family... Now I'm in Australia I really miss that vibrant mix of backgrounds mixing in the same community... Ironically, I think a lot of British people came here to get away from multicultural Britain, they left the white man's land to go to a stolen black man's land... Very odd indeed...

Let's hope something positive comes out of everything that's happening now, it's about fucking time black people were on an equal footing, let's make discrimination 100% illegal, let's make every policeman and woman 100% accountable for their actions, let's flush out racists and go to fucking war with them if we have to... Fuck the world the way it is now...

And while I'm here please support this...
https://ulurustatement.org/

PS I didn't mean to ramble on, apologies...

And I missed out the most important part... I'm white, although growing up wasn't as easy as it could've been, I'm still white, I'm not black...

I fully understand that doors opened for me because of my skin colour, I'm white and I'm male, the double whammy... The best head start you can get, I was poor but even poor and white gets more of a leg up than rich and black... If the face fits, right?

Fuck that...

I live in a very white part of Scotland yet these last couple of weeks have heard so much racist bullshit spouted. If there was ever proof for structural racism, it's where racism exists without any people from other races.

Anyway, I continue to argue with people but it feels futile.

grew up in and benefited massively from racist af apartheid SA. The natural conclusion of unchecked white supremacy. fuck that place, fuck that time and fuck everyone that perpetuated it for over 45 years, both locally and abroad.

" If it takes a voice, shout the truth. If it takes a hand, then hold them back. If it takes a fist, smash them down. Never Again."

Do you think your friends would have reacted in the same way if you had been less open to being challenged on your beliefs at the time?

Much to my shame, I wasn't actually open to being challenged on my beliefs at the time. I doubled down and argued why they were wrong. Difficult to admit, but that was 18 year old me.

Podcast from the new york times about the history of slavery and the ongoing effects.
Recommended by a friend, haven't listened to it yet, but I trust his judgement

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/01/23/podcasts/1619-podcast.html

Chappelle bringing 8:46 to the table.

Good on you for trying, but it seems to be hard for people to have understanding or even basic acknowledgement if they don't actually come across (m)any people who aren't white.

Having pontificated on 'my travels with white privilege' above, I think back to the only times when my existence could be anything tangentially approaching resistance and it's been when I've been the lone non-white. It's also sometimes remarkably, laughably (bitter kind of laugh) easy to affect people when they are confronted with you - a non-white person - as a sort of living rejection of their assumptions. I remember surreal conversations at different times with BNP supporters, Union Jack draped skinheads (not all skinheads), racist men in pubs (not all men etc) who all seemed kind of taken aback that I existed. This is of course much, much easier when they do not perceive you to be a threat, and when you yourself are not in fear of violence. (Which is of course less likely if you are black.)

Fortunately I never came across 18 year old 'Hedge. They sound like hard work.

I just bought Akala's book too!

Akala's interview from 2018 with James O'Brien - discusses issues in the book:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=atfVUgyEIOI

Akala's live Q&A from last week:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVEhBekLm9I

Both well worth a watch IMO.

Powerful

.https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jun/12/anti-racist-reading-lists-educating-ourselves-in-the-streets

There seems to be massive disparity between the Met Police and Avon & Somerset Police responsible for Bristol.

Jessie Tieti Mawutu was trampled by the police horse that bolted and was told she had no valid complaint. I hope she lawyers the fuck up.

https://twitter.com/wabayaab/status/1270488052197208064?s=21

My guy akala and afua hirsch need to be protected at all cost

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/the-bicycle-as-a-vehicle-of-protest?utm_source=pocket&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=pockethits

Became a fan of Akala when he spoke about Sean Rigg's death in custody at the hand of the police. Instant fan. Good advocate on the issues.

respect

I did a podcast on race in Britain you only need to listen to it for the 1st 20 minutes
https://www.portraitofalondoner.com/episodes/stephen-ismail-thomas-on-his-experiences-of-racism-in-the-uk-and-working-with-young-black-men

A very articulate and measured young man I have a of time for him