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In reply to the discussion: Silence Makes White People Racist [View all]Nye Bevan
(25,406 posts)18. "White voices dominate Bay Area protests of racial inequality"
With each new demonstration against the killings of unarmed black men by white police in Missouri and New York, questions and in many cases, objections proliferate about the role of white voices in a movement that centers on African Americans grievances.
The issue arose out of protests in Oakland, Berkeley and San Francisco where, night after night, there were more whites than blacks. Some black leaders say they are spending their energy organizing for action away from the streets. Others believe some African Americans are afraid to participate in protests in which small fringe mobs turn violent putting black people in danger of the very thing theyre protesting, attacks by police.
The sentiment was forcefully articulated in a widely distributed Tumblr post this week in which an unnamed, apparently African American poster wrote: Dear white protesters, this is NOT about you, and urged whites to hand over the bullhorn to a Black person (because your voice doesnt need a bullhorn to be heard ...).
And it erupted Tuesday on the steps of Old City Hall in Berkeley, when City Councilman Kriss Worthington, who is white, was repeatedly interrupted as he denounced aggressive police before a crowd of protesters. Let a black person talk! one yelled. Weve heard from enough Caucasian men! yelled another. Worthington handed the mike over to Councilman Jesse Arreguin, who is Latino and after similar heckling, the megaphone was passed to a black UC Berkeley student who was warmly welcomed.
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/White-voices-dominate-Bay-Area-protests-of-racial-5953977.php
The issue arose out of protests in Oakland, Berkeley and San Francisco where, night after night, there were more whites than blacks. Some black leaders say they are spending their energy organizing for action away from the streets. Others believe some African Americans are afraid to participate in protests in which small fringe mobs turn violent putting black people in danger of the very thing theyre protesting, attacks by police.
The sentiment was forcefully articulated in a widely distributed Tumblr post this week in which an unnamed, apparently African American poster wrote: Dear white protesters, this is NOT about you, and urged whites to hand over the bullhorn to a Black person (because your voice doesnt need a bullhorn to be heard ...).
And it erupted Tuesday on the steps of Old City Hall in Berkeley, when City Councilman Kriss Worthington, who is white, was repeatedly interrupted as he denounced aggressive police before a crowd of protesters. Let a black person talk! one yelled. Weve heard from enough Caucasian men! yelled another. Worthington handed the mike over to Councilman Jesse Arreguin, who is Latino and after similar heckling, the megaphone was passed to a black UC Berkeley student who was warmly welcomed.
http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/White-voices-dominate-Bay-Area-protests-of-racial-5953977.php
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Yes, unfairly accusing me of disgusting behavior that I should be ashamed of is nice and friendly.
Vattel
Jan 2015
#42
You said, "It is racism that you are defending. And it is disgusting and you should be ashamed."
Vattel
Jan 2015
#45
You're carrying water for an open racist who stalked and murdered a young man
Scootaloo
Jan 2015
#140
You should be ashamed---murder one was clearly called for, and should have been charged.
msanthrope
Jan 2015
#223
The only thing I am sure of is that I don't know whether Martin attacked Zimmerman.
Vattel
Jan 2015
#210
So what evidence do you have to prove Trayvon guilty beyond a reasonable doubt?
Bjorn Against
Jan 2015
#26
And the fact that a person can take away another's right to a fair trial is a grave injustice
Bjorn Against
Jan 2015
#74
With all due respect, you have no understanding of the concept of self-defense,
branford
Jan 2015
#156
How about stalked? What Zimmerman was doing was very close to stalking. Follows him in a car
jwirr
Jan 2015
#96
A nation of laws that favor one race. We do not advocate for equal justice. I think it was JFK who
jwirr
Jan 2015
#230
I recognize the truth in you last paragraph but states like Fla make laws that can be interpreted
jwirr
Jan 2015
#226
Absolutely. All we need to do is take a look at the trivial actions that are seen as having a death
jwirr
Jan 2015
#234
Care to comment on Eric Garner or Michael Brown.....................................................
sheshe2
Jan 2015
#27
The killers of Garner should have been indicted. The level of violence was absurd.
Vattel
Jan 2015
#40
The racist system of laws that we all lived under have determined their deaths to be justifiable...
MrScorpio
Jan 2015
#257
If Trayvon Martin had been white, GZ would be on death row in FL right now.
notadmblnd
Jan 2015
#227
I will say it straight out, Zimmerman defenders are a bunch of racist shitstains
Bjorn Against
Jan 2015
#8
That's the problem with making it legal for people like Zimmerman to carry guns,
Nye Bevan
Jan 2015
#60
The problem is people think a gunner's right to kill outweighs every last one of the victim's rights
Bjorn Against
Jan 2015
#63
"only a racist would believe it is acceptable to shoot down unarmed black people"
Nye Bevan
Jan 2015
#64
And you have offered no evidence that Trayvon's death or the trial outcome involved race. nt
MadDAsHell
Jan 2015
#81
When a seemingly credible witness stated that Trayvon Martin was on top of Zimmerman,
Nye Bevan
Jan 2015
#36
I think we all, including the jurors, realize that Zimmerman's behavior was despicable.
Nye Bevan
Jan 2015
#41
Nope, some jurors thought GZ had his heart in the right place when he profiled TM for being a
bettyellen
Jan 2015
#44
You refuse to acknowledge the racism in both the trial and the jury room....
bettyellen
Jan 2015
#70
OK, if after all that you still believe I am "making excuses for systematic racism",
Nye Bevan
Jan 2015
#79
I would run away as fast as I could, zig-zagging to make me a harder target to hit (nt)
Nye Bevan
Jan 2015
#82
If for some reason I couldn't run, I would probably put my hands up and beg for mercy. (nt)
Nye Bevan
Jan 2015
#88
+1! I agree with you that Zimmerman defenders are a bunch of racist shitstains.
Enthusiast
Jan 2015
#275
I am not saying he did testify, but his defense was still based on "he had it coming"
Bjorn Against
Jan 2015
#114
Oh, she. Don't you know that racism will go away the SECOND that people just stop talking about it?
Number23
Jan 2015
#12
As President of the Sheshe2 Fan Club, I have to say that your question is out of line.
Major Hogwash
Jan 2015
#149
I agree, it's not the best way to make friends. So, I don't see the reasoning behind it.
Major Hogwash
Jan 2015
#181
Why is it "taking over"? How often do whites outnumber blacks at a klan march? Always.
7962
Jan 2015
#59
Why do you confuse domination with participation? Seems like a very easy thing to understand.
bettyellen
Jan 2015
#48
The issue is that by their very nature, protests of this sort are hard to micro-manage,
Nye Bevan
Jan 2015
#50
Do you honestly think people are trying to micro-manage how many of each race attend a protest?
Bjorn Against
Jan 2015
#54
Nope. No one said anything about the numbers supporting- just the urge to speak for POC as
bettyellen
Jan 2015
#68
If you "listen and do not talk", you are silent. And "silence makes white people racist",
Nye Bevan
Jan 2015
#122
Trayvon Martin was targeted and pursued by predator Zimmerman. He was an innocent child & the loss
appalachiablue
Jan 2015
#65
Which is why it is essential that we criticize the racists who lack reasoning and logic.
Bjorn Against
Jan 2015
#102
I did not expect you would be able to understand, I think others can see it however.
Bjorn Against
Jan 2015
#116
Unfortunately, a lot of the work of the 60s/70s racial and social justice movements has been undone
YoungDemCA
Jan 2015
#133
to be silent in the face of injustice is to be an accomplice (think Nazi Germany)
napkinz
Jan 2015
#185
Mahalo for these vital truths from xojane, she.. exactly what Martin Luther King was saying all
Cha
Jan 2015
#194
Thanks, BtA.. I had just changed it when I reread it before.. clicking on your post.
Cha
Jan 2015
#197
Arriving late to the conversation.. a thought to those posters feeling darned if they do or don't...
salin
Jan 2015
#219
I agree that silence in the face of any social injustice could be regarded as tacit complicity
whatchamacallit
Jan 2015
#252
The OP makes the claim that white silence to injustice suffered by people of color is de facto racism
whatchamacallit
Jan 2015
#256
A good start would have been to stick to the issue addressed by the OP instead...
Spazito
Jan 2015
#267