(no subject)
It's 50 degrees so I was wearing a hoodie when I was out and about, hood up and hands tucked halfway into the sleeves, only this is a Statement now. I've gotten nods, grins, a couple of fist bumps. I'm wearing a hoodie and I'm not afraid to look my fellow pedestrians and bus riders in the eye, regardless of race, and this is a statement. It fucking shouldn't be.
I'm deeply ashamed of my people -- my country, my race. And I'm very, very scared of how things are going to play out through the rest of this year and beyond. Trayvon Martin was a "thug" and Rue's death "wasn't that sad" and I don't understand how people can think that way, I don't understand how people can live that way. I feel sick. My god, if you do have the occasional racially prejudiced thought, you should feel shame, and check yourself, and correct your thinking. Don't fucking act like it's no big deal, or worse yet like it's funny, or worst of all like you've been wronged. Suzanne Collins, I salute you. Geraldo Rivera, go fuck yourself. Trayvon Martin, may you rest in peace.
And what does this mean for our Black president in an election year when the opposing candidate wants to undo women's liberation and probably all the rest of the social progress that's taken place in the past 50 years? Racism is a scary thing in the US and it's frighteningly alive and present and ugly. And whatever happens in November there's a terrifying potential for violent protest from one quarter or another, and sometimes I hate this country.
How to divert attention from gay marriage and Occupy Wall Street? Attack reproductive freedom and treat people of color like they're not really people.
For the first time I'm understanding, really understanding, what my ex-hippie dad tried to explain when I was an idealistic 15-year-old with a lady-boner for the 1960s: it wasn't romantic, it was freaking scary because people were angry and you don't know what was going to happen or who was going to come out ahead.
This rant was all powerful and articulate in my head on my walk home and now it's just rambling, but I'm gonna post it anyway because you all should know where I stand on this.
I consider myself anti-racist. I consider myself a white ally. If I ever do come off as racist, or bigoted in any other way, please do call me out on it. I happen to think these things should go without saying, but given some of the bullshit white people say and do, I'm gonna make it clear right now. So. There it is. If that's a problem for you, there's an "unfriend" button at the top of the page.
I'm deeply ashamed of my people -- my country, my race. And I'm very, very scared of how things are going to play out through the rest of this year and beyond. Trayvon Martin was a "thug" and Rue's death "wasn't that sad" and I don't understand how people can think that way, I don't understand how people can live that way. I feel sick. My god, if you do have the occasional racially prejudiced thought, you should feel shame, and check yourself, and correct your thinking. Don't fucking act like it's no big deal, or worse yet like it's funny, or worst of all like you've been wronged. Suzanne Collins, I salute you. Geraldo Rivera, go fuck yourself. Trayvon Martin, may you rest in peace.
And what does this mean for our Black president in an election year when the opposing candidate wants to undo women's liberation and probably all the rest of the social progress that's taken place in the past 50 years? Racism is a scary thing in the US and it's frighteningly alive and present and ugly. And whatever happens in November there's a terrifying potential for violent protest from one quarter or another, and sometimes I hate this country.
How to divert attention from gay marriage and Occupy Wall Street? Attack reproductive freedom and treat people of color like they're not really people.
For the first time I'm understanding, really understanding, what my ex-hippie dad tried to explain when I was an idealistic 15-year-old with a lady-boner for the 1960s: it wasn't romantic, it was freaking scary because people were angry and you don't know what was going to happen or who was going to come out ahead.
This rant was all powerful and articulate in my head on my walk home and now it's just rambling, but I'm gonna post it anyway because you all should know where I stand on this.
I consider myself anti-racist. I consider myself a white ally. If I ever do come off as racist, or bigoted in any other way, please do call me out on it. I happen to think these things should go without saying, but given some of the bullshit white people say and do, I'm gonna make it clear right now. So. There it is. If that's a problem for you, there's an "unfriend" button at the top of the page.