Creating resistance between all of us is exactly what keeps us from moving forward here. Regardless of how uncomfortable it might be, we need to recognise that our ancestors pillaged and decimated lands and ancient cultures to create these beloved and so-called “civilised” societies we find ourselves in today… and it goes on (hello medical and technological “progress”).
We have created societies that so happen to be destroying our planet and all of its diversity along the way. These very societies were built using the free, or “cheap” labour of our enslaved brothers and sisters. We can only move forward by integrating that, looking at it, admitting it and working together to change it, there’s no other way around it.
See the history that was written by those who were oppressed, listen, learn their pain. We cannot deny their lives, their voices, their anger and certainly not for property’s sake. We wouldn’t even know what is being called “civilisation” if it wasn’t for this uncomfortable past, so start getting to terms with what made our society. There is no neutrality when it involves human life, after all, you are one aren’t you, a person?
To deny oppressed people a voice, a place in a system that has always and continues to push them down is not civilised, or human. I think we need to think deeper with these magnificent human brains.
What is an anarchist? Someone that accepts the responsibility of choice.
Think about it, if all of this stuff isn’t just staged media fodder, it certainly is alarming that the people rioting and destroying accept the responsibility, feeling they have no other option but to risk the consequences of their choices? Wouldn’t a civilised society be more concerned with integrating that, and healing it, instead of dominating, and whitewashing it because it’s messy and uncomfortable?
Until we can accept where we all came from, black, white and everything in between, none of us can move forward. So please, if only to prove me or someone else wrong, please relearn history, learn where we came from. Until you can get comfortable with how uncomfortable that is, nothing will ever change. We need you, so please check your privilege and try again.
I don’t own a television. I don’t watch the cinematic news of our times. I do obviously have social media, and the opinions of those I like to flee from occasionally do find their way in front of my eyes.
It’s true that I cannot stand to see, hear, learn of yet another person who is maintaining that they care more about property, and “order”, than the lives of those dying all over the planet at the hands of our broken and farcical “protective” services and systems.
What’s your opinion? Are you criticising those who are in the thick of it, when you haven’t, or when you can’t even begin to imagine being in their position? Please stop and ask yourself why you do yourself like that?
First, relearn about your position in this reality and how you got there. Rather than regurgitating the opinions fed to you through mainstream media, learn about the “others” position in this reality, and certainly why these events are still taking place today, and how to evolve from them.
Doing anything but learning more and speaking up, in whatever way makes sense to you, is consent. There is no other way around it. Your ignorance and silence is acceptance of toxic, damaging discourse and behaviour that undermines the liberty of all of us and our children.
Obviously, you don’t have to riot, or burn anything (except some sage maybe), unless you want to that is, but at least get familiar with the nuance between “not racist” and anti-racist and learn more about the system you are upholding otherwise.
The riots and “looting” are not extreme by any shot. If you really want to know what is fucked up and extreme, truly relearn the history of our “great” nations but not from the dominant view we were taught, from the point of view of those who were (are) displaced, of those who were (are) enslaved, and of those who built (build) and work for our “great” nations still.
Becca from @thesweetfeminist hit the nail on the head: “We have no business telling anyone that is systematically and constantly terrorised by white supremacist power structures, how to demand accountability and express their pain, anger and fear.”
If nothing else, remember at the very least this; what we do to others, we do to ourselves.
🌍
Updated 10th December 2021