To Protest

I love a good protest. Hell, I love a bad one. Like those yahoos who put on their big-boy military cosplay outfits and “stormed” the state capitols all because they couldn’t (checks notes) get a haircut. LOL. Well, hey they were mostly (read: all) white people armed to the teeth. Nothing more American than that right? Like protesting! So American!

Then why do so many American’s seem to hate the idea of it?

Oh, they don’t call it protesting when they don’t like it. They call it rioting, looting, a bunch of other racially charged euphemisms that basically means the poors and people of color are getting theirs the same way the whites did: with violence and theft.

“Hang on, Matt,” you’re saying. “I’m a good whitey. I wave to black people. I got black friends. I never say the n-word. I even invited that black girl from work to my baby shower.” And hey, good for you, I guess. If that’s all you think it’s going to take to overturn four centuries of systemic prejudice and oppression, then, by all means, stop reading. Well done whitey, you’re off the hook.

The very first step for white people is to stop talking. Just shut up. You don’t and can’t ever understand the perspective of a minority in America. You can maybe imagine things but you don’t know what it’s like to be an outsider in your own home. You can find out if you want. Next Friday night, instead of going to the white movie theater (you know, the really ni$e one with the reclining seats) go to the black theater. Not sure where it is? Ask one of your many black friends. Still not sure? It’s the one you don’t feel safe going to and avoid. Yep, that one. Next Friday, go there (alone if you want the full effect) and see how it feels. Lots of eyes on you, staring, kinda like you don’t belong. Are they hostile? Is that anger or fear in their eyes? Or are you just paranoid?

That’s racial inequality at like 2%. Imagine that, all the time, every day, for your entire life. Every day you step outside you’re in that theater. Except now imagine that instead of pimple-faced ushers (if those even still exist) there are ushers with guns. And hey, you know they’ll use those guns. A friend of yours was killed by an usher. A cousin got picked up by an usher and messed up good.

Does this sound like a fun, movie-going experience?

OK. So, now we’re in agreement that as a whitey you (and also me, so WE) have no idea what it really is like to walk around in black skin. Or tan skin. Or caramel skin. And yeah there are different shades of white skin but get a life if reverse racism is the hill you want to die on. This is not a safe space for delusional white people.

Now, we can listen. What are our fellow citizens telling us? What have they been telling us? There is inequality. There is inequity. Similar concepts but critically different. There is police brutality. There is disenfranchisement. There are two Americas. This isn’t everything but it’s a good start towards empathy.

To recap: step 1, shut up. Step 2, listen. Step 3, believe them.

You think these protests are happening because of a myth? Or a misunderstanding? I find it sadly amusing when people wring their hands over a little bit of property damage and arson. It’s insured. It’ll be ok. Target will somehow find a way to continue doing business. You know what can’t be rebuilt? A human life.

Deep, yeah.

Back in the day, I protested as much as I could. See, there was this war criminal named W in office, and man was he a moron. Hahaha we didn’t think we could ever have a worse guy as president. The lesson as always: you never know the future holds. Anyways, we protested and the white power structures didn’t care for it. They created these… cages and called them “free speech zones”. I’ll leave you to parse out the irony in such a place. They wanted us all to herd into these areas to protest.

The author, in denim jacket and cool shades, protesting.

No, no, my friend, that’s not how it works. If a protest makes you feel safe and comfy and like everything is ok then, ahem, IT’S NOT A FUCKING PROTEST. There should be conflict at a protest. Yes, it’s dangerous. Cultural, revolutionary change is dangerous. Standing up to white supremacy isn’t easy or comfortable. And the white power structure isn’t going to cede their privilege at once. Cities will burn before that happens. Police will kill again. This is the way of the world.

Change doesn’t happen because you ask nicely for it. Look at how whitey got power. He didn’t ask for it. He put his boot on the neck of anyone in his way until he got his. He took land that was already settled. He took people into bondage so he didn’t have to work. He built prisons and passed laws to prevent and curtail any attempt at legitimate integration. Communities and families have been caught in an ongoing cycle of destruction and separation in this country since the 18th century. And now you’re upset when the outcome of all that oppression is a little fire?

Let the city burn. No justice. No peace. For anyone.