It’s time to collectively raise our voices loud and clear and protest that we are Americans, united, and we will not stand for being terrorized or threatened by our own government – local, state, or federal.
I never thought I’d utter words like that. And I went to Kent State, so I know something about it.
At the time, the Nixon administration had just bombed Cambodia, an escalation of the raging Vietnam War that had already snuffed out thousands of lives. So students at KSU organized a protest. It was angry, but mostly peaceful.
Remember, we had the draft by lottery and it was only through luck that a young man would not be called. (Only men were subject to it.) Or by connections. The wealthy and well-connected could gain access to a disqualifying medical diagnosis or could choose to serve in a cushy assignment.
So the rest of America’s sons took up that slack. The war had been viewed skeptically for some time. Families were alarmed. My own parents, concerned about my brother, were thinking of how they’d send him to Canada rather than to war.
Back to Kent… the governor of Ohio called in the National Guard and they fired on the crowd. 13 unarmed students were shot, 4 of them killed. These soldiers were kids, too.
The horror and outrage were immediate and the protests exploded across the country. Colleges and universities had to shut down for the spring semester. It accelerated the end of the Vietnam war.
Can you see the parallels today?
Black people are being killed by government actors in a senseless, forever war. They are terrified and angry and our government and certain factions of it have not only been unaccountable, but they have ordered law enforcement to fire on and otherwise threaten peaceful protests. This in itself could be construed as an effort by our country’s leaders to declare war on their own citizens. (Do not be fooled: just because they used non-lethal means does not make it any less terrifying.)
This related development has outraged and mobilized people who might not otherwise have been motivated to participate.
Add to all this the concurrent war with coronavirus, which severely complicates the act of protest.
3 wars. All bound together. It is a profound moment.
In a functioning democracy, protest is a way of making clear to those in power that we will not stand for their actions. That they work for us, not the other way around. The more voices that are heard, the more the protest messages are amplified.
The most significant protests concern life and death. Both eras had this in common.
For a protest to be successful and change-making, it must have a simple and singular message. In the 70s, it was “Stop the war!” Today, it’s “Stop killing Black people!”
A protest needs leaders that are respected. They emerged slowly then as people became persuaded of the righteousness of the cause. They are emerging slowly now as they are persuaded of the righteousness of this cause.
A protest needs people to come out in great numbers. There wasn’t a global pandemic happening in the 1970s. Today, Covid-19 is, no doubt, suppressing the numbers. It’s an awful and confounding confluence of events causing people to ask, “Do I risk my life by staying away and allowing the status quo to continue or do I risk my life by protesting?”
Finally, for protest to result in change, it has to be sustained. In a world where every hour brings “breaking news,” we have whiplash. We don’t know where to look. This will not end. In fact, it’s a strategy to throw us off balance and prevent change. But real change requires nonstop, continuous focus. Protesters must therefore be able to ignore the efforts to change the subject and apply pressure that never lets up.
My friend, Melissa, told me in addition to being outraged and terrified, Black people are tired. A Washington Post article quoted a 64-year old white protester who summed it up well:
“I think the Black community has carried it largely alone for too long.”
Time for the rest of us to pick up the slack. It is a daunting responsibility and I don’t know how this story ends. But here is the truth:
We are in an emergency and attention must be paid.
Thank you for your words today. Yes, we need to use our white privilege for change, as some have said. I agree. And, yes, I agree, “We are in an emergency and attention must be paid.”
For protests to happen in our little tiny town of 10,000 was a great cheer of gratitude to those that stepped up to protest.
This will not end w/o CHANGE – real CHANGE.
Seriously, still killing black people because ‘they can’ is so wrong. So many have gone before George Floyd…their names would fill not only the front page of the New York Times, but the complete paper.
So many, Terri. Thanks for your comments. Stay well.
Really? How many? Why not list their names here?
Too many to list here.
Thank you Ruth for sharing your truth.
We white people of privilege MUST respond to racialized Trauma and protest loudly and peacefully and support our black and brown brothers and sisters.
I too am so grateful for those who are out there. I’m concerned about Covid. I haven’t found my answer s yet – I will because my eyes are open.
Thanks, Alyse. Everyone must work from their own truth. Having conversations is important. Thanks for commenting.
Some comments sent to me by email… Here’s the first:
People have the right to peaceful protest.
They do not have the right to burn and loot private property or persons.
Law enforcement sitting back and not protecting the businesses and property is no better than anarchy.
I too remember the Vietnam war. My father was a Captain in the Navy and served several tours of duty in Vietnam.
I remember protesters spitting on him.
I have a different perspective and we all form our reality based on our own experiences.
Where are the protesters for innocent children being sold into sex slavery?
Where are the protestors for innocents being killed by drunk drivers?
Causes are relative.
Two wrongs don’t make a right.
There are facts and there are opinions.
Fact: the United States is NOT a democracy- thank God for that!
Benjamin Franklin very wisely stated:
“Democracy is when two wolves and one lamb vote for what’s for dinner.”
We are a constitutional Republic.
This is well put. There are a lot of folks out there, many within our immediate reach who still need to be persuaded to act. We all need to do the work of confronting daily racism around us so those who are subjected to it don’t have to.
It really is a war. Great comparison.
Thanks for your comment, Lily. And all kinds of other isms.
Here’s another emailed comment (spelling intact):
Sorry, Ruth, there is nothing dignified or nobile about deliberate looting and destruction. This is not a protest… this is a planned take-over by Marxists groups labeled under a noble cause by a corrupt Marxist media… and they will fail.
And another:
What u protest — u r creating!
U are unaware… and misguided!!!
And another:
Protesters Disinformation
Hundreds of Blacks are kill every year in Blue States like Chicago by brown people.
BLM never protested this abuse run by their Democratic Mayors or Governors.
When one insane White police officer, kills a Black man and the whole world goes Crazy.
We understand why protestors protest this horrific murder, but to riot, destroy property, and kill police is all so insane.
What really going on. George Floyd murder was exploited by Organized paid terrorist that used the Blacks to do their dirty work and take the blame Where is BLM when it comes to Exploitation of Blacks.
Blacks have always been abused. Blacks are exploited for fame and fortune.
The exploiters live a lavish lifestyle while their Black followers live in poverty.
The exploiters always claim they fight for Black injustice. Where is the proof?
These same Exploiters for the last 50 years always tell Blacks their time is coming.
Before Blacks vote 2020, Black’s need to ask Joe Biden, What are you going to do for us?, How and when are you going to do it. Joe may tell you that you are not Black enough.
Joe is one of the biggest Black Exploiters. Joe is right when he says 10 to 15% are bad people.
The 10 to 15% he is referring to are the Exploiters in the House of Congress
Modern day slavery. Exploiters use Color-coding and entitlements for people of color. Color-coding keeps racism alive and entitlements keep them in their place.
Exploiters game is on a perpetual merry go round of Hopes and Promises. Exploiters will never deliver what they promise.
Exploiters make $ billions on racism and entitlements
Protesters who want the Democratic Mayors and Governors to defund their police departments.
Defunding the police gives the wrong message. The message should be loud and clear reorganized everything.
Reorganized our State ,Cities and Towns. Most elected officials are incompetent they waste or steal billions. We spent six trillions of dollars on a invisible virus.
We certainly can fix what is right in front us. Reorganized America is right thing to do.
Another emailed comment:
I think we need to ditch the violence
the premeditated, organized riots and destruction are a threat to many and if we strived to work together in decency it would be better.
This is how the Bolsheviks took over Russia with bad results for many.
The protestors knew where to hit stealing thousands of guns and ammo, stealing $$$ to fund their cause while the sheep carried out the big screens.
Never thought I’d see our country destroyed from within
The whole event is promoting racism itself
please unsubscribe me from your mail
promoting violence like we have just seen is not my thing
If the protestors were so concerned why didn’t they help fix the neighborhoods in the last 12 years?
Thank you for using your platform to share this message. I can see from the comments that you will reach a different audience – whether they want to hear or not. This is so helpful and needed.
Thank you, Melissa. Wouldn’t have been able to send it without your edits. xo
To protest is indeed part of the fabric of our form of governance.
However, looting, burning, and other forms of violence cannot be tolerated. I do believe black lives matter, including the countless black babies that end up in dumpsters and the young blacks that endlessly end up in the morgue because of the violence in their neighborhoods.
If we used the energy spent on the burning of neighborhoods to improve life in the inner city I think you’d be astounded. I’m not sure hatred has ever been an effective agent for change. Martin Luther King would be shocked.
We will never end bigotry and hatred in this life, but in this country, the ideal is equal OPPORTUNITY (not equal outcome) and equal protection under the law. We should all be trying to make that happen.
Hey Dale, First, thanks for your comments.
I did not – and do not – condone violence. In all the protesting for change I’ve seen, there have always been dumbos and opportunists and bad actors. The vast majority of these current protesters are peaceful. I don’t see hatred. Lots of anger, for sure. Never seen a happy protest. I have no idea what MLK would have thought, other than he wouldn’t have condoned violence.
And I totally agree with you that equal opportunity and protection are the ideal we should all get behind.
One group makes allowances for “just a few bad apples” while pointing to a few looted stores as being a worse problem. They admit that violence in the protests is caused, not by the noble disenfranchised, but by opportunists.
Yet it is verifiable that our cities’ and towns’ police are weaponized for war. Are we a people that prides itself on controlling its citizens through military hegemony?
Even police agree that they are asked to do too much. They are asked to be social workers and soldiers, but most of their short training is focused on techniques of subjugation and intimidation. They are the common person’s only access to both judicial and executive justice.
If it truly is a war, then only one side is prepared.
Well-put, Dolf. Thanks for youe eloquent comments.