Politics
ignorance ain’t all that bliss: the necessary conversation on freddie gray, the baltimore uprising, social media and social justice
Whenever racial tensions peak in America is when I really know who are my ride or dies when it comes to discussing social justice on social media. Since Ferguson, I’ve had to engage in constant purges of deleting “friends” who were saying the most ignorant shit to where I almost wanted to just go find their parents, former teachers, hell even God, and ask what happened…where did we go wrong.
By KiNG, AFROPUNK Contributor
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“Looky here, America
What you done done-
Let things drift
Until the riots come.” – Langston Hughes
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I think many of us neglect to realize we get A LOT of our news from social media (I am guilty of this at times). Facebook, for instance, is the one avenue to connect with a multitude of people at one time and keep up with current events…it’s almost like reading a newspaper except your friends are pointing at which articles to focus on. While this admittedly can be a beautiful thing- to have community foster at the touch of your fingers whilst engaging in proper dialogue about “taboo” topics. However, what can come from this is a) misinformation b) an abundance of bullshit c) people choosing HOW they want to be aware, consequently causing them to live in a bubble of ignorance.
One of the more frustrating things I have seen on Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr are people calling the rioters and protestors in Baltimore “degenerates” or “poor examples” for black people- which ultimately was what prompted me to write this article…because some of y’all are severely misinformed or just a little…confused.
Dr. Martin Luther King once said, “…a riot is the language of the unheard,” which is exactly what manifested in Baltimore as provoked by external sources. With that being said, let us take the time to realize how rioting is only considered “vulgar” and “violent” when it is centered around black people/ racism. We have neglected the hundreds of times where white people rioting has been considered “revolutionary” – if you need help with your history, start at the Boston Tea Party then work your way forward.
Continuing on this tangent of white people and history… I’m going to really need something from y’all white people… stay with me, have a moment of patience, and try to understand that it is very hard for me to take your opinion on how race related riots should be peaceful, should be flood of calm, how black people should be less angry, less volatile, seriously because OF COURSE it is easy for you all to say this when you are the prototype of what living peacefully in America looks like.
I will say this and I honestly don’t care who comes trying to check me. You guys do not know struggle on the same level as minorities in America. You just don’t. And it’s fine. I know some of you guys want to act like you do sometimes. But you don’t. Even if you grew up queer, in poverty, and so on and so forth- you don’t know the struggle to the extent of a black person experiencing the same exact thing. Please know, this isn’t to minimize your life journey or your plight but this is a demand for you to stop EQUATING your struggle to ours (as evident in shit like “The Whiteness Project”).
Now, we appreciate those of you who choose to be allies. It is truly meaningful and necessary that there are those of you who utilize their privilege for the better. However, if you are choosing to be an ally, guess what? You do not get to be at the forefront of this movement, you are not the spokesperson for “the minority struggle,” you are just… An ally. Your voice is welcomed but it is not allowed to drown out the most necessary ones.
I am only 21 but I am consistently tired of using my voice to explain the same things OVER and over again while tip toe’ing around “feelings,” when there is a blatant disregard for our lives on a daily basis. I am allowed to be angry, I will never condone the harm of others nor slander/libel, however I am allowed to express my grief. We. As. Black. People. Are. Allowed. And. Are. Entitled. To. Do. So. I become extremely frustrated when people attempt to “police” my feelings or my reactions because I care more about broken necks than broken storefront windows. I am not going to silence myself to cater to anyone’s desire to feel more comfortable.
We need to understand, the root of all misunderstanding in these matters comes from a lack of misinformation; however, in this day and age, it is also a CHOICE to live in a state of blissful ignorance. One of the most dangerous forms of racism is pretending it doesn’t exist. If you are online right now, unfollowing and/or unfriending people who are reposting pictures/writing status updates of the Baltimore protests and news on Freddie Gray, you are racist. If you want everyone to “get over it”, you are racist. If you are willfully ignoring protests of a system that murders black people freely, and instead focusing ALL your energy on what photo from your study abroad to make your profile picture or some plot twist on a fictional show about white people or what racially ambiguous model (because that type of pretty is easier to swallow) is wearing what ever the hell type of clothing brand, you are contributing to… wait a minute… give me a second to think…. oh yeah…
R A C I S M
This is 2015. We have access to more information at the touch of a fingertip than any other living beings in history. If you aren’t seeing news on Freddie Gray’s murder, if you haven’t BEEN seeing ANY news about the countless black lives taken every day, YOU have made it that way; there are no excuses to justify your ignorance. We, as a country, need to place racial matters at the forefront of our agenda rather than sweep them under a rug now soaked in blood. As poet and educator, Javon Johnson, says best, “if another country killed “Americans” at the rate that police kill Blacks y’all would demand war.” We may not be members of the judicial branch, we may not be members of the Senate or House of Representatives, but we are citizens, and we are entitled to demand the Constitution be applied to us: “We the people of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity…”
So now, with that being said, I beg of you to please be aware of the media you are consuming. Be watchful for symbols of hatred in tv shows, video games, music, and literature. Be aware of the violent misogyny and the subtle misogyny in Game of Thrones, in top 40 lyrics, in John Green books, in Urban Outfitters, in your facebook “friend’s” status updates. Recognize racism for what it is. But beyond that. Recognize transphobia for what it is. Recognize homophobia for what it is. Recognize patriarchy for what it is. Recognize this broken system for what it is. Call out micro-aggressions as you see them publicly and do so loudly. Call out victim blaming. Slut shaming. Racial slurring. Call out the downplay of having privilege. There is no room for comfort for those who can’t breathe. For those who can’t exist without their existence being questioned. Understand being socially aware, being socially conscious, being an advocate for social justice and change isn’t only about tagging something with #blacklivesmatter and posting pictures with inspirational quotes and/or depressing statistics beneath- it is a constant, exhausting effort that requires you to consistently question your society, question your culture, question your peers, question your family, and most of all, question yourself. Never stop asking questions. Never stop demanding answers.
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* KiNG is a 21 year old gender fluid, bisexual, biracial, spoken word poet, as well as co-founder of SLiM Poetry (an open mic at the Container Yard in the Arts District). Through writing and performing, I seek to create dialogue and develop a rapport with readers/audience members. I also intend to shatter stigma pertaining to mental health, feminism, racism, and anything social justice related as well as encourage creative communities to integrate and innovate.
Instagram: @king.among.men
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