Code Pink Journals CodePINK Journals

Work 4 Peace,Hold All Life Sacred,Eliminate Violence! I am on my mobile version of the door-to-door, going town-to-town holding readings/gatherings/discussions of my book "But What Can I Do?" This is my often neglected blog mostly about my travels since 9/11 as I engage in dialogue and actions. It is steaming with my opinions, insights, analyses toward that end of holding all life sacred, dismantling the empire and eliminating violence while creating the society we want ALL to thrive in

Tuesday, July 07, 2020

Motivating white people beyond Black Lives Matter yard signs

Report back from tonight's zoom gathering for the nextdoor communities of East Atlanta Village, Grant Park, and surrounding neighborhoods.

Even though 17 mostly white womyn - and one man - expressed interest in participating, not one person from the neighborhoods showed up.

Two white womyn from out of state did come onto the call and we first talked about how to motivate white people beyond the easy, comfortable place of putting up Black Lives Matter yard signs and making posters to a more difficult commitment to actively challenging racism by venturing deep onto the path of an anti-racism journey through life.

Most of our discussion then centered around the topic of change: whether anything has really changed over the past 450 years or has just morphed into different ways and means of oppression.

On the one hand, saying "nothing has changed" is repeating the mantra of those in power who say we can't do anything to change, we are powerless, hopeless, whatever we do will never work.

On the other hand knowing that certainly not enough has ever changed over all the decades and centuries this country has been in existence except the methodology, certainly we must honor the work and sacrifices of ancestors and present-day peace and justice-loving shera and hero warriors.

Now the gross injustice and violence of racism, misogyny, war has become unmasked to many of those white people previously blind and silent, which helps fuel our determination to change, to be anti-racist, pro-justice.

In conclusion, we discussed what revolution is necessary to foment real change, renewed our determination to find like-minded folks willing to tear down racism, tear down sexism, end white and male violence, to work to create the space necessary for a just country to be born, a society built on valuing and protecting all beings, honoring the sacredness of Mother Earth's life.

We will try again to invite the local Atlanta nextdoor neighborhood to the next zoom gathering in two Tuesdays, Tuesday July 21st 6pm

Next steps for white womyn smashing racism

White womyn know part of our privilege is to.pick & choose not only IF but also WHEN we are going to see, recognize,  acknowledge racism along with the greatest privilege of all, ACT to smash racism.

So now we've stared in utmost horror watching police brutality from our protected seats at the screen, we've thrown up our Black Lives Matter yard signs, maybe marched in a few demos (the 'peaceful' understood/demanded/required of protestors...), maybe even risked arrest & rubber bullets.

But now, as energy wanes, as demands to return to the hunk of the amerikkkan nitemare we've been singled out & anointed with by birth, what choices will we make?

I am going to have to postpone at least my presence in our coming up bi-weekly zoom gatherings this & next Wednesday as well as this Saturday, until Saturday July 19th when I will be able to restart again. The room & time will still be there if folks want to jump on in without me, which I would love if this could happen.

In the meantime, IF white womyn are vigilantly committed to placing our bodies & beings on the path to smashing racism through our anti-racism actions, please continue or create your anti-racism journal.

This coming week's suggested action assignments to record & institute daily:

One thing you did today to combat racism on a personal level & one opportunity you missed to combat racism on a personal level.

One thing you did today to witness & listen to the voice(s) of Black womyn & one thing you did to support the life(ves) of Black womyn.

One thing you did today to smash racism on an institutional level & one thing you failed to do to smash racism on an institutional level.

One thing you did to increase your understanding of white privilege & one thing you did to benefit from your white privilege.