Brief Report Back Saturday 10/17 Zoom Gathering "What Will White Womyn Do To End Racism?"

Tone, behavior, word, feeling policing by whites of Black people were all on the screen today. We discussed things like deciding what is a “riot” and what is a “revolution”; what is “violence” and what is “peaceful”; what is “minority” and what is “majority”; what is “crime” and what is “rewarded”; what is “effective” and what is “real”. And then the values attached to those decisions. 

Being aware of our language and the values inherent in our word choices dominated this week’s zoom. Speaking again about the need to get over the denial and barrier of simply admitting all white people are racist, so we can get down to the work of identifying the ways in which we carry the weapon of racism around with us and how we are going to disarm that weapon whenever possible.

In our journey to honing our skills at confronting racism especially amongst family, neighbors, facebook friends, we spoke of many ways to speak with the white person who expresses distain and fear of Black Lives Matters protestors and perpetuates the stereotypes and devaluing attributed to protestors while lauding police.

And in our goal to smashing racism, are we focused on changing feelings or eliminating behaviors? Or both?

One tactic in eliminating behaviors is to let white people know they cannot use that kind of language in your presence. Another is to ask if they are sure they have the correct facts and if so, how do they know? Like the ‘fact’ that protestors are targeting small businesses. Figuring our what are white expectations of how Black people should address racism? Asking white people how they think Black people should respond to police violence, to racism, to alerting white people to the fact that Black people are being targeted by racism?

Asking white people if it was your child, your mother….

For more facts and information, watch Kimberly Jones break down those facts and information in her youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llci8MVh8J4

And how come if we think “all lives matter” white people do not see Aiyana Jones or Breonna Taylor or Kathryn Johnston as our granddaughter, our daughter, our grandmother and how their lives did NOT matter?  

One white womon brought up a post she saw by a Black man disparaging BLM and urging people not to support that movement. She questioned both how to address that man and how to figure out what Black movements are ‘legitimate’ and ‘earn’ our support. After discussing the different ways in which racism impacts those targeted by racism, especially the tactic of divide and conquer and again, do white people have to ‘right’ to judge how Black people respond to racism? Or is not questioning part of our racism?

One path is further exploring what this man means by asking him to say more. Who is using BLM movement? What exactly is he saying, that he believes BLM is a gullible movement, that Black people should not be in the streets?

But the bottom line is the fact the BLACK LIVES MATTER! That is what is important, that is the message, that is the fight.

And white people need to step back and support BLACK LIVES MATTER. Period. It’s not about strategy, methodology, organizations – but it’s about BLACK LIVES MATTER!

Several book resources were mentioned today: “Your Body Is Not An Apology” by Sonya Renee Taylor; “Caste” by Isabel Wilkerson; “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” by Rebecca Skloot

We continue this vital discussion and strategizing actions in our next weekly zoom gathering every Saturday 3pm pacific, 6pm east coast time.