mykyta_p (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
mprotsenko) wrote2020-09-26 11:52 pm
mprotsenko) wrote2020-09-26 11:52 pm
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Why don't they stop the violence themselves?
Why don't they stop the violence themselves with protests?
That's a question about BLM protesters (and other protesters) that I hear a lot. I literally just commented on that in malyj_gorgan's post.
And then I asked myself - why is it a "them against us" question? It is a false dichotomy. You want to say that rioters and looters are black? Well, significant part of them are white. On top of that we got white Proud Boys, Boogaloo, you name it. These folks actually beat and kill people - that's way worse than robbing a store. (The latter is not beneath white folks, too.)
Why don't we do anything to stop WHITE violence and riots? We have two options here.
1) Maybe it cannot be stopped with protests - only with counter-violence. Then maybe we shouldn't require other people perform a useless and dangerous task (and we shouldn't blame them for not doing it).
2) Or maybe it can be stopped by protests. (I highly doubt that but hey, "show me that it works and how it works".) Then what of us? Who are we, the people who don't protest the violence of our own people?
Of course you can say:
- Hey, those Boogaloo Bois are not "my people", I am not responsible for them, it is not my job to stop them or spend significant portion of my time publicly denouncing them.
But how come that BLM is responsible for rioters then? Can anybody explain that paradox to me?
That's a question about BLM protesters (and other protesters) that I hear a lot. I literally just commented on that in malyj_gorgan's post.
And then I asked myself - why is it a "them against us" question? It is a false dichotomy. You want to say that rioters and looters are black? Well, significant part of them are white. On top of that we got white Proud Boys, Boogaloo, you name it. These folks actually beat and kill people - that's way worse than robbing a store. (The latter is not beneath white folks, too.)
Why don't we do anything to stop WHITE violence and riots? We have two options here.
1) Maybe it cannot be stopped with protests - only with counter-violence. Then maybe we shouldn't require other people perform a useless and dangerous task (and we shouldn't blame them for not doing it).
2) Or maybe it can be stopped by protests. (I highly doubt that but hey, "show me that it works and how it works".) Then what of us? Who are we, the people who don't protest the violence of our own people?
Of course you can say:
- Hey, those Boogaloo Bois are not "my people", I am not responsible for them, it is not my job to stop them or spend significant portion of my time publicly denouncing them.
But how come that BLM is responsible for rioters then? Can anybody explain that paradox to me?
no subject
no subject
1) "us". Each of us is an individual who is responsible for his or her own actions (and not responsible for actions of passerby). If Ted Bundy murders a bunch of people - we don't force all white people to condemn his actions, his independence is implied.
2) "Them". Each of "them" shares collective guilt for actions of others - no matter if they are related or not, they are required to stop (or at least spend significant part of time) condemning bad actors. (And when it comes to condemnation - it is never enough.)
I just realized - "stop or condemn" is a typical "blood libel" argument. However, we learned not to use it with Jews. I hope in a hundred years we will learn not to use it with the rest of people.
no subject
And splitting the world into us and them has been humans’ favorite pastime since forever. I have to check my own attitude quite often by reminding myself that no, republicans are not inherently evil, no, they are not the enemy of all good, there are good and bad people all over the political spectrum... but it is tempting.