Powerful picture from Howard University today - DONT SHOOT

[bigtree]

Megan Sims ?@The_Blackness48 1h
Powerful picture we took today at Howard University (DC) #Ferguson #MikeBrown #MyaWhite #DONTSHOOT

Washington Post ?@washingtonpost 4m
Story behind the viral #DontShoot photo at Howard University http://wapo.st/1pPWZyQ

[R B Garr]

1. OMG!! That is so powerful in such a heartbreaking way. How sad.

You just know they've been conditioned at an even earlier age to be wary because of their skin color, especially around LEOs.

[bigtree]

2. it is incredibly powerful

. . . I'm nearly an oldster now and it's making me very sad (and proud) to see these young folks standing up.

[ballyhoo]

4. We are back the past on steroids. Getting close to

pitchfork time. How many of us will die?

[R B Garr]

6. It is brilliant, actually. I hope it gets more exposure. It deserves to be

widely circulated.

I read (maybe at this website?) that young black children are warned by their parents at an early age that they are heavily targeted and profiled by cops. What a heavy burden for a parent to endure, but it keeps playing out in outrageous, graphic ways.

[mackerel]

11. I tell my daughter to keep her I.D. on her at all times. Always have your insurance

card and your registration in the glove compartment. Make copies for back up. You can never be too prepared and so far she has had very minor drama.

[leftieNanner]

15. Oh, my goodness!

I am stunned at my own ignorance! I had not fully realized at the terrible racism that is so horribly still a part of the fabric of this country. When I think of the lessons I taught my daughters, I never understood the other lessons that I did not have to teach them. May these horrific events in St. Louis and Los Angeles be ones that we never forget. Don't ever push a person beyond the point where they have nothing else to lose.

Mackerel - may your children live long and prosper. And may our country hopefully eventually rise to a point where we deserve to appreciate their contributions to our world.

[calimary]

17. Welcome to DU, leftieNanner!

Glad you're here! It's really eye-opening, isn't it! When one has white skin - well, beige if you really wanna know - one simply doesn't face this kind of thing in so frequent a way that one has to instruct the kids about this and how to behave wisely as the best defense. We just don't experience this.

Similar to the painfully eye-opening confrontation with depression that Robin Williams's death forced on so many of us. I had no idea how that feels. The closest you get if you don't have that in your life is to read about it from others' personal experiences. To hear their descriptions and observations and musings. To see their torment play out. To get a sense of what that feels like. Stunning, shocking, and maddening, and all those things! It's hard to ponder or wrap your brain around it - unless this anecdotal evidence places your feet in the shoes of someone who walks that path in actuality. The Rude Pundit's essay about it was telling as hell.

We need this. We need to read about it and hear about it and see it and talk about it. That's the only way we who don't walk that particular path (we probably are loaded down with our own crosses to carry) can grasp it, and try it on, and think deeply on it, and maybe find a way to compassion and empathy. That's when we reach the "Yes I Give a Damn!" threshold, seems to me. And perhaps that's where we need to be driven so maybe some of us might try to do something about it.

[mackerel]

19. I was always sorta of aware of it but not until I actually had children.

1 black/2 brown children and you become more keenly aware of the differences in our society. It's not all bad though, things are so much better than they were 20 years ago. Look at all those bright beautiful kids from Howard University. They're be shaping our world in just a few years.

[leftieNanner]

35. The Image from Howard University is so beautiful

So much honesty and courage from those young people. I'd like to think that that is our future, not the images of the cops with machine guns.

[leftieNanner]

36. Having these conversations helps -

Opening up the dialog pushes us towards understanding.

And as you said about Robin Williams, if this can get us to shed some light on depression, maybe we can save a life or two. I struggled with 6 months of postpartum depression and I remember what that felt like. I was in a deep dark pit with vertical black walls. No escape. I can't imagine what it would be like to live with that for a lifetime. I have mourned for him and for his family since he died. A great light has been lost to our world.

But if we can channel this sadness, and our outrage about Michael Brown's death into action, then that will be something.

[jwirr]

13. Yes, it has been a long time since we have had this type of action to stop the kind of abuse that we

are seeing again today.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

3. Look at it. They'll own the world some day.

[KeepItReal]

5. Kicked and Recommended. With thanks.

eom

[thesquanderer]

7. The image isn't loading for me

Anyone else having an issue, or is it just me?

[bigtree]

9. still showing up on my browser

another link . . .

[littlemissmartypants]

8. Howard is a very cool place.

Stand Up.
Shine a light.
(Blow up your television.)

Either stay inside and miss all the fun.

Or die.

How messed up is that message?

This is a beautiful example of passive resistance. Effective and empowering.

Thank you, bigtree.

~Lmsp

[mackerel]

10. Good to see this respected University making this statement.

[Uncle Joe]

12. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, bigtree.

[WillyT]

14. HUGE K & R !!! - Thank You !!!

[Eyerish]

16. K&R

[octoberlib]

18. Wow! Thanks for posting.

[emsimon33]

20. WOW!

[BrotherIvan]

21. K&R

[bobGandolf]

22. So sad, so scary, America 2014

So far, yet so much further to go...

[marble falls]

23. Speechless.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

24. kick, rec. big time. n/t

[PatrickforO]

25. Looks like these hyper-militarized cops are in the process of generating

massive civil unrest. This is a poignant picture of a whole new generation of Freedom Riders.

The dream won't be realized until people are judged by the content of their characters not the color of their skin.

[redqueen]

30. Well said. nt

[raouldukelives]

26. K&R nt

[myrna minx]

27. Breathtakingly powerful.

[democrank]

28. Beautiful

~PEACE~

[leftynyc]

29. Powerful

and heartbreaking.

[rhett o rick]

31. A violent revolt will play right into the hands of the Power That Be. They

are ready. Just think of what happened to OWS and they were peaceful. If there is violence, it will justify their further use of weapons. I think we've gone passed the point of no return and Pres Obama is powerless to help.

[blackspade]

32. Beatiful.

to Howard University.

[cascadiance]

33. uh oh... Time to bring in the cops!

[Laughing Mirror]

34. Thank you, Howard

Brilliant!

[noiretextatique]

37. sad that when I was in college over 30 years ago

We were protesting police brutality, especially the murder of Ronnie Settles, who died in a Signal Hill cell.

[yellowwoodII]

38. On behalf of my race,

I apologize. This brings tears to my eyes.

[BumRushDaShow]

39. And the umpteenth generation learns the deal. nt

[Quayblue]

40. and what brings me to tears

is knowing my black children are next. I am literally bawling at my desk. This is no fucking way to live!!

[Number23]

41. Nailed it. We always think that WE will be the last generation to have to deal with this shit

I'm sure my grandparents thought the same. I thought the same. Maybe my great grandchildren will think the same.

[ancianita]

42. This has been my FB cover photo for the last three days. Good for them.

[Octafish]

43. Thank you for the lesson in bravery, students of Howard University.

Thank you for the heads-up, bigtree.

[Liberal_in_LA]

44. kick