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Mr. Scorpio
Mr. Scorpio's Journal
Mr. Scorpio's Journal
August 16, 2015
I'm that close...
I'm just not looking forward to all of the time and effort it would take if I DID confront THAT particularly persistent attitude.
I have a lot of things on my plate this week and I really don't need the distraction.
But I'm really considering whether or not it's worth it to care or not.
August 12, 2015
8 stats that reveal just how badly the police state hurts black women
If Sandra Bland were white, there's a good chance she still would be with us
TERRELL JERMAINE STARR, ALTERNET
The outrageous shooting death of Sam Dubose by a Cincinnati cop is grabbing the headlines, but nearly two weeks after Sandra Bland died in a Texas jail after being stopped and brutally arrested for a minor traffic violation, her questionable detainment makes it clear that the criminal justice system is often as brutal to black women as it is to black men. As AlterNet recently reported, Texas State Trooper Brian Encinia overstepped his authority when he asked Bland to put out her cigarette, prolonging and escalating the stop.
Social media reactions to Bland’s stop, however, have been divided, in part along racial lines. Many white people have argued that Bland would have left the stop untouched had she simply not given Texas state trooper Brian Encinia an “attitude.” Black people, overwhelmingly, have pointed out that white women regularly engage police officers just as Bland did, yet don’t have to fear being abused for doing so.
Critics point to a New York Daily News photo of a white woman breast-to-chest with an NYPD officer and a video of a white woman defiantly challenging an officer during a traffic stop as offering sharp contrasts with Bland’s treatment, and anecdotal examples of how law enforcement treats white and black women differently.
Julia Jordan-Zachery, a professor of political science at Providence College whose research focuses on the treatment of black women in the criminal justice system, says Bland’s story and ultimate death is another example of the myth of the strong black woman, who somehow is impervious to pain.
“It wasn’t possible for anyone to understand that she could have been in pain,” Jordan-Zachery told AlterNet. “What we know from literature is that black women are somehow so strong that we can’t even experience physical pain or that our tolerance level for pain is so high that no one ever listens to black women when we say we are experiencing pain.”
The Rest: http://www.salon.com/2015/08/03/8_stats_that_reveal_just_how_badly_the_police_state_hurts_black_women_partner
TERRELL JERMAINE STARR, ALTERNET
The outrageous shooting death of Sam Dubose by a Cincinnati cop is grabbing the headlines, but nearly two weeks after Sandra Bland died in a Texas jail after being stopped and brutally arrested for a minor traffic violation, her questionable detainment makes it clear that the criminal justice system is often as brutal to black women as it is to black men. As AlterNet recently reported, Texas State Trooper Brian Encinia overstepped his authority when he asked Bland to put out her cigarette, prolonging and escalating the stop.
Social media reactions to Bland’s stop, however, have been divided, in part along racial lines. Many white people have argued that Bland would have left the stop untouched had she simply not given Texas state trooper Brian Encinia an “attitude.” Black people, overwhelmingly, have pointed out that white women regularly engage police officers just as Bland did, yet don’t have to fear being abused for doing so.
Critics point to a New York Daily News photo of a white woman breast-to-chest with an NYPD officer and a video of a white woman defiantly challenging an officer during a traffic stop as offering sharp contrasts with Bland’s treatment, and anecdotal examples of how law enforcement treats white and black women differently.
Julia Jordan-Zachery, a professor of political science at Providence College whose research focuses on the treatment of black women in the criminal justice system, says Bland’s story and ultimate death is another example of the myth of the strong black woman, who somehow is impervious to pain.
“It wasn’t possible for anyone to understand that she could have been in pain,” Jordan-Zachery told AlterNet. “What we know from literature is that black women are somehow so strong that we can’t even experience physical pain or that our tolerance level for pain is so high that no one ever listens to black women when we say we are experiencing pain.”
The Rest: http://www.salon.com/2015/08/03/8_stats_that_reveal_just_how_badly_the_police_state_hurts_black_women_partner
August 12, 2015
#BlackLivesMatter More Than the Hurt Feelings of White Progressives™
by Imani Gandy, Senior Legal Analyst, RH Reality Check
August 11, 2015 - 6:09 pm
Yesterday morning, I tweeted something that now seems irrational.
I tweeted that there was no way I would vote for Bernie Sanders, and that is entirely due to the relentless campaign of harassment to which some of his more overzealous supporters have subjected me and other Black people on Twitter and Facebook. I even mentioned, as I have in the past, that I would vote for Hillary Clinton out of spite even though I have not yet forgiven her for the racist campaign that she ran in 2008 against President Obama.
As soon as I tweeted it, I knew it was irrational. Why would I refuse to vote for a person whose political positions are most aligned with mine simply because his followers have treated me with overwhelming disrespect, condescension, and flat-out ugliness? It’s irrational. I admit it.
But do you know what else is irrational? The behavior of Sanders’ fanatical supporters in response to the disruption of #BlackLivesMatter activists at Netroots Nation and the Sanders rally in Seattle led by Marissa Johnson and Mara Willaford this past weekend.
The last few weeks have exposed some real ugliness in the progressive movement, ugliness that has been simmering just below the surface for a long time, but which, due to Black women’s increasing recognition of our political power coupled with leadership in the #BlackLivesMatter movement and unapologetic commitment to dismantling white supremacy, has erupted into a fountain of White Progressive™ racism.
The rest: http://rhrealitycheck.org/ablc/2015/08/11/blacklivesmatter-hurt-feelings-white-progressives/
August 11, 2015 - 6:09 pm
Yesterday morning, I tweeted something that now seems irrational.
I tweeted that there was no way I would vote for Bernie Sanders, and that is entirely due to the relentless campaign of harassment to which some of his more overzealous supporters have subjected me and other Black people on Twitter and Facebook. I even mentioned, as I have in the past, that I would vote for Hillary Clinton out of spite even though I have not yet forgiven her for the racist campaign that she ran in 2008 against President Obama.
As soon as I tweeted it, I knew it was irrational. Why would I refuse to vote for a person whose political positions are most aligned with mine simply because his followers have treated me with overwhelming disrespect, condescension, and flat-out ugliness? It’s irrational. I admit it.
But do you know what else is irrational? The behavior of Sanders’ fanatical supporters in response to the disruption of #BlackLivesMatter activists at Netroots Nation and the Sanders rally in Seattle led by Marissa Johnson and Mara Willaford this past weekend.
The last few weeks have exposed some real ugliness in the progressive movement, ugliness that has been simmering just below the surface for a long time, but which, due to Black women’s increasing recognition of our political power coupled with leadership in the #BlackLivesMatter movement and unapologetic commitment to dismantling white supremacy, has erupted into a fountain of White Progressive™ racism.
The rest: http://rhrealitycheck.org/ablc/2015/08/11/blacklivesmatter-hurt-feelings-white-progressives/
August 11, 2015
Allan Johnson: Privilege, Power and Difference 2nd Interview
If you'd enjoyed the first interview, I think you'll enjoy this one as well:
August 11, 2015
It's quite clear the DU isn't ready for Black Liberation...
The reactions to the OP/video interview of Marissa Janae Johnson says it all.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10027065423
Her words are not resonating, even if they're perfectly clear and reasoned.
August 10, 2015
Allan G Johnson on The Gender Knot + Privilege, Power, and Difference (2003)
This is the kind of discussion about race and privilege that DU should be having, but is incapable of doing so:
August 8, 2015
Now I understand that many here believe wholeheartedly that Bernie is fully committed to improving the conditions by which the Black Lives Matter movement arose. However, all of you should take note of the dichotomy that separates Bernie's campaign from the activists who are engaging it. And that's the divide between politics and social activism. The art of politics invariably entails a certain amount of lip service being doled out at times which are most opportune to the politician rather than to the audience. Those are the rules of the game and no one is above them, including Bernie. This is the position that the BLM movement has staked in regards to all of the Democrats running.
Those of you who are wondering why BLM apparently does not care to disrupt GOP political rallies, well the answer to that is quite simple: BLM activists are well aware that the GOP is not an ally to black people. Democrats have apparently declared their alliance, but it's not fully realized one. After all, we have Democrats dismissing the BLM message by blurting out "All lives matter," which of course is the right wing, racist rejoinder to "Black lives matter."
It's doesn't look good when Democratic candidates, or "allies" do such a thing, especially when more black lives are being snuffed out on a daily basis. Hence we have the divide between the urgency of activism and the need for politicians to have adoring audiences at rallies.
Confronting Bernie is an demand that he own up to his own potential. You want BLM activists to continue to do this. Much is expected from him and as long as he is getting these activists in his audience, it's a sure sign that they expect him to make the situation better.
What you should be worried about is if ever BLM activists were to stop disrupting Democratic rallies. Were these incidents to cease, then it should be apparent that BLM activists will expect as little action from Democrats as they do from Republicans.
Lip service in the face of dead bodies lying out in our streets only gets you so far.
Frankly, I'm glad that BLM is confronting Bernie's campaign, and Bernie should be glad as well...
Earlier today, I was reading a roundtable article in Manrepeller.com on the subject of race and one of the participants had this to say:
" One is you need to be able to separate the difference between when someone is calling you out on an action versus when someone is calling you something and making a comment on your character. Two different conversations. And you need to be able to tell the difference.
"Two, you need to know the difference between being an ally and allying, which are two different things. Being an ally does not mean you are above criticism. As a matter of fact, being an ally means you should welcome criticism. You should welcome to opportunity to do and be better."
Ashley C. Ford
http://www.manrepeller.com/2015/07/white-privilege.html
"Two, you need to know the difference between being an ally and allying, which are two different things. Being an ally does not mean you are above criticism. As a matter of fact, being an ally means you should welcome criticism. You should welcome to opportunity to do and be better."
Ashley C. Ford
http://www.manrepeller.com/2015/07/white-privilege.html
Now I understand that many here believe wholeheartedly that Bernie is fully committed to improving the conditions by which the Black Lives Matter movement arose. However, all of you should take note of the dichotomy that separates Bernie's campaign from the activists who are engaging it. And that's the divide between politics and social activism. The art of politics invariably entails a certain amount of lip service being doled out at times which are most opportune to the politician rather than to the audience. Those are the rules of the game and no one is above them, including Bernie. This is the position that the BLM movement has staked in regards to all of the Democrats running.
Those of you who are wondering why BLM apparently does not care to disrupt GOP political rallies, well the answer to that is quite simple: BLM activists are well aware that the GOP is not an ally to black people. Democrats have apparently declared their alliance, but it's not fully realized one. After all, we have Democrats dismissing the BLM message by blurting out "All lives matter," which of course is the right wing, racist rejoinder to "Black lives matter."
It's doesn't look good when Democratic candidates, or "allies" do such a thing, especially when more black lives are being snuffed out on a daily basis. Hence we have the divide between the urgency of activism and the need for politicians to have adoring audiences at rallies.
Confronting Bernie is an demand that he own up to his own potential. You want BLM activists to continue to do this. Much is expected from him and as long as he is getting these activists in his audience, it's a sure sign that they expect him to make the situation better.
What you should be worried about is if ever BLM activists were to stop disrupting Democratic rallies. Were these incidents to cease, then it should be apparent that BLM activists will expect as little action from Democrats as they do from Republicans.
Lip service in the face of dead bodies lying out in our streets only gets you so far.
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