Our recent class discussions about King have included an analysis of his very legitimate beef with the white moderate. Beginning in "Letter From A Birmingham Jail", he verbalizes his issues with the neutral white moderate, whose ignorance of the pervading social injustices and refusal to take sides (so they don't risk their own personal status) is particularly wrong to King. This is because King understood what many people today still fail to understand, which is that "neutrality" in the discussion of injustice or oppression is not true neutrality - it is choosing the side of the oppressor. By not speaking, you justify the silence of every other white moderate, and you turn your back on the oppressed. By not speaking out against the systematic racism against and oppression of black people in America, it does not matter if you are not racist or prejudiced yourself, because you are actively choosing to silently allow this oppression to continue, unhindered. You are choosing the side of the oppressor. By not speaking out against the prevailing sexism and economic and historical inequality of opportunity for women in America, it does not matter if you are not sexist or prejudiced yourself, because you are actively choosing to silently allow this oppression to continue, unhindered. You are choosing the side of the oppressor. By not speaking out against the systematic prejudice against and unequal lack of opportunity for LGBTQ+ people in America and the world, it does not matter if you are homophobic or prejudiced yourself, because you are actively choosing to silently allow this oppression to continue, unhindered. You are choosing the side of the oppressor. It takes honest self reflection to determine if you are one such white moderate, and then it takes a courageous mind and a compassionate heart to remove yourself from this comfortable, risk-free political safe zone and enter into the intimidating, dangerous ongoing fight for natural human rights, American constitutional rights, and socioeconomic equality for the oppressed.
Are you a white moderate? And more importantly, can you live with the understanding that you are a part of the systematic oppression of others in your own society, or are you willing to speak out against oppression in our country?
MLK in context - an exploration of King's life and work from an historical perspective
Wednesday, February 28, 2018
You Misspoke When You Said, “All Lives Matter.” -Kaylah Whalum
The topic of “All Lives Matter,” is a social misrepresentation.
Though it is true that “all lives matter,” the context in which it is used is
both hypocritical and unnerving. If one wanted to make the claim that “All
Lives Matter” now, then they would have to answer the question, “Where was “all
lives matter between 1619-1968?” Upon analyzation of this question, one must
understand these dates. In 1619, the first African slaves were stolen from both
their homeland, and their families, stuffed to full capacity on a boat, and
brought over to the Americas. For the next nearly 4 centuries, African slaves
would evolve into segregated African Americans. In 1968, their civil rights
leader would be murdered for preaching nonviolence against segregation. If all
lives mattered, this history would be non-existent. There would be no need for
the Civil Rights movement, because it would simply be understood that each
person deserves the right to their civility. Instead, Black people have been
beaten, murdered, and oppressed for hundreds of years, continuing into today.
All Lives Matter is a defense mechanism against the “uprising
of dangerous Black people.” These Black people are the mothers, fathers,
sisters, brothers, etc, of a young boy who was murdered by those who are put in
place to protect them. How can all lives matter, when police officers express
the exact opposite? How can Black girls and Black boys believe that they’re
valuable, if they have to fear for their lives every time they get pulled over?
In fact, the government has shown us quite explicitly, that all lives don’t
matter. What can be read between the lines of “All Lives Matter” is “Only White
Lives Matter.” According to Black Lives Matter.com, the movement “means we are
continuing the work of our ancestors and fighting for out collective freedom
because it is our duty.”[1]
Black people are entitled just as much freedom as whites. As Americans, we are
taught that the only lives that matter are those of heterosexual, protestant,
white, old men. If we inspect that grotesque irony behind these words, they can
prove themselves to be highly problematic. White males were the first to
oppress another group of people, based off the color of their skin. White males
decided hundreds of years ago, that through Manifest Destiny, they were
entitled to a mass murder and enslavement of Black bodies. Because slavery in
its purest definition no longer exists, White men have figured out a way to
keep Black bodies (specifically male) inferior. Through incarceration, Black
males are labeled with the persona of danger, rapists, and drug lords. Through
incarceration, White men have control over the lives of millions of Black men.
Except, now, it seems, that Black men are no longer given the “luxury” of
prison. Instead, they are shot down before they even see a police car. 17 year
old boys are gunned down from the back, running AWAY from police officers,
instead of coming towards them.
As soon as the term “Black Lives Matter,” became a household
phrase, White people began to be threatened that Black people were gaining a
dangerous amount of power. Thus, the phrase “ All Lives Matter,” was put in
place, to combat Black pride. Though it is true to all lives do, in fact,
matter, not all lives are being deliberately targeted in America. Black Lives
are being targeted and Black lives are being told that their lives are as
insignificant as the next Black body. One should not dare to disagree this
movement, claiming that All Lives Matter. Because, if All Lives Matter,
doesn’t that include Black Lives?
Would I See Eye to Eye with King? -Kaylah Whalum
I have learned about the Civil Rights movement since I was in
elementary school. However, it was not until high school, that I began to
(academically) be told the truth. Thankfully, I was raised by parents who made
the knowledge of the history of my ancestors, essential. Too often, throughout
high school, I encountered ignorance and ignorant comments, made by my fellow
white classmates. It was aggravating and beyond frustrating. However, this
ignorance was nothing compared to the strife which Black people endured times
of legal segregation. When I hear and learn about people such as Medgar Evers,
I become enraged when I can see direct parallels of society and racism then,
and society and racism today. Perhaps the scariest part of it all, is the fact
that no longer, is racism legal. Instead, racism has evolved into hidden
systemic macroaggression. With ideas such as police brutality, section 8.0
housing, etc… it is infuriating to understand and come to the realization that
White America is not for the betterment and progression of Black people. To
clarify, this is no surprise to me. Rather, it is disappointing when Black
people have to be reminded of this fact, each time a Black body gets gunned
down. Upon my own studies of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I cannot help but
marvel at his ability to preach and practice nonviolence. Not once during his
campaign, did he fail his mission statement. The amounts of times he was sent
to prison, and the assassination attempts on him and his family, is enough to
make me wonder if I would be able to resist the urge to violently retaliate,
had I been a student during this time period. King stated, “...in spite of the
darkness...we must not despair...We must not become bitter...nor must we harbor
the desire to retaliate with violence…”[1]
I find these words, though filled with harmony and patience, difficult to
sympathize with. I feel as though, it would have been more difficult to try and
create peace with a people who were so against me. He also said, “Men are not
easily moved from their mental ruts or purged of their prejudiced and
irrational feelings.”[2]
This is where my genuine respect for King comes into play. It takes quite a
man, quite a Black man, to admit to the flaws of humanity. It takes quite a man
to admit that the urge to bite back is a flaw, rather than acceptable.
Influenced by Gandhi, King’s
willpower to remain nonviolent is truly inspirational. In a collection of his
speeches and writings, he writes, “I came to see for the first time that the
Christian doctrine of love operating through the Gandhian ethos of nonviolence
was one of the most potent weapons available to oppressed people in their
struggle for freedom.”[3]
To King, love was the only weapon that Black people needed, in order to gain
civil freedom. What better way to express love, than to be nonviolent in the
face of violence? For this mentality, a multitude of King’s followers were
church goers (beyond the obvious fact that he was a preacher). However, a
majority of Black youth during this time, was consumed in the idea of fighting
back, and claiming what they deserved. King agreed that freedom was a much
deserved thing for Black people, but he believed that taking violent measures
to gain it was counterproductive.
It is simple for me to make the
statement with confidence today, that at the time, I would have marched right
next to King, in hopes to pursue nonviolent liberty. However, I believe that I
would be kidding myself. Placing myself in the shoes of those who lost loved
ones to White racists for the simple crime of being Black, I realize that it is
more likely that I would have taken violent steps towards freedom, should they
be required.
[1] (DrMartinLutherKingJr.com,
Eulogy For The Young Victims Of The Sixteenth Street Baptist Church Bombing,
2018)
[2] (Martin Luther King, James M. Washington, A Testament of Hope: the Essential Writings of Martin Luther
King, Jr., 1991, pg. 60)
[3] (Martin Luther King, James M. washington, A Testament of Hope: the Essential Writings of Martin Luther
King, Jr., 1991, pg. 59)
Tuesday, February 27, 2018
Beale then and now
I have been interested in doing
more research on what Memphis was like during the Civil Rights Movement. I came
upon an interesting article by Robert Odell Jr. who also was a part of creating
the film “Take Me Back to Beale” which is 100 years of Beale Street history. I
am assuming we have all been to Beale street either during the day or at night.
And it is crazy to imagine that there were ever National Guardsmen in armored
tanks with 50-caliber machine guns rolling down Beale. This was in March 1968 during
the Sanitation Workers Strike. The sanitation workers were on strike to protest
the unsafe working conditions they had to deal with.
Beale was a completely different
place during this time. It was a hotspot for rioting, looting, violence and
killing during this strike. Martin Luther King Jr. came to Memphis on March 28th
1968 to lead the sanitation workers march. The march broke out into violence.
The police were aggressively going after protesters with night sticks, mace,
tear gas, and gunfire.
This photo really stuck out to me
when I first saw it while reading the article. Immediately, I was drawn to the
police officer who is trying to brutally hurt what appears to be a young
teenager. The facial expression on the police officers face is terrifying. To
have a facial expression of so much hate, towards another human being is just
unsettling. However, it was not until I read the caption to the picture. The caption
was “A police officer uses his nightstick
on a youth reportedly involved in the looting that followed the breakup of a
march led by Dr. King on March 28, in Memphis. Later that day, Larry Payne, the
16-year-old in the background was killed by police.”
Larry Payne was the only fatality. When
I did further research on Larry Payne, it was reported that he was killed by a
shotgun blast fired from a patrolman as he emerged from a basement in a housing
development[1]. The
violence that people, especially policemen, resorted to is tragic. What do you
guys think?
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