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bae
6-4-20, 8:22pm
Our village is having another BLM rally, the 3rd or 4th this week.

Tonight's instructions are:

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Gathering today at 5pm at the Village Green in solidarity with BLM.

This space is meant to foster intentional reflection, uncomfortable conversation and to share in grief. There will be conversation prompts about anti-racism to think about and process with other white folks around you.

This will not be a space for performative allyship. This will be a space to start questioning and understanding the racism within ourselves and our island. If you plan on coming to the event just to be seen by others, you’re coming for the wrong reason (check yourself, forgive yourself, do some research to understand where that's coming from, and come anyway).

This gathering is meant to be uncomfortable. Come. Witness. Engage.

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Also:

If you plan to attend the gathering/rally on the green today at 5pm in solidarity with BLM, and you are white and unsure of how to show up, please read this ahead of time:

https://sojo.net/articles/our-white-friends-desiring-be-allies
LDAHL
6-4-20, 8:49pm
Performative allyship?
bae
6-4-20, 8:53pm
Performative allyship?

Odd considering the demographics of our community too, which is ~90% white. 0.8% African American.
bae
6-4-20, 8:54pm
Performative allyship?

https://www.scarymommy.com/performative-allyship-what-it-is-what-it-looks-like-and-why-we-want-to-avoid-it/

You've seen them :-)
iris lilies
6-4-20, 9:00pm
Odd considering the demographics of our community too, which is ~90% white. 0.8% African American.
And I’ll bet everyone is tripping all over themselves to be his friend. I’ve seen it happen in my neighborhood which is pretty well integrated, but even then, with certain mindsets, ihaving a black friend is important.

Me, the only black friend we had shot and killed his wife and went to the penitentiary, so that was sobering. I didn’t try to go out and get a different black friend however.
LDAHL
6-4-20, 9:43pm
https://www.scarymommy.com/performative-allyship-what-it-is-what-it-looks-like-and-why-we-want-to-avoid-it/

You've seen them :-)

I have indeed.
Tammy
6-5-20, 9:29am
It comes down to ego. It’s not about me (rich white woman managing hundreds of people). It’s about them.

The best thing I can do is donate lots of money, make just and fair decisions when managing people, and stop talking.
JaneV2.0
6-5-20, 11:03am
It comes down to ego. It’s not about me (rich white woman managing hundreds of people). It’s about them.

The best thing I can do is donate lots of money, make just and fair decisions when managing people, and stop talking.

And vote for people who won't perpetuate the problem.
ApatheticNoMore
6-5-20, 12:12pm
I'm not sure why any white person would go somewhere where it seems they are so unwanted. Not out of any special whiteness anything, but just human nature, why would anyone go where they aren't wanted? Seems not natural to me. Because they should? Maybe, but I don't think people respond as strongly to shoulds as they imagine they do, or ahem think they should?

But if one turns the tables, why would any minority go where they aren't wanted? Um I would not particularly expect them to. To take an extreme example go to a Trump rally or something. Hmm, I once in a while have contemplated what it would be like to check one out just for the sociological aspect (it goes without saying I have zero support for it especially 4 years into this garbage) and decided it might potentially be too *physically dangerous* even for me to go to an Aryan nation, I mean Trump, rally.

I don't expect any liberal racial awareness group to be physically dangerous in ANY sense, just socially shunning is all.
Teacher Terry
6-5-20, 3:21pm
No thanks to any group think gatherings. Ugh!
happystuff
6-5-20, 3:50pm
If even one person has a mind-change for the better, comes to a personal realization that effects their thoughts and/or behaviors, learns something - then a ripple effect can start. Kudos.
iris lilies
6-5-20, 4:45pm
I'm not sure why any white person would go somewhere where it seems they are so unwanted. Not out of any special whiteness anything, but just human nature, why would anyone go where they aren't wanted? Seems not natural to me. Because they should? Maybe, but I don't think people respond as strongly to shoulds as they imagine they do, or ahem think they should?

But if one turns the tables, why would any minority go where they aren't wanted? Um I would not particularly expect them to. To take an extreme example go to a Trump rally or something. Hmm, I once in a while have contemplated what it would be like to check one out just for the sociological aspect (it goes without saying I have zero support for it especially 4 years into this garbage) and decided it might potentially be too *physically dangerous* even for me to go to an Aryan nation, I mean Trump, rally.

I don't expect any liberal racial awareness group to be physically dangerous in ANY sense, just socially shunning is all.
There’s quite a lot to respond to here.

I do think that African-Americans are wary of going where they are not wanted. And that’s one of the tragedies of systemic raceism, it is their country, their geography, why the hell should they be wary in certain areas? I am not talking about a clan rally here, I’m talking about The Kmart plaza, or a specific restaurant, or etc etc. but that is their reality and likely it it is an informed perception.

As far as the “shoulds “ go, I’m glad I’m old and I don’t have to do this stuff anymore. I can’t tell you how many “ raising racial awareness” seminars both required and voluntary I’ve been to in the 30 years I’ve lived in racially charged St. Louis. I’m done with it.
dmc
6-5-20, 9:23pm
Well I wouldn’t feel comfortable in North St. Louis at night.
LDAHL
6-6-20, 8:58am
There’s quite a lot to respond to here.

I do think that African-Americans are wary of going where they are not wanted. And that’s one of the tragedies of systemic raceism, it is their country, their geography, why the hell should they be wary in certain areas? I am not talking about a clan rally here, I’m talking about The Kmart plaza, or a specific restaurant, or etc etc. but that is their reality and likely it it is an informed perception.

As far as the “shoulds “ go, I’m glad I’m old and I don’t have to do this stuff anymore. I can’t tell you how many “ raising racial awareness” seminars both required and voluntary I’ve been to in the 30 years I’ve lived in racially charged St. Louis. I’m done with it.

Perhaps knowing piffle when one sees it is wisdom that comes with age. Perhaps having lived in certain communities makes one less credulous of the many people excusing or encouraging violence from a safe distance at no risk to themselves.