The Shooting Gallery: Police Violence MEGATHREAD

[Tamas]

It is nicer than non-whites.

Yeah, I think it's also a bit more self-explanatory than the UK term (similar to Jesse Jackson's intent) of "Political Blackness" - but which is a more difficult term now. I see people of colour used fairly regularly and it's making more headway in the UK than it was a few years ago.

This is entirely academical at this stage because quite clearly such a "non-white" distinction is unavoidable if you want to discuss majority racism and its effects  but I always wonder if the usage of these terms that divide society into two parts (whites in part, rest in the other) end up reinforcing such divisions, as we keep defining them.

[garbon]

It is nicer than non-whites.

Yeah, I think it's also a bit more self-explanatory than the UK term (similar to Jesse Jackson's intent) of "Political Blackness" - but which is a more difficult term now. I see people of colour used fairly regularly and it's making more headway in the UK than it was a few years ago.

This is entirely academical at this stage because quite clearly such a "non-white" distinction is unavoidable if you want to discuss majority racism and its effects  but I always wonder if the usage of these terms that divide society into two parts (whites in part, rest in the other) end up reinforcing such divisions, as we keep defining them.

Can you elaborate on what reification you see as a result of the terms?

I mean we do also have terms to split up monolithic terms like PoC when appropriate as clearly not all races face the same issues (leaving aside for now of course, differences in issue that different people within a racial category have as split by their other identities. )

[Sheilbh]

This is entirely academical at this stage because quite clearly such a "non-white" distinction is unavoidable if you want to discuss majority racism and its effects  but I always wonder if the usage of these terms that divide society into two parts (whites in part, rest in the other) end up reinforcing such divisions, as we keep defining them.

Yeah, but I think as you say it's purely academic. For several centuries European nations dominated and colonised the rest of the world and for at least a large part of that period race was the way they understood/split the worl. Race was generally the basis of who was enslaved or slaveholder, colonised or coloniser - with some exceptions round the edges. And from that decision there were a huge number of economic and social consequences that exist to this day, so I sort of feel until the consequences of that, which are predicated on race, are unwound then you'll have people look at the different parts of society. I think the definition and distinction is based on reality, and much as I'm a typical English lit grad who loves my Barthes and signifiers I'm not sure changing the language if the reality is the same makes any difference. That language will bubble up again because it serves a purpose.

And the other way of looking at it is that it's actually coalition building (which is where - at their best - the gays come in), because otherwise the majority can salami slice you and pitch people against each other.

In the UK I think it was maybe easier politically because most black or Asian or other BAME communities were from post-war immigration. So actually the experience and black and Asian Brits was very similar - they experienced similar types of racism (but the words were different), similar types of discrimination and we even had race riots at similar times in different communities (predominately black in Brixton, predominately Asian in Birmingham). Political Blackness was basically about solidarity coming out of that - and you know, the white majority is not distinguishing between Punjabi or Jamaican backgrounds, so why should we? It's now fallen away, largely, but there are still remnants like the Southall Black Sisters (picture below from when their first community centre in 1983):


In the US none of that would work so it took more active coalition building. While there is racism that affects all communities, but, you know, most African-Americans would be able to trace back their family's existence in America further than most white Americans and probably anyone but the indigenous communities. You've got hundreds of years of slavery and segregation (the UK is obviously also implicated in this, but we never became a slave society here - we just took the economic benefits and built our cities: Bristol, Liverpool, Glasgow, London), so even the idea of "Political Blackness" would never work because that history and experience is really distinct.

[jimmy olsen]

 

https://twitter.com/nytimes/status/1268502778571362304

An autopsy has found that Manuel Ellis, a black man who died in police custody in March in Tacoma, Washington, was killed as a result of oxygen deprivation and the physical restraint used in his arrest

[HisMajestyBOB]

All you anti gun folks might want to go get a couple.

Not gonna be much use against Trump's goons. Better to plan to leave the country.

[frunk]

All you anti gun folks might want to go get a couple.

I'm not sure what I would gain by getting a gun.  I have zero training with using one (well, not completely zero but it's been 35 years since I shot one).  The threat from my fellow citizens hasn't gone up today from yesterday.  If the government is after me having a gun isn't really going to help unless I'm occupying a ranger station or some government building.  What exactly is the use case for me having a gun compared to the dozens of pretty terrible things that could happen if I start carrying one?

[garbon]

All you anti gun folks might want to go get a couple.

Your white privilege might be showing.

[derspiess]

American privilege?

[garbon]

American privilege?

We are talking about black people walking down the street getting murdered and B4 wants to suggest I throw a gun in the mix?

[The Brain]

You don't throw guns. Shade, tantrums, up? Yes. Guns? No.

[Valmy]

All you anti gun folks might want to go get a couple.

I am not anti gun

But I am not getting any either. I rely on my reputation as a Texan to scare away the troublemakers.

[garbon]

You don't throw guns. Shade, tantrums, up? Yes. Guns? No.

Can't nobody tell me nothing

[DGuller]

American privilege?

We are talking about black people walking down the street getting murdered and B4 wants to suggest I throw a gun in the mix?

Just declare up front to police that you're legally carrying, you'll be fine.

[garbon]

American privilege?

We are talking about black people walking down the street getting murdered and B4 wants to suggest I throw a gun in the mix?

Just declare up front to police that you're legally carrying, you'll be fine.

[11B4V]

All you anti gun folks might want to go get a couple.

Your white privilege might be showing.

And your lack of preparation may show. I'm not embarrassed I'm white.