First, you hated the protesters who protested peacefully and now you hate those who don’t––you listened to neither. I wonder what the problem is, the end or the means, religious right and white?
If you get nothing else from this: your sudden condemnation of violence is not at all focused on violence. Instead, its base is racism, and so I cannot condone it––even as a pacifist. And this is my only point: we must push towards actual non-violence not just racism masqueraded, or push towards racial equality with violence, which might lead to pacifism. Once again, I am not pushing my own agenda, I only wish for you either (1) to change your views on that violence that caused this and keeps it going, all violence (2) or to support that violence which hurts you (violence against racial inequality), which might lead to pacifism.
Anti-violence posts are flooding my feed. I normally would congratulate my friends: and at first, I did. I thought it was great to see conservatives rant about anti-violence, at least compared to conspiracy theories and, nevermind, more conspiracy theories. What a great thing to see them post about anti-violence! It seemed like love was at the forefront of it all. They posted nice charts explaining how they supported all races, also cops, and peace; how, as white people, they loved other races but could not possibly condone violence, saying that violence is never the way. But they are not truly against violence. They still support most wars, many support preemptive strikes, and many more the pushing of democracy on other nations (might I say, white supremacy?), and most are very pro-gun, and you all salute our soldiers. The focus on anti-violence is hardly the reality, just a facade––and I can firmly say this: it is racism. Racism has not left us, and it may never––god help us.
Ethics are mostly thought of as being situational; and if not thought of, acted upon. I guarantee that this is the case for the majority of humanity, conservatives included, especially concerning violence. Now realize what I am not saying: I am not saying that ethics are relative or that they aren’t. This might turn some people off from my message, and it is not important in this case whether it is or isn’t. There is not some universal standard, in your practice, that works the same in every situation: there are times to lie and steal, and times to not; there are times for violence, and times for peace; times to love and times to hate. In my practice, this is the same. But racism does not drive it. You are fine to go fight in wars and kill people for a cause, yet you are not okay with violent protests that may or may not kill people for a cause––which cause?. You feel fine about defending your own homes, family, or country with violence, yet not the equality of race, of all. You are fine when American soldiers are violent and kill to support democracy, yet not when protesters are violent and fight against white supremacy. What is that situation that all of a sudden promotes non-violence? Certainly not for non-violence’s sake. There must be some reason that the violence in these protests against major injustices is “unjustifiable.”
So, how many times have you stood up for peace or anti-violence? How many times have you protested wars? How many times? How many times have you mentioned non-violence in reference to anything? You have never mentioned it, yet violence has always been present. This is my question: why do you not support the violent protests about racial inequality, yet you support other acts of violence? Why is it not justifiable to you? Why? I believe there are a few reasons: (1) You do not believe that this violence is enacted for a just or important cause, (2) you have not been personally affected, in a bad way, by racial inequality, (3) and if these protests amount to something, they will hurt you (4) and these protests, to show in small part what is to come, have already hurt you.
(1) Like you actually believe that violence is never the answer. You save violence for those things that you find important. For instance, I saw a post earlier about how carrying a gun was an act of love showing you would do whatever you had to for the ones you love. What if you applied that to the protest? If you thought that racial inequality was truly a just cause and an important one, you would support the fight. But instead, you scream “this violence is hurting innocent people!” Violence will hurt people: the question is whether it is worth it; in your wars was it worth it? I can only see it as downplaying their cause, your sudden condemnation of violence!
(2) As a general rule, we justify violence in relation to the degree of vivacity present in our belief. How much do we really care about the minorities? How much do we really care about racial equality? How much do we really understand the breadth of white supremacy? But what does this have to do with personal experience? Exactly! We have none. All we know is privilege. And because we have not experienced it, or care, we do not fight or believe; we are comfortable with white supremacy so why condemn it? You would fight it if you were not comfortable with white privilege. You would fight it if you cared about racial equality. But you do not care––and possibly do not even believe in its presence. You have no experience and even less empathy. And so you condemn them––and praise your soldiers. I believe in a thing called epistemic privilege.
(3) What would happen if there were no racial inequalities? Is it even imaginable? What if you were just as worried as a minority when pulled over by the police? What if you weren’t guaranteed that job? What if you had the same chance of being born into an educated family? Or a family that has enough money––and healthcare? I cannot even imagine it. But it would hurt our ego and our perceived worth, and it would certainly hurt our opportunity for happiness. We would be equal and it would be scary. Yes, how can you fight for something that goes against everything ingrained into whiteness? You will be hurt by helping others and so you do not help: for you are comfortable with your white privilege. Yes, you do not really care about racial equality.
(4) You are no longer as safe as you were. Karma. Why are you all of a sudden against violence, when your white privilege is on the line? There is some reason that you support most violence, but not that violence that will hurt you! How many innocent people have you killed through your support of wars? How many of you have “given your body to be a weapon of the war?” How many times have you supported violence against the weakest of us all: immigrants, refugees, minorities! How many times have innocent people been killed in the wars you support? How much do you support those who are in the army, protecting your freedoms? How many times have you upheld your white privilege, at the cost of racial equality? But you start condemning the violence when it is a violence that hurts you.
So, I can firmly say this: the base for this sudden support of non-violence is some fashion of racism, whether rooted in (1) not believing it a just or important cause, (2) lack of negative experience/empathy, and therefore vivacity, (3) cultural selfishness (4) or personal selfishness: each one’s base being racism. You condone violence when it helps you; but what if it helps your black brother?