#bummerbetch

[bummerbetch]

Dear Humanity and Fellow Allies of the Black Lives Matter Movement,

I understand that things may feel scary and overwhelming right now, but for privileged members of society, the responsibility now more than ever, is to be an ally. Now is the time to get involved in any way you can, whether in the streets or from your home. As our continued actions manifest changes within law enforcement and government structures, we must not forget to include the change needed within our society as well. Although the bravery many are currently showing, and the sustained and strong efforts of those partaking in the movement is incredible, it does not change the minds of those who are not currently with us. We must also focus our efforts to sustain the changes we are seeing and to ensure a lasting legacy of toppling white supremacy. 

Race is a social construct. What this really means, is that no one is born racist. Racism is taught, whether in the home or though the media and systems in place to keep certain members of our society in power. It is not enough to dismantle institutionalized racism if individuals within society still do not understand the pain and suffering it has caused. To unite and raise up all of humanity, we must focus not just on those who are most disenfranchised, but on those who lack education and understanding of the world’s power structures. With understanding we can achieve momentum and lasting change.

Just as we teach our children the importance of treating everyone equally, we must offer the same courtesy to those adults who were not afforded this same service as children. It is not always obvious to those who benefit from systemic racism the privilege they are afforded. And it is not always their fault. It is the fault of an underfunded and white washed public education system that serves to further the convenient and comfortable narrative of the white suppressors and their pillaging of what is now the United States. 

It is difficult for anyone to admit they are wrong, or don’t understand, and it is even scarier to admit to benefiting from another's pain, even unconsciously. People are afraid of change, it is uncomfortable. But that does not mean that change is bad. For this, we must work to educate others from a place of compassion rather than anger. Those who do not understand systemic racism are also products of a broken system that can only be dismantled when people truly understand its foundations and flaws. There is no excuse for hate, and racism should not be tolerated, but please I urge everyone who already agrees with me to greet others with compassion and courage. It is only through open dialogue and honest conversation that minds can be changed and communities strengthened. We must never tolerate racism but we must also never tolerate ignorance that leads to hate. 

Be strong in your sense of justice and equality for all. And be strong in educating others to the pains and horrors perpetrated by a racist system. Understand that change takes time. Those who are learning need time to process new information and work towards changing their scope and principles. The space granted to another to reeducate themself must not be confused with complacency. Patience should only be granted only to those actively working to understand their privilege and the foundations of white supremacy that the US was founded on. It must ultimately be understood that it could, sadly, take generations to undo the damage caused by an entire world history built on the backs of others. To those who are suffering, this is far too long. We all owe it to humanity to work to better ourselves and the society we live in. 

Black Lives Matter. If you agree with this statement but are white and don’t believe yourself to be part of the problem; that is the problem. Whiteness as superiority has been so deeply embedded into every institution within American Society, the message may go easily unnoticed by those without Black and Brown bodies. It is a responsibility to learn about systemic oppression and injustices and understand how we may benefit so we can effect change. It is powerful to be able to admit when we do not understand and it is even more courageous to admit the understanding to oneself and to others, that they may have benefited from another’s pain. The real power is in people learning the truth and working to understand the true history of genocide and slave labor that the US is built on. Let us use education to reframe racist points of view and create a community where the safety and prosperity of all is at the forefront. 

With love, compassion, and understanding, BummerBetch

[bummerbetch]

Dear Humans in the World Today (near past and present),

It is hard to over emphasize how difficult 2020 has been for humanity. The world seems scary, politics overwhelming and self-care difficult. As summer weather is beginning and US states opening up, social media can feel more like an echo chamber of social and political ideals rather than a reprieve or chance to highlight summer adventures. 

As realization sets in that a return to “normal life” may be further off than expected, and as CoronaVirus cases ebb and flow throughout the US, many of us may be feeling frustrated, hopeless or dejected. As we may find ourselves wishing more and more for our 2019 lives, keep in mind that the comfortable idea of normal does not apply for all. 

In the wake of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the rising anxiety and fear of the unknown, many retreated to their homes worrying about the effects on themselves and their families, whether for economic or personal health. As we saw businesses shuttered and city traffic dwindle, it became difficult to see past the nostalgia for the past to the areas of inequality plaguing our nations, and rightly so. This is unlike anything seen in our lifetimes and everyone is forced to confront living in a world with little understanding or direction and unclear expectations. 

As scary and disruptive as the global pandemic has been, it has been a tragic opportunity of reckoning for the economy and political systems of the US. A return to the same societal and economic structures we saw prior to the pandemic, means a system of grave inequality and a lifetime of violence against lower income individuals and people of color. The anger, passion and motivation we are feeling now, must continue. 

In an era where we cannot trust our news media, regardless of which end of the political spectrum you may fall, and social media posts with little to no fact checking hold just as much weight, I urge you all to digest and educate, rather than simply react or retreat. Sit with your feelings, remember your values, hold your ideals tightly (as long as they are not harmful to others) and always practice kindness. Remember that the systems currently in place benefit no one except the already privileged, and that should unite us over anything that may drive us apart. Let us use this time to educate ourselves, communicate across the aisle and create a society with room for all. We must stay focused on the heart of the movement, equality and opportunity for all. Let us educate ourselves together. 

We love, compassion, and understanding,

BummerBetch

[bummerbetch]

Bummer Book Club

Continuing our Reading of Policing the Planet The lives of those with Black and Brown bodies are threatened long before situations escalate to murder at the hands of police.

“Hyper-aggressive enforcement of minor nonviolent infractions that targets communities of color doesn’t make any of our communities safer” (page 64)

Since 2010 we have seen “an explosive rise in incarceration, a generation growing up with criminal records, the dismantling of communities, the shattering of trust in the police, and a police force trained to focus on the quantity and not the quality of arrests” (page 79). 

Lives of those in lower income communities, particularly for young Black men, are negatively affected by police, even without direct contact. Money and resources that should be spent on bettering community services and resources instead are used to increase policing and degrade the idea of a community. 

Those who survive police custody are not spared, but rather forced into a system of mass incarceration that robs them of their lives in a different way. Those arrested as teens are denied their childhood often for no valid reason at all. There is no hope in bettering our society until we stop treating children as adults in the name of the law, end sentencing for low level offenses (or the mere perception of one) and focus on education. After surviving the prison system, into adulthood, these individuals are forced to navigate a society that does not treat those with criminal records kindly -- in some cases denying such basic rights as voting, regardless of the charge. 

[bummerbetch]

Defunding the Police

Although the narrative for overhauling systems of policing varies city by city across the United States, one thing to keep in mind is that defunding does not necessarily mean dismantling. 

Defunding the police means diverting funds from police budgets to social services and education to better serve community interests. It is often lower income neighborhoods in the US that see the most police presence. The aggressive approach to over policing lower income neighborhoods and neighborhoods predominantly populated by people of color leads to mass incarceration of black and brown bodies, often for low level crimes. Once incarcerated, these individuals are often forced into unpaid labor while those who own the prisons profit. 

The US prison system is a privatized, for profit institution. 

Tax dollars paid by BIPOC or lower income communities are weaponized and used directly against them to further the economic benefit of the wealthy elite.

In light of all the police violence, if you believe more funding is needed for proper training. Let's talk about it. But I urge you to look at the police response to peaceful protest in the US, and read my post about the origins of policing in the US. 

Lack of funding is not the issue, it is that the police institution of the United States is built on a system of profiting from racialized violence.