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“Know Your Rights”

It is really starting to bother me seeing these “know your rights” type posts being shared on mainstream sites (and Tumblr), and especially on ones with Black readers as their target. I get the point. Be an informed “citizen.” When does this information make us less Black and thereby it becomes less “reasonable” for the State to murder us with impunity? An impunity that is not afforded even to some White civilians (i.e. Ted Wafer, Michael Dunn) who kill us, let alone Black ones, so such a conflation is moot, disingenuous, intellectually dishonest. Is this information bulletproof? Will having a Master’s degree in Criminal Justice–thereby it’s safe to presume that I know my “rights”–make me safer than Sandra Bland, someone else who was college educated, yet is still dead? Of course not everyone knows this information and the information matters; I am not stating that everyone has a degree or knowledge of this because why would I state something so inaccurate and hyperbolic? However, at this point, some of these “know your rights” posts just feel like victim blaming. This notion that somehow it was lack of information, not being Black and dealing with the police–with their factual and documented origin in slave patrols, no less, in a long anti-Black history, that pre-dates Ferguson by only centuries–that is the cause of our deaths. 

I want to know how having a command of that particular information is going to make me safe. It has not stopped cops from street harassing and threatening me since age 12. It didn’t save my uncle who was murdered by the police, a pain that altered my late mother’s life (and our whole family) permanently. It didn’t make either of my brothers safer from police brutality that they’ve experienced. Yes, the information matters and education on that particular info matters. But when it is disseminated in immediate response to police brutality and/or extrajudicial execution, it feels like victim blaming. It does not feel good or helpful to me. I get that sending it out feels like “doing something.” I dunno. Part of me sinks every time I see such a post. The Constitution itself was crafted in juxtaposition to Black humanity, not to protect it; even subsequent amendments after the Bill of Rights are sketchy (see the 13th Amendment and if it really ended all slavery; hi prison; or see the 15th/19th Amendments and Black people still needing the VRA in 1965 to actually safely exercise right to suffrage) but local and state provisions about “rights” are going to make me safe? 

There’s no amount of information to adequately consume that will make us safe. I don’t mean that we should stop resisting; in detail I tweeted about how the emotional impact of experiencing anti-Blackness is one that I cannot adequately express even if I know what it actually is, and even if actually futile, I am not interested in stopping resistance. I believe Assata: "It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win. We must love each other and support each other. We have nothing to lose but our chains.” But I do know that when I see some posts on “rights” after an extrajudicial execution, I don’t feel better or safer. Sadder. More tired. A permanent spiritual (not in a theist sense) fatigue. That’s what I feel. And in those moments, it just doesn’t matter to me what I know. 

[tooblackblog]

"Be an informed "citizen." When does this information make us less Black and thereby it becomes less "reasonable" for the State to murder us with impunity."

[tooblackblog]

AfroPunk what up

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[tooblackblog]

Hi this is Dina from CheckPrivilege. We did receive your submission. I have reviewed it once myself (& enjoyed it) but need to review it a couple more times before determining if we are going to post it. I've been dealing with some chronic illness & as such have been falling behind. Ideally, I'd get other moderators to help me out with reviewing submissions & the such but I have no idea where any of them are. It would be helpful if you could provide the words to the poem as well. Thanks!

Peace, sorry for not responding sooner. Thank you for reviewing my submission. I am sorry to hear about your illness. I hope it is improving. I will send you the text of the poem before the day is out. Thank you.

[veryethnic-blog]

Ten differences between White Terrorists and Others

1. White terrorists are called “gunmen.” What does that even mean? A person with a gun? Wouldn’t that be, like, everyone in the US? Other terrorists are called, like, “terrorists.”

2. White terrorists are “troubled loners.” Other terrorists are always suspected of being part of a global plot, even when they are obviously troubled loners.

3. Doing a study on the danger of white terrorists at the Department of Homeland Security will get you sidelined by angry white Congressmen. Doing studies on other kinds of terrorists is a guaranteed promotion.

4. The family of a white terrorist is interviewed, weeping as they wonder where he went wrong. The families of other terrorists are almost never interviewed.

5. White terrorists are part of a “fringe.” Other terrorists are apparently mainstream.

6. White terrorists are random events, like tornadoes. Other terrorists are long-running conspiracies.

7. White terrorists are never called “white.” But other terrorists are given ethnic affiliations.

8. Nobody thinks white terrorists are typical of white people. But other terrorists are considered paragons of their societies.

9. White terrorists are alcoholics, addicts or mentally ill. Other terrorists are apparently clean-living and perfectly sane.

10. There is nothing you can do about white terrorists. Gun control won’t stop them. No policy you could make, no government program, could possibly have an impact on them. But hundreds of billions of dollars must be spent on police and on the Department of Defense, and on TSA, which must virtually strip search 60 million people a year, to deal with other terrorists.

(via: http://www.juancole.com/2012/08/top-ten-differences-between-white-terrorists-and-others.html)

[tooblackblog]

This is so relevant

[thaibebop]

Doesn’t wok both ways, does it.

[tooblackblog]

See how that works out..... 

[oldzorascreation]

Types of Fools

The White Apologist: “I’m so, so sorry for what my ancestors did to yours, man! It really breaks me down sometimes thinking about how despicable we were to you guys! Please forgive us!”

The Faux-Humanist: “Stop talking about race. We’re all just human.”

The Martin-Lover: “Yeah, but didn’t Martin Luther King say to judge people not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character! I have a dream today!”

The Lord of the Fee-Fees: “Don’t you understand how your comments about what SOME White people do are offensive to me and hurt my feelings? Not all of us are racist! By pointing out my “privilege”, you are spreading hate!“

The Wonderful White Friend: “I’m not racist, some of my best friends are Arabs!”

The Nigger-Lover: “Why can’t I say nigger? I saw it on the Boondocks! Why can’t I say nigger? Eminem’s a rapper! Why can’t she say nigger? What if she married a Black man? Why can’t she say nigger? What if he was adopted by a Black family?”

The Pea-Brained Peacemaker: “Maybe if you people weren’t so harsh and hostile, White people would want to listen to you? Try being a little calmer next time, why don’t you?”

The Silly Bitch: “I don’t care what you say, nigger isn’t a racist word. NIGGER.”

The Annoying White Feminist:  "I think our shared experiences as women are more important than race at this time, look at the bigger picture! Woman is the nigger of the world, and I have a right to say it, you colored women are just being divisive!“

The Reverse Race Specialist: “How come there are no historically white colleges?  REVERSE RACISM!”

The Slave-Thrower: “Everybody was enslaved, not just you guys!”

The Fool: “I know you were fired from your modeling job because the casting agent said you didn’t ‘have the look’ and you were passed over for the job by ten other White models, but I don’t think this has anything to do with racism!”

The Colorblind Crook: “I don’t see color! There’s no difference at all between the races, we’re all the same deep down!”

The Bleeder: “Racism wouldn’t exist if you stopped talking about it. WE ALL BLEED RED!”

[tooblackblog]

THIS RIGHT HERE

[tooblackblog]

Another Troll another day.

[woodulisten]

Reason #574636896433774332 why I love this woman.

[krxs10]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! BREAKING NEWS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Judge Finds Probable Cause To Charge Officer Who Murdered Tamir Rice 

A Cleveland Municipal Court judge said Thursday there was probable cause to charge a Cleveland officer with murder in the killing of 12-year-old Tamir Rice, according to Cleveland.com.

The judge also found there was probable cause to charge officer Frank Garmback, Loehmann’s partner, with involuntary manslaughter, reckless homicide, negligent homicide and dereliction of duty.

Judge Ronald Adrine found that there were grounds to prosecute the officers, but he notes in his decision that he is acting in an “advisory” role and that ultimately a grand jury will decide whether charges are warranted.

Adrine’s decision notes that in surveillance footage of the incident, “there appears to be little if any time reflected on the video for Rice to react or respond to any verbal or audible commands given from Loehmann and Garmback from their [car] between the time that they first arrived and the time that Rice was shot.”

The ruling comes after community leaders earlier this week asked the court to let a judge bring murder charges and issue arrest warrants in the case.

Last week, the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department gave the findings of its investigation to County Prosecutor Tim McGinty’s office. Today, McGinty responded to the judge’s findings, saying that he would follow standard procedure and let a grand jury decide whether to charge Loehmann. 

in other words, when the Judge suggested there was enough evidence to charge both the officer and his accomplice with murder, the Prosecutor issued out a letter basically saying that he doesn’t give a shit.

At least we’re finally getting some action done. You gotta celebrate the little victories no matter how small.

Source / Source

#StayWoke

[tooblackblog]

YES

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THIS

[micdotcom]

McKinney officer Eric Casebolt has resigned.

After a groundswell of nationwide criticism, the McKinney, Texas, police officer involved in the disturbing video shown using excessive force against a black teenage girl in a bikini at a pool party resigned from his official duties Tuesday. While a minor victory, one of the teens in the video is still hoping for more justice.

[tooblackblog]

Dueces. He will get hired again unfortunately.

[zek-plus]

[tooblackblog]

This all day

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[coutois]

[theimaginarythoughts-deactivate]

This looks like a female version of Huey. This is dope!

[tooblackblog]

TOO BLACK (Me) performs his satirical piece"#WhiteLivezMatter."  This poem takes a humorous but uncompromising position on the misnomer known as 'Reverse Racism' within the political climate of #BlackLivesMatter

[tooblackblog]

Cynical Optimism: Why I Keep Going

The ability to care in this world becomes increasingly difficult through the eyes of a black person.  It is easy to get jaded in a world that constantly tells you your existence is beyond meaningless.  

As black people we know this well.  We know at least every week there will be a new video on the net of us being brutalized or flat out murdered without any consequence.  We know we are not safe here and have never been.  Especially the most marginalized among us (women, LGBT, disabled, poor etc.)  We know our demise is an American pastime that historically brings white America joy (lynchings, zoos, internet trolls).  We know our happiness and power of expression is consistently reduced to consumption for the larger society (see cultural appropriation).  Basically we know deep down (not so deep for me) that America does not give a fuck about us.  

Yet and still we continue to live.  We may not meet everyone’s standards of how we should live ( nor should we care to), but we live anyway.  We survive and we do our best to make sense out of a system (White supremacist patriarchy) that makes absolutely no sense at all.  None. Zilch. We take a religion (Christianity) that was met to oppress us (and still does) and make beautiful music (Gospel).  We take poverty and decay and create Hip Hop.  We make children.  We invent.  We Love.  We resist.  Shit we simply get out of bed. We experience humanity to its fullest.   We keep living when America gives us every reason to die.  It is in this that I form my cynical optimism towards life.  

It is my father never losing his cool when the white folks at his job actively worked to get him fired (knowing he’s got kids to feed) that gives me my strength.  It is my mother who taught me not to take shit from anybody (forgive the language moms lol) that gives me a voice.  It is my brother who has been saddled with all the burdens a black male can carry (prison, felony, disenfranchisement) but refuses to fade to nothingness where I draw my inspiration.  It is all the the above and more as to why I write.  Why I breathe.  Why I keep going.  

Black