I am writing as an African-American who really wants us to win our
struggle for liberation and who really wants us to succeed in removing
Donald Trump from office. But I am afraid that events that took place yesterday in Seattle may make it more likely that we will lose. This is why I am
writing today.
But in Seattle yesterday, violent infiltrators disrupted what should have been a peaceful protest and instead provided the world with images that play right into the hands of Donald Trump. Those images make us look like criminals and undermine our attempts to discredit the system that is oppressing us. Note also that the NAACP has commented on how what started as a Black expression of struggle against White oppression has been dangerously hijacked. The protests are no longer really about Black lives, but about attention-seeking White people. As I said above, I support the Wall of Moms - especially because they have put themselves at the service of their Black and Brown neighbors. But I agree 100 percent with the NAACP condemnation of the anarchists and other agitators.
Therefore, I am begging you as a fellow African-American to shift your resistance to tactics of dispersion. I'd also like to ask that you please stop holding mass rallies and protests unless you create a system to make sure that everyone who shows up will remain nonviolent. This applies especially to White people who show up at a protest, because most of the violence (including property destruction!) that has been perpetrated at protests over the last two months was done by White people. If you want to see why nonviolent discipline is so important, please watch this video by Professor Erica Chenoweth (and this one also).
I would also ask that you all study not only the literature on strategic nonviolent resistance, but that you also study the literature on effective community organizing. This falls right in line with what the family of George Floyd asked of us all in the aftermath of his murder by the police. Note that George Floyd's brother condemned the violence that had erupted even in the early days of the protests over George Floyd's murder, and he demanded that those who want to see changes happen work in a positive manner to make those changes happen.
I have not suffered like George Floyd's family (or Tamir Rice's family, or Michael Brown's family, or Stephon Clark's family, or Breonna Taylor's family). But as a kid I was exposed to a lot of intense racist physical bullying. I went to White churches where the racism was more subtle, yet just as damaging. I've been followed by police and even stopped by police simply because I am Black. I've suffered workplace harassment. To me, it seems that Donald Trump wants to bring back an America in which it's okay for white supremacy to treat us all like trash. Trump has been losing this year because of his incompetence. But if he wants to try to rescue his reelection by picturing himself as a law-and-order president protecting the world from chaos, why do you want to hand him situations where he can "prove" his claims? I don't want to suffer another four years of his garbage. Do you?
And if you are White and you are reading this, please stop showing up to BLM protests unless you know that you can control yourself and not vandalize property or provoke law enforcement officers by stupid stunts like throwing firecrackers or other objects at police. You're not the heroes you seem to think you are when you pull such stunts.
Thanks to all who take the time to read this.