we have in our modern times, a series of problems, issues
that need responding to…we must answer the questions
that challenge our times…
one such question is the modern protest again police brutality…
those on the right say, it is “chaos, violence, anarchism”
but as usual, the right misses the point…
they should be asking themselves, why?
why are people in the street marching?
why are people demanding solutions to the problem
of police brutality?
why are people angry and frustrated with America today?
this simple question is never asked… because it would expose
the right about the lies they tell us…
it is an equation… we have the police and their known
and constant violence and brutality toward people of color…
we know this, it is a fact…one that cannot be denied…
and on the other hand we have millions marching to end
this police violence and brutality/racism they have toward
people of color…
what should be the answer to this equation?
we find the answer in the history of this country…
we have had racial protest for decades… the entire 60’s and early
70’s were a time period of unrest and protest… I was there…
and yet, the reason for the protest and marching has never been
solved… people are marching for racial justice and after 50 years,
they still don’t have that…blacks are still being murdered by the police…
that isn’t justice, that isn’t seeking a peaceful solution, that isn’t some sort
of dialogue trying to engage protesters…
the solution lies in the equal engagement of people of colored to
have an equal voice and equal participation in how the law
and the police engage…
right now, we have no voice in our country, no voice in how police “justice”
devalues and harms people of color…if you don’t have a voice
in the process… then marching is the only option we have…
if there is police violence and brutality against people of color,
how are we to end that process? by dialogue? the people in charge,
have no interest in dialogue…the only option given by the police,
the politicians, the conservative is… end marching, end protest…
and there is no second option offered… no end marching and we will
talk… that hasn’t been offered and most likely will be rejected by the
marchers and protesters because the “establishment” had made no effort
to engage in some form of dialogue with those who want to end systematic
violence and racism…there is no offer of a second solution of dialogue or
attempt to reach an agreement…
in other words, all the protesters have been offered is “my way or the highway”
and that is the only offer ever given by the police and by the state…
the “establishment” has not even attempted to offer to make some sort of
truce or dialogue to protesters…
why should they stop marching if they don’t a seat at the table?
why stay silent when you are given no choice to engage in the system?
“my way or the highway” of “establishment” doesn’t offer any way
to discuss or engage in any dialogue about the systemic racism or
police brutality…
you want an end to violence… give a place at the table to
people to engage in events in their lives… don’t say, as
IQ45 has said, end the violence now… say, how can we end the violence?
don’t demand, ask to meet, offer up change to those who protest
and watch the violence end…
that is what they are looking for, the end of systematic racism
and violence… so offer them a seat at the table to do just that…
and the violence and marching will end tomorrow…
give them a choice, a real, honest choice to engage in
the matter of their own lives…
democracy isn’t a spectator sport… it requires and demands engagement
that is given to everyone who wants to sit at the table…
you might say, end the violence and then we talk…but the fact is,
that has happened time after time after time and nothing has happened…
why should the protesters believe you are ready to talk when it hasn’t yet
happened?
the reason for the marches and protesting is to institute change…
when change comes, there is no reason to protest or march…
the solution to the marchers and protesters is through
the only solution possible… peaceful dialogue and change…
no dialogue and there is no reason in the universe to
stop the marching/protesting…
give them a reason to stop the protests… give
them a seat at the table…
Kropotkin