The Power to Change

Please do not be silent.

If you are in a position to decide whether or not you engage with issues of racism, oppression, and police brutality, please know that you are in a position of power and privilege. You can choose to either use this power to stand in solidarity with the oppressed, or you can choose to remain silent. But make no mistake, by choosing silence, choosing inaction, choosing to withhold your power, you are enacting harm.  Silence perpetuates systems that allow murder, violence, erasure, and degradation to continue. Silence is an active choice to not act as an ally. Silence is an active choice to allow the spread of misinformation. Silence is the most irresponsible act you could do for your fellow humans who are suffering and dying.

Photo by Maria Oswalt on Unsplash

Please focus the narrative.

If you have chosen to be vocal about these issues, please focus the narrative on their intended cause. Refocusing the narrative on the subject of looting, liberal schemes, and lame-ass excuses for not standing in solidarity with this movement are red herrings to the actual issues at hand. Police brutality against the black community is an issue that should transcend party lines, as death transcends party lines. To say, “It is unfortunate that George died, but looting is wrong,” is a misprioritization. You should be saying “It is unfortunate that looting is happening, but George’s death was wrong.” The loss of merchandise cannot be the reason you believe this movement should stop. Do not let the cause of those hundreds of thousands of individuals all over the globe who march for the sole purpose of demanding justice be derailed by the few who intentionally misdirect your attention. Merchandise should never be valued over human life. Merchandise can be replaced. George Floyd cannot. Breonna Taylor cannot. Ahmaud Arbery cannot.

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Please listen.

Standing in solidarity with your oppressed brothers and sister requires all those who have not walked in their shoes to listen. Listen to their experiences. Listen to their fears. Listen to their needs, their wants, their ideas. Do not tell them what their experience is or has been. Do not tell them there is nothing to fear. Do not tell them what they need, feel, or think. Do not listen to news outlets that contradict the mission statements of the protestors. The protestors have told you what they are marching for. If news outlets refuse to believe them, if you refuse to believe them, then what makes this distrust any different from the officer who did not believe George Floyd when said, “You are killing me.” There is no difference. Always let the oppressed tell you their experience, never the other way around.

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Please show up however you can.

In these circumstances, it is a hollow gesture to merely post a black square with no other action. A black square does not exonerate you from your previous moments of inaction, microaggression, or outright oppression. It does not create change to merely say ‘I stand with you’ but remain inactive. Support and awareness are paramount to these movements, yet it is action that will create change. Showing up can be done in a plethora of ways. It does not necessarily mean attending a protest. It could mean making a donation to the organizations that are on the ground during this time facilitating these protests. It could mean giving money to the Go-fund Me meant to support the children George Floyd was taken from. It could mean circulating information regarding resources about unlawful arrests or how to properly wash teargas and mace from your eyes. It could be donating to causes such as the Black Lives Matter movement or other organizations that have been working for years to progress the rights and safety of minoritized communities. If monetary support is unfeasible, there are always petitions to sign, letters, or phone calls to make directed at those with governmental power who are remaining silent or inactive. If you are aware enough, the resources are overtly available. But you must first show up. This is both the first and the last step.

     Photo by Donovan Valdivia on Unsplash