“The Endless Call” — a Washington Post piece, I mean WTF Why does it have to be “endless”?
“The Endless Call” an article from the Washington Post by David Montgomery — it’s by-line reads: “Demands for racial equality and justice have always been a part of the American Story…” though well written BTW and aptly enraging and heart wrenchingly awful at the same time is not the whole story.
I mean, WTF — Why does it have to be endless? Is this piece keeping us all trapped in the f — king system of racism, in the world of White Male Father Knows Best? Is this the best way to frame a solution? Really? “The Endless Call”?
Are we all complicit in this crazy-ass system?
The following could be a small example of what we need to start to change the system one-person at a time (not that, that’s the only way, of course): In the 1980s I was involved in one of these new-age BS personal growth courses where one person showed-up a few minutes late. The “facilitator” dude (F-D) asked us all of us to sit down while he singled out the late guy. For some crazy-ass reason I remained standing. The “facilitator” aka autocratic leader dude made this guy “an example” of the importance of being on-time and was ready to boot him from the course.
“Get out!” The F-D, drunk on power, commanded the guy to leave.
“No,” I said countering his power with equal force — at least in my voice.
“Frank, sit down. This isn’t about you,” F-D soothed with his voice.
“Sit-down, you’re wasting time,” a cat call from the group — by another guy.
“I stand for George,” I said. “ When are we going to take responsibility for our community? When are we going to stand for what’s right? When are we going to allow for a mistake? When are we going to be inclusive instead of exclusive? What does kicking-him-out say about our community, say about us? Are we a community that excludes one person, for a mistake? In my mind that is not a community, that’s a dictatorship.” and other people behind me started to stand with me.
“Okay, George you can stay.” Then F-D launched into a brief statement about being on-time — a good value, but without compassion — useless.
By couching this article in The Post as “The Endless Call” doesn’t that frame the article as a never-ending fight against racism and systemic racism? It may be a good rallying cry though — maybe that was the point.
I saw this liberal — and very well written piece of the injustices and heart-wrenching crimes against black people who remain slaves in the supposed home of the free etc. piece as one way to keep the struggle going forever and encapsulated in an acceptable frame. Keep the fight going — its graphic and sells more copy. Though this is probably an unconscious bias of Jeff Bezos’ Washington Post and most people seeking normative ground. If we take it out of the immediate drama then the injustice of systemic racism belongs to a bigger picture of the crushing blows of predatory capitalism and the oligarchical US Government teetering on the edge of full-blown fascism.
The patriarchy needs a scapegoat. It’s a top-down hierarchical power-over based system where white educated males are on-top. By keeping the debate out of the kitchen of white male power and forcing the verbal and physical altercations to the living room and bedrooms then very little will get done.
Towards solutions (damage control or harm reduction):
Vote Biden in office
Vote McConnell out.
Flip the Senate to Democrats
Hold the House to Democrats
Defund the DNC from corporate money-base power — re-write the by-laws for the people.
And Drive the GOP into Oblivion. Of course, they will re-organize; hopefully into a party that is sane and bases itself on governing with cooperation.
The Washington Post piece link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/lifestyle/magazine/the-endless-call-for-racial-equity-and-justice-in-photos-and-quotes/
