White Allyship

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Just got back from a few hours at a protest in Chester. People were observing distancing the best that they could and it remained completely peaceful. It was the first time I’ve ever been part of anything like that and it was so moving.

Someone shared this on my Facebook. Feel like I’m talking to wall a lot of the time trying to argue why these protests must happen despite the pandemic.
 

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Just got back from a few hours at a protest in Chester. People were observing distancing the best that they could and it remained completely peaceful. It was the first time I’ve ever been part of anything like that and it was so moving.

Someone shared this on my Facebook. Feel like I’m talking to wall a lot of the time trying to argue why these protests must happen despite the pandemic.
Bloody well done!

Banksy has shown his support for the Black Lives Matter movement, saying “people of colour are being failed by the system”.

The graffiti artist wrote in an Instagram post: “At first I thought I should just shut up and listen to black people about this issue. But why would I do that? It’s not their problem, it’s mine.

“People of colour are being failed by the system. The white system. Like a broken pipe flooding the apartment of the people living downstairs. The faulty system is making their life a misery, but it’s not their job to fix it. They can’t, no one will let them in the apartment upstairs.

“This is a white problem. And if white people don’t fix it, someone will have to come upstairs and kick the door in.”

Just got back from a few hours at a protest in Chester. People were observing distancing the best that they could and it remained completely peaceful. It was the first time I’ve ever been part of anything like that and it was so moving.

Someone shared this on my Facebook. Feel like I’m talking to wall a lot of the time trying to argue why these protests must happen despite the pandemic.
I hope that you don't mind, but I've share this post too.
 
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Bloody well done!

Banksy has shown his support for the Black Lives Matter movement, saying “people of colour are being failed by the system”.

The graffiti artist wrote in an Instagram post: “At first I thought I should just shut up and listen to black people about this issue. But why would I do that? It’s not their problem, it’s mine.

“People of colour are being failed by the system. The white system. Like a broken pipe flooding the apartment of the people living downstairs. The faulty system is making their life a misery, but it’s not their job to fix it. They can’t, no one will let them in the apartment upstairs.

“This is a white problem. And if white people don’t fix it, someone will have to come upstairs and kick the door in.”


I hope that you don't mind, but I've share this post too.
It was so nice to see everyone being respectful of distancing whilst still making a stand. I could have cried when everyone took the knee.

It isn’t my imagine - I have no idea who took it, someone just posted it on Facebook so feel free to share😂
 
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Seeing a lot of praise for Obama on twitter over some speech and Beyoncé video, I’m from the U.K. so don’t know all that much in regards to US politics, but what did he do when he was In power? From the outside looking in, he didn’t do anything to help racism in the US. How can people still see him as a hero, when he didn’t do anything when he had the chance?
 
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So my husband and I have had a quite difficult conversation this morning.
I’ve been doing lots of reading and self reflection this week - and I’ve learned a LOT. As a family, we are very left wing and inclusive and I was shocked at the amount I didn’t know.
My husband and I were chatting this morning about a news article we’d both seen about Minneapolis deciding to defund the police. I had read a few articles about why this is being seen as a possible solution and how it would work in practice, so when I saw the article I felt a sense of joy that the protests in the US are having an impact. My husbands take on it was that it’s a stupid idea. I wanted to understand his viewpoint but it turns out that the extent of his knowledge on it was that one news article. This opened up a can of worms where it came to light that the extent of his reading on this whole issue was: the things he happened to stumble across on his Facebook and twitter feed. Naturally this means that all he’s seen (by his own admission) is statues of slave traders in Britain being defaced/torn down, and people “rioting and looting” in the US.
I pointed out that this was problematic because whilst he agrees with the sentiment of black lives matter, he wasn’t actually doing anything the enhance his own understanding. By following major news outlets but no prominent black speakers he was only listening to one side, in an argument that really shouldn’t have two sides (I say this in the sense of I don’t think whites people have a leg to stand on when ‘debating’ black lives matter, a lot just think they do, and that’s the side he’s been reading on). Granted he doesn’t agree with the majority of what he’s been seeing, but I found it quite upsetting that he’d made absolutely zero effort to try and be better and learn, almost like the mentality of thinking he was already an expert on something he actually knows hardly anything about.

It came to a head where I told him I was really disappointed he hadn’t taken this opportunity to learn and be better. He said it’s because he hasn’t wanted to, because it’s too much. I basically said tough tit we don’t have a choice anymore.

In the end he’s asked if I can direct him towards some accounts or information where he won’t get it wrong - he wants to do better. The only problem is he’s primarily on twitter and I don’t use it.
So would anyone be able to direct me towards some twitter accounts that have been really useful and informative throughout this movement? So I can pass them onto him and diversify his newsfeed away from the typical news outlets.

Thanks in advance.
 
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So my husband and I have had a quite difficult conversation this morning.
I’ve been doing lots of reading and self reflection this week - and I’ve learned a LOT. As a family, we are very left wing and inclusive and I was shocked at the amount I didn’t know.
My husband and I were chatting this morning about a news article we’d both seen about Minneapolis deciding to defund the police. I had read a few articles about why this is being seen as a possible solution and how it would work in practice, so when I saw the article I felt a sense of joy that the protests in the US are having an impact. My husbands take on it was that it’s a stupid idea. I wanted to understand his viewpoint but it turns out that the extent of his knowledge on it was that one news article. This opened up a can of worms where it came to light that the extent of his reading on this whole issue was: the things he happened to stumble across on his Facebook and twitter feed. Naturally this means that all he’s seen (by his own admission) is statues of slave traders in Britain being defaced/torn down, and people “rioting and looting” in the US.
I pointed out that this was problematic because whilst he agrees with the sentiment of black lives matter, he wasn’t actually doing anything the enhance his own understanding. By following major news outlets but no prominent black speakers he was only listening to one side, in an argument that really shouldn’t have two sides (I say this in the sense of I don’t think whites people have a leg to stand on when ‘debating’ black lives matter, a lot just think they do, and that’s the side he’s been reading on). Granted he doesn’t agree with the majority of what he’s been seeing, but I found it quite upsetting that he’d made absolutely zero effort to try and be better and learn, almost like the mentality of thinking he was already an expert on something he actually knows hardly anything about.

It came to a head where I told him I was really disappointed he hadn’t taken this opportunity to learn and be better. He said it’s because he hasn’t wanted to, because it’s too much. I basically said tough tit we don’t have a choice anymore.

In the end he’s asked if I can direct him towards some accounts or information where he won’t get it wrong - he wants to do better. The only problem is he’s primarily on twitter and I don’t use it.
So would anyone be able to direct me towards some twitter accounts that have been really useful and informative throughout this movement? So I can pass them onto him and diversify his newsfeed away from the typical news outlets.

Thanks in advance.
Hi.

I love the fact you didn't just brush it aside. The conversations will be uncomfortable, but past that you will get to why that is and understanding.

Yes he definitely needs to diversify his Twitter to understand if that's where he spends most time. Facebook is the worst. Ceespool of racists who don't want to change and you can't convince them.

Accounts to follow:
@ColorOfChange
@Rachel.
@NAACP
@ShowUp4RJ
@fams2gether

@UNITEDWEDREAM
@civilrightsorg
@eji_org
@SisterSong_WOC
@Blklivesmatter
@nowhitesaviors
@RachelCargle

EZrumAAXQAAocv_.jpeg
https://mobile.twitter.com/AliceSiberry/status/1269614693779464194
This thread was enlightening to my friends



Where you can start: https://tattle.life/threads/19920/ - maybe choose 1 book or film to watch and start from there


Defunding the police articles


Just an interesting article about police being entrenched in their ways and systematic racism (Stephen Lawrence comes to mind)

.
 
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Hi.

I love the fact you didn't just brush it aside. The conversations will be uncomfortable, but past that you will get to why that is and understanding.

Yes he definitely needs to diversify his Twitter to understand if that's where he spends most time. Facebook is the worst. Ceespool of racists who don't want to change and you can't convince them.

Accounts to follow:
@ColorOfChange
@Rachel.
@NAACP
@ShowUp4RJ
@fams2gether

@UNITEDWEDREAM
@civilrightsorg
@eji_org
@SisterSong_WOC
@Blklivesmatter
@nowhitesaviors
@RachelCargle

View attachment 149256
https://mobile.twitter.com/AliceSiberry/status/1269614693779464194
This thread was enlightening to my friends



Where you can start: https://tattle.life/threads/19920/ - maybe choose 1 book or film to watch and start from there


Defunding the police articles


Just an interesting article about police being entrenched in their ways and systematic racism (Stephen Lawrence comes to mind)

.
Thank you so much for these account recommendations and resources!
It was a bit frosty this morning but is much better this evening - we’ve set up a WhatsApp group where we are both going to share anything we come across for the other to read (I’m sure it’ll be heavier on my side at first but I’m hoping once he’s done some work he will share things with me too)

Really appreciate the help
 
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Brilliant thread, thank you for all the links and posts. Can I please share this, and ask that you read, sign and share the petition. Black women are up to five times more likely to die during pregnancy and childbirth. Whilst this fact has been recognised there is no research into why this is.

 
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So what exactly has protesting accomplished?

👉🏾Within 10 days of sustained protests:
Minneapolis bans use of choke holds.

👉🏾 George Floyd’s murderer was originally charged with 3rd degree murder. He is now being charged with 2nd degree murder.

👉🏾The other three officers who stood on scene and did NOTHING to help Floyd are being charged with aiding and abetting 2nd degree murder.

👉🏾Breonna Taylor’s Case has been reopened.

👉🏾Louisville, KY’s mayor is ordering an outside review of the entire city police department.

👉🏾Dallas adopts a "duty to intervene" rule that requires officers to stop other cops who are engaging in inappropriate use of force.

👉🏾New Jersey’s attorney general said the state will update its use-of-force guidelines for the first time in two decades.

👉🏾In Maryland, a bipartisan work group of state lawmakers announced a police reform work group.

👉🏾A seminar scheduled in December for KC police that trains cops to kill without hestitation was cancelled.

👉🏾Los Angeles City Council introduces motion to reduce LAPD’s $1.8 billion operating budget.

👉🏾MBTA in Boston agrees to stop using public buses to transport police officers to protests.

👉🏾Police brutality captured on cameras leads to near-immediate suspensions and firings of officers in several cities (i.e., Buffalo, Ft. Lauderdale).

👉🏾Monuments celebrating confederates are removed in cities in Virginia, Alabama, and other states.

👉🏾James Miller resigned from his role in the Defense Asvisory Board at the Pentagon in response to the Secretary of Defense’s support of LEOs clearing out White House protestors with tear gas so Trump could take a publicity photo.

👉🏾Defense Secretary Mark Esper said he will oppose Trump’s threats to deploy federal troops to stop protestors across the US.

👉🏾Street in front of the White House is renamed "Black Lives Matter Plaza.”
Military forces begin to withdraw from D.C.

Then, there's all the other stuff that's hard to measure:

💓The really difficult public and private conversations that are happening about race and privilege.

💓The realizations some white people are coming to about racism and the role of policing in this country.

💓The self-reflection.

💓The internal battles exploding within organizations over issues that have been simmering or ignored for a long time. Some organizations will end as a result, others will be forever changed or replaced with something stronger and fairer.

Globally:

🌎 Protests against racial inequality sparked by the police killing of George Floyd are taking place all over the world.

🌎 Rallies and memorials have been held in cities across Europe, as well as in Mexico, Canada, Brazil, Australia, and New Zealand.

🌎 As the US contends with its second week of protests, issues of racism, police brutality, and oppression have been brought to light across the globe.

🌎 People all over the world understand that their own fights for human rights, for equality and fairness, will become so much more difficult to win if we are going to lose America as the place where 'I have a dream' is a real and universal political program," Wolfgang Ischinger, a former German ambassador to the US, told the New Yorker.

🌎 In France, protesters marched holding signs that said "I can't breathe" to signify both the words of Floyd, and the last words of Adama Traoré, a 24-year-old black man who was subdued by police officers and gasped the sentence before he died outside Paris in 2016.

🌎 Cities across Europe have come together after the death of George Floyd:

✊🏽 In Amsterdam, an estimated 10,000 people filled the Dam square on Monday, holding signs and shouting popular chants like "Black lives matter," and "No justice, no peace."

✊🏽 In Germany, people gathered in multiple locations throughout Berlin to demand justice for Floyd and fight against police brutality.

✊🏾 A mural dedicated to Floyd was also spray-painted on a stretch of wall in Berlin that once divided the German capital during the Cold War.

✊🏿 In Ireland, protesters held a peaceful demonstration outside of Belfast City Hall, and others gathered outside of the US embassy in Dublin.

✊🏿In Italy, protesters gathered and marched with signs that said "Stop killing black people," "Say his name," and "We will not be silent."

✊🏾 In Spain, people gathered to march and hold up signs throughout Barcelona and Madrid.

✊🏾 In Athens, Greece, protesters took to the streets to collectively hold up a sign that read "I can't breathe."

✊🏾 In Brussels, protesters were seen sitting in a peaceful demonstration in front of an opera house in the center of the city.

✊🏾In Denmark, protesters were heard chanting "No justice, no peace!" throughout the streets of Copenhagen, while others gathered outside the US embassy.

✊🏾 In Canada, protesters were also grieving for Regis Korchinski-Paquet, a 29-year-old black woman who died on Wednesday after falling from her balcony during a police investigation at her building.

✊🏾 And in New Zealand, roughly 2,000 people marched to the US embassy in Auckland, chanting and carrying signs demanding justice.

💐 Memorials have been built for Floyd around the world, too. In Mexico City, portraits of him were hung outside the US embassy with roses, candles, and signs.

💐 In Poland, candles and flowers were laid out next to photos of Floyd outside the US consulate.

💐 And in Syria, two artists created a mural depicting Floyd in the northwestern town of Binnish, "on a wall destroyed by military planes."

Before the assassination of George Floyd some of you were able to say whatever the hell you wanted and the world didn't say anything to you...

THERE HAS BEEN A SHIFT, AN AWAKENING...MANY OF YOU ARE BEING EXPOSED FOR WHO YOU REALLY ARE. #readthatagain

Don't wake up tomorrow on the wrong side of this issue. Its not to late to SAY,

"maybe I need to look at this from a different perspective.

Maybe I don't know what its like to be Black in America...

Maybe, just maybe, I have been taught wrong."

There is still so much work to be done. It's been a really dark, raw week. This could still end badly. But all we can do is keep doing the work.

Keep protesting.

WE ARE NOT TRYING TO START A RACE WAR; WE ARE PROTESTING TO END IT,
PEACEFULLY.

How beautiful is that?

ALL LIVES CANNOT MATTER UNTIL YOU INCLUDE BLACK LIVES.

YOU CANNOT SAY 'ALL LIVES MATTER' WHEN YOU DO NOTHING TO STOP SYSTEMIC RACISM & POLICE BRUTALITY.

YOU CANNOT SAY 'ALL LIVES MATTER' WHEN BLACK PEOPLE ARE DYING AND ALL YOU COMPLAIN ABOUT IS THE LOOTING.

YOU CANNOT SAY 'ALL LIVES MATTER' WHEN YOU ALLOW CHILDREN TO BE CAGED, VETERANS TO GO HOMELESS, AND POOR FAMILIES TO GO HUNGRY & LOSE THEIR HEALTH INSURANCE.

DO ALL LIVES MATTER? YES. BUT RIGHT NOW, ONLY BLACK LIVES ARE BEING TARGETED, JAILED, AND KILLED EN MASSE- SO THAT'S WHO WE'RE FOCUSING ON.

🖤🖤🖤BLACK LIVES MATTER🖤🖤🖤

IF YOU CAN'T SEE THIS, YOU ARE THE PROBLEM.
 
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Is anyone else realising that their partners are just not on the same page as them about this?

I believe that I have always been fairly liberal and understanding of the systematic racism experienced by people of colour. Obviously there is always room to understand further and so I have been doing some more reading on the issue over the last couple of weeks.

I have been talking to my boyfriend about these issues and he shouts me down every time, saying that in the UK we have equality of opportunity, education, healthcare and so on forth. I have tried to explain that just because that exists in theory, doesn’t mean that it is applied in practice. He isn’t accepting of this. He keeps getting wrapped up in the vandalism of statues and side issues too, rather than the crux of the problem, which is racial bias.

On the issue of statues, I explained that I was surprised to learn than in the UK in 2020, we still have statues of people who profited from slave trading. I said that I was disgusted and that of course, these statues should be taken down, or left there but with the addition of a corrective plaque, explaining how they made their money etc. My boyfriend did actually agree with me on this part, to my surprise.

However, when I tell him that I have been listening to how people of colour explain their experience, he tells me that I am racist towards my own race and anti white people. It is absolutely blowing my mind as we usually agree on most things politically. It’s awful, and he told me today that “if I carry on with this attitude, that we will probably not sustain a meaningful relationship”. It’s insane to me.
 
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Is anyone else realising that their partners are just not on the same page as them about this?

I believe that I have always been fairly liberal and understanding of the systematic racism experienced by people of colour. Obviously there is always room to understand further and so I have been doing some more reading on the issue over the last couple of weeks.

I have been talking to my boyfriend about these issues and he shouts me down every time, saying that in the UK we have equality of opportunity, education, healthcare and so on forth. I have tried to explain that just because that exists in theory, doesn’t mean that it is applied in practice. He isn’t accepting of this. He keeps getting wrapped up in the vandalism of statues and side issues too, rather than the crux of the problem, which is racial bias.

On the issue of statues, I explained that I was surprised to learn than in the UK in 2020, we still have statues of people who profited from slave trading. I said that I was disgusted and that of course, these statues should be taken down, or left there but with the addition of a corrective plaque, explaining how they made their money etc. My boyfriend did actually agree with me on this part, to my surprise.

However, when I tell him that I have been listening to how people of colour explain their experience, he tells me that I am racist towards my own race and anti white people. It is absolutely blowing my mind as we usually agree on most things politically. It’s awful, and he told me today that “if I carry on with this attitude, that we will probably not sustain a meaningful relationship”. It’s insane to me.
Wow this sounds incredibly difficult and it’s totally crazy that he is describing you as “anti white” for acknowledging racism. This sort of denial isn’t helpful. Acknowledging racism doesn’t mean you are saying ALL white people are actively racist.

Sorry to say it but it sounds like this relationship is dead, he’s already the one threatening it 😕
 
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Is anyone else realising that their partners are just not on the same page as them about this?

I believe that I have always been fairly liberal and understanding of the systematic racism experienced by people of colour. Obviously there is always room to understand further and so I have been doing some more reading on the issue over the last couple of weeks.

I have been talking to my boyfriend about these issues and he shouts me down every time, saying that in the UK we have equality of opportunity, education, healthcare and so on forth. I have tried to explain that just because that exists in theory, doesn’t mean that it is applied in practice. He isn’t accepting of this. He keeps getting wrapped up in the vandalism of statues and side issues too, rather than the crux of the problem, which is racial bias.

On the issue of statues, I explained that I was surprised to learn than in the UK in 2020, we still have statues of people who profited from slave trading. I said that I was disgusted and that of course, these statues should be taken down, or left there but with the addition of a corrective plaque, explaining how they made their money etc. My boyfriend did actually agree with me on this part, to my surprise.

However, when I tell him that I have been listening to how people of colour explain their experience, he tells me that I am racist towards my own race and anti white people. It is absolutely blowing my mind as we usually agree on most things politically. It’s awful, and he told me today that “if I carry on with this attitude, that we will probably not sustain a meaningful relationship”. It’s insane to me.
Yikes.
I'm not sure what I'd do.
We have had a few disagreements but we've been able to chat about them and he, both times, has either changed his opinion or realised his opinion on it isn't necessary or needed because he's a white privileged man.

The fact he's calling you racist & anti white people is ridiculous to be honest. I don't understand how he can consider your relationship unmeaningful as you support the movement. I'm sorry you're going through this... but honestly I'd be done.
 
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Is anyone else realising that their partners are just not on the same page as them about this?

I believe that I have always been fairly liberal and understanding of the systematic racism experienced by people of colour. Obviously there is always room to understand further and so I have been doing some more reading on the issue over the last couple of weeks.

I have been talking to my boyfriend about these issues and he shouts me down every time, saying that in the UK we have equality of opportunity, education, healthcare and so on forth. I have tried to explain that just because that exists in theory, doesn’t mean that it is applied in practice. He isn’t accepting of this. He keeps getting wrapped up in the vandalism of statues and side issues too, rather than the crux of the problem, which is racial bias.

On the issue of statues, I explained that I was surprised to learn than in the UK in 2020, we still have statues of people who profited from slave trading. I said that I was disgusted and that of course, these statues should be taken down, or left there but with the addition of a corrective plaque, explaining how they made their money etc. My boyfriend did actually agree with me on this part, to my surprise.

However, when I tell him that I have been listening to how people of colour explain their experience, he tells me that I am racist towards my own race and anti white people. It is absolutely blowing my mind as we usually agree on most things politically. It’s awful, and he told me today that “if I carry on with this attitude, that we will probably not sustain a meaningful relationship”. It’s insane to me.
Yes, I posted a couple of days ago about this. It’s not that my husband disagrees with me on the issues, it’s that he has a general “can’t be arsed” attitude towards learning (other than what he happens to scroll across from sky and bbc news which is really problematic). We’ve come to blows about it tonight again because he said he would do it ‘for me’ and I’m like are you serious? Do it for people of colour who are literally dying while you’re deciding whether you can be bothered to dip into an article like it’s a game of candy crush.

I’m so sorry that you’re having such a hard time with it. It seems like he’s being really defensive about it all at the moment, maybe when he’s calmed down and is willing to listen, you could recommend him reading/listening on audible to “white fragility” by Robin Diangelo. She used to deliver diversity training to workplaces and wrote her book based on how the white people who took her course reacted in much the same way as your partner. It’s a really good starting point because it addresses the defensive tact really early on (she even says “fine! You’re not racist! Now breathe. Listen.” 😂) I’ve been listening to it this week and have found it so useful.
 
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I'm calling you out @Callmemaybe

You think you can post this video I've seen on far right Facebook, like this post below and add NOTHING of value to this conversation?

Add your intelligent stance to the conversation.

In regards to MrsBrownBoys comment. White people can suffer racial discrimination and prejudice but racism in this country is systematic. If that upsets you, fine. But its the truth.

Screenshot_20200614-072803_Chrome.jpg
 
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