Agreed that this is the moment. We are hurtling towards martial law. I just read that Texas governor is sending out 5000 National Guard troops on Saturday! The one thing I would say is that using the word “peaceful” has been discussed as inappropriate in this context and can be racist. The violence comes from the State not the people. People are responding as is necessary. A word that may be more appropriate and that I have heard used is “disciplined”.
For context:
some ways the term "peaceful" might be used in a way that is perceived as racist:
Dismissal of legitimate grievances: Demanding or focusing excessively on "peacefulness" during protests against racial injustice can sometimes be seen as a way to control or discredit the movement, implying that the protests are not valid unless they remain entirely free of disruption, even if some of the disruption is a direct result of the injustice being protested. Some argue that emphasizing "peaceful" protests can inadvertently minimize the anger and frustration felt by those experiencing systemic racism.
Contrasting peaceful protests with imagined violence: Highlighting peaceful aspects of a protest while simultaneously implying that "looters" or "roving bands" (often coded language with racist connotations) are a threat can be seen as a way to create a false narrative and reinforce negative stereotypes.
Policing protests: The emphasis on "peacefulness" can sometimes feel like an order to remain passive and compliant, particularly for marginalized groups who are already subject to excessive policing.
Dismissing acts of resistance: Sometimes, the term "peaceful" is used in a way that implies that only quiet, non-disruptive forms of protest are acceptable, thus delegitimizing more assertive or even confrontational forms of protest that may be necessary to challenge ingrained injustices.
Thanks for this comment, Leslie. I agree that movement discipline is essential, and that the press and others focus on any acts of violence or vandalism as a way to dismiss the importance of the movement. AND, I'm going to suggest that adding a new word to the left's long list of forbidden phrases is counterproductive. Everybody knows what "peaceful" means and we need to be able to speak to people outside of our bubble without constantly correcting them for using words that we've suddenly decided are bad.
Now I'm going to rant for a bit, because I've sat through more than a few of these discussions and I find them really frustrating. So this is not directed at you in particular but at those who want to minimize the importance of "discipline" or "peacefulness" or whatever we want to call it. Acting as if people of color and other marginalized groups just can't control themselves when they freaking INVENTED nonviolence as a tactic makes me extremely uncomfortable. The civil rights movement was one of the most disciplined movement anyone has seen in this country precisely because its leaders knew how any violence would be portrayed and what the response to it would be. The left made a tactical mistake, I believe, in recent decades when it embraced a "diversity of tactics." Research shows that nonviolence is in fact much more effective than any other kind of protest. Agents provocateurs absolutely will be sabotaging the movement with violent behavior and it's vital that we make it clear that anyone who is acting that way is putting others at risk and will be assumed to be a saboteur. Also, people who are consistently on the receiving end of systemic racism and state violence are absolute experts at controlling their legitimate rage -- they have to do it every day. Most will not participate in demonstrations that are likely to get out of hand because they know they will be the ones who will receive the most violent reprisals. Okay, rant over!
I think it’s important to listen to the people of color who are saying this. They never said we should be violent or that BIPOC people can’t control themselves. They are saying the violence comes from the state and we have a right and a duty to respond. Things have progressed since the 1960s and Dr King and even he questioned some of the tactics his movement was using over time. For example it is not currently recommended by current activists that protesters sit down in front of violent police and feds. They will not stop because we sit. No one in the movement is recommending throwing rocks and smashing things. They are saying be clear, keep your wits about you, don’t put others at risk. This is not a kumbaya moment. No one is policing what words you can use, just thoughtfully trying to educate others about how these words impact the way people judge others.
Agreed that this is the moment. We are hurtling towards martial law. I just read that Texas governor is sending out 5000 National Guard troops on Saturday! The one thing I would say is that using the word “peaceful” has been discussed as inappropriate in this context and can be racist. The violence comes from the State not the people. People are responding as is necessary. A word that may be more appropriate and that I have heard used is “disciplined”.
For context:
some ways the term "peaceful" might be used in a way that is perceived as racist:
Dismissal of legitimate grievances: Demanding or focusing excessively on "peacefulness" during protests against racial injustice can sometimes be seen as a way to control or discredit the movement, implying that the protests are not valid unless they remain entirely free of disruption, even if some of the disruption is a direct result of the injustice being protested. Some argue that emphasizing "peaceful" protests can inadvertently minimize the anger and frustration felt by those experiencing systemic racism.
Contrasting peaceful protests with imagined violence: Highlighting peaceful aspects of a protest while simultaneously implying that "looters" or "roving bands" (often coded language with racist connotations) are a threat can be seen as a way to create a false narrative and reinforce negative stereotypes.
Policing protests: The emphasis on "peacefulness" can sometimes feel like an order to remain passive and compliant, particularly for marginalized groups who are already subject to excessive policing.
Dismissing acts of resistance: Sometimes, the term "peaceful" is used in a way that implies that only quiet, non-disruptive forms of protest are acceptable, thus delegitimizing more assertive or even confrontational forms of protest that may be necessary to challenge ingrained injustices.
Thanks for this comment, Leslie. I agree that movement discipline is essential, and that the press and others focus on any acts of violence or vandalism as a way to dismiss the importance of the movement. AND, I'm going to suggest that adding a new word to the left's long list of forbidden phrases is counterproductive. Everybody knows what "peaceful" means and we need to be able to speak to people outside of our bubble without constantly correcting them for using words that we've suddenly decided are bad.
Now I'm going to rant for a bit, because I've sat through more than a few of these discussions and I find them really frustrating. So this is not directed at you in particular but at those who want to minimize the importance of "discipline" or "peacefulness" or whatever we want to call it. Acting as if people of color and other marginalized groups just can't control themselves when they freaking INVENTED nonviolence as a tactic makes me extremely uncomfortable. The civil rights movement was one of the most disciplined movement anyone has seen in this country precisely because its leaders knew how any violence would be portrayed and what the response to it would be. The left made a tactical mistake, I believe, in recent decades when it embraced a "diversity of tactics." Research shows that nonviolence is in fact much more effective than any other kind of protest. Agents provocateurs absolutely will be sabotaging the movement with violent behavior and it's vital that we make it clear that anyone who is acting that way is putting others at risk and will be assumed to be a saboteur. Also, people who are consistently on the receiving end of systemic racism and state violence are absolute experts at controlling their legitimate rage -- they have to do it every day. Most will not participate in demonstrations that are likely to get out of hand because they know they will be the ones who will receive the most violent reprisals. Okay, rant over!
I think it’s important to listen to the people of color who are saying this. They never said we should be violent or that BIPOC people can’t control themselves. They are saying the violence comes from the state and we have a right and a duty to respond. Things have progressed since the 1960s and Dr King and even he questioned some of the tactics his movement was using over time. For example it is not currently recommended by current activists that protesters sit down in front of violent police and feds. They will not stop because we sit. No one in the movement is recommending throwing rocks and smashing things. They are saying be clear, keep your wits about you, don’t put others at risk. This is not a kumbaya moment. No one is policing what words you can use, just thoughtfully trying to educate others about how these words impact the way people judge others.