Lynda Hopkins comments about white supremacists. What side are you on?
From Lynda Hopkins (5th District Sonoma County Supervisor) facebook page:
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.
Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” -MLK
As a teenager, I went to the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles, which includes a lifelike recreation of the gas chambers used to kill millions of Jews during the Holocaust. As we students left the museum, every single one of us was left wondering the exact same thing: How in the actual hell does something like that happen?
We studied the Holocaust in history and English class. We came to realize that genocide can only happen if you treat fellow human beings as less than human. It can only happen when you start to treat specific groups as “others.”
“Othering” is very dangerous. And we must not “other” the white supremacists who carried torches in Charlottesville last weekend. Those white supremacists COME FROM US. They are the strange fruit of a society that only reads news sources which reinforce their own worldview. They are the outcome of a culture that scrolls over the stories about Syrian refugees and clicks instead on the cute cat story. They are the product of an America that pretends it’s a colorblind melting pot society, rather than acknowledging that we’re a patchwork quilt in which some colors have advantages over others.
They are what happens when good people don’t stand up and challenge them. If we don’t stand up, then sooner or later we’re going to be a bunch of good/sad people left looking at a disaster in the rearview mirror wondering “How the hell did something like that happen?”
Put another way, we — the people who are rightfully shocked and repulsed by the happenings in Charlottesville, and by our president’s lack of immediate condemnation — must actively fight the impulses and social pressures that lead to white supremacy movements. We have to stand up and say This Isn’t Right. We can’t just click on the next cat story.
Look: A human being can rape a pregnant woman with a bayonet (see: Holocaust, Darfur, Rape of Nanking) or plant milkweed to feed a migrating monarch butterfly. The difference between the two acts, fundamentally, is empathy. Empathy is something that must be exercised in order to be effective. It’s not always easy to see the common ground in humanity. It takes work to see ourselves in other humans (let alone in other life forms.)
We must make an active choice every day not to become callused to injustice.
So I challenge you to stand up and speak out when you see injustice — even if that injustice is perpetrated against people who don't look or speak like you. But I also challenge you to practice compassion. I challenge you not to demonize and mock the people who cause injustice… but rather to challenge them, and equally importantly, to figure out why they’re doing what they’re doing. We must address the root causes of white nationalism so that more people don’t turn into white nationalists.
Maybe these people weren’t challenged at the playground when they laughed and called the shy boy “gay.” Maybe their parents repeatedly told them that black people are poor because they don’t bother to work, and when they grew up, no one bothered to teach them the truth. Maybe they’re scared and frustrated because they have no economic security or community identity, and they want someone to blame.
If you’re reading this, I’m going to hazard a guess that you don’t self-identify as a racist, white supremacist neo-Nazi. But how do you feel about immigrants? How do you feel about homeless people? Do you find these populations invisible, a hassle, a threat to you — or can you see their humanity? A broken system has led to millions of undocumented immigrants and thousands of homeless on our streets. Do you want to fix the system, or just throw the whole damn thing away?
Nothing will change if we don’t figure out why white supremacists are marching, unhooded, in America. And the system will never get fixed if we simply say it’s a waste of time and throw it away. The President just said there are two sides to our country. What side are you on?
Re: Lynda Hopkins comments about white supremacists. What side are you on?
I choose the allsides circle of Heartful Compassion, striving to build bridges between us all.
Yet I am not naive--
I grew up in Baltimore where there was/is much racism including corrupt police and KKK activity--
which caused me, at an early age, to become a lifelong activist.
I well know the importance to stand and speak up, even if your voice shakes. This takes courage and is much more difficult than "othering", and takes much inner work.
I think it was Rumi who said, "Somewhere there is a field beyond right and wrong. I will meet you there."
Yes, yes, yes...
Thank you, thank you, thank you,
dustyw (gaiasophia)
:heart::heart::heart::Yinyangv::heart::heart::heart::Yinyangv::heart::heart::heart:
P.S.: Nonetheless, I absolutely do not support granting hate groups permits to march/speak etc.
dustyw(gaiasophia)
Re: Lynda Hopkins comments about white supremacists. What side are you on?
Quote:
Posted in reply to the post by Barry:
From Lynda Hopkins (5th District Sonoma County Supervisor) facebook page:
“Othering” is very dangerous. And we must not “other” the white supremacists who carried torches in Charlottesville last weekend. Those white supremacists COME FROM US. They are the strange fruit of a society that only reads news sources which reinforce their own worldview. They are the outcome of a culture that scrolls over the stories about Syrian refugees and clicks instead on the cute cat story. They are the product of an America that pretends it’s a colorblind melting pot society, rather than acknowledging that we’re a patchwork quilt in which some colors have advantages over others.
They are what happens when good people don’t stand up and challenge them.
hmmmm.....while I agree that "othering" is a dangerous practice, Lynda does not seem to have a very good grasp of the deep history of white supremacy. It's not just about people who click on news stories that reinforce their own worldview.
It's still welling up from centuries-old bigotry born of a domination world view that allowed people to be bought and sold as slaves, and from people who look at other people as inferior animals.
I find Lynda's comments partially right yet terribly shallow. Perhaps she's had a sheltered life when it comes to experiencing the deep evil of domination societies -- ancient yet still alive today -- and the abominations committed in the name of superiority, whether race or religion.
Re: Lynda Hopkins comments about white supremacists. What side are you on?
"I challenge you not to demonize and mock the people who cause injustice... but rather to challenge them, and equally importantly, to figure out why they’re doing what they’re doing."
I don't agree that figuring out "why" is part of the solution. The why is past history, and can't be changed. Lynda suggests challenging them, but doesn't give specifics on how to do this, or the risks to our well being in doing so. How is she challenging them?
Re: Lynda Hopkins comments about white supremacists. What side are you on?
i want to respond to Lynda Hopkins, that i'm on the side that i have been on my whole life- as i am 68 years old..I don't click on the cute Cat Story....i Know how i feel about white supremacy, without a doubt. I know how i feel about the homeless and immigrants. and we taught our large family of kids the same- to be on the side of those most in need, those disenfranchised, those demonized and brutalized and Also, those who actually have the strength and fortitude to stand up and Resist and Organize!
i recently was speaking to one of my grown daughters, who now has daughters of her own. and, i'm reminded that i grew up during a time, luckily where i resided, that the KKK did not march through my streets.
Now, HER daughters get to see, right fresh in front of their very eyes, the KKK and other Hate groups, march through their streets. (perhaps a State or two removed)...
wow!
have we regressed or devolved somehow and with all the high tech savvy folks, will we be able to Resist and Organize more proficiently?
So, i hope dear Lynda Hopkins, now being in the political arena of SoCo..sitting on the BOS, will actually be able to walk her talk. sounds good what she has to share. Hope she does not get worn down and tell herself, in the most difficult of times, "you gotta compromise". Because, what will that mean? is it another way of selling-out so she can get re-elected?
Frankly, most members on the BOS have compromised themselves into downright Sell-Out mode. i expect very little of insane Zane or down the David (Rabbitt) hole..and Gore, the family entrenched Wine guy, they have capitulated themselves to the Wine Industry and Law Enforcement long ago.
I think Hopkins might have a chance, ( if We the People she speaks of means Her too) at least she appears to stand her ground somewhat. In time we'll see, if she rolls over and becomes an automoton or she is a thorn in the side of the greedy.
she is young, she might be smart. at least she doesn't put herself out there as a smarty pants like Efren.
i think we're all looking for an anchor in this crazy freakin' country/world
and
i'm open
Quote:
Posted in reply to the post by Barry:
From Lynda Hopkins (5th District Sonoma County Supervisor) facebook page:...
