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1/19 Thinking a lot about how to get normal people to understand what's happening with the riots, considering my only accessible form of advocacy atm is changing minds and helping leftists be as effective as they can.Permalink On twitter.com
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2/ At least from what I can tell with my interactions online and irl, as well as from MSM, a lot of people have learned this unspoken assumption that "violence" invalidates any protest.Permalink On twitter.com
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3/ You'd think this wasn't true. Like, conservatives are always talking about the right to bear arms "in case" the government goes "tyrannical". Both liberals and conservatives support violent protests in Hong Kong, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon...Permalink On twitter.com
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4/ Hell, I've seen plenty of Americans support the general strikes in France, which were not even peaceful! (Though Macron's similarity to Obama makes Americans think he's more left-leaning than he is. More on that another time)On twitter.com
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5/ But when Americans protest the American government or American institutions, like a switch flips in everyone's heads. Suddenly breaking a window or punching someone becomes the worst crime anyone can commit. It's really convenient for the ruling class but bad for us.Permalink On twitter.com
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7/ I've seen more than one well-meaning liberal say something like "The KKK is bad, but at least they fill out the paperwork" or "I don't agree with the KKK, but they burn their own crosses and not stores in their own communities". "At least Charlottesville didn't burn anything."Permalink On twitter.com
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8/ Infuriating right? Well... Unfortunately the leftist (ie correct) take on this is NOT the majority opinion so we have to work with it.Permalink On twitter.com
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9/ The truth is, Americans are house-broken. They're like... You know that YouTube channel with the cute foxes? And it's like foxes are supposed to be cunning and savage wild animals but when they meet this woman they're submissive little kittens so docile they piss themselves?Permalink On twitter.com
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10/ Yeah, that's America. The freedom and liberty shit is cheap branding that fuels American nationalism and justifies US military intervention overseas. It's not an actual trait of the American people. It's literally larping. Americans <3 boot leather youtu.be/fQVhppRP4WoPermalink On twitter.com
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11/ So what gives? Why are Americans almost trained to on queue throw away entire social trends that challenge power in any real way? Well there are two principles at work here:Permalink On twitter.com
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12/ The first is that people have been sold a fictionalized version of MLK and history by school and the media. People were not just taught that MLK was peaceful, but that it was *because* he was peaceful that he won all on his own! And, had he been violent, he would have lost.Permalink On twitter.com
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13/ But this feeds into the second and larger reason: Americans think our country is perfect. This is why this long-ass thread has focused on Americans. I've spoken to Africans and Europeans and I've never met one with this kind of religious opposition to violent protest as...Permalink On twitter.com
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14/ ... Americans have. If you ask most people around the world if you support violent protest, the answer depends on why. But not Americans. "Do you support violent protest at home?" "NOPE NOPE NOPE WRONG WAY TO PROTEST BZZT BAD BAD BAD NOT WHAT MLK WOULD'VE WANTED NO SIR"Permalink On twitter.com
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15/ Liberals and conservatives alike see America as the end state of civilization. Violence happens in other countries because everywhere else is just so desperate to be like America. Violence is acceptable in places that haven't reached perfection yet but...Permalink On twitter.com
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16/ Violence in America? No. We fought a Revolutionary War and a Civil War and now we're perfect. America is now beyond the need for violence. "America is a good place," they think. "We have good people. We all hate racism. Our institutions are fair and good."Permalink On twitter.com
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17/ Liberals and conservatives might say they disagree on a lot of issues. But they agree that America is good. That, while we have our differences, it's nothing that voting and dialogue can't fix. If there are racist cops the system will take care of it. Why burn a Target?Permalink On twitter.com
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18/ So when you talk to normal people about the Floyd riots, your main job is to correct these assumptions: - history isn't made by people asking nicely for their rights - America has room to improve in ways the system won't allowPermalink On twitter.com
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19/19 Only after these assumptions are broken can you even begin to mention what ACAB actually means, or why we need to defund the police. Best of luck. And, if you're protesting, please wear a mask. Don't get sick and don't get doxxed by the cops or white nationalistsPermalink On twitter.com