i’ve been seeing a lot of criticism towards blm protesters on my timeline specifically denouncing the violence.

so i have some questions to ask non-black folks:

what would you do if it was your community that had faced unspeakable violence since the 1600s?

what would you do if it was your brothers and sisters that were being killed on a daily basis while those who murdered them got away with it every time?

what would you do if you had exhausted every avenue of peaceful protest and nothing had changed, if the killings had continued?

what would you do if the state was literally killing you, had done so throughout its history, and showed no intention of stopping?

if white people faced what black people face in this country, they would react the same way. that goes for any racial group.

how can you ask those who have faced brutality for generations to not be outraged, to not do everything in their power to demand change?

jfk famously said, “those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable."

peaceful protest has not brought change. black people are being murdered on a daily basis and it’s state sanctioned. the government has left no choice but to be violent.

if we want peaceful protest, then we must make sure that peaceful protest can bring change. throughout its history, and especially as it relates to black people, america has denied freedoms and human rights until forced. violence has often been that force.

a reminder that america’s history is one of demanding rights through non-peaceful means.

independence was gained through the american revolution.

slavery was abolished during the civil war.

the civil rights movement, which abolished jim crow, wasn’t completely nonviolent.

it’s important to remember: this wouldn’t be happening if the police didn’t kill black people. be outraged about the violence they perpetrate instead of going after black folks who are simply seeking justice and asking not to be killed.
#JusticeForGeorgeFloyd
#NoJusticeNoPeace