This. Let me translate for my fellow whites: Boston Tea Party. Let me translate for my fellow gays too: Stonewall.

Hold your tongue if you're gonna complain about rioting instead of how our capitalist establishments & class privilege are contingent upon the exploitations of systemic racism and racial violence. You need to flip your focus to that stuff or you are supporting a narrative.

Narratives spread like wildfire thanks to social & mass media. What you say has to fight systemic racism & these media are part of that. E.g., Facebook doesn't do squat about white supremacists on its platform and in the feeds of your coworkers, family, friends & neighbors.

"At least I'm not racist" isn't the right reaction (looking at you too liberal friends). If you've been saying this STOP. Every white person has & will have racist prejudices. We have privilege that has carried us blissfully ignorant through situations & to opportunities.

Black people don't get jobs like us, they don't get housing like us, they don't get trust like us. And a lot of the times, the other person is US!! Worst of all, black people get murdered. We have to be honest about these truths in order to do the work to end systemic racism.

#BlackLivesMatter and I will not be quiet about it. It's murder and murder is not acceptable in my society.

Here's the tricky part of not being quiet: white pain and guilt are NOT where the focus belongs and no emotional turmoil is an excuse. It's not about us. Stop apologizing trying to get forgiveness for your white guilt and performing to get social kudos.

The problem is how our silence is complicit in systemic racism, how we have to elevate black voices & do the work to speak our allyship. So do these & also open your wallet to bail funds. This is an opportunity to be a part of what's right.

I did not capitalize the B in Black in this thread. It is a sign of respect that I will be practicing from now on. https://twitter.com/JoelleMonique/status/1267104658905948161?s=19