I have seen a bunch of takes the last couple days saying that the violence in the #GeorgeFloyd riots is caused by external [mostly white] actors. Please think carefully about the context when you choose to elevate these messages.

#BlackLivesMatter

There are two pernicious effects of this messaging. The first is that it implicitly legitimizes the black-and-white thinking that all violent protest is inherently bad. This thinking is exactly what empowers state actors to respond with disproportionate force.

#BlackLivesMatter

The second effect is that it implicitly redirects agency away from Black people. It recenters the story on comfort and safety (marks of privilege) while implying that Black people would somehow not be justified in violently protesting institutional racism.

#BlackLivesMatter

To believe that violent protest is unjustified, you must first believe two things: 1) that nonviolent methods will actually effect change, and 2) that the protesting group has any *reason to believe* nonviolent methods will actually effect change.

#BlackLivesMatter

It is immediately unreasonable to believe either of those things just based on the responses to Colin Kaepernick. Black people are admonished to "vote" as a solution to everything, but unfortunately there's no option to vote for abolishing institutional racism.

#BlackLivesMatter

Don't fall prey to the black-and-white impulse to respond, "how does looting a Target/local business/whatever fight racism?" Don't equate property damage with human violence. Don't equate violent protest with state-sponsored violence, for that matter.

#BlackLivesMatter

Just make sure you consider what messages you choose to amplify. Comfort and civility are forces of the status quo, and centering those forces in the conversation provides cover for maintaining it. The problem doesn't go away when people stop smashing windows.

#BlackLivesMatter