Read on Twitter
This looting debate is such utter nonsense. It’s a red herring argument. Let me break it down for all the people that seem to only want to talk about looting right now...
You’re focused on the wrong thing. I’m not saying looting is good, but when you compare the relative harms of some businesses being damaged or even a police station getting burned to the widespread injustice of racial inequality in America you’re missing the bigger picture.
Looting is, of course, bad in a vacuum. But this conduct cannot be viewed in a vacuum. Consider it in the context of centuries of inequality. Think of the systems built to protect the interests of the white majority at the expense of POC.
I see lots of people challenging this notion. All I can say to you is educate yourselves. Start here: https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/race/reports/2019/08/07/472910/systematic-inequality-economic-opportunity/.
From housing to education to criminal justice to so much more, the American system was not built equitably. This is an incontrovertible fact.
From housing to education to criminal justice to so much more, the American system was not built equitably. This is an incontrovertible fact.
Now remember that this isn’t anything new. Injustice has been the order of the day for black Americans for generations.
Over these decades of injustice, there have been protests big and small. Violent and non-violent. There has been lobbying, lawsuits, fund raising, awareness campaigns and so much more. Yet the core problem persists to this day.
Remember all of this when you decry the fact that a protest became violent. This situation is far too complicated to be viewed through the lens of looting = bad.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s op ed does a great job of unpacking this topic further: https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2020-05-30/dont-understand-the-protests-what-youre-seeing-is-people-pushed-to-the-edge.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s op ed does a great job of unpacking this topic further: https://www.latimes.com/opinion/story/2020-05-30/dont-understand-the-protests-what-youre-seeing-is-people-pushed-to-the-edge.
Lastly, we all know there are people using the protests as cover to commit crimes & take action that has nothing to do with the murder of George Floyd or the broader issues surrounding this situation. No one is defending them. We all agree it’s bad.
It’s also beside the point.
It’s also beside the point.
