this generation coming of age right now, from which much of the latest uprising has sprung, owe nothing to previous generations if those generations aren't willing to give them the credit they deserve for driving much of radical street action over the last 3-4 years.

stepping in and saying shit like "whats happening right now is because of the work put in by previous generations" without also acknowledging that its young people out there fighting right now comes off as old people trying to relive their glory days in the streets.

its always been the young people leading every radical movement but since at least baltimore its been a very specific generational demographic that has been out in the streets fighting with the police. sure, during this latest uprising are more of us older folks out there?

absolutely, but when the tear gas starts flying the 30-40 year olds go home, most of the time. its the 22-23 year olds that stay out there and take the ass beating. thats the same demographic that was 18-19 when freddie grey was murdered.

they have been out there in the streets for years now and deserve to hear more from their "elders" than shit about how we laid the ground work in the decades before them. is that important? absolutely. but its less important than i think we think.

whats really important is the drive to be out in the streets right now. period. all the struggle in the last few decades means nothing if people arent willing to be out there right now. to highlight one and ignore the other is to alienate a whole half of the struggle.

fuck, i said 3-4 years but Freddie Grey was murdered in 2015. That was 5 years ago. my bad. yall know what i mean tho lol.