Chapter 2: Ferguson Reminds us of the Importance of a Global Context

[SURJ]

Feel free to share your thoughts on Chapter 2 here.

[Caitlyn]

SO important and something that I think SO many people still don't understand:

"Racism is so dangerous because it does not necessarily rely on individual actors, but rather is deeply embedded in the apparatus... And it doesn't matter if a Black woman heads the national police. If the technology, the regimes, the targets are still the same. I fear that if we don't take seriously the ways in which racism is embedded in structures of institutions, if we assume there must be an identifiable racist who is the perpetrator, then we won't ever succeed in eradicating racism." - Davis (pg. 16)

We often talk about representation, getting more women/POC/LGBTQ/etc. people into positions of power. And while representation IS important and the presence of those individuals in positions of power CAN help to advance our causes, if we don't address the actual structural and institutional issues - if we don't tear down the power structure itself and rebuild it - racism, sexism, homophobia, etc. within our institutions will never be eradicated. You can replace a cog within a machine, but the machine isn't going to change it's function because of that one cog - you have to rebuild the machine itself.

This all goes back to what I mentioned in my comment on the thread for Chapter 1 - even if Obama had wanted to be the progressive, anti-racist, feminist champion that we wanted him to be (which arguably, he wasn't quite that to begin with) he would have still been operating within a racist, sexist, imperialist system. Was it great to have a black man lead our nation for 8 years? Absolutely. Did having a black man lead our nation change the fundamental power structure and system of oppression that is inherent in our nation's institutions? Not at all. Within our movements, we have really got to think more about the larger picture and figure out how to dismantle and rebuild, rather than just replacing individual actors.

I also really love Davis's ideas about connecting struggles and movements by helping people to see the ways those issues are interconnected. She talks about building support for Palestinian justice by talking about Palestine throughout the prison abolition movement -- making connections between a movement that people are familiar with and passionate about and a movement that they should also be familiar with but might not be. The idea of connecting these movements and doing it by helping people to understand how all of these struggles are interrelated feels so powerful to me and seems like the ultimate, most expansive form of intersectionality.

[Ron]

All I can say is great insight Caitlyn. I have endured the tentacles of racism since the time my father and I were refused a sandwich because of the color of our skin. Childhood memories; yet that mentality has continued today, even if its not as blatant as in the past. But, may I say that you really have brought out a lot through your words, and your interpretations on racial issues, past and present. You have provided something folks can latch onto and really think about. Great reflection and understanding from you and the reading made plain for one to consider, understand, and perhaps gain ideas on that future we can all hope to achieve.
Thank you.
Ron Bailey