Just read. And yes. Of course — I agree with every word. But in all fairness, Obama, in his thought-provoking essay does more than just call for peace and calm. He acknowledges that systemic racism and police brutality are a part of American life while outlining a concrete plan of action. He’s saying more than let’s all just link arms and sing Kumbaya and go back to our Zoom calls and watch Netflix.
"Second, I’ve heard some suggest that the recurrent problem of racial bias in our criminal justice system proves that only protests and direct action can bring about change, and that voting and participation in electoral politics is a waste of time."
Age-wise, we're probably not as far apart as you assume. I've voted in every election since I was old enough to vote, starting with Jimmy Carter. I will always choose the most progressive candidate — the person who most closely represents my values. But I'm not going to throw a temper tantrum and choose to sit out an election if a less-than perfect candidate gets the nomination because I don't think that voting is a waste of time. So in spite of the fact that I don't actually believe we are living in a true democracy, regardless of voter suppression and an antiquated electoral college, or that Corporations are People, or obstructionist Republican extremists, or the Supreme Court, or Fake News, or whatever — I will always vote.
There is nothing appealing to me about mindless violence or chaos or anarchy. I have a healthy respect for property — mine as well as that of others. I tidy up hotel rooms before leaving, ferchrissakes! I get that the footage and images of people looting and destroying property are disturbing. I don’t condone it, but I can’t outright condemn it either. Instead, I try to contextualize it. I see it as collateral damage. It’s what happens when people are packed into a pressure cooker for months and the President acts as an accelerant. Remember Abu Ghraib? As sickening and disturbing as it was, it was inevitable. That’s what happens when you go to war. At some point, the perceived enemy is dehumanized to the point that torture becomes a banal form of amusement and selfie material. Which is why I will always vote for a candidate who chooses to go to war as a means of last resort, after having exhausted every other aspect of diplomacy.
I was in Lafayette Park two days ago pressed up against the barricades that separated peaceful protesters from the phalanx of police officers in riot gear. I started taking pictures on my cell phone around 6:31, according to the image time stamps — almost a full half hour before the 7 pm curfew was supposed to go in effect. That’s when the flash grenades started going off. People started running as the air filled with tear gas. I heard people shout, “Don’t run!” and “Stand your ground” but it’s hard to stand your ground when you’re coughing and choking and your eyes are stinging. After getting hit with a canister, I started running with the crowd. It wasn’t until later that night that I realized the streets were being cleared of protesters so that a prop-wielding Trump could have a photo-op in front of St. John’s.
“The point of protest is to raise public awareness, to put a spotlight on injustice, and to make the powers that be uncomfortable; in fact, throughout American history, it’s often only been in response to protests and civil disobedience that the political system has even paid attention to marginalized communities. But eventually, aspirations have to be translated into specific laws and institutional practices — and in a democracy, that only happens when we elect government”
These are the specifics I was asking for.