Comment

Sunday Night Open Thread

64
Smith25's Liberal Thighs8/10/2015 6:31:00 am PDT

Good Morning Everyone. Schools are starting this week across the country. We start back tomorrow, with students coming in today to get lockers, schedules, ect. And just like this time last year, the town of Ferguson is fresh in our minds.

It has been a crazy year, especially when we think about the intersecting issues of race, class, guns, and law enforcement. Our attention has been grabbed in ways that have times been uncomfortable. What is known as the Black Lives Matters movement has been created. People are more aware (and some more defiant) of the role that race plays in our society. Personally, I’ve been able to take a deeper look back into my own, sometimes painful(emotionally and physically) experiences and now have a more complex view of these issues that I did just a few years ago.

In terms of what has happened over the weekend at Bernie Sanders event, I’m disapointed in the optics. The Black Lives Matters movement, which I feel I’m a part of, is very complex. It must be noted that this movement is a very modern Civil Rights movement, and as such does not fit the mold that we may want it to fit. It can be a movement of leaders, and be leaderless at the same time. There can be a powerful organization, and decentralization together. It goes to the point that Black people are not monolithic, something that some of this country has a bit of a problem understanding. Sure, almost all of us vote Democratic, but in no way are we a guaranteed vote. We want the party that we are a part of to truly value us beyond a vote. We want the country to be a better place for us and for all people. We all can have different ideas for what could be solutions to the ills that face us. At times I go back and forth with myself over the level of intensity the movement should have.

Well, as far as last night, I’ll wait for some more information before trying to give an opinion.

Thanks to this community for being what it is, and not only fostering great discussion over these tough issues, but being so fair minded and open to others experiences and views.

Going to leave you with this from my newspaper yesterday: