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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe 10 Kinds of Trolls You Will Encounter When Talking About Mike Brown
If you're paying attention to the events unfolding in Ferguson -- and by God, you better be -- then you probably already know there is a group of people in this country of ours who are determined to change the focus of the conversation about the killing of Mike Brown and the subsequent protests, attempting to shift the lens away from the Constitutional rights of U.S. citizens and the killing of a black teenager. If you're reading this, you probably already know the folks I'm talking about. But here they are. #Staywoke.
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The "Mike Brown Shouldn't Have [insert human action here]" Troll
This troll (and the others as well) will go great lengths to justify the taking of black life. "He shouldn't have run," "he shouldn't have been sagging," "he shouldn't have been walking down the middle of the street," "he shouldn't have stolen something." These trolls come in all races and will insist that when a police officer (or a homeowner, or a security guard) assaults a person of color, that person must have done something to deserve it. The fact that Mike Brown was shot at least 6 times doesn't register as overkill, even when two of those shots were in the head. They will also extend effort to paint Ferguson as a ghetto, where this kind of thing happens all the time. Nope. Ferguson, Missouri had zero murders.
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The "But What About Black on Black Crime!" Troll
Yes, 85 percent of violent crime against black people is perpetuated by other black people. But guess what? The exact same is true for violent crime committed against white people: the vast majority of those crimes are committed by other white people. People who use the term "black on black crime" either 1) work for Fox News, 2) are seeking to portray black people as violent and out of control, and/or 3) seek to portray black people as only caring about black lives when there is a way to blame white people. Let's run that back: 1) If they work for Fox News...you already know. 2) If we're going to make sweeping statements about people being violent and out of control, perhaps we should focus on young white males. 3) Anyone who would fit with #3 is not interested in facts, otherwise they would be aware of the vast number of organizations and movements to end gun violence in black neighborhoods... spearheaded by black people. The real motivation behind this troll (and all of them really) is to distract from the matter at hand, and that's that an unarmed black teen is dead.
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The "Don't Make This A Racial Issue!" Troll
These are the pearl-clutchers. "This could have happened to anyone! Let's not make this a racial issue and instead focus on getting this cop off the street!" Yes, we should focus on getting this cop off the street, but we must also focus on the conditions that made this killing possible, and that is one of racism, white supremacy, and police violence that has been being built and rebuilt since the birth of this country. No, this wouldn't have just happened to anyone. A black male is killed by police every 28 hours in America. This is a racial issue.
These trolls will also accuse you of being racist for talking about racism and start quoting to you all the times black people perpetuated "reverse racism" against white people. Suggested action? Block and keep it moving.
I think I've seen everyone of the trolls she listed here on DU and on Facebook and various sites' comment sections.
Xipe Totec
(43,872 posts)justiceischeap
(14,040 posts)but it's a good start.
NoJusticeNoPeace
(5,018 posts)seveneyes
(4,631 posts)War and Peace indeed.
Enrique
(27,461 posts)DUer Nye Bevan made this very good point about this article back in August:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025416337#post82
82. Seems like President Obama is a combination of Troll#2, Troll#5, and Troll#10:
While I understand the passions and the anger that arise over the death of Michael Brown, giving into that anger by looting or carrying guns, and even attacking the police only serves to raise tensions and stir chaos. It undermines rather than advancing justice.
....
As Americans, weve got to use this moment to seek out our shared humanity thats been laid bare by this moment. The potential of a young man and the sorrows of parents, the frustrations of a community, the ideals that we hold as one united American family.
...
This is not something new. Its always tragic when it involves the death of someone so young. I have to be very careful about not prejudging these events before investigations are completed.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/running-transcript-obamas-remarks-on-ferguson-mo-and-iraq/2014/08/18/ed29d07a-2713-11e4-86ca-6f03cbd15c1a_story.html
justiceischeap
(14,040 posts)loyalsister
(13,390 posts)At the same time, it worth remembering that he met with some activists from Ferguson today.
NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts).
Or am I just too much of a "Big Picture" thinker?
Having been harassed myself by police as a mixed race mutt of a person, and having worked closely with some elements in law enforcement and very closely with their victims I make this observation.
If we see this as exclusively a racial problem, then we risk losing a stronger coalition and might miss a more complete solution.
If we see this as an exclusively racial problem, then the solution might end up being that everybody is shot regardless of race, don't laugh, they would go there.
If, instead, we see this as we do the prison industrial complex; an institutional problem that impacts everyone but impacts men of color far more seriously, then we might build the broadest coalition to fight for the best solutions.
If I'm a troll then I'm a resolute troll.
And cuddly, too!
justiceischeap
(14,040 posts)I think she makes some good points but I'm personally not an absolutist--there's too much gray in the world and there are many, many issues at play with the situation. Race, lack of respect for fellow human beings, disconnection of community, police authoriatism, class & economic issues, the failed war on drugs--I'm sure there are more but I'm drawing a blank at the moment.
NYC_SKP
(68,644 posts)The concept isn't new: "Divide and Conquer", right?
But our consumeristic society and economy and the media all pit person against person, class against class, color against color, all of which, taken together, distract us away from being able to see the real problems.
When you stop and think about how much we all have IN COMMON, it's frightening that we aren't more together.
The Brown family and my family and the mullet-wearing family all face sinking wages, disappearing benefits, and the loss of political voice even as the Dow rises and the 1% double their wealth every, what, 7 years or so?
~~~
PS: The carpet matches the drapes!
loyalsister
(13,390 posts)The local occupy activist claims that he and other white people who protest are equally at risk of being killed by police.
The racial component of this is important and should not be thrown out in an "it's about all of us" gesture. The way it really is about all of us is that some lose their lives and others lose their humanity and are joined by others who are either defenders or are complicit in their silence.
Man from Pickens
(1,713 posts)I think the key problem here is cops being able to get away with murder and that the racial aspect is a distraction from the main issue.
imthevicar
(811 posts)cstanleytech
(26,082 posts)change and automatically assume the guilt of "everyone" no matter what for now on.