Tomorrow there will be a KKK rally in my town. What a scary sentence to have to write. I am terrified for my family, friends, and community. BUT no matter how scared I am, no matter how many panic attacks I will have that day, no matter how many tears will fall... I will be there to stand up against them, to stand up for my family.
The KKK is a white supremacist group. What is white supremacy? "White supremacy is the belief that white people are superior to those of all other races, especially the black race, and should therefore dominate society." Don't believe me? Here is what I found this on KKK's website: "We hate drugs, homosexuality, abortion and race-mixing, because these things go against God's law and they are destroying all white nations. But rather than focus on hate, we try to focus on the love of our race. We Love for our Lord and Savior and our Country.
Our goal is to help restore America to a White Christian nation, founded on God's word. This does not mean that we want to see anything bad happen to the darker races ... we simply want to live separate from them ... As GOD intended."
I find this absolutely terrifying. I don't understand how people are choosing not to come and stand up against this hate group (let me add in I DO understand you not going if you are a person who would be targeted). Especially if you have people of color or LGBTQ+ people in your lives.
My daughter has heard me mention the protest I am going to tomorrow. She is so smart and knows that whatever is happening is really upsetting me. Today she asked what was I protesting against. I don't want to have to explain to her about racism until I have to. Unfortunately, I know that day will come but I'm hoping to put it off as long as possible. So the best way I could think to explain it is like this: There are some people coming to town who are hateful to people. They think some people don't deserve the same rights they have and shouldn't be here. They think they are better then everyone else. Mommy is going to protest against them because we think everyone should be equal. No one person or group of people are better than the others. To which my daughter replied with 'well can I go? I think the sign should say 'KNOCK IT OFF! DON'T BE HATEFUL!" (of course she whispered hateful because hate is a not so nice word). I had to tell her that these people are very hateful and I don't want her near them. I didn't want to tell her that it could get violent and she can't be there because of her skin color she could be a target. I HATE THIS! It infuriates me that there is a KLAN RALLY happening in my town in 2017! THIS IS RIDICULOUS!
I want to share a part of something I read here:
"We are not proposing we engage with the Klan, or any white nationalist group that decides to visit during the “Summer Of Hate”. This goes against our guiding principles, being that such an action would be non-restorative, and depleting to our cause. To violently respond to the Klan would play into the media’s hands perfectly. They, as they already have demonstrated in multiple iterations, would love to paint BLM as a violent, riotous organization. We would like more than anything to refuse them of that satisfaction.
However, we must face the Klan. We must show a demonstration of physical fortitude. We will NOT turn our backs on angered, violent individuals who come with weapons and armed rifles, and dream of hurting people of color on a daily basis. We must look these people in the eyes, through their sheets if they choose to don them, and show them that we are NOT apprehensive, we are NOT tolerant of their presence here, and we are NOT afraid of grown men who dress in costumes and prey on perceived weakness.
We can work with our community leaders on this, but they must fully understand the scope and magnitude of the actions they choose to undertake.
We must face the Klan, and all White nationalists who threaten our existence.
We will not ignore our oppressors."
I think this article explains just exactly why we can't just stay home and ignore them. Please take the time to go read We Must Face The Klan.
I know this entry has been all over the place but it is so hard to put in to words exactly how I am feeling. If I am feeling this way I can't even imagine how the POC and LGBTQ+ community must be feeling right now.
Please keep my town in your thoughts and prayers.
The KKK is a white supremacist group. What is white supremacy? "White supremacy is the belief that white people are superior to those of all other races, especially the black race, and should therefore dominate society." Don't believe me? Here is what I found this on KKK's website: "We hate drugs, homosexuality, abortion and race-mixing, because these things go against God's law and they are destroying all white nations. But rather than focus on hate, we try to focus on the love of our race. We Love for our Lord and Savior and our Country.
Our goal is to help restore America to a White Christian nation, founded on God's word. This does not mean that we want to see anything bad happen to the darker races ... we simply want to live separate from them ... As GOD intended."
I find this absolutely terrifying. I don't understand how people are choosing not to come and stand up against this hate group (let me add in I DO understand you not going if you are a person who would be targeted). Especially if you have people of color or LGBTQ+ people in your lives.
My daughter has heard me mention the protest I am going to tomorrow. She is so smart and knows that whatever is happening is really upsetting me. Today she asked what was I protesting against. I don't want to have to explain to her about racism until I have to. Unfortunately, I know that day will come but I'm hoping to put it off as long as possible. So the best way I could think to explain it is like this: There are some people coming to town who are hateful to people. They think some people don't deserve the same rights they have and shouldn't be here. They think they are better then everyone else. Mommy is going to protest against them because we think everyone should be equal. No one person or group of people are better than the others. To which my daughter replied with 'well can I go? I think the sign should say 'KNOCK IT OFF! DON'T BE HATEFUL!" (of course she whispered hateful because hate is a not so nice word). I had to tell her that these people are very hateful and I don't want her near them. I didn't want to tell her that it could get violent and she can't be there because of her skin color she could be a target. I HATE THIS! It infuriates me that there is a KLAN RALLY happening in my town in 2017! THIS IS RIDICULOUS!
I want to share a part of something I read here:
"We are not proposing we engage with the Klan, or any white nationalist group that decides to visit during the “Summer Of Hate”. This goes against our guiding principles, being that such an action would be non-restorative, and depleting to our cause. To violently respond to the Klan would play into the media’s hands perfectly. They, as they already have demonstrated in multiple iterations, would love to paint BLM as a violent, riotous organization. We would like more than anything to refuse them of that satisfaction.
However, we must face the Klan. We must show a demonstration of physical fortitude. We will NOT turn our backs on angered, violent individuals who come with weapons and armed rifles, and dream of hurting people of color on a daily basis. We must look these people in the eyes, through their sheets if they choose to don them, and show them that we are NOT apprehensive, we are NOT tolerant of their presence here, and we are NOT afraid of grown men who dress in costumes and prey on perceived weakness.
We can work with our community leaders on this, but they must fully understand the scope and magnitude of the actions they choose to undertake.
We must face the Klan, and all White nationalists who threaten our existence.
We will not ignore our oppressors."
I think this article explains just exactly why we can't just stay home and ignore them. Please take the time to go read We Must Face The Klan.
I know this entry has been all over the place but it is so hard to put in to words exactly how I am feeling. If I am feeling this way I can't even imagine how the POC and LGBTQ+ community must be feeling right now.
Please keep my town in your thoughts and prayers.
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