Alright PDX white leftists, I have important news that might make you balk at first. I will not be replying to anyone who has not read the full thread.
You do not have to listen to someone at a high-risk action EXCLUSIVELY because they're BIPOC. #pdxprotest #blmpdx (1)
At *high-risk, decentralized* actions, the people responding to situations and coordinating MUST be the most capable. If there is a Black or PoC protestor there aligned with the purpose of the action & is capable, listen to them first. But PoC can make bad calls, and (2)
if a PoC starts calling for general de-escalation of tactics (like, say, diverting the JC force from returning or taking a bridge into a general march) at a high-risk action, they are either in the wrong action for them or they are WRONG. Some more examples: (2)
- the famous march to nowhere. Just ask why the group is moving. If they don't have an answer or it doesn't make sense, DONT JUST FOLLOW
- some PoC don't respect fighting back against police directly. Like, yeah. Simple as that. (3)
If an action is explicitly organized and led by PoC, sit back. That's for any organized action, honestly. If someone's name is on it, what happens and the consequences are tied to them. This is not the case when the gathering is a collection of individuals (4)
Should you mind yourself when speaking to PoC, especially Black, protestors you disagree with? Duh. But if you know your shit and are confident that the other person is not making smart and effective calls, speak up. Expect pushback, but if you really have been (5)
...educating yourself on Black/indigenous leftist theory, you should feel confident in what is and is not safe, smart, and effective while fighting against white supremacy and capitalism. Do not let people who do not respect your tactics determine your strategy. (Fin)
(+1) there is a lot of nitty-gritty that is difficult to cover in a twitter thread without writing an entire paper, so if you are skeptical about something here, I am more than happy to answer any good-faith questions.
Share this Scrolly Tale with your friends.
A Scrolly Tale is a new way to read Twitter threads with a more visually immersive experience.
Discover more beautiful Scrolly Tales like this.