Thread by @dodgergeo

THREAD:

#CovingtonCatholic #NathanPhillips #DifferentPerspective

Note: this is an attempt to give a folks a chance to look outside their echo chamber. This is based on last week's controversial confrontation at the Lincoln Memorial between Covington Catholic students, Black Hebrew Israelites, and the Native American elder. 1/

I'm thinking of Matthew McConaughey's character, Jake Brigance, and his closing argument (Brigance is a lawyer) scene in the movie, "A Time to Kill". (great book, btw). The following is written with that scene in mind, and hopefully you can read along in his voice. 2/

Now I wanna tell you a story. I'm gonna ask y'all to close your eyes while I tell you this story. I want you to listen to me. I want you to listen to yourselves. 3/

This is a story about a regular day in Washington DC. People milling around the Lincoln Memorial... sightseers, 3/friends having lunch, joggers, groups of protestors and other people pleading their cause. 4/

Suddenly a small group of men starts shouting loudly. They yell verses from Scripture. They confront passers by, sometimes hurling insults. Shockingly, many racial slurs are hurled, too. This goes on for quite some time. 5/

Meanwhile, another group of people arrives in the same area, a large group of young men - looks like they're teenagers. They're coming from another event, some sort of march, or maybe a rally. 6/

A good number of them are wearing apparel that promotes a controversial movement. They're boisterous, as young men can be. Laughing, joking, horseplaying. 7/

These young people attract the attention of the loud and rude protestors. The young men are now the only target of the insults. "PRODUCTS OF INCEST!" "GO BACK TO YOUR COUNTRY!" "LOOK HOW YOU'RE DRESSED. WHAT A BUNCH OF F***ING PUNKS!" "F****TS!" 8/

And more. Much more. Almost everyone nearby doesn't like them or their hateful talk very much at all. 9/

Now those kids, they've got some pride. They don't like being disrespected. It's understandable. So some of them yell back. They start a chant - sounds it might be some sort of school spirit thing. 10/

But some of them aren't saying very nice things, either. They're getting angry, these kids. 11/

More and more people are starting to notice. Heads are turning. Watching. Listening. Gathering. One of those people is an old man, a Native American, it turns out. He's in the area for his own thing, an Indigenous People march. He looks and listens, and... 12/

... thinks he has a way to cool things down. So he slowly walks between the shouting factions, beating a handmade drum. He sings in the voice of his People. He walks until he is directly in front of the large group of teenagers, and they are now focused on him. 13/

They start laughing at him. Chanting along, but it isn't immediately clear whether they are mocking him or simply joining in. Many are dancing, bobbing up and down. Yelling. They're being pretty disrespectful, really. 14/

Now it's not clear who moved where, but suddenly one of the young men is right. in. front. of the old man. Staring at him and past him. Smiling, always smiling. What kind of smile is it? Some bystanders think he was nervous, trying to figure out the old man. 15/

Others think his smile is more of a smirk, like he's enjoying what he and his buddies are doing in front of the old man. 16/

Can you see them? The small group of men, shouting invectives at anyone in the area? Can you see their faces, and hear the venom in their voices? Can you see the old man with his drum, rhythmically keeping time with his singing and chanting? Can you the large group of youths? 17/

Can you see them? I want you to picture them all.

Now imagine the small group of abusive protesters is white.

And imagine the large group of young men is black, manh wearing hoodies, some wearing hats and clothing depicting the Black Lives Matter rally they were attending. 18/

And imagine that the old Native American elder is still Nathan Phillips, who was there to try to bring peace. Imagine his tears as he describes his intent.

And imagine the rush to judgement on all sides.

Does your chamber maybe echo a little less?

40

I really wish there was an edit feature.

To make 18/ a little clearer, imagine the small group of white protestors are members of Westboro Baptist Church. Off the top of my head, they seem to be the rough equivalent to the Black Hebrew Israelites.

@threadreaderapp unroll, please