Thread by @mrhick01

The continued charge that #ADOS thought leaders are intellectually and morally lacking, and if only they would be supplanted by more "responsible" or "respectable" leadership, that they, we, would somehow be in more desirable graces... (1/x)

After a more careful and considered review, it is one that I ultimately refute.

The nexus of all of these fears are about the immigration stance. (2/x)

The concerns center on the argument that such rhetoric feeds into a white supremacist interest of a closed border particularly to deny immigrants of color access to the U.S. (3/x)

Given the current administration, admittedly, this is what they want.

Two responses to that. First, that I object and abhor the racist, draconian actions of ICE and the human rights abuses that they have been guilty of at the Southern border. (4/x)

The second response is that despite my denunciation of utterly wicked implementation of immigration policy, that does not mean that there are not reasonable, debatable questions about American border security... (5/x)

...along with a serious discussion about how the influx of millions of undocumented laborers actually does suppress wages and job prospects for America's bottom caste: poor and working poor #ADOS men, not unusually also dealing with criminal records and/or mental illness. (6/x)

When an American reality exists that there are literally more Black men incarcerated in the United States than there are women on the the entire planet, you are dealing with problems that may not hurt any other demographic group...except #ADOS. (7/x)

Here's an inconvenient truth: #ADOS are ALL black folk descended from slavery in the colonies and what came to be the U.S.

Democrats, Republicans, independents, LGBTQ, straight, religious, atheists, etc, all ADOS. It’s not tied to party politics. (8/x)

So...might there be individual #ADOS citizens who are Republicans and vote for that party (God bless 'em) that might follow Yvette's and/or Antonio's YouTube channels? Sure!

So what? The diversity of affiliation is not a bug, it's a feature. (9/x)

More thoughts. Another line of criticism is that #ADOS come off so angry and combative.

That we are a barbarous lot, snapping at and attacking everyone who tries to engage us in conversation like wild animals. (10/x)

As I have said before, as a group and with individuals, we can be unruly.

Are we angry? Heaven yes #ADOS are! (11/x)

#ADOS are a people that have endured four centuries of ass-kickings and protracted plunder in this country and we're constantly gaslighted on how our justice claim is illegitimate. Moreover... (12/x)

We've got one political party that #ADOS have been uncompromisingly loyal to with ever-diminishing returns election cycle after election cycle, and the other one is a (minimum) white nationalist-adjacent party that has no interest in our justice claim... (13/x)

So how do you expect that #ADOS would feel?

A wrong assumption is made when it is dismissed that "a bunch of angry people can't stay angry," and they will get disinterested and quit.

It does not have to happen that way. I do not believe that it will. (14/x)

What #ADOS are doing, with these 21st century social media platforms, are what I will call..."Agile Activism." (15/x)

The Agile methodology is a software development strategy that accomplishes its tasks through a centralized manner with no central leaders. Transferring these practices to human activity, education and organization, you have "Agile Activism." (16/x)

Agile Activism is not a linear process. This work involves a constant, ever-evolving working process and collaboration that builds values and gives people iterative successes, things that give the people something to show for it, even if small. #ADOS (17/x)

More shall be shared in the days and weeks ahead.

#ADOS are challenging many different parties in multiple sectors of activity because we demand accountability. The failure that this country has compounded on our people cannot be allowed to stand.

More soon. (END/for now)

Addendum to (7/x): I did it again...I meant to say more incarcerated Black men in America than there are WOMEN INCARCERATED around the world.