THREAD:
1. I posted a clip of the revolutionary James Baldwin earlier. If you’re a person of color in politics, you get this question ALL THE TIME. Baldwin’s answer is the truth and rage that legitimately exists.
1. I posted a clip of the revolutionary James Baldwin earlier. If you’re a person of color in politics, you get this question ALL THE TIME. Baldwin’s answer is the truth and rage that legitimately exists.
2. It is why it is offensive and insuffficient to tell people of color to just trust someone—particularly those running for President— who does not have experience of putting themselves on the line to fight racism—or has a terrible record of racist policy that harmed millions.
3. I considered cutting the beginning part with the question to just have Baldwin’s answer but I left the whole clip because I found myself seething and cringing at the arrogance & superiority—& dismissiveness—of the questioner and it felt both familiar and necessary to include.
4. I have spoken for my entire life about the need to call people in as well as call people out. But when the calling out gets silenced because people feel uncomfortable about making big, bold structural change that WOULD actually shift the balance of power, then I will call out
5. Apologies for the past are good—necessary even. People change, we recognize that and we WANT that. But don’t ask us to just believe you. Don’t ask us to silence our criticisms and critiques in the name of unity—and certainly not during a presidential primary.
6. Don’t ask us to forgive racism because someone seems fresh and smart, or because someone has a lot of money, or because someone was good on some other policy issue.
7. If you didn’t use your power to do things that elevated black & brown folks, or if you did serious long-term damage to black & brown folks, don’t ask us to trust you w/o establishing new track record 1st. Forgiveness requires action. Certainly if you are running for President
8. And for reference again, here is the Baldwin link:
