Thread by @BisHilarious

If you didn't know, @davidryu4u (running for City Council in LA) called @GroundGameLA an extremist group that promotes hate and violence. I can't express to you how serious it is to have an elected official say something like this. (thread)

These sorts of claims against community-led groups, historically, have emboldened cops, the FBI, & sometimes just random ass people to harass, infiltrate, surveil, and/or MURDER people. A supposed progressive Dem (his words, not mine) invoking this sort of attack is significant.

I realize some of you may not know what @GroundGameLA is. We are a grassroots group connecting communities with resources, recourse, and organizing strategies. We fight for systemic change and empower people to join that fight in whatever way they can. groundgamela.org/our-mission

Remember before the paltry stimulus check, before city council struck down an actual eviction moratorium, before the city came up with the BS rental lottery? @GroundGameLA was already in action connecting people with hundreds of thousands of dollars in food and cash assistance.

So why is Ryu making these attacks? It's because we grew the electorate and got more people involved. The only danger we pose is to politicians that not only uphold but benefit from systems that disenfranchise communities. If you feel threatened by that, that's on you bro!

Electoral politics is a small part of what we do and when Ryu calls @GroundGameLA divisive, violent extremists he’s attacking all of our work, which benefits everyone. He further endangers the most vulnerable people by painting an org whose explicit goal is to help as dangerous.

These tactics are unacceptable and even if @davidryu4u is your dude, this is beyond the pale. He has once again put his own career ahead of the wellbeing of the people he claims to serve and he should apologize.

Evictions are violence. Criminalizing homelessness is violence. Giving billions to LAPD instead of services is violence. So after reading this, is there any collection of people you can think of that seem like an extremist group promoting hate and violence? Cuz it ain't us.