Racism is many things. It is a system of domination and exploitation based on the idea of race. Racism has been around a long time and is alive and well today. It is perhaps the single most influential social force shaping American life. It is woven into the economic, political, and social fabric of our country. Here’s a simple way to define racism: prejudice plus power.
roots and Wings: Affirming Culture in Early Childhood Programs, by Stacey York, 2003.
Racism against Native Americans is still so accepted by our society. Please don’t ever forget this. Please don’t ever tell a Native American to “get over the past” when the past is still in the present.
I understand, from a historical stand point, why the colonizing of America was so devastating and horrific for natives. However, when I see things in modern day about "get off our land," I get a little upset. I was born here. As were my parents. (1/2
Asked by Anonymous
(2/2) as were there parents, etc. Many Americans do not have a set culture, I know I don’t. America is our home. If we were to “get off your land” where would we go? Not to be cliche, but shouldn’t we all try to live as harmoniously as possible?
It may be hard to understand if you do not have emotional connection to any place other than your own home but the land is sacred to many Native peoples. For example, the Sutter Buttes here in Yuba City/Sutter area are sacred. ‘estom yann (the Sutter Buttes) are a sacred mountain range that Maidu and Nisenan people would make a religions journey to because they thought they would be closer to the Creator. We still consider them sacred and are not even allowed to be on them at all. They are “owned” by the city and is closed to the public. We cannot go their for our traditional practices. Can you imagine your people telling you stories about this place and other nearby places that meant everything to your people but are now off limits? This is just one story out of a million of similar accounts. Not only are we sharing our spaces but we are taken away from something that is part of making us who we are.
Not to mention Native peoples and First Nations people are still being oppressed TODAY in many ways by you settlers. We are being oppressed by people who would even keep us out an away from our homes. It is unacceptable.
The Move Organization is a Black Liberation group from Philadelphia started by John Africa in 1972. According to the group, the word MOVE is not an acronym. It means exactly what it says: MOVE, work, generate, be active. Their philosophy is everything that’s alive moves and If it didn’t, it would be stagnant, dead. Movement is their principle of Life. Self Defense is also one of their principles of life and On May 13, 1985 they definitely showed that. The confrontation began when police came to their house over 100 strong with guns aimed and demanded the MOVE members come outside. Still angry from the 1978 confrontation with police, which resulted in 9 MOVE members being sentenced to 30 to 100 years in prison, they refused. The police then began throwing tear gas and opening fire at the house. The MOVE house had been built as a bunker and they began shooting back. After hours of shooting, the Police called for a helicopter and dropped a BOMB on the house. Yup, you read right. The cops dropped a bomb in the middle of a neighborhood in Philly. It’s Crazy how far America will go to subdue Black people. After the bomb dropped, 65 homes were destroyed and 11 people including 5 small children were killed. As the survivors of the MOVE house began to surrender, police continued to open fire at them with automatic weapons. One of the MOVE children actually ran into a burning house to avoid being shot by police. She would later be found burned to death. There is a great documentary that was released that illustrates the constant police brutality they faced and the bombing.
Today 29 years later, the MOVE 9, like many other black political prisoners, continue to sit in Prison and each year they are denied the right to parole. In a system that has always been so hell bent against us, one must wonder, When Will We Overcome?
“Revolution starts with the individual. It starts with a person making a personal commitment to do what’s right. You can’t turn someone into a revolutionary by making them chant slogans or wave guns. To understand revolution, you must be sound. Revolution is not imposed upon another, it is kindled within them. A person can talk about revolution, but if they are still worshiping money, or putting drugs into their body, they obviously haven’t committed themselves to doing what’s right. Revolution is not a philosophy, it is an activity.” MOVE
Post by @KingKwajo
I can’t believe I never heard about this
This happened about 7 blocks from where I grew up in West Philly, it’s not an exaggeration. The entire block and blocks around were leveled or destroyed, other blocks caught fire from brush or trees. The blast was strong enough that my mother and father could feel it all the way on Hirst and Market.
White people are more offended by the fact that they can’t say the N word or have dreadlocks than the fact that they were responsible for slavery , genocide , colonization and the destruction of entire civilizations
Whites are drawn to Black culture because of the extraordinary quality of it, our aesthetic, our style. We set the styles. We are the trendsetters of America. America is known globally for its culture, which is Black.
They want to look like us, but they don’t want to be us. They don’t want to live in our skin. It’s kind of a cultural voyeurism. It allows white people to safely tour Blackness without being subjected to the reality of being Black.
Asked by Anonymous
