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Helping White people fight White Supremacy
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a tradition of resistance
Published by vegankid | Filed under Ourstory
Janisanfran of Happening-Here? alerted me yesterday of the passing of Anne Braden, an incredible anti-racist activist from Kentucky. I feel that Happening-Here?’s notes on Braden’s life and death are far better than anything i could write so i encourage you to check them out. I found this speech given by Anne Braden on March 27, 2004. Its called A Time to Organize.
What Braden’s death has reminded me is of the importance for White people to recognize the long tradition of White resistance to White Supremacy. By knowing our past and recognizing the long path of resistance that has been carved out, we are better able to fight today. So i’d like to take a moment and ask that we think about the White folks who have done so much great work to challenge institutionalized racism. Not because the work of White people is more important, but because it helps White people remember that we’re not alone in the struggle. We aren’t pioneers who have to redefine who we are and rewrite ourstory. And because we are so often taught that all White people have ever done is to play by the rules. So whose work do you admire? Here’s a piece of my list:
Mab Segrest
John Brown
Paul Kivel
James Loewen
Marilyn Buck
Linda Evans
Noel Ignatiev
Howard Zinn
Chris Crass
David Gilbert
Tim Wise
Leslie Feinberg
and the list goes on…
March 8th, 2006 at 8:51 pm Parker Palmer
Derrick Jensen
Peggy McIntosh
March 10th, 2006 at 1:52 pm don't forget the weather underground or the SOA--weather underground esp as they were about the only white dominated org at the time with a critique on the oppression of women of color in their resistance...
March 10th, 2006 at 2:13 pm oh i couldn't forget about them. In fact, David Gilbert (on my list above) is the only member of the Weather Underground who didn't sell-out and renounce the group's work. Ironically, he's the only one in prison. But that's for something he did with the Black Liberation Army (if i remember correctly). Of course the male members of the WA had some serious issues when it came to sexist behavior, but Gilbert seems to have done A LOT of thinking on that issue while in prison.
March 10th, 2006 at 7:34 pm ooh, you're so good vegan kid...i know about the weather underground's activities, but i have no idea what any of their names are...I also didn't know that any of them had renounced their former lives--I saw a part of a show on them on PBS, the only part I saw was the ending that talked about why they ultimately failed--basically they hadn't built up a base of power...
anyway, you've given me pause to investigate further...
March 10th, 2006 at 7:38 pm ps i meant to say school of the americas *watch* not just schools of the americas...geez. i think that head banging got to me vegan!