Social media has transformed the way we talk about injustice, and as events unfold in Ferguson, Missouri, we’ve been reminded once again of the pervasive and systemic racism that is present in the U.S. and that affects millions of our brothers and sisters every single day. I am at once grateful for the power of social media and disturbed by the uncomfortable realities it often forces me to face. I’ll write more about that next week, but in the meantime, some ways to listen, learn, and act:
Follow on Twitter…
My interview with local media following my release from #Ferguson jail this morning: http://t.co/7ScNgrVfmn
— Antonio French (@AntonioFrench) August 14, 2014This cop seemed to take pleasure in the way he treated me. Hope to prevent others from being subjected to his abuse.
— Ryan J. Reilly (@ryanjreilly) August 14, 2014Following Ferguson: Thursday's Roundup http://t.co/pMUgSLgTxk
— Colorlines.com (@Colorlines) August 14, 2014About to cross 150,000 signatures in our petition for smart, safe, fair policing. Aiming for 200,000 by tonight. https://t.co/Uwpnx7fbFw
— Shaun King (@ShaunKing) August 14, 2014Wrote this last year, but relevant to #MichaelBrown. "3 Things Privileged Christians Can Learn from the Trayvon Case" http://t.co/M0YLadZi8W
— Christena Cleveland (@CSCleve) August 11, 2014Any claim to nonviolent practice in America that doesn't centralize resisting white control & domination is just noisy status quo rhetoric.
— Drew G. I. Hart (@DruHart) August 14, 2014#HandsUp #DontShoot #MikeBrown #Ferguson pic.twitter.com/gjwMDC2gT6
— Brittney Cooper (@ProfessorCrunk) August 14, 2014"Someday you will understand just how many of our horror stories begin & end with sidewalks." http://t.co/lPmeRnzgTq pic.twitter.com/oxgZflGghs
— stacia l. brown (@slb79) August 14, 2014
Read…
Do Black Lives Matter in Our Community? by Nekima Levy-Pounds
In Defense of Black Rage by Brittney Cooper
How the War on Terror Has Militarized the Police by Arthur Rizer & Joseph Hartman
When Terrorism Wears a Police Badge at The Ghetto Monk
When Parenting Feels Like a Fool’s Errand by Stacia L. Brown
Racial Bias, Police Brutality, and the Dangerous Act of Being Black by Kristen Howerton
Go Deeper….
“The Case for Reparations” by Ta-Nehisi Coates
"Ten Books on Racial Reconciliation and the Church" by Amy Julia Becker
The Condemnation of Blackness: Race, Crime, and the Making of Modern Urban America by Khalil Gibran Muhammad
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander
The Cross and the Lynching Tree by James Cone
The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson
Take Action…
Petition to Enact Federal Laws to Protect Citizens from Police Violence & Misconduct
There's a lot of information circulating out there. What have you found most helpful?
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