Blog by +Wanda Dorn
MY HEARTFELT MESSAGE
TO BLACK LIVES MATTER
LEARN TO KNOW
WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, AND HOW
TO PICK YOUR FIGHTS
I agree with the Clergy demanding an
apology from Black Lives Matter disrupting speeches of people who came to say that they want to help. Hear them out first ...
Go disrupt the Republican candidates,
the Congress, the Senate and the police department's diversity meetings, etc. That's where your fights are.
Unfortunately, often newly found recognition leads to excitement in being noticed. There's a time to talk and a time to demonstrate. Disrupting meetings is not the time to demonstrate. It's the time to, as said in Malcolm X movie, "look", "listen", "hear", "learn" and "understand", what the speaker has to say. Also from the Malcolm X film: "be careful of 'dem camras". Even Malcolm himself fell prey to his notoreity and "dem camras".
As many young people would say, "put the older civil rights leaders out". But young leaders could look, listen, hear, learn and most importantly understand what your role is from the older civil rights leaders who strategically and successfully picked their fights.
From reading the article in the LASentinel, you didn't know what to do with the fact that Garcetti (and Hillary Clinton) has a right to speak to other groups without disruption and without your permission. Your group does not speak for everyone.
How would you like it if others disrupted your events for their own agenda, or because they weren't consulted first. This is especially true about a meeting where the group is asking the persons in power and/or going to be in power where they stand. If they didn't stand in the right place before, are they going to change their stance? You don't know because you didn't stop, look, listen, hear and understand nor ask where that speaker will be coming from in the future. If they aren't going to come from where you believe they should in the future, then offer your demands in their discussion - don't try to take it over.
More often you get more by not being seen, but by strategizing a way to be heard without confrontation.
Confrontation only leads to Blacks against Blacks, and that is a position you should not be creating. You should be creating dialog and peace among the community; resorting to marches and protests only when all our voices (not just yours) have not been heard, and after we all find that there is no other recourse but to stage more drastic actions.
Believe it or not the people who came to hear the speakers should be respected too.
Those guests, churches, groups and organizations have a right to invite people they feel they want to hear from so they can answer the questions their group or organization members want. If you have problems with a church group or organization inviting someone to speak, take it up with them. Even then, they don't have to answer to any other group as to whom they want to hear speak.
Believe me, there will be many such events as we continue the fight, and if you disrupt each one of them, people will begin to not take you seriously.
BLACK LIVES MATTER group, this is a heartfelt message because I support the work you're doing, but, please learn to --- know who, what, where, when, and how to pick your fights for the purpose of results and not for posturing
... And continue doing good works!
By the way, Mr. Moriah is a wonderful church!
No comments:
Post a Comment