Month: December 2015

Re the term “racial divide:”

This term implies that “racial unity” is a good thing.

But let’s look again:

racial unity.

This is two words, racial and unity.

Racial means “of or pertaining to race.”

Unity means “the state of being united or joined as a whole.”

So, can we have all the races be united or joined as a whole?

Well, race is a hierarchical system that makes white people superior, and everyone else inferior in various ways.

Can there be real racial unity in context of this race reality I just outlined? Nope!

Therefore, racial  division is necessary for race to exist.

So using the term “racial division” to imply “racial unity” being necessary is bullshit, because race was created and inherently designed to divide.

Race itself is the issue, not “racial division” or the lack of “racial unity.”

Black community and rape culture

I have been seeing many posts lately around the rape culture that is ever existent in the Black community, especially amongst – but not limited to – Black cisgender heterosexual men.

Let’s be clear: RAPE CULTURE IS NOT OUR MAKING AS BLACK PEOPLE. We didn’t create it.

We must stop defending rapists.

We must create liberation for all Black people.

We must stop perpetuating rape culture.

Oh, and by the way we didn’t create sexism either. Let’s stop perpetuating sexism.

What ambulatory privilege looks like:

I was out tonight to pick up packages that couldn’t be received by my apartment admin office. Tonight was the first snow day, and the snow has not been shovelled yet.

I am a wheelchair user. Winter sucks for me because of the snow. Why?

Because it is hard to go out in it, especially where it is not yet shovelled.

Also, the reactions of ambulatory people tonight were less than stellar. When I got stuck in snow a few times, no one helped or offered their help. I got out, fortunately, but help would have been great.

The US and Canada…

Both are illegitimate settler colonial states. Instead of reforming the police, the illegitimate governments based on violence must be dissolved and all land must be returned to Indigenous people.

Family for Deaf people: Reproductive Justice

Following on from my last post, I had a realization: Audism and  phonocentrism disconnects Deaf people from hearing people. Altthough it is great if some Deaf people choose to interact only with Deaf people, most people in the world are hearing. That is just reality. Deaf people need the option to interact with hearing people too in accessible ways.

And no, not through interpreters please. Direct communication!!!!! Interpreters are there for very specific purposes: when two people are having long or complex conversations or which have specialized terminology, that’s when to use an interpreter if one of these people do not know the native language of the other.

For far too long, Deaf people have been left out of society. I am not talking about “diversity” or “inclusion” or anything of that sort, as we multi marginalized people know that strategy has failed.

Rather, society needs to center Deaf people. And no, that does not include using interpreters all the time, only where necessary.

Society needs to integrate Deaf people by:

  • teaching hearing people the majority sign language of the area in which they reside – make it mandatory in elementary education just like spoken languages are mandatory
  • accepting Deaf people
  • stopping being audist and phonocentric
  • giving Deaf people jobs

If Deaf people cannot socialize well with most hearing people except through interpreters, what hope is there of having friends or creating family with hearing people? We need choice.

Re Tamir Rice:

Look, I know that we as Black people are sad, upset, angry, etc about Tamir Rice not getting justice. It is good we are feeling these, because we need to have global settler colonialism and anti blackness destroyed. We need the State and capitalism destroyed.

We need a revolution, not reform.

Reform won’t work.

Expecting white people to decide to grant justice to a dead Black kid in a white supremacist system is foolish.

Do not speak to law enforcement officers in the US.

Disclaimer: US specific general guidance, not specific legal advice. For legal advice pertaining to your specific situation, talk to an attorney. Do not speak to law enforcement officers.

Image: Lined paper titled Should You Speak To Law Enforcement Officers?

A drawn flowchart with the titled situation: Law enforcement officers would like to speak with you. All answers and responses eventually lead to Do not speak to law enforcement officers.

Are you being detained?

  • If yes, is your lawyer present?
  • If you don’t know, ask “Am I being detained?”
    • If the law enforcement officer says yes, you are being detained. Is your lawyer present?
    • If the law enforcement officer says no, you are NOT being detained. Ask “am I free to go?”
      • If the law enforcement officer says yes, leave immediately. Do not speak to law enforcement officers.
      • If the law enforcement officer says no, you are being detained. Is your lawyer present?
  • If no, ask “Am I free to go?”
    • If the law enforcement officer says yes, leave immediately. Do not speak to law enforcement officers.
    • If the law enforcement officer says no, you are being detained. Is your lawyer present?

If you are being detained…

Is your lawyer present?

  • No – demand to speak to an attorney. Do not speak to law enforcement officers.
  • Yes:
    • Does your lawyer think you should talk to law enforcement officers?
      • No: Do not speak to law enforcement officers.
      • Yes: Fire your lawyer. Do not speak to law enforcement officers.

The only things you need ever say to law enforcement are:

  • Am I being detained?
  • Am I free to go?
  • I would like to speak to an attorney.

Credit:

Twitter, @oaklandElle.

Patreon: patreon.com/armageddon

 

When to talk to cops?