An article in the 12/2014 edition of the Catholic Worker titled
“Ferguson: Anytown USA” states, “I've realized that as a person
indoctrinated into white culture, I have at times been thoughtful in the
way I talk about nonviolence to people who have been absorbing state
violence for decades...Lately I've heard far too many white people
complaining about resistance as undisciplined, intimidating, or a
riot....Who gets to decide whether an action is nonviolent?”
That passage contains a number of noteworthy assumptions.
Firstly, its author is suggesting that minority hooligans be allowed to destroy whatever the Sheol they please.
Secondly, the article is advocating a different standard for White and Black people.
For example, by raising the question of “Who gets to decide whether an
action is now violent or not?” what the author is really saying is that,
while minorities should be allowed to vandalize until their reprobate
hearts are content, if a White person criticizes such actions, that is
to be viewed as a profoundly inappropriate offense worthy of a variety
of sanctions as the mobs or the manipulative demagogues of such
rampaging throngs might determine.
There is also a hidden assumption that those advocating this kind of perspective will go to even greater lengths to conceal.
That is none other than that, if minorities are not to be held to the
same standards as White people, then those holding to the assumption
deep down believe that Black people aren't fully people at all.
By Frederick Meekins
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