Do Riot Defenders Believe Perpetrators Even Human?
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.
Frederick Meekins is an independent theologian and social critic. Frederick holds a BS in Political Science/History, a MA in Apologetics/Christian Philosophy from Trinity Theological Seminary, and a PhD. in Christian Apologetics from Newburgh Theological Seminary.
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