Video
Updated James Winfrey the man (oops) who took the poster andd ripped it up was arrested! Great job, Hillsboro Police.
So I am sure you are all aware of the townhall where an African American woman was ejected for apparently getting into a fight with another attendee. MSNBC just showed another angle of the video. Apparently, the AA woman was sitting in her seat and placed a sign in the chair in front of her. A photographer took a picture of the AA woman and then walked over to her to ask her about the poster. The AA woman unfolded the poster for the photographer. The poster was of revered Civil Rights legend Rosa Parks. At that point, a white woman walks over to the photographer and AA woman, grabs the poster, walks away and rips it up!
My reaction below the fold...
Now, the AA woman was ejected while the white woman was not kicked out. Granted the AA woman was visibly upset and confrontational. Under these circumstances, I would be too! It is pissing me off right now just having watched the video!
There was a post a few days ago, Hold Townhalls in the nearest Black Neighborhood suggesting that the townhalls should be held in predominantly black neighborhoods to intimidate the teabirthers! I roundly rejected this notion and here is why. In almost any situation, even to this day, where there is a confrontation between black folk and white folk, black folk invariably are deemed guilty! The Gates case proves it, the swimming case in Philly proves it (because you know little black kids are always safety issues) and this current case proves it. If in your experience you have not seen this power differential, please do not belittle what I have been witnessing all my life.
With the Gates case, IMO, it was not about racial hatred as much as it was about how blacks are NEVER given the benefit of the doubt and invariably have to jump through more hoops to be treated in a way that whites take for granted. The Black Tax! So this is my rant!
In a setting where the most rowdy group of people have assembled that we have seen in a long time, the black woman offended by a total disrespect and yes, say it with me white people, racist action is kicked out. Same as it ever was. Despite the President refusing to call Crowley a racist, he was still demonized and criticized for speaking truth to power and he is the most powerful man in the galaxy. These are the countless indignities that occur which I hope will open eyes to what it is like, not just the overt thingd but it is the covert things. Time and time again, when black folk object to these indignities, as the AA woman did, they are demonized and framed as the problem. Enough, fellow progressives. Think about this incident and imprint it in your mind. This is your post-racial America!
So there I am done! If you have ever been singled out for any reason where you feel that you are considered guilty, wrong or suspicious because of an intrinsic characteristic, please share. Sorry for no video and excuse my writing, but I am upset! And I am rambling, so bear with me!
Update 2 - Upon receiving information, I would like to say that incident still upsets me. However, I am relieved that the Hillsboro police acted justly and fairly by arresting the perpetrator. It seems strange to me that none of this was reported. The video of the AA woman has been on constant loop, so it would seem that all of the details would be revealed. It is a relief believe me that this man was not left unmolested and will be taken to task (we hope) in the court system.
Oh, and this is just awesome, first time on the rec-list and I went off half-cocked! Embarassing. On on my birthday! lol However the point remains, black folks need to receive the benefit of the doubt in these situations!