My story about "discovering" the Daily Kos website, way-back-when, is similar to many of yours. I had found a home, a website where I could come to learn, bitch, organize and be surrounded by other progressives....all very important to a liberal living in a state so red that it's bloody. I had followed Shaun King on Twitter, frequently retweeted him, and seen him mentioned on other liberal sites. Then, lo and behold, there he was....as a front-page contributor on my favorite site, Daily Kos. So, okay, that's good I guess. I didn't actually know very much about him.
Sometimes it's hard for a white person to really "get" this new Civil Rights movement. I am old enough to remember the first one, with Dr King and the heroes who brought about such radical change in our nation. I know that looking back, the old movement has been somewhat romanticized, because it was uglier, dirtier and too many people suffered too much. I'm afraid for the new activists who are trying to affect a second wave of change.....they are so daring, so relentless, so passionate. I'm afraid they'll get hurt, physically and psychologically. I'm afraid they'll grow old without realizing the objectives they've set for themselves, and what that realization will do to them. But, as an older, somewhat obtuse, privileged white woman, all I can do is try to stay as informed as possible, donate when I can, show up where I can and talk-up what I am supposed to talk-up.....and hope that the activists are able to affect the change they need to survive in our white society.
To stay informed, my go-to person online became Shaun King here at Daily Kos....from his very first posts here, and I visit the Kos website much more often every day to see if Shaun has another post up. After reading Shaun's reporting I feel like I understand better whatever situation he is reporting on. Because really, how am I, and older white woman stuck down here in Louisiana, supposed to really understand what is going on in Ferguson or St Louis or Baltimore if I can't read about it from someone who's reporting I trust? To me, the addition of Shaun as a front-pager was the best thing to happen to the Daily Kos site in a long time! He's obviously an impassioned firm believer in what he's doing, a terrific writer and a crackerjack reporter. On Kos he doesn't have to be an objective reporter....as a subjective reporter he gives me an idea of what it is like for the activists participating in this Movement....as close as I can get without being one of them and being where the action is.
Years ago when I watched Oprah daily, they were discussing Race in America. A white woman in the audience told Oprah she never saw Oprah as black...just as Oprah. Oprah gently told the woman that was wrong....that she wanted to be seen as black, that she did not want anyone denying in any way that she, Oprah, was black. She said she wanted/needed to be recognized as a black woman every time someone looked at her. The white woman was rather taken-back...she thought she had been complementing Oprah. I know what the white woman meant...and I know what Oprah meant also. I guess it is important for Shaun to recognize himself as black or mixed or however he wants to think of himself, but in all honesty, like the obtuse white audience member, I don't care if he is white, black or mixed. As close as I can get to the New Civil Rights movement is reading about it from a reporter whom I trust and who makes me understand what is at stake. If I have expressed it awkwardly or obtusely, Shaun....please forgive me, but know that I appreciate what you have contributed to Daily Kos and to my understanding of the Movement.