One example

Since my last post, I've been exercising my commitment to speak up in white spaces, as uncomfortable as it can be. I'm sharing this example in case the content is informative to you, or can encourage you to speak up when you're shut down. 

I am part of a forum dedicated to addressing childhood adversity and community trauma and posted information about a webinar from Showing Up for Racial Justice. 

A moderator deleted it because it could be considered "inflammatory". She said:

While we agree in that a horrific injustice and murder has taken place, we do not condone the violence of looting and destruction of private and public property, nor would we want to abolish police which it is calling for. I am quite torn as I did sign up for the call and so want something that me as a white person can do to get more involved and address the systemic racism but am not in support of the extreme actions they are calling for.

This took me aback because I didn't see anything in the event promoting violence. For a moment I considered rolling my eyes and letting it go, but I knew this was an opportunity to engage and question. 

Prior to grad school, I had never heard of the movement to abolish police. Reform, absolutely. But get rid of policing entirely? I would have thought it absurd. I thank my MPH classmates and instructors for broadening my perspective and showing me that our privilege can blind us to different, more equitable ways forward. I still have so much learning to do on this topic, but I know that it's worthwhile to do so.

Hi [Moderator],

I am disappointed with this decision and I have given it much thought over the weekend. I feel it’s important to clarify some things and ask some questions.

There was nothing in the event description about violence, looting, or destruction of property. I wonder if you can reflect on how to got to that conclusion. If it is simply the mention of abolishing police, I encourage you to learn more about this policy stance. It is not inherently violent, nor is it about causing harm to individual officers. It is about dismantling a system that has caused immeasurable harm to Black and brown communities. Overpolicing, militarization of the police, mass incarceration, and destruction of communities are all related. Here are some articles to understand the abolition movement and the fraught history of our policing system: https://www.themarshallproject.org/records/3382-police-abolition; https://transformharm.org/abolition/.

I understand how radical it can seem on its face. For people in bodies that look like yours and mine, we have had the privilege and comfort of knowing police will help us if we call them. The same act can be deadly for others, so the natural conclusion is that we must consider alternatives. You do not have to agree this is the best strategy, but to suggest that others are not allowed to share or hear about it is unreasonable. Even the APHA has addressed the necessity of shifting from criminalization to a framework grounded in social determinants and primary prevention. 

And in regards to rioting and protesting, I think all non-Black people need to reserve judgment on that matter. We do not know how we would respond to centuries of oppression and state-sanctioned violence. And on looting and destruction of property, we should not forget we live on stolen land in a nation built on forced labor. Context is essential. Trevor Noah had some incredible remarks on Friday: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4amCfVbA_c.

Finally, I would like to know more about [your org]’s post moderation policy and process. Was this your individual decision, or a decision from a group of people? If it was a group, who did it consist of and what cultural lenses do they wear? I hope that you will share this scenario and my response with your team, and reflect on if this is the way that you and the organization want to respond in the future to content that makes you uncomfortable.

The event I shared was specifically for white people who want to confront their discomfort and take action. You mention having registered for the event, and I hope you still attended or will watch the recording here. It is imperative we listen to what Black and brown leaders have asked from us, or else our allyship is meaningless.

Thank you for your consideration,

Mai