The Irony of Protest

I was sitting waiting for a friend in Union Square last Saturday. I happened to run into an Occupy Wall Street protest. They were rallying around the idea of healthcare as a human right. And before I get into my critique, let me share one thing.. I agree. Healthcare is a human right. We make our nation sick. We're sedentary. We're over worked, over stressed. We don't eat right. And unfortunately, most folks don't (or can't) get to the doctor until it's way too late.

But here's what it is.

I scanned the crowd. More than once. More than twice. And I was wondering... Where are all the faces of color?

And then I figured it out.

Three Sistas walked past in nurse's uniforms. And it hit me. Right in my face.

The Occupy movement is great. It's incredible. I think it's important that we come to grips with the fact that there are a few puppeteers controlling the movements of this nation. But it didn't help me come to terms with the fact that I didn't see any skinfolk in the crowd.

So I wondered...

There has to be something going on here.

1. Black folks been knew about America's injustices, and are now numb to the fad of the Occupy movement. We been tryna tell y'all fools about this mess for how long? I can't.
2. Black folks have jobs that are not as flexible so as to allow this form of protest (but may engage in other ways). Disproportionately working inflexible jobs means you won't see us out during the day. We're not walking out of our jobs because we might not have anything to walk back to.
3. The Occupy Movement somehow has pushed out Black voices. Most mainstream movements do. The Immigration Reform movement most frequently talks about our Latino brothers and sisters, and not as frequently about those from Africa and the Caribbean. And let's be real, was anyone really checking for papers during the Middle Passage though? The LGBT movement hovers more around a White male identity, hungry for the right to marry. Well, think about how the inability to marry (and pool resources/benefits/create a legacy) affects Black folks. Think about the ways homophobia and racism come together to create an unsafe environment for LGBT people of color in relation to the NYPD (and other police forces). Shoot, the feminist movement has excluded the work and thought of Black women. We're not trying to burn bras or advocate for the right to work. Nah. We want acknowledgement and recognition. And we want y'all to stop making movies like "The Help". Chill.

I suppose this post isn't truly about the Occupy Wall Street movement. I'm not really about redoing what has already been done.

My question here is about the reality of privilege. How much can you truly sympathize with the plight of oppressed Americans, when your protest was protected by police rather than antagonized like the rally in Flatbush, Brooklyn? How much can you truly say "this is for the people" when your call to the movement was because you've been to the mountaintop and had a rough fall, while some folks are still chilling in the valley? How can you truly claim solidarity with those who cannot take time off of work to protest (in this way), and shame them for being "apathetic"? Are you really down with the brown? I'm skeptical.

I watched a man with dirty blonde hair and a large picket sign direct the crowd that Saturday. He and his son were moving the crowd and directing their path. As they passed by my place on the steps, I was optimistically worried. Perhaps he would have great intentions. Perhaps he would lead that crowd, and others, to a greater understanding of capitalism and its effect on all Americans. But I've learned the hard way... Great intentions aren't always enough.

Are we really all equally a part of the 99%?

read this

and this

this too