'Hunter Gray' hunterbadbear@hunterbear.org [marxist]
2014-08-20 10:40:04 UTC
The situation in Ferguson should not surprise any thinking person familiar with contemporary United States culture.
The lower two-thirds of Missouri can be considered "border South" -- and its far down "Bootheel" region is close to classic Dixie. (A long time ago, 1979, I conducted a two day community organizing workshop in the Bootheel for Missouri Delta Ecumenical Ministries. We were not far from Memphis.)
But, that said of Missouri, Ferguson could easily happen in much of this land -- and has. The legacy of racism, latent and active, is still, of course, pervasive in this country. Where effective and activist community organization exists, racism (and its economic ills) can be non-violently and, to an extent at least, significantly addressed. In that context, when an unjustified police shooting occurs, the resultant grassroots anger can be channeled effectively and non-violently -- and violent social insanity can be at least largely prevented. I, myself, have seen this many times in many places. African American Ferguson did not have that organizational"mechanism" -- but is certainly developing it now.
H.
HUNTER GRAY [HUNTER BEAR/JOHN R SALTER JR] Mi'kmaq /
St. Francis Abenaki / St. Regis Mohawk
Protected by NaÂŽshdoÂŽiÂŽbaÂŽiÂŽ
and Ohkwari'
Check out our massive social justice website:
www.hunterbear.org
Member, National Writers Union AFL-CIO
The Stormy Adoption of an Indian Child [My Father]:
http://hunterbear.org/James%20and%20Salter%20and%20Dad.htm
(Photos)
My expanded/updated "Organizer's Book,"
JACKSON MISSISSIPPI -- with a new 10,000
word introduction by me. Covers much of my
confrontational social justice organizing life to
date. Contains much how-to grassroots organizing
methodology: http://hunterbear.org/jackson.htm
Forest Fires in the West (including the life of an old-time
fire lookout: http://hunterbear.org/forest_fires_in_the_west.htm
The lower two-thirds of Missouri can be considered "border South" -- and its far down "Bootheel" region is close to classic Dixie. (A long time ago, 1979, I conducted a two day community organizing workshop in the Bootheel for Missouri Delta Ecumenical Ministries. We were not far from Memphis.)
But, that said of Missouri, Ferguson could easily happen in much of this land -- and has. The legacy of racism, latent and active, is still, of course, pervasive in this country. Where effective and activist community organization exists, racism (and its economic ills) can be non-violently and, to an extent at least, significantly addressed. In that context, when an unjustified police shooting occurs, the resultant grassroots anger can be channeled effectively and non-violently -- and violent social insanity can be at least largely prevented. I, myself, have seen this many times in many places. African American Ferguson did not have that organizational"mechanism" -- but is certainly developing it now.
H.
HUNTER GRAY [HUNTER BEAR/JOHN R SALTER JR] Mi'kmaq /
St. Francis Abenaki / St. Regis Mohawk
Protected by NaÂŽshdoÂŽiÂŽbaÂŽiÂŽ
and Ohkwari'
Check out our massive social justice website:
www.hunterbear.org
Member, National Writers Union AFL-CIO
The Stormy Adoption of an Indian Child [My Father]:
http://hunterbear.org/James%20and%20Salter%20and%20Dad.htm
(Photos)
My expanded/updated "Organizer's Book,"
JACKSON MISSISSIPPI -- with a new 10,000
word introduction by me. Covers much of my
confrontational social justice organizing life to
date. Contains much how-to grassroots organizing
methodology: http://hunterbear.org/jackson.htm
Forest Fires in the West (including the life of an old-time
fire lookout: http://hunterbear.org/forest_fires_in_the_west.htm