De situatie in de VS wordt steeds schrijnender en bereikt, niet voor de eerste keer, een onrustige climax. George Floyd zijn dood heeft het land volledig op zijn kop gezet. Je hebt de beelden ongetwijfeld gezien. Op social media spreken mensen zich uit en dit Twitter-draadje van de Amerikaanse Tarana Burke gaat over haar eigen ervaringen betreft racisme in het land. Want het is al langer een fundamenteel probleem in de VS.
1. Tarana Burke is een Amerikaans burgerrechtenactiviste, die wordt gezien als de grondlegger van de MeToo-beweging. Ze vertelt op Twitter over de angsten van haar vriend.
2. En dat doet ze aan de hand van twee situaties. Dit is misschien nog “onschuldig”…
His insistence annoyed me and I started in on him fussing about it being sexist and homophobic, even to reject a bag based on thinking it’s too effeminate!
He let me fuss at him for a minute and then finally she said “Baby, please stop. That’s not it!”— Tarana (@TaranaBurke) May 28, 2020
He said “I’m a 6’3 Black man. If I’m walking down the street with a bright pink bag I could look like I stole it from a woman – which could attract police attention. I’m never trying to give these cops a reason to stop me. Ever.”
Never occurred to me.— Tarana (@TaranaBurke) May 28, 2020
3. Maar daar komt hier al verandering in.
Second story: A few years ago me and dude are out and come back to his car to find it vandalized. He parked by a driveway and partially blocked it and we concluded that the owners had vandalized the car. I get pissed and go knock on the door. They don’t answer so I’m yelling!
— Tarana (@TaranaBurke) May 28, 2020
He’s telling me to calm down and forget it but I’m pissed! A few minutes later cop car rolls by and they stop and get out. I start to tell them what happened and they walk up on him and immediately start questioning him. I interrupt and say “excuse me HIS car was vandalized!”
— Tarana (@TaranaBurke) May 28, 2020
4. Precies datgene waar Tarana’s vriend bang voor was wordt werkelijkheid: een ongelijke behandeling door de Amerikaanse politie.
The cops tell me to ‘be quiet’ and just as I’m about to turn all the way up on them he turns to me and says “Baby, please…” firmly. Then he calmly answers the cops questions even though they are rude and invasive. They take his license and keep asking ridiculous questions…
— Tarana (@TaranaBurke) May 28, 2020
“What are you all doing here?”
“Did you get into an altercation earlier tonight?”
“If I knock on these people’s door what are they going to say?”I was fuming. Now I’m nervous.
They eventually stop and let us go.
We ride back to my house silently.
He goes home.
— Tarana (@TaranaBurke) May 28, 2020
5. Met de dood van George Floyd moest Tanara weer aan deze twee momenten denken. Zij begrijpt waarom haar vriend zo op zijn hoede is.
De Amy Cooper die Tanara benoemt is een New Yorkse die de politie belde nadat een zwarte meneer haar vroeg om haar loslopende hond in Central Park aan de lijn te doen.
Later he calls and says “Please don’t do that again.”
I got it. I could hear the stress in his voice.
I thought about both of these stories today. A lot. I know what’s it’s like worrying that my child, partner, brother or other loved ones will meet an Amy Cooper or worse…
— Tarana (@TaranaBurke) May 28, 2020
…cops like George Floyd did.
— Tarana (@TaranaBurke) May 28, 2020
6. Met haar tweets creëert Tanara bewustzijn bij haar landgenoten…
I’m a 91 year old white man, grew up in New York, live in Florida now, and until I read these tweets this morning I never really felt the fear that you folks rightly have to live with. I don’t really know how I could help but there has to be something???
— Robert Rudick (@philipson2010) May 28, 2020
This is a story so important for white people to hear. Most of us have no clue about how racism penetrates to every facet of life for black Americans.
— T Haughton (@haughtmum) May 28, 2020
7. En zijn mensen dankbaar blij dat zij dit, voor hen herkenbare verhaal, wil delen.
One time my son (early 20’s) posted a picture holding a gun. I got hysterical, immediately called him, made him remove. It was a BB gun. He was going to shoot cans with a friend. I was terrified that if he ever had encounter with cops this would be the photo, not graduation pic.
— Ms.Carasco (@mscarasco_live) May 28, 2020
This entire thread. Thanks for sharing. Many don’t ever realize how triggering the events of the past few days have been for many. Hugs.
— Shari-Lynn 🇧🇲 (@shaeyd) May 28, 2020
8. Met deze woorden sluit haar Tanara haar Twitter-draadje af.
I know my fears as a Black woman moving through the world. Especially one who has been harassed and harmed by police.
My deep sadness today is for Black men and all Black people who for whom this stress and anxiety never relents.— Tarana (@TaranaBurke) May 28, 2020
So many Black folks have died of Covid. So many of them Black men. It’s hard not to feel under siege one way or another and it’s all just too much.
That’s all I’m saying I guess. I’m ranting my feelings right now because it’s all too much. #BlackLifeMatters
— Tarana (@TaranaBurke) May 28, 2020
Lees ook
Onbegrip bij Stichting Ambulance Wens om afgeblazen spoedwens
IT’S A WRAP! The Best Social Awards 2020 waren unieker dan ooit en dat hebben we geweten. Grote winnaar Nikkie Tutorials was live in de show, Orgel Joke opende beide events en de beelden van Bizzey in zijn jacuzzi staat nog op ons netvlies. Het was een grote interactieve Zoombende met een hoop uitbundige en terechte winnaars. Heb je het moeten missen? Kijk de livestreams van de Business uitreiking en de Audience uitreiking dan vooral terug!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SizLMI03_dA
