Earlier this baseball season there was an ugly situation between Baltimore Orioles center fielder Adam Jones and Boston Red Sox fans, racial taunts and comments were hurled towards Adam for no reason other than being black. After he made it public about the taunts he received, several other black players came out about similar treatment they’ve received playing in Boston.
Earlier this week Fenway Park was once again the epicenter of racial controversy as during a game against the Oakland Athletics a few fan’s displayed a sign over the green monster with the statement “Racism is as American as Baseball”. The sign was quickly removed and the fans ejected. Now upon an initial look at the scene one would think it was a statement from a fascist make america white again group of fans.
It was quite the opposite, actually it was displayed as an anti-racist message by a group of white protesters who stated they side with the black lives matter movement and other civil rights groups. They held this mini protest against racism in Boston and the country as whole. This poses an very good question.
At times like this in the era of a new civil rights movement, should any allies who stand with the oppressed but who are not the oppressed be included in the movement? Should the stand their taking be applauded or denounced? To get the message across should any allies be accepted or just certain ones?
You’ll have some people who will welcome anyone willing to join their cause with open arms. Then you’ll have others who will shun them away simply because they don't know what it's like to be oppressed. In both 90's films "Malcolm X" and "Panther" there are individual scenes in the respective films where Malcolm X and Huey Newton are approached by white supporters wanting to join their cause. They both turn down the supporters, both men were great leaders and agents of change during the civil rights era of the 60's. I understand why they turned the support down, but I personally feel like the more voices and varying voices available to get the point across. The better for everyone trying to make a change for the better.
We as human beings are naturally conditioned to always point out the differences between us. Whether race, gender, sexual orientation, income level, even what part of town or side of the street you live on. We segregate ourselves individually just as much as the establishment and societal standards that have been put in place for generations. When we find common group on social issues we need to take advantage of that. Looking past any outer differences especially if they're genuine about the cause can only help the movements. In cases of social change for the greater good, the more allies any movement has can only increase the chance of real change regardless of if they are the opporessed or not.
Earlier this week Fenway Park was once again the epicenter of racial controversy as during a game against the Oakland Athletics a few fan’s displayed a sign over the green monster with the statement “Racism is as American as Baseball”. The sign was quickly removed and the fans ejected. Now upon an initial look at the scene one would think it was a statement from a fascist make america white again group of fans.
It was quite the opposite, actually it was displayed as an anti-racist message by a group of white protesters who stated they side with the black lives matter movement and other civil rights groups. They held this mini protest against racism in Boston and the country as whole. This poses an very good question.
At times like this in the era of a new civil rights movement, should any allies who stand with the oppressed but who are not the oppressed be included in the movement? Should the stand their taking be applauded or denounced? To get the message across should any allies be accepted or just certain ones?
You’ll have some people who will welcome anyone willing to join their cause with open arms. Then you’ll have others who will shun them away simply because they don't know what it's like to be oppressed. In both 90's films "Malcolm X" and "Panther" there are individual scenes in the respective films where Malcolm X and Huey Newton are approached by white supporters wanting to join their cause. They both turn down the supporters, both men were great leaders and agents of change during the civil rights era of the 60's. I understand why they turned the support down, but I personally feel like the more voices and varying voices available to get the point across. The better for everyone trying to make a change for the better.
We as human beings are naturally conditioned to always point out the differences between us. Whether race, gender, sexual orientation, income level, even what part of town or side of the street you live on. We segregate ourselves individually just as much as the establishment and societal standards that have been put in place for generations. When we find common group on social issues we need to take advantage of that. Looking past any outer differences especially if they're genuine about the cause can only help the movements. In cases of social change for the greater good, the more allies any movement has can only increase the chance of real change regardless of if they are the opporessed or not.
