Clare Morrissey- Beautiful Trouble - Week 5

Beautiful Trouble 

Kill Them With Kindness

• I believe in most circumstances this works. And that the intent of this post is positive. But there are many times when kindness is not possible or impactful. I think of the attacks in Charlottesville, the nazi rally and the counter-protesters. A woman lost her life and the event was heavily violent. I do not believe kindness was practical at this moment, White Supremacy is violence and a threat to our world, seeing Nazi's rally and try to organize is a terrifying sight. Thinking kindness would solve this is naive.  I do believe, however, that individually kindness in regards to white supremacy can be effective. For example. Daryl Davis, a black man who for 30 years has been befriending White Supremacists and "reforming racists" https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2017/08/30/a-black-blues-musician-has-an-unique-hobby-befriending-white-supremacists/

Recapture the Flag

• There is a desire to throw something away when it has become a negative symbol but reclaiming its image is possible and more powerful. I think of the symbols people are using when posting about the protests in Hong Kong- posting images of Disney characters so they get banned in China (Like Winnie the Pooh got banned because of the comparisons between him and President Xi). The whole concept of reclaiming allows a reinvention that gives back the power to the ones reclaiming. Often when progressives use images/memes, far-right groups take them and use them negatively in hopes it diminishes their work and therefore their progress with this symbol that once had a different meaning. It is a powerful tool that I believe can be used more. 

Stay on Message

• Many times when movements first start the message is clear and consistent then the movement gets larger, more people involved, suddenly all these voices are trying to speak on what the message is and it's not as clear. In the new digital age, anyone can post their feelings or opinions, sharing their ideas for a movement and what it means. I think of feminism and how the message is often lost on trivial things, in high school I found myself debating the feminism was not an attack on men when boys, and even some girls, in my school, were adamant that is was. Now, that had more to do with a lot of toxic masculinity and the fear of losing privilege than the actual message but still, it distracted and upset me enough to often give up those debates rather than move the conversation back to the actual message and real injustices. This passage gave great ways to stay on topic and shift the conversation back to help solve that issue.