I think the question in my most recent thread is counter-productive.
As it was the 1960s, the talk of rioting and looting and the question of violence often tries to ignore the reactionary violence.
MLK was constantly asked this, but he said his organization didn’t advocate violence but he did not disparage other people in the movement and he called attention to the injustices that preceded the riots and to racist police and racist vigilante violence.
So I erred because if someone is not a sought after leader of an organization and a movement such as MLK was, what exactly does it mean to “not condone rioting and looting?”
People aren’t seeking my approval. All I can do is help organize and participate in nonviolent actions if that is what I want to be a part of or maybe try talking people out of damaging property.
I helped a little with the latter in Pittsburgh in 2009.
But it does seem there is a lot of room for improvement in terms of people knowing what we want to achieve and how to organize in order to do it.
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