Discussions

I think it is just out of fear. Everywhere you look right now with riots and the protests taking a wrong turn, I am thinking the Op was more concerned of the actions of others getting heated vs thinking of racist thoughts. I still cannot figure out how harming one's own community helps spread awareness. You are only part of the problem, not the solution.

https://www.reference.com/world-view/marginalized-population-71c4acfcfc31c5db  
 
A marginalized population is a group of people that is excluded from full participation in society. According to the research institute GSDRC, marginalization includes the withholding of political rights, economic opportunity and social integration.  
 
Populations can suffer marginalization on both the political level and the more informal social level. Politically sanctioned modes of marginalization include prohibiting a certain group from voting or holding public office. Blacks in the United States and Jews in Germany are two of the most famous examples of marginalized populations. In both of these cases, the power of government was used to legitimize the social exclusion.  
 
Marginalization can also take the form of social ostracism. This can affect the livelihood of marginalized populations when the ostracism results in restricted work and educational opportunities.

I posted that definition in response to a post above asking what about Canada's First Nation's population.  
 
The BLM movement in the US is not just about black people. It is about all people who are oppressed and prevented from having access to services simply for the colour of their skin or race. Adam asked for stories. While these are not first hand for me, they have impacted my understanding of white privilege.  
 
This story comes from my sister who works with our First Nations population to help them finish their education and develop the skills to get a job.  
Part of this service is to build confidence in going into businesses to ask for application for jobs available. A young first nations man went into a restaurant to ask for an application for job that was advertised. He was told "Sorry the job has been filled". When he asked if he could fill out an application for future vacancies, he was told "Oh sorry, we don't have any applications right now." So he left.  
The worker who was a young white woman assisting this young man, went back to that business later to ask about the job being advertised. She was told the job had not been filled and was offered application forms to apply for the job.  
 
Another story I read online recently is about a black man living in the States, saying if he wants to go for a walk in his community he always takes his 8 yr old daughter and their little dog. This way he feels he is seen as a Dad walking with his daughter. He is too scared to walk by himself as a single black man.  
 
Both stories impacted my view of society and the need for change

The subject matter of this thread is uncomfortable for a lot of people no matter where it is discussed.  
This discussion should be happening on all forum including eBrandon, at family gatherings, coffee breaks, social gatherings, in schools, at church gatherings and at all levels of government (municipal, provincial and federal). Basically every where we should be having this conversation.  
 
Oppression is never good. Judging a person just because they are different is never good. Change happens slowly over time. The only way we can support change is for people at all levels to start the conversation.

I'm glad that you posted what you did, you are honest at least.  
 
This virus has shaken me, I'm a little better now but still not feeling safe around people, doesn't matter who they are I just need them to stay 6 feet away from me.  
 
Before everything was shut down we went to pick up a food order, the lady who waited on me had a cold and I was like kind of panicking but then I gave myself a mental slap and told myself that I had a horrible cold in January that lasted far too long and was wicked to say the least and that maybe this lady had the same cold too?  
 
It's okay to be frightened a bit when trying to deal with all the emotions this pandemic brought to us.

Peaceful protest walk on 18th street going on right now. Large amount of people walking the width from Richmond to Victoria in groups, I’d say easily numbering in the hundreds...

Just further to post about yesterday’s walk, Brandon Sun story has it estimated at about 200 taking part. Couldn’t help but notice Brandon Police Chief Wayne Balcaen among participants...  
https://www.brandonsun.com/local/brandonites-support-black-lives-matter-571069522.html

Why would you be worried? I would welcome all types of ethnicity on the street I live on.Could you imagine the block parties we could have.

and again you raise a good point here about fear. I have been doing some reading about human nature and fear is built into our biological make up. It comes from the center brain that controls the fight or flight system. It was useful thousands of years ago, when humans were still evolving and our brain was still focused on not being eaten by bigger animals. But this system, while useful to redflag true danger, often gets in the way of our ability to think clearly on matters that make us feel uncomfortable. Situations or concepts that we perceive as threatening our way of life, make us feel uncomfortable/shameful can trigger the fight or flight system.  
What is going on in the US and the discussion in this thread is one topic that has, I suspect, a lot of fight or flight systems going off in people's brains. They either shut down, refuse to discuss or dismiss (ie freeze) or attack/blame/get angry/take offense (ie fight).  
Johnbisonbear's comment of one of live and let live is a dismissal of the true issue here.  
 
There is a mindset in our society that influences all of us. This mindset comes from systemic racism that oppresses. As white people, we rarely feel the effects of this. The BLM movement is trying to open up our eyes to change the system so that racism is brought out into the open and steps taken to make currently acceptable racists behaviours socially unacceptable in the minds of everyone especially our service sector and government.  
In order to effect change in our system, each and everyone of us have to take a hard look at what we are doing that contributes to the oppression of marginalized groups. The idea of live and let live allow this oppression to continue unabated.  
 
There was a post removed from this thread that listed all the concepts that we think of as socially acceptable but actually contribute to the problem. The poster was passionate in their expression and probably angered a lot of people, which is why it was removed along with all the other responses to it.  
 
What I ask is for those who read that post that was removed and indeed anyone who responds in anger to or avoids discussions on the BLM crisis in the US, is to do some self-checking before reacting. Be aware of how you respond. Are you in flight or fight. Ask yourself if you can be more open to what it is they are trying to say and do.  
I can tell you this: it is not about violence, looting or taking rights away from white people. IMO The protests are about asking society to stop accepting racism in how we interact everyday, how policies are developed at all government levels.

I was part of the removed responses and I totally understand. I, as well, want open discussion and increased learning on both sides of this equation. Peace to all

You are correct to be worried. These signs may grow arms and legs during the night AND ATTACK THE CHILDREN!!!! I still have PTSD from when I was attacked by a sign during my childhood....  
 
Smh smarten up. These signs are for an important movement and you should support them, not fear them. Please listen to the comments in this chain and educate yourself on the real issue of systemic racism. If you still have a problem, tell me the location of the signs I’ll go pick them up and put them in my neighbourhood.

(Sorry about the previous useless comment lol)  
 
It is SAD that people still think this way.... for signs... this group of people have SUFFERED for HUNDREDS of years, but their "signs " are an inconvenience.... this is the same mentality that whites had when blacks would move into their neighbourhood a (short) number of years ago. There is actually interviews of white people discussing how they don't want to tell the kids about the black that moved in a number of houses down the road because it was an "adult issue".....  
 
Instead of composing and worrying about signs, maybe educate yourself and if you have any kids , educate them about the injustices that a darker skinned people have over a lighter skinned.... remember, "whites" are the one who created racism (google it, it was a white man who classified people as "yellow" "red" "black" etc)....  
 
This post makes me FURIOUS because your ignorance is so shameful.. people like you make me ashamed of our color.... get over yourself and think about what's going on...

A very big turnout for the first of two marches tonight. Police led the way at the front, including managing 18th and Victoria for a time while the march proceeded through: