Where is the Color in the Twin Cities?: Looking for reasons why the Great Battle is so white…with thanks to Betita Martinez
August 31, 2008
Where is the Color in the Twin Cities?: Looking for reasons why the Great Battle is so white…with thanks to Betita Martinez
Lisa Albrecht
“Four protesters of color from different Bay Area organizations talked about the "culture shock" they experienced when they first visited the "Convergence," the protest center set up by the Direct Action Network, a coalition of many organizations. Said one, "When we walked in, the room was filled with young whites calling themselves anarchists. There was a pungent smell, many had not showered. We just couldn't relate to the scene so our whole group left right away." "Another told me, "They sounded dogmatic and paranoid." "I just freaked and left," said another. "It wasn't just race, it was also culture, although race was key." from Betita Martinez, “Where was the Color in Seattle?…”
The title of this piece comes from Betita Martinez’s well-known essay that appeared on-line and in Colorlines *(Volume 3, #1, Spring, 2000): “Where was the Color in Seattle? Looking for reasons why the Great Battle was so white.” Betita described the WTO demonstrations in Seattle that happened in November, 1999.
I am a white Twin Cities educator, activist and writer. I spent the past day as a Legal Observer, watching meetings in South Minneapolis at Powderhorn Park, going to the Convergence Center in St. Paul, and going to several houses in St. Paul where police were engaged in “pre-emptive” raids on homes where RNC Welcoming Committee activists were either living or staying in.
Who have I observed? It’s been mostly young white people who are anarchists. There’s a sprinkling of grey hairs (like me -- mostly white) in the crowds. There’s also various affinity groups, like the pagans and witches who will participate in many of the actions during the convention. Again, almost all white.
Everyone I’ve crossed paths with seems to think that the RNC Welcoming Committee and its actions are at the center of the world’s news. There’s a self-importance that I find deeply troubling. I write this as New Orleans is awaiting another monster storm, and people of color (and many white folks) are organizing their asses off all over the country (see Incite!: Women of Color at www.incite-national.org). I also write this as someone who went to the U.S. Social Forum in Atlanta in July, 2007 where over 15,000 activists (people of color in the majority) gathered from all over the U.S. The Social Forum was led by people of color, addressed racism and white supremacy and violence against people of color, and was linked to global justice organizing of Black and Brown people from all over the world. (For its history, see www.ussf2007.)
I’ve just spent the past two hours on-line reading accounts of the police violence all over the Twin Cities. Not one article addressed the whiteness of the organizing. Not one article identified any of the people involved in the actions as “white” organizers or activists.
I wonder when we, white people, are going to pay attention. What is happening here happens everyday in communities of color all over the U.S. It also happens in communities of color in the Twin Cities everyday. Is this how we, white folks, are thinking we are going to change the world? This is white privilege at its most visible, but it just doesn’t seem visible to my white brothers and sisters here.
I’ve wondered about the RNC Welcoming Committee’s organizing efforts over all these months, but I did not attend any meetings or get involved. My bad – who am I to criticize if I’m not involved, right? I’m just not an electoral politics kind of gal. Sure, I’ll vote for Obama, but we need a bit more structural change in this country, and I don’t think it’s going to come from the white house. I see my movement work as a white person centered on educating people in my own white community, and standing in solidarity with movements of color. Don’t get me wrong, what the police are doing here in the Twin Cities is horrendous. I also believe that everyone involved in all these actions cares and wants deep change in this country. And, let me clarify. There are folks of color involved here, but as best as I can see, they are small in number.
The Republicans are arriving and I suspect there will be little mainstream coverage of the RNC Welcoming Committee’s work. What we will get will be news that reports on the “anarchist conspiracy.” If police violence escalates, as I suspect it will, it will be reported as violence incited by anarchists. Will there be any discussion and analysis about white supremacy? Certainly not in the mainstream press. I hope we all (white folks and folks of color) have the courage and commitment to engage in this dialogue with honesty, love and respect.
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Comments
geography and race
you raise an important point, but consider:
Wisconsin to Washington state is probably the whitest swath of the country. only around 5% of Minnesotans are black, while over 90% are white. it's not fair to compare that with New Orleans or Atlanta.
true, but...
My neighborhood (Powderhorn) sure as shit ain't 95% white... and most of the "anarchists" at Powderhorn Park today were, I believe, from out of town... some even from New Orleans and Atlanta. But they certainly didn't reflect the diversity of the movement for justice that I think we're all trying to be a part of.
anarchism is still for everyone
your comment doesn't make sense. why does the fact of someone's skin being white discredit their movement? You'd do better to listen to what they have to say than simply assuming that a group of people who happen to be mostly white MUST be racist.
I hope all critically-thinking people will recognize the fundamental weakness of any argument based on race.
diiscredit to the movement
It's not the fact of people being white that discredits their "movement." It's the inability to build or join a broad movement of people who are not primarily white, young and privileged. Beyond moral judgement - it's strategic- Anarchists won't win, and don't even embody our own ideals, when we remain a group of privileged, elite, and self-absorbed people largely from one social group. Revolution for all, not just for smelly young white people!
Travel is Expensive
One thing I notice is that some (not a majority) of white anarchists get support from their parents. On the other hand, some (not a majority) of anarchists who are people of color, have to support someone else. So there's some disincentive to go to MN right there.
Another econmic reason is that POC tend to live in cities, and in states like California. These areas are hard hit by this housing crash, where we're seeing the 30% drops in house value create recessions in the economy.
Also, when there are these discussions of anarchists and white privilege, it's rarely acknowledged that anarchist people of color also tend to have some privilege within their own communities. We're the ones who did fairly well in the school system, maybe could go to college, and could adopt some of the lifestyle of white anarchists which reflect middle class culture - particularly with regard to reading lots of books, traveling, and attending conferences.
all classes read
reading books is not exclusive to the middle and upper classes. municipalities across the united states, not to high schools and universities, have libraries that are open to the public. when i worked in a public library in a major city, it was not unusual to see homeless people spending their entire days in the library reading books and in some cases, wanting to talk about what they were reading.
Thank you
Thanks for re-introducing that important piece of writing, and for hyping incite! There's lots of exciting and important work for us white folks to do in the TCs! I, for one, am excited to do the real coalition building, community organizing and self reflection that it takes to be part of a diverse, anti-racist movement, rather than a mostly-white, defensive echo chamber. Let's talk about privilege, baby! Let's put aside trying to get tear-gassed for a while and make some friends who speak different languages or look different, or even - gasp - think really differently about the world than us.
And, on a separate (but possibly related) note: I'm so much more excited about the revolution when it doesn't smell like a dirty armpit.
nope, I don't buy this...
it's really divisive... "those smelly anarchists, why don't they take a bath and get a job..." This whole post has the stench of COINTELPRO on it, just like the fake stuff put out by the FBI and friends to divide and scatter opposition back in the 1960s. White Supremacy amongst the protestors? Give me a break - that's just a lot of BS. I wouldn't give this obvious troll a second thought.
Rating: Skip it
If this critique was coming from an organizer of color, with knowledge of what IS going on in those communities, it would be worth reading. Otherwise not much, no solutions. Skip.
skip a critique of the RNC, too
If a critique of the anarchist community can only be helpful when it comes from an organizer with knowledge of what is going on in "those communities" then what right do anarchists have to critique or blockade the Republicans? Are you an organizer with first-hand knowledge of what is really going on at the convention?
As someone who's been in the "anarchist community" for the last 15 years, I think this post is pretty right on.
First off, I know who this
First off, I know who this educator is. She is not cointelpro. But with that said she has always been anti-anarchist. She is from the old socialist party school (I am not sure which one whether it is Freedom Road or what). And it is a rare day when one will see a socialist party supporter supporting the anarchists. Normally they will support Castro as a great revolutionary but will overlook all of the atrocities he has committed. For an example read this article from wiki about anarchism in Cuba: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anarchism_in_Cuba#1960-1961
But second. It is a major issue that will always need to be worked on. In fact it should be the major focus along with gender, GLBT, physical and mental health disabilities, immigration, and all other inequalities. There needs to be much more revolutionary work of reaching out to all communities who are oppressed and we must at all cost stand with them. Only then will we ever see the true revolutionary change that we desire.
Re: color
To quote the previous article:
"I am a white Twin Cities educator"
Yeah, so what? I am too. I home school my two "non-white" children. I home school them so that they don't have to go to school with your kids, if you have any.
I home school them so that they know what made this country great (freedom: to pray, to choose what you do with your life, to do as you wish (within reason)) and what stinks about it (some of it's past: slavery, bigotry, hatred; and present: high taxes, large government trying to control everything I do) I home school them so that they don't have to listen to a political view, that I believe is wrong, and accept it as truth. My youngest never went to a government school, and he doesn't even know what hatred is. He's not isolated, just not indoctrinated.
Racism is something they are going to have to deal with, but we'll deal with it the best we can. You standing in front of a camera with a bunch of people with signs really isn't going to change anything. Putting "non-whites" to use your phrase in a protected class just creates animosity against them.
We are Americans (It's too bad that some seem to think that's a bad thing), red, white, yellow, black, or whatever political term is trendy now, we are still human. Still children of God. If you're not American, maybe you should try to be one. It's a great place to live.
As for your "culture shock", maybe corporate or government racism isn't as bad as you think. Though I think most government "programs" to help minorities hurt them in the long term because it doesn't help them or the culture adapt to the real world situation of cost and value (capitalism). Or maybe they like the programs that are out there now. Maybe it's more of an issue to YOU than the people you are feeling sorry for.
Individual racism does exist, I see it sometimes as I drive to work for 45 minutes each way with my "non-white" co-worker in the passenger seat. That sucks.
Corporate racism exists too, but it's getting better. And in MOST (not all) cases if you are a person of color and can do the job you can get the job.
In government cases, the programs are worse than the original problem. If you are a person of color, the government tells you that you have "rights" to this program or that. You "qualify"for this program or that. You can be entered in this program or that just based on your skin color.
Now how is that going to help a person to better themselves?
Will it make them better qualified for a job? If used properly it may.
When was the last time that a government program made someones life truly better?
Other than a few government workers?
To quote:
"I wonder when we, white people, are going to pay attention."
It's what I live with. I see it. I know it.
Try treating people "of color" as your equals, not the poor oppressed.
Don't feel sorry for them, just treat them as human for a change.
To quote:
"Everyone I’ve crossed paths with seems to think..."
Yeah whatever. The RNC welcoming committee is going to make about as much progress on anything as I am right here, right now.
To quote:
"The Republicans are arriving and I suspect there will be little mainstream coverage of the RNC Welcoming Committee’s work."
Yeah, so what? If you think you have it rough, try being a Christian conservative. The media may not say what you want, but they are certainly to the "left" of where I come from.
I don't see a lot of "hate" stickers on cars with chrome fish. But I sure do on ones with a "leftist" agenda.
Is America perfect? no. Are all people who call themselves Christian perfect? no. However, if you are going to generalize: America does not Hate, neither do Christians.
If police violate the rights of Americans to protest I will be right there by your side even if I don't agree with your message.
If you violate a legitimate and reasonable law I will be there but not on your side.
I do believe that our constitution should rule this country and not our courts.
I do believe in God.
I do believe that this country got it's greatness from the ideas that our founding fathers put forth in our constitution which are mostly based on the scripture in the bible.
If you hate me for those beliefs, then I ask you to look around you and see where you find hate. I assure you it won't be from me.
God bless you all.
Even the Democrats. :)
swede_x@hotmail.com
this is bullshit.
"Is America perfect? no. Are all people who call themselves Christian perfect? no. However, if you are going to generalize: America does not Hate, neither do Christians."
"America" is a fictitious entity; it doesn't exist. The Government, on the other hand, does exist. Most people who "love America" just mindlessly support whatever the Government does.
"Christianity" is just a bullshit religion.
I wish people would just realize that we're all human beings and that nothing else fucking matters. I appreciate your ability to be open-minded enough not to brow-beat us with scripture, but that doesn't mean you can just marginalize people who you think don't matter like "leftists" and such. I advise you not to waste your time on a site like this, if that's the only message you wish to put across.
Try better quoting next
Try better quoting next time.
This is your quote ""America" is a fictitious entity; it doesn't exist. The Government, on the other hand, does exist. Most people who "love America" just mindlessly support whatever the Government does."
And what amount of idiocy do you base this on? yours? Please prove a point. America is a country. also known as the US of A. Visit it sometime as you seem to be completely ignorant of it. Please check any drug at the gate, we have enough of a problem with them here without you bringing more.
I happen to strongly believe in what America stands for (Not what the liberals/socailaist/comunists/whateverwhantstoaddthiernamehere/you say(s) it is) as we have a constitution, and we are a republic. We can change the Constitution if we need to, but in general it is pretty good as it is right now.
Yeah, the Government does exist. we would not if it didn't. I don't like it most of the time, but it's there. what is your point? If we didn't have a government, well, we would.... another government would have come in to your anarchist utopia and enforced their laws and way on you without the benefit of a constitution.
To quote again:
"Christianity" is just a bullshit religion.
Sounds like hate to me. It's a belief that I have. I will probably pray for you, but I'm sure you'll hate me while I'm doing it.
To quote again though I'll edit out the profanity:
"wish people would just realize that we're all human beings and that nothing else f***** matters. I appreciate your ability to be open-minded enough not to brow-beat us with scripture, but that doesn't mean you can just marginalize people who you think don't matter like "leftists" and such. I advise you not to waste your time on a site like this, if that's the only message you wish to put across."
=============================
Ok, lets break this up a bit.
"wish people would just realize that we're all human beings and that nothing else f***** matters.
That's what I said, but without the profanity. Apparently you can't read it otherwise.
Next:
"I appreciate your ability to be open-minded enough not to brow-beat us with scripture, but...."
If you want I can look up the scripture, but that's not my point. But thanks for the kindness in assuming that I'd have to "brow-beat" to make my point. :P
again:
"but that doesn't mean you can just marginalize people who you think don't matter like "leftists" and such. I advise you not to waste your time on a site like this, if that's the only message you wish to put across. "
Marginalize.... I'm still working on that one, considering the content of the rest of this message, and also this site in general...
Not to waste my time... Ok, should I go find a bunch or right wing nuts and vent there? Oh wait, that kind of sounds like I'm being elite. Yeah. Hmmm. How about I go find a place where I can indulge in an intelligent discussion with a differing point of view? Now where would I find that without the need to swear and categorize just to make myself feel better?
swede_x@hotmail.com
we're all human beings
Yes, we are all human beings. And not all of us human beings are treated with the same privilege or have the feelings of entitlement that we find within the white culture of the "anarchist movement." Hooray for anarchy, but please do a little learning about institutionalized racism, or the "movement" will not be successful at all.
Yes and no.
The legitimate points brought up in this passage are, i believe, as follows:
1. The modern U.S. anarchist movement is, not completely, but to a substantial extent, made up of white, disaffected, largely lower-middle class youth.
2. There is a huge challenge within the movement to address the issue of race and culture.
BUT: Ideas are what shape people's attitudes, not their skin color. Anarchism is a legitimate political idea which has been suppressed, distorted, and misrepresented throughout its history. It has a profoundly liberating effects on the attitudes and behaviors of the individuals who embrace it. Frankly, i don't understand the argument that because a certain majority percentage of a group calling themselves anarchists is of a certain color, that means that those individuals are advocating or manifesting white supremacy.
As far as i'm aware, anarchism is about eliminating hierarchy in all forms, so anyone calling themselves anarchist is, by definition, anti-racist.
The issue, as i see it, is one of ideology. There is certainly a divide between the more mainstream progressives who prefer to address certain issues, and those who are radicals, regarding existence as a total social struggle between those with power and those with none. Many are afraid of the word "anarchist."
But there's no point in trying to incite race-based emotions among activists. Anarchism doesn't belong to any ethnic group. Unfortunately, the above piece seems to have bought into the stereotype.
In solidarity with all oppressed people,
eastcoastrebel
anarchism is for everyone
i hope this video dispels any illusions of anarchists being an "all-white" political group.
anarchism is for everyone
http://mnindy.blip.tv/#1224244
anarchism is for everyone!!!
heres another good one: http://mnindy.blip.tv/#1218189
identity politics
it doesn't surprise me that the author is old. identity politics is a dead end relic of the 1960s.
bring out the old saw
Crying "identity politics" is the new "reverse racism" for the reactionary left.
Identity within movements is, as most intelligent people will tell you, key to any social movement. That's not to say there aren't problematic issues -- solidarity, resistance, etc. -- that should be discussed. However, to use identity politics as an ad hominem attack rather than tackle the spirit of the piece (about institutional/infrastructural problems) seems sort of dull.
Identity politics themselves are hardly a 1960s innovation -- W.E.B. DuBois first discussed such alienation and organizing in The Souls of Black Folk in 1905 -- and people most def need to read a bit before dismissing complex ideas as relics or whatnot. If you don't agree, take on ideas with a spirit of making movements better... rather than blathering misinformed stuff that makes us all as a movement look idiotic.
More tired anti-anarchist race-baiting
This rant is one the biggest examples of leftist horseshit that I've seen lately, Given the timing of the article and it's choice of targets, this article has to be dismissed as an anti-anarchist attack from jealous local leftists. One of the comments here speculates that Lisa is involved with Freedom Road Socialist organization, which would make sense because members of that organization have a long history of race-baiting anarchists. When authoritarian leftists attack anarchists, they either race-bait us or accuse us of engaging in juvenile behavior. They refuse to engage anarchists on our ideas, which just goes to show how marginal their own politics are.
When the original "Where were the people of color in Seatle" essay came out, it was criticized by several people of color in the movement, who weren't anarchists. These people pointed out that the anti-globalization movement included many people of color and, more importantly, the U.S. wing of the movement was representing anti-globalization movements around the world, who had asked American activists to confront neoliberal institutions on their home turf.
The above rant references that critique of Seattle in a transparent effort to race-bait anarchists as being all white. This begs the question: how white are the organizations that Lisa belongs? The anarchist movement is much more diverse now than it was 21 years ago when a continental anarchist convention was held in Minneapolis. The anarchist movement has been very open and proactive about issues of racism, unlike other leftist groups who like to pretend that because they put a few black faces on the stage of some rally, that they don't have any problems with diversity. The anarchist movement these days is also more based in a variety of communities, including communities dominated by people of color.
This essay also references New Orleans and the impending arrival of another killer hurricane. Do I need to point out that anarchists led the way in setting up relief and health clinics in several parishes around New Orleans? Many of these projects are still around, with the people involved getting ready for the next storm. Anarchist involvement was a catalyst in setting up these projects with local communities of color.
I could understand if the essay above appeared after the RNC protests were over, but the timing of its publication clearly underscores the sectarian, anti-anarchist nature of its race-baiting "critique".
"race-baiting" doesn't excuse institutional racism
Okay, perhaps the original poster is state socialist and into tokenization of people of color and really a racist themselves, etc. etc. I don't know the author from adam and this might all be well in true.
But as an autonomous/anarchist person of color (I'm not part of *your* "anarchist movement") I must say that white anarchists need to acknowledge that when highly organized white people come together to do what they want and get what they want, not only is that not attacking white power I suggest to you it is actually contributing to white power. And that's how you get institutional racism, and that's how you get a bunch of people who all individually claim and truly believe they are anti-racist yet when you aggregate their actions into institutions the outcome is racist.
I've been a part of this organizing and I've seen how white it was going to be and that's a good chunk of the reason why I decided to stay home. And you know what? I've privately critiqued the white power that's building here and I will probably more publicly critique it later, because you're right, the timing of this is fishy. But I'm not gonna sit around and let you claim that everything is fine, because it's not, the people and tactics and strategies that coalesce around things like street demonstrations against the RNC are a part of the white power institution -- a part that is actively trying to make the world a better place in many ways (one could say the same thing about the democrats, or perhaps even community-led policing), but a part of the white power institution regardless (just as how democrats are part of the colonial institution and police are still part of the military-police state).
You should reread your language in your comment. Reread the part where you say "Anarchist involvement was a catalyst in setting up these projects with local communities of color" -- as if "local communities of color" aren't, or can't be, anarchist? And your whole point that you're trying to argue to me comes off as "people of color should be grateful to white people for the help that [white] anarchists gave in saving them" and frankly that's patronizing racist bullshit. And it's a lie. White anarchist organizations are not to credit for setting up any sort of community self-help or aid in NOLA. That is just not how it went down.
I wish yinz luck who are there now that you're there, and I'm working all weekend to support you people in various ways, but don't pretend that there aren't very very serious racism issues that need to be worked out here. Because there are.
These is nothing in my
These is nothing in my criticism of this piece which should be construed as saying that issues of race shouldn't be addressed within the anarchist movement. I was pointing out that anarchists are very conscious of this and are doing excellent work on these issues. But this essay above is a dishonest attack on anarchists that recycles the same tired race-baiting that authoritarian leftist organizations have been using for year. If this is a big deal to them, then I suggest they get their own house in order first, before publishing dishonest bullshit about anarchists.
You write:
"You should reread your language in your comment. Reread the part where you say "Anarchist involvement was a catalyst in setting up these projects with local communities of color" -- as if "local communities of color" aren't, or can't be, anarchist? And your whole point that you're trying to argue to me comes off as "people of color should be grateful to white people for the help that [white] anarchists gave in saving them" and frankly that's patronizing racist bullshit. And it's a lie. White anarchist organizations are not to credit for setting up any sort of community self-help or aid in NOLA. That is just not how it went down."
There is nothing wrong with the language in my comments other than the fact that I don't have enough time to get into the subtleties of these issues. When I said that anarchists were catalysts, I was conscious of the fact that outside anarchists included people of color and that local communities of color include radicals and anarchists. I was not making any argument that "people of color should be grateful" to anarchists. That does not reflect my thinking on this subject. I was simply pointing out that anarchists have a solid record of working with communities of color and that includes anarchist POC. Anarchist organizations should get full credit for helping set up community self-help in NOLA. That's how it went down. Sorry, but I was involved. I never set that anarchists set up organziations on our won, but that we worked with existing neighborhood organizations and activists. If anything, we didn't get enough credit for our hard work, while various leftist celebrities came in later and made it look like their organizations had done everything.
I know that many of us anarchists were (and still are) involved with hurricane relief efforts because it was the right thing to do. It wasn't about getting credit for doing all of that work, but it is germane to this discussion because some person is publishing dishonest criticism of anarchists.
Race, or class?
I'm White, but I've basically given up on the Anarchist movement, because it's been taken over by clueless middle class people. It's easy to believe that feeling like something is true proves it must be true in some yet-undiscovered dimension of reality when your entire childhood was purchased at Disney Land.
Does believing in New Age superstitions make you emotionally empowered? Or does it turn ignorance into a status symbol, which the Capitalists have used to trick the supposedly most revolutionary movement in the world into defining political success by the economic and political disempowerment of people?
The problem I see in the Anarchist movement is not division by race but division by class. I think the Anarchist movement is being taken over by White people not because they're White but because in America White people are basically the middle class.
The reason I don't participate in the Anarchist movement anymore is because I basically wasn't allowed to talk. Coming from a rural working class background I had a perspective that was completely incompatible with that of the middle class suburbanites who've taken over the movement. Any time I tried to say anything, a bunch of limp-wristed effeminate middle class people who think that people being emotionally sensitive is the solution to everything would find some reason to get emotionally offended, and would start criticizing the way I talk, with the result that I could never get to the point of what I was trying to say. That is, unless the middle class people did a bunch of ritualized listening, where they pretended to be interested in what I had to say just to make me feel included, even though they had already decided that I was wrong.
A lot of Anarchists tell me I can't possibly understand what it means to be oppressed because I have White skin privilege. Well let me tell you a little something about middle class language privilege. Anybody who grows up where I did and moves away teaches themselves a different accent because otherwise everyone thinks we must be either mentally retarded or drunk.
I see a lot of things like this happening in the Anarchist movement, which are really products of middle class people growing up in economies where people buy and sell sensory stimulation and the positive emotions it triggers at the mall, and working class people growing up in an economy where, as we say where I come from, you do whatever it goddamn takes to get the goddamn job done. The result is that the two groups end up with completely different points of reference that we use in dealing with people and the rest of the world, and completely different concepts of common sense. I'm sure I'm not the only person in America who's been affected by this. I can see how this class division could easily be mistaken for a racial division.
economic reductionism is so old left
No, it's not just class, it is race. Economic reductionism is no fun. I am an anarchist-identified person of color who has a decent job and can afford to go to stuff like this, summit hop, what have you. But I don't stay sane doing that and it's very frustrating to me to participate, so I end up sitting a lot of it out. A very large chunk of the reason it frustrates me has to do with being treated differently because of how I'm seen, with people wanting to use me as a token, and with people constantly assuming things about my politics because of my race AND having to deal with people who are just plain old bigots or racists in so-called anarchist spaces.
I've gone to direct action trainings where they had anti-oppression trainings for everyone there, and they had assumed that everyone there would be white (myself and the other POC walked out at that point). And I've been to meetings where I've heard people blame people of color for the lack of diversity. I've been to meetings where I've heard people use phrases like "ghetto black people." I've wanted to pull my hair out when white man after white man makes comments about how "the blacks" should get involved and work alongside "the anarchists."
So, yeah, I've felt excluded and that's made me less excited about things and has played a part in my decision to stay home from some things, and that has nothing to do with class and everything to do with race.
That being said don't give up on everything. There needs to be struggle and for most of the world it's a matter of survival, not just solidarity. These problems won't be solved overnight but they need to be solved regardless. We are one generation in a struggle that's been going on for over 500 years.
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