mass-and-volume:

EPISODE 16 | WHAT MATTERS

It is so difficult to process what happened to Alton Sterling in Baton Rouge, Philando Castile in Falcon Heights, and Lorne Ahrens, Michael Krol, Michael J. Smith, Brent Thompson, and Patrick Zamarripa in Dallas last week.

This is the only time I’ve ever felt the phrase “my life is a movie” actually apply, because I didn’t think this kind of tragedy, violence, and sadness from people existed in our world. There is nothing I can say here that will provide any unique insight to the incidents, lives, or deaths of these people, but my mind has been at war with itself for the last week, and this is an attempt to mitigate that unrest. Below, I encourage you to browse some very well-written articles that are tough, enlightening, and important reads. I found them valuable in contextualizing where we are as a country and a culture.

In this episode, I speak about the impact of tragedy on our ability to communicate with the world, specifically through social and digital platforms. If a city is trending, I hope it’s because some pop star was seen walking around outside. If it’s a person’s first and last name, I hope it’s some athlete I’ve never heard of who just made a highlight or signed a contract. I want so badly for trending proper nouns to be as unimportant as possible.

Connected to this is the reality check that this news isn’t actually news - that the things sparking outrage, marches, discussions, debates over the last week have not only existed for decades, they exist all the time. And ignoring those things when there are no headlines does nothing to help, only hurt; and feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or frozen when all I see are headlines does nothing to help, only hurt. I admire to such a degree the people leading from the front: organizing, speaking out, fighting for change, and setting an example for those who are on the way to externalizing that internal unrest.

Several of the recommendations below include suggestions for actions with great potency and reach - many that require time and courage. By comparison, the podcast contains three small, hyper-local ideas, but ones that are easy to digest and enact:

1. Learn as much as possible from people connected to the conflict.

2. Hold the door open for everyone.

3. Acknowledge that we’re all in this together.

Because - we are all in this together.

-Scotty

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In this Episode, the following are referenced or recommended:

WAYS TO TAKE ACTION

14 Steps to Take Action by Ijeoma Oluo (twitter)

OK, so you want to take action. Now what? by Larissa Pham (Google Doc)

What can Asian and Pacific Islanders–the fastest growing racial group in our country, and the fastest growing immigrant group, documented and undocumented–do to support the movement for Black Lives? (Facebook or Crowd-sourced letter)

9 Books You Can Read If You’re New To Social Justice by Liz Raiss (The Fader)

4 Ways You Can Fight Police Violence In America by Jordan Darville (The Fader)

The White Ally Playbook by Michael Skolnik (Mic)

Pledge and Stand with the Movement for Black Lives (Website)

Tim Wise on antiracist activism (mixcloud)

RECOMMENDED ARTICLES

Am I Going to Write About Murdered Black People Forever? by Kara Brown (Jezebel)

“We cannot appeal to a national conscience when, as Stokely Carmichael reminded us, there is none.”

I Am Tired Of Watching Black People Die by Hannah Giorgis (Buzzfeed)

“To be black in America is to exist in haunting, mundane proximity to death at all moments.”

Alton Sterling and When Black Lives Stop Mattering by Roxane Gray (New York Times)

“I don’t know how to feel that my life matters when there is so much evidence to the contrary.”

What to Do When They Don’t Want You to Exist by Rembert Browne (New York Magazine)

“The rules have changed, so the tactics also have to change. It’s no longer just about speaking out. White people have to internally change the structures that promote bigotry, from organizations to law enforcement to political parties, while minority groups have to protect themselves and make sure that trauma doesn’t lead to irreversible acts that cause more trauma.”

Surviving Suffocating Sadness When You’re Black and Confused by Ashley Weatherford (New York Magazine)

“Besides, the idea of writing about pretty little packages of makeup on a day like yesterday made me nauseous with disillusion.”

Michael Brown’s Mom, on Alton Sterling and Philando Castile by Lezley McSpadden (New York Times)

What Will Make the Killings Stop? by Vann R. Newkirk II (The Atlantic)

“Vigilance, complaints, scrutiny, and even rare prosecutions have done little to curb routine violence.

There is a sense of normalcy to what should be absolutely extraordinary.

If there actually is any resolve to keep history from repeating itself and to end the parade of death, Americans will have to challenge the state’s authorization of violence beyond individual police acts, and investigate the purposes of policing that drive its use. Until then, people will continue to die.”

Yes, Black America Fears the Police. Here’s Why. by Nikole Hannah-Jones (Pro Publica)

Believe Without Seeing by Robinson Meyer (The Atlantic)

“Only because the videos exist is the wider public permitted to believe. American democracy will be all the stronger if Americans can recognize that sometimes they will never be able to see—yet must still believe.”

‘It’s hard being a black man in this city’ (Video via MSNBC)

The Near Certainty of Anti-Police Violence by Ta-Nehisi Coates (The Atlantic)

President Obama Speaks at Interfaith Memorial Service in Dallas, TX (YouTube)

“I’m here to say we must reject such despair. I’m here to insist that we are not as divided as we seem…

“We cannot simply turn away and dismiss those in peaceful protest as troublemakers, or paranoid…

“It is not about finding policies that work; it’s about forging consensus; fighting cynicism; and finding the will to make change…

“I believe our sorrow can make us a better country. I believe our righteous anger can be transformed into more justice & more peace" 

“Can we see in each other a common humanity, a shared dignity, and recognize how our different experiences have shaped us?”

Baton Rouge Cries Out by Micah Peters (The Ringer)

I’d want to tell you that we need each other, you and I. That if we joined hands we could accomplish great things together — that we could make this country great, for once.

AUDIO IN THIS EPISODE

Killer Mike speaks on Hot 107.9 (Facebook)

“How (rough mix)” by Miguel (SoundCloud)