Comments on: Response to Obama Murder Plot Says Much about Belonging

By: mariotta

mariotta — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 23:26:41 +0000

eric: this was so powerful, honest and tangible. you know my history, and reading this was like walking back to significant moments in my life. it’s so hard (and emotionally draining) when people who don’t have the experience of being devalued ask “why do you feel/think that way?” your post will be handed out as homework. thank u!

By: Larry Kralj

Larry Kralj — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 01:22:48 +0000

Eric, great to see that you’re still out there working! I wondered what happened to you. I remember when you came to Great Falls, Montana way back when and gave a talk to the Montana Human Rights Network. I was very, very impressed. Keep up the good work.

By: Sheri

Sheri — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 17:32:15 +0000

Eric, thanks so much for speaking my mind. I think those of us who especially were among the wave of students being bused for the sake of integration all have similar tales to tell. I was bused in 4th grade and continued to graduation in 1976 in predominately white schools in Seattle and experienced all that and more. In high school, we had what the administration referred to as “race riots” every year. They were really more like beef between individual students that evolved to calling each other names, but each year the Black students experience what seemed to become a ritual of pulling us out of class (whether we knew what was going on or not), locking us in a room until buses came to take us back to “our neighborhood” and dropped off on a street corner. Never mind that many of us were not from the neighborhood where we were taken, we were left to take the city bus home — where ever that might be. We were then targeted by the police standing at bus stops downtown who assumed we were truant. I have knots in my stomach when I hear the response from the crowds at McCain/Palin rallies. But, so proud when Obama won’t even allow folks to boo at his rallies, reminding everyone to just vote!

By: Walidah

Walidah — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 16:49:24 +0000

Eric, This was such a powerful piece and analysis. I too have been frustrated with the response, and the ways that shapes the discourse in the u.s., and the ways that the acts of these two have been severed from the other racist and xenophobic attacks hurled at everyone from Sarah Palin to some random guy in Oklahoma. It is understood and explicit that anyone can attack our feelings of safety as people of color. Also implicit in that is the understanding that no matter who you are, even if you are 6 days away from possibly becoming the next president of the united states, if you are of color, you are never safe.

By: Ian

Ian — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 13:24:27 +0000

Nicely done Eric!

By: Tom

Tom — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 13:08:38 +0000

As usual my friend, you are right on target. These threats are as real,or even greater than any “foreign” threat. Pogo, the great philosopher, hit it on the head when he quipped, “WE HAVE MET THE ENEMY AND HE IS US.”

By: amalia anderson

amalia anderson — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 13:04:38 +0000

One of your best Eric. Thanks for this!