When Is a March Not a Protest?
The answer is simple: when there are white lives around to give a movement rationale and appeal. Now, do not get me wrong; I fully support March for Our Lives. It’s a movement that demonstrates the power that young voices have in this democracy and what they can do when they join together. Gun violence is one of the more important issues that plagues our nation, as it feels like we can’t go a month without seeing another “Breaking News” headline flashing across our TV screens, detailing how more children were killed because 18th century laws failed to regulate weapons that did not exist 200 years ago. There is no age limit on having a valid opinion about laws that do or do not relate to a lived experience. Unfortunately, many of our congressmen do not recognize that. They value the money that the NRA lines their pockets with more than those who they are sworn in to represent. I’m thrilled that the youth of this country can come together to fight for their rights. But that’s not exactly what I’m here to talk about.
[pullquote]White silence kills, folks. Have a nice summer.[/pullquote]
Last semester, we witnessed the Stockley trial over the murder of Anthony Lamar Smith. The result didn’t turn out so great. Once again, we saw a young black man gunned down by the men that were supposed to protect him. As a result, we saw marches in the streets—or “protests” or “riots”, or whatever the media calls it when the right to assemble is taken advantage of by somebody not white—a die-in in the DUC, and an emotionally distraught black community. Where was “March for Our Lives” back then during the Stockley protests or the protests we had on campus to support the renewal of DACA? Where was “March for Our Lives” when Anthony Lamar Smith was killed? Or when Michael Brown was killed? Or Sandra Bland, Freddie Gray, Tamir Rice, Trayvon Martin… all lives lost to gun violence. Did gun control not matter simply because the murderer was a cop instead of some “disturbed” or “troubled” white teenager? Or was it because it was a black life that was lying face down on the concrete? Although March for Our Lives pertains to civilian gun violence, it is critical that gun violence committed by police against black citizens be addressed. Even in March for Our Lives, we have seen few black students from Parkland have media access to talk about their lived experience, such as how the heightened police presence at the school doesn’t work as well for black people as it does for white people. Adding more police to protect the students might make white students feel safe, but that is not always the case for black students.
[pullquote]Activism through assembly is one of the best tools in our belt when our rights are infringed.[/pullquote]
Being an advocate for victims of gun violence isn’t anything new. This kind of advocacy has been preached for a long time by the Black Lives Matter movement, yet I don’t remember seeing many of my classmates who went to March for Our Lives at the Stockley protests last semester. If anything, everybody wants to join in now because this is an issue they can get behind, since the victims aren’t “thugs”, another term adapted solely used for black victims of gun violence by the media, and activism has become cool. We see it on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and even Snapchat. Activism has become more popular as a method of making sure your voice is heard by those who represent you. It’s respected to go out there and “get your hands dirty”, doing some kind of public good. Whether you do it for the photo-op or not, activism has become mainstream in this community and it has helped in getting more people out there throwing their weight behind different ideas.
[pullquote]I expect to see each of you who went out in support for that march the next time we see another black person killed from police brutality.[/pullquote]
To my classmates, I’m glad you went out for March for Our Lives. Keep up the good work. Activism through assembly is one of the best tools in our belt when our rights are infringed. The mobilization of the youth of our country towards fighting for our rights that should be fundamental has been truly inspiring. But, have a sense of double consciousness. I expect to see each of you who went out in support for that march the next time we see another black person killed from police brutality. Bring this same energy next time another member of the black community dies at the hands of gun violence and police brutality. After all, isn’t that still advocating for gun control? White silence kills, folks. Have a nice summer.
Kirk Brown ‘20 studies in the College of Arts & Sciences. He can be reached at kirk.brown@wustl.edu.