In response to the damage being done by the people protesting the death of George Floyd, a friend posted the twitter comment I show here. One of her friends took offense to the need for “destroying our communities”. Lara and I disagree. Peaceful protests have accomplished little in the greater scheme of things. Following is Lara’s response to her friend.
“Well, geez, now that you’ve dragged morals and our children into the bolstering of your argument, I’ve got no choice but to address that.
The morals I live by and my children learn from me by listening and observing and then developing their own, are very much informed by history and, naturally, also those instilled in me by my parents who lived through and (rather surprisingly) survived WW2 despite playing very active roles in opposition to the various oppressive regimes they encountered along that journey. A journey that did not end with the war, I might add.
My parents were not the type to stand by and look the other way when injustices and immoral state behaviour was being perpetrated upon others around them because of their race and/or creed.
So, I’m going to say it again, because I obviously wasn’t clear enough in my last more diplomaticly vague response to your similar point on my other post, but America right now, under the Trump administration, is flagrantly displaying all the hallmarks of a 1930’s Germany and, knowing what we know now, are you saying that had you been a German citizen living in Berlin during that time in history, that you wouldn’t have made every effort to absolutely DECIMATE the place?
Knowing.what.you.know.now.
You wouldn’t? Really?
Because if ever there was a completely and inarguably justifiable reason for a city’s inhabitants to burn their own home to the ground in outright defiance of what their country was becoming under the inflammatory, divisive, ignorant and hate-mongering rule of an utter madman, then 1939 Berlin had it in fucking spades.
I would consider anyone in this day and age knowing what they know that still finds that position immoral, needs to seriously reconsider the values and morals they are instilling in the children because not everything is so black and white.
So, when you are formulating and articulating the morals you live by, bear in mind the multitude shades of grey and allow yourself the room for movement within the strict paradigm you are setting for yourself and your children.
Buildings can be rebuilt from the ashes, economies recover, how exactly do you bring back the 6 million+ men, women, children victims of the genocide that Hitler’s leadership (via popular election by the German people) ultimately resulted in?
If you still claim there can be no right or reason to create havoc via riot that involves destruction of apparently sacred property (more sacred than innocent lives) then you may wish to re-evaluate the morals you live by and teach your children because I respectfully disagree.”
Lara Tite: Lara is an Australian lawyer and activist championing human rights, social issues, environmental challenges and more.