Sunday, June 21, 2015

RE: USA Africa Dialogue Series - "White Terrorism Is as Old as America" - New York Times

Ken,

 

'why is it ivory towerish to say that, and to acknowledge that the usage of the term terrorist nowadays denotes american imperialist policies?' American imperialist policies aside, I know terror when I see one.   I respect your argument that the choice of words frames our reality.

However, in actuality, it does not matter what word we use in this case, nothing really will happen. That is depressing.  Until a majority of our citizens, especially the non-minority section, are ready and willing to believe that the killing of Black and Brown is unprecedented and must cease, that such acts of terrorism are outrageous and are willing to vote for change, we the intellectuals can debate words all we want, and nothing will happen.  In a Democracy the vote is the only vehicle for promoting change in policy. And if the   authorities are also willing to develop and equip institutions that can implement the changes we will be getting somewhere. You see, there are too many IFFS in my statements above  and I do not believe anything will change. (  who is going to police the 18,000 police departments in this country??).  It is depressing!  But I, for one, believe that you Ken are a progressive person. I do not care which words you use, really!!!

 

Best

 

Kwaku



 

From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com [mailto:usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of kenneth harrow
Sent: Sunday, June 21, 2015 4:06 PM
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - "White Terrorism Is as Old as America" - New York Times

 

hi kwaku
you are right, certainly, about how i feel about this.
i don't feel, however, that i am being ivory towerish on the choice of rhetoric; rather it is a question of politics for me. words frame reality for us: they set the context within which we normalize perspectives on the world we live in. why is it ivory towerish to say that, and to acknowledge that the usage of the term terrorist nowadays denotes american imperialist policies?
i'd just as soon move on with this point; i think it has been made plenty, and more productive takes on what this and other racist acts denote need to be presented.
i've just spent 17 days in germany where their attempts to deal with the holocaust are profoundly compelling.
just to imagine that political context in contrast with the u.s.'s failure to come to terms with its historical crimes, to instantiate anti-slavery histories and the need for restitution/apologies/comprehension is shocking.
all the more as the major politicians on the right don't even have the courage to condemn the confederacy's major symbol, its flag. what a world. our work is set out for us; we can debate the details, but also need to find ways to join in actions--internet actions, at the least, to give meaning to our feelings.
ken

On 6/21/15 10:48 PM, Mensah, Edward K wrote:

Ken,

 

We are all on the same page when it comes to the heinous crime of this deranged young man. You are simply having trouble calling this act terrorism. You prefer to keep it academic, by dancing around the word terrorism. That is what most ivory tower folks do, and that is your choice, to remain intellectual in all situations.

Having read most of your posts in this forum I know that you believe in your heart  that this deranged young man is a terrorist.  Am I right?

 

Kwaku

 

Chicago

 

From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com [mailto:usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of kenneth harrow
Sent: Sunday, June 21, 2015 3:12 PM
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - "White Terrorism Is as Old as America" - New York Times

 

here is another piece on the history of white terrorism dealing with the 1871 law that you cite: (cited in Informed Comment)http://www.juancole.com/2015/06/attacks-officials-voters.html

US Anti-Terror Law banned White Racist attacks on Black Officials, Voters

0

Retweet 20 Share 13 Google +1 0 0

Dara Lind | (Vox Video Report) | – –

"Was the shooting that killed 9 people in Charleston's Emanuel AME Church on Wednesday terrorism? Vox's Dara Lind explains."

Vox: "The Charleston shooting is part of a long history of anti-black terrorism"

Your thoughts

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Name *

Website

[ ] Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. You can also subscribe without commenting.

?Some HTML is OK

Donations

Thank you to all of my supporters for your generosity and your encouragement of an independent press! Checks to

 
Juan Cole
P. O. Box 4218
Ann Arbor, MI
48106-4218


By Paypal or Credit Card:

PayPal

Freelance submissions

Juan Cole's New Book: The New Arabs

Friends and Interlocutors

Keep up with Informed Comment at

Archives

(

 

On 6/21/15 7:33 AM, kwame zulu shabazz wrote:

Media outlets have been reluctant to classify the Charleston shooting as terrorism, despite how eerily it echoes our country's history of terrorism. American-bred terrorism originated in order to restrict the movement and freedom of newly liberated black Americans who, for the first time, began to gain an element of political power. The Ku Klux Klan Act, which would in part, lawmakers hoped, suppress the Klan through the use of military force, was one of America's first pieces of antiterrorism legislation. When it became federal law in 1871, nine South Carolina counties were placed under martial law, and scores of people were arrested. The Charleston gunman's fears — of black men raping white women, of black people taking over the country — are the same fears that were felt by Klansmen, who used violence and intimidation to control communities of freed blacks.

Read more here.

--
Listserv moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin
To post to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com
To subscribe to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue+subscribe@googlegroups.com
Current archives at http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue
Early archives at http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa/ads/index.html
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "USA Africa Dialogue Series" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to usaafricadialogue+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.




-- 
kenneth w. harrow 
faculty excellence advocate
professor of english
michigan state university
department of english
619 red cedar road
room C-614 wells hall
east lansing, mi 48824
ph. 517 803 8839
harrow@msu.edu

--
Listserv moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin
To post to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com
To subscribe to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue+subscribe@googlegroups.com
Current archives at http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue
Early archives at http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa/ads/index.html
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "USA Africa Dialogue Series" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to usaafricadialogue+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

--
Listserv moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin
To post to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com
To subscribe to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue+subscribe@googlegroups.com
Current archives at http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue
Early archives at http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa/ads/index.html
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "USA Africa Dialogue Series" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to usaafricadialogue+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.



-- 
kenneth w. harrow 
faculty excellence advocate
professor of english
michigan state university
department of english
619 red cedar road
room C-614 wells hall
east lansing, mi 48824
ph. 517 803 8839
harrow@msu.edu

--
Listserv moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin
To post to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com
To subscribe to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue+subscribe@googlegroups.com
Current archives at http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue
Early archives at http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa/ads/index.html
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "USA Africa Dialogue Series" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to usaafricadialogue+unsubscribe@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)
 
Vida de bombeiro Recipes Informatica Humor Jokes Mensagens Curiosity Saude Video Games Car Blog Animals Diario das Mensagens Eletronica Rei Jesus News Noticias da TV Artesanato Esportes Noticias Atuais Games Pets Career Religion Recreation Business Education Autos Academics Style Television Programming Motosport Humor News The Games Home Downs World News Internet Car Design Entertaimment Celebrities 1001 Games Doctor Pets Net Downs World Enter Jesus Variedade Mensagensr Android Rub Letras Dialogue cosmetics Genexus Car net Só Humor Curiosity Gifs Medical Female American Health Madeira Designer PPS Divertidas Estate Travel Estate Writing Computer Matilde Ocultos Matilde futebolcomnoticias girassol lettheworldturn topdigitalnet Bem amado enjohnny produceideas foodasticos cronicasdoimaginario downloadsdegraca compactandoletras newcuriosidades blogdoarmario arrozinhoii sonasol halfbakedtaters make-it-plain amatha