The great stumbling block is not the KKK...
but the white moderate who is more dedicated to order than justice.
First, I must confess that over the past few years I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate. I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro's great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen's Counciler or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to "order" than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says: "I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action"; who paternalistically believes he can set the timetable for another man's freedom; who lives by a mythical concept of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait for a "more convenient season." Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Lukewarm acceptance is much more bewildering than outright rejection.
— Martin Luther King Jr. Letter from a Birmingham Jail
I am rewriting this week’s newsletter while watching the news. It is inauthentic and frankly kind of weird to operate in a “business as usual” way when things are far from normal.
So, this week, I am sharing a message of solidarity with the protesters and imploring those with privileges similar to mine to use them to enact change.
Privilege is power. Privilege is not inherently shameful, but ignoring it or using it in violent ways is irresponsible. Neutrality is violence. If you are not actively making and supporting change, then you are misusing your privilege.
If you are unsure as to how you can help support the movement, to protect the lives of black people in America, and show your solidarity here’s what I suggest:
Find your intersection. Where do your identity and capabilities intersect with the protests happening across the country.
I’ll leave you with places to donate your money to support those at the frontlines of the protests & a link to Martin Luther King Jr’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail where he laments the inaction of “white moderates” as a great hurdle to achieving rights for black people in America.
In solidarity,
Claire
Where to donate:
Official George Floyd Memorial Fund
If you are an artist in Sacramento struggling financially, request funding from the Sacramento Covid-19 Relief Fund. We payout weekly on Mondays.