Taylor Lobb
@TAYLORLOBB
They’re unapologetic and increasingly common. Antifa, the anti-fascist movement that is said to be lead by those who “oppose extreme conservative ideologies” (by Times writer Katy Steinmetz) have single handedly throttled America into a radical reformation that has been desperately necessary in society for a very long time.
To those in opposition of such reformation, the sometimes violent approaches of the Antifa group seem to be the root of their estrangement. However, the movement is simply preventing and fighting to end the violence that is currently threatening our country via extreme white nationalists like our president Donald J. Trump, to fascist groups like the Ku Klux Klan.
The ultimate goal for the group is to attain social prosperity and equality.
For centuries, white supremacy has thrived in America, with minorities being publicly and privately diminished in value, since the beginning of our creation. Thus leaving absolutely no room for any kind of social progress towards equality.
Violent acts of racial segregation by white Americans is an integral part of our history, dating back as early as the invasion of the land of Native Americans, which we now call our own.
We have literally re-written textbooks to edit out the Trail of Tears, teaching our children that “this land is ours” and that a triumphant white man with a map is responsible for founding our country.
Horrific historical events such as the pandemic of lynchings in the south during the 1800s and slavery are examples of the continuous presence of racial oppression based upon our social foundations.
As we can see from history, from the moment we began the construction of our social atmosphere, racial and ethnic qualities have played, and continue to play the single largest role in determining importance and power. White men founded the land, created and control the government, and are given entitlement roles that have to be otherwise earned by those of the “minority”.
For Christ’s sake, the mere existence of the word “minority” is racist. Why does someone’s skin color or ethnicity group them “less than” (which is the definition of minority) the rest of the population?
Pure acts of hatred by white people in particular have provided more than enough fuel to keep this fire ongoing, sparking matches of tiny destruction in the wake of every fascist ideal that is carried out.
It is clear by comparison that radical and violent forms of expression are historically significant, while verbal, judicial, and other peaceful attempts towards reformation go completely unnoted in historical contexts. So why is it, then, that when the side that has taken a beating for so long, is under so much scrutiny for demanding equality in ways that are not nearly as horrific as those that have occurred throughout our nation’s past in the form of violent white supremacy?
After tireless peaceful attempts throughout history to end racism, segregation, and sexism, enough is enough. We must fight the embedded social standards of white supremacy, even if that means taking an aggressive approach.
