A recent Twitter beef occurred when Deray McKesson received a response from presidential candidate Bernie Sanders to discuss racial policy. Activist dream hampton tweeted that this moment should have happened between Sanders and founders of Black Lives Matter. Her response is being cast as a growing divide between the official BLM organizers and other protesters and activists such as McKesson who mobilize locally.
You may perceive me as straddling the fence, but both hampton and McKesson are correct. Any candidate who understands the significance of Black Lives Matters organizational founders, Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi, will reach out to them for a meeting. This is a reasonable expectation of BLM activists, protesters, and supporters. This is simply the proper and respectful thing to do. On this point, hampton is correct.
Yet, McKesson and any other activists, especially those who have a legitimate contribution to make, have a right—indeed, an obligation—to engage politicians and the political and legislative process. This is what activist do. To attempt to curb the activity of activists is contrary to the very nature of activism. Do you see the irony that such diminishment would pose?
Some may view what McKesson has done as a violation of protocol. As we know, etiquette is not an element of authentic activism. Even so, McKesson’s “challenge” is being viewed as (or actually being) co-opted and/or a foil. His invitation to attend Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign kickoff in New York positioned him (and his nearly 200,000 Twitter followers) as a guest to be courted. Activists are, however, duty-bound to exploit every opportunity and relationship, and must, simultaneously, take care not to be exploited.
Read the rest here
