BY FRANK ERICKSON
Why do Whites get to use violence to fight terrorism, but Blacks do not get to use violence to fight racism?
What is the difference between hurling bricks and bottles at police after what happened to Freddie Gray and hurling bombs at Afghanistan after what happened on 9-11? Who are the true rioters and looters?
The crime is not racism. The crime is people of color responding to racism, in a manner that is viewed as unacceptable. The burden of ending racism is on those subjected to it and how they respond to it.
The U.S. government having access to violence in the form of “War” as a vehicle for fighting terrorism does not come from the U.S. Constitution. Anyone can write up a constitution and claim it gives them the right to “war.” “War” is a very simple straight forward physical phenomenon. It comes from being on top of the violence “food chain.” Those with the most lethal violence have “access” to war—most of us are aware of this—but what we need to address is that the freedom to kill comes from being on top of the violence “food chain” and not from “war.”
The U.S. government gets to claim its violence upon Iraq was “war” and then walk away from it, because they are on top of the violence “food chain.”
The Boston Marathon bomber cannot walk away from his killings by claiming it was “war,” because he is not on top of the violence “food chain; simple as that.