White America is complicit: Charleston, Dylann Roof and the country’s real race war

Salon ^ | June 20, 2015 | Kali Holloway, Alternet

[2ndDivisionVet]

In so many ways, the story of Dylann Roof, the shooting suspect who allegedly killed nine people in an historic South Carolina black church, is a parallel to the story of America itself.

Who, at this point, can feign surprise at this latest massacre when it sits at the nexus of so much that is familiar and perfectly in line with the U.S. that we know? We are a country where mass shootings are weekly news, where gun violence is a fact of daily life, where there is a legacy of terror against black people and communities, where white racists have long targeted black churches, where African-American life is so devalued it can be taken with impunity.

If you are shocked by any aspect of Roof’s story so far—including that he is being described in news outlets as “quiet and soft-spoken” instead of as a terrorist—you are not only willingly obtuse but complicit in his crime. There is a single conclusion to draw in this moment, and it is that we are here again, because this is exactly who we are.

It seems likely to me that Roof had some sense of this, that his own knowledge and recognition of history helped guide him toward committing this horrific crime. Emanuel African Methodist Church is one of the oldest houses of worship in the South, and it has long served—like the institution of the African-American church itself in this country—as a sanctuary and safe haven for black people from white racism. Though the roots of the church stretch back to 1787, its foundation is more firmly pinned to 1816....

[2ndDivisionVet]

Think you've heard the end of this? Not likely.

Kali Holloway

outreach director

Kali is the Outreach Director for Brooklyn Castle, and a freelance writer who works with up-and-coming filmmakers to help with branding and messaging. She writes music and audiobook reviews for the Prefix music blog, Rhapsody, eMusic, the San Francisco Bay Guardian, the NoisePop Festival and many others. Previously, she served as speechwriter for a New York City Commissioner and was Deputy Director of Communications for the New York State court system. She currently writes Promotional Copy for the DFA Records label, sings in a band called Easy Lover and maintains a comedic blog about the things she would do for one million dollars.

[Uncle Miltie]

What race terrorizes innocent blacks?

[cripplecreek]

OK fine. Assuming I’m complicit, shouldn’t somebody arrest me and my co conspirators?

Good luck with all that.

[ilovesarah2012]

San Francisco Bay Guardian

I suppose she is lesbian, too.

[fieldmarshaldj]

So much bullshit and cognitive dissonance, it’s remarkable she can walk upright.

[ealgeone]

Has Kali written on southside of Chicago? Detroit? Baltimore? Philly? The knockout game? Polar Bear Hunting??

[Michael.SF.]

Dylann Roof, the shooting suspect who allegedly killed nine people in an historic

Since he is confessed, why still use "allegedly"? Should that sentence not read:

Dylann Roof, who confessed to shooting (or killing) nine people in an historic...

[trubolotta]

Last time I checked, blacks terrorize innocent blacks. Happens everyday in nearby Chicago.

[ought-six]

Hey, Kali: “...African-American life is so devalued it can be taken with impunity...” by other blacks.

[Will88]

Other than Charleston, what is the most recent incident anyone can recall where a white person murdered two or more black people?

And particularly, anything that could be called a mass killing, say four or five or more?

I can’t recall other incidents.

[x1stcav]

Kali! Suck a bag of d!cks.

[IronJack]

a legacy of terror against black people and communities,

Really? Where exactly has this been happening? Remember, this is not 1920 in Selma. So tell me, where have whites conducted a reign of terror in black communities in ... oh, say ... the last half a century?

And while you're at it, let's look at how many blacks have preyed on whites during that same time.

Now who would you say is attacking whom?

[Gay State Conservative]

I'm not complicit,sweetie...not in the slightest.

Period!

[manc]

Good question.

[Blood of Tyrants]

She can feel as guilty as she wants. I refuse to.

[manc]

Someone put the stats up from the FBI which stated black on black, white on white, white n black , back on white etc and it was quite an eye opener.

[OpusatFR]

Well, this is an over the top moment. Actually, it’s a beer summit moment.

“Democrats always overplay their hand.”

It just happened again.

[sergeantdave]

Salon is in the same category as Stormfront. The apes who write for Salon are racist, America-hating neo-Nazi punks. Can we stop posting crap from goosestepping democrats? Salon is not worth commenting on here on FR.

[Zeppo]

A black person stole my wallet once.

I blame Kali Holloway for being complicit in that crime.

/s

[Will88]

Good question.

I think the answer is the four young girls killed in the 1963 Birmingham church bombing, 52 years ago. That's also the most recent other incident this 'writer' mentioned.