The Misconstrued Legacy of the Black Panthers
In the eyes of many Americans, the Black Panthers were a militaristic domestic terrorist group that killed whites in the name of black justice. This couldn't be further from the truth. The Black Panthers did not identify as militant and in their "Ten-Point Program" that outlined what they saw their purpose as, they focused on economic and legal equality and improving black communities. In the only part of the program that mentions arming their organization, they specifically note that their members should carry arms for self-defense. High-level members of the organization often tried to distance the Panthers militancy and would often attempt to clarify that they supported being armed only in the interest of self-defense. The organization did endorse any type of violent retribution or using weapons for anything other than self-defense. The Black Panthers were not a violent gang, they were protestors who worked to better their community, but many white Americans use them as a scapegoat for their racist ideology. People look to groups like the Black Panthers to point out how black movements are destructive and dangerous when the irony is that groups like the Black Panthers weren't even embodiments of the dangerous nature they warn against. It just goes to show how easily people can twist things to fit their own narrative despite having nothing to back up their assertions, and how ready people are to buy into it.
That is so true! It is so easy sometimes for people to create their own narrative about something, and make it sound so believable, that others buy into it. I also think it is both interesting and sad that some white people blame the Black Panthers for their own acts of racism. I think that sometimes, when people feel guilty for something they did, they tend to blame others who they deem "inferior" to themselves for doing that same thing, even though they have no evidence to back it up. This is a sad, but true fact, and when this happens, I think it is really important for someone to step in and say something. It's so interesting that the Black Panthers weren't actually violent; in our history book last year, it basically portrayed them as violent, probably because the authors might have twisted the narrative ever so slightly so that people would buy into it.
ReplyDeleteI partially agree with this. It is definitely true that the Black Panthers were involved in some very non-violent programs that did nothing but help black people, like their lunch programs and such. They were definitely also committed to activism in the community by empowering youth. However, although I would not go so far to call them a terrorist group, the Black Panthers were undeniably violent in nature. They patrolled neighborhoods with loaded guns, allegedly "patrolling the police". They walked into a state meeting discussing a gun law with, you guessed it, loaded guns. That is impossible for me to interpret in any peaceful sort of context. I very much believe that the Black Panthers meant to be an inspiring and empowering part of the black community; unfortunately, their reputation is at least partly deserved.
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