#Ferguson
My voice isn’t adequate for this conversation.
But I can’t ignore it.
So here’s what I’ve got for you today.
“It’s tough to believe in anything other than the present when you’re forced to fight for every inch of ground you’ve got; it’s harder still when you’ve got to question most of your interpersonal interactions. Is this why I didn’t get the job? Is this why my lease application was denied? Is this why I got into college? Is this why this person keeps following me around the grocery store? And when you ask, you’re looked at like you’re crazy, met with denial — because it’s always plausible, deniable.”
— Bijan Stephen, The Talk: How Black Parents Prepare Their Young Sons for Life in America
“Almost half of African-American net worth was lost between 2005 and 2009, and unemployment remains at record levels. Consequently, birth rates are likely to remain stagnant or decline even further until there is a general sense of ease about our economic future.
This economic impact has been particularly pronounced for African-American women of Generation X who were in their prime years for giving birth (late 20s to early 30s) when the recession hit. Black women of all education levels have had a much harder time getting back into the workforce than have black men. (Having a baby is the last thing on your mind if you’re worried about school loans and that underwater house back in Cleveland, and sleeping on your friend’s couch to job-hunt.)”
— Jason Johnson, Has the Great Recession Wiped Out a Black Generation?
“Digital Ally’s stock has since fallen sharply from that peak. But shares rose more than 3% Friday and soared another 12% Monday as the nation waited to find out if a Missouri grand jury had decided to indict Wilson.
Why did the stock pop in August in the first place? Investors seemed to be betting that the events in Ferguson could lead to more demand for Digital Ally’s FirstVU HD body worn cameras.”
Paul R. LaMonica, Investors Try to Profit From Ferguson
“The St. Louis County Police Department, which includes Ferguson, issued 575 gun permits last month, more than double the 271 it issued last year.
It also issued 286 permits for concealed carry weapons last month, compared to 233 in November of 2013.”
Aaron Smith, Ferguson Gun Sales Surge Ahead of Jury Decision
How to support us: 1. Donate http://www.ferguson.lib.mo.us/ 2. Volunteer 3. Attend book swap at 6 pm on 11/25
“Many people of color living in this country can likely relate to the onset of outsized ambition at too young an age, an ambition fueled by the sense, often confirmed by ignorance, of being a second-class citizen and needing to claw your way toward equal consideration and some semblance of respect. Many people of color, like me, remember the moment that first began to shape their ambition and what that moment felt like.”
Roxane Gay, The Price of Black Ambition
“Liberals today mostly view racism not as an active, distinct evil but as a relative of white poverty and inequality. They ignore the long tradition of this country actively punishing black success — and the elevation of that punishment, in the mid-20th century, to federal policy.”
Ta-Nehisi Coates, The Case for Reparations
Photo credit: erephas
Support The Billfold
The Billfold continues to exist thanks to support from our readers. Help us continue to do our work by making a monthly pledge on Patreon or a one-time-only contribution through PayPal.
Comments