The United States has never been more divided in its recent history after Donald Trump was elected to office. The rhetoric often used by both political sides exceeds the extremes. Identity politics to advance one’s political views has become commonplace in debates across all media platforms, be it on TV or in print media via opinion pieces. As the recent Charlottsville deadly attack proved with the rise of extreme right sentiment, partly the result and a response to actions of the far-left and antifa groups, polarisation in the political sphere has reached a breaking point. Calls on both sides of the political spectrum (mostly so by the progressives and leftists) for the adoption of measures against their opposition, which in the past would have been considered utterly egregious, have become part of an accepted and dangerous narrative. This polarisation can be seen clearly in the demands often put forward by a group called Black Lives Matter (BLM), which the right dub an extreme violent group, a claim not without some merit, as individuals associated with it, or under the cover of its banner have used violent methods during protests. A recent piece by one of the co-founding members of the group called Chanelle Helm titled “White people, here are 10 requests from a Black Lives Matter Leader”, where she outlined some truly insane demands just goes to show the extent of the craziness that US politics has been engulfed in. The member of the demands you are about to read is a legitimate political voice in the public arena of the US.

Some things I’m thinking about that should change (in that Southern, black grandmama voice):
1. White people, if you don’t have any descendants, will your property to a black or brown family. Preferably one that lives in generational poverty.
2. White people, if you’re inheriting property you intend to sell upon acceptance, give it to a black or brown family. You’re bound to make that money in some other white privileged way.
3. If you are a developer or realty owner of multi-family housing, build a sustainable complex in a black or brown blighted neighborhood and let black and brown people live in it for free.
4. White people, if you can afford to downsize, give up the home you own to a black or brown family. Preferably a family from generational poverty.
5. White people, if any of the people you intend to leave your property to are racists assholes, change the will, and will your property to a black or brown family. Preferably a family from generational poverty.
6. White people, re-budget your monthly so you can donate to black funds for land purchasing.
7. White people, especially white women (because this is yaw specialty — Nosey Jenny and Meddling Kathy), get a racist fired. Yaw know what the fuck they be saying. You are complicit when you ignore them. Get your boss fired cause they racist too.
8. Backing up No. 7, this should be easy but all those sheetless Klan, Nazi’s and Other lil’ dick-white men will all be returning to work. Get they ass fired. Call the police even: they look suspicious.
9. OK, backing up No. 8, if any white person at your work, or as you enter in spaces and you overhear a white person praising the actions from yesterday, first, get a pic. Get their name and more info. Hell, find out where they work — Get Them Fired. But certainly address them, and, if you need to, you got hands: use them.
10. Commit to two things: Fighting white supremacy where and how you can (this doesn’t mean taking up knitting, unless you’re making scarves for black and brown kids in need), and funding black and brown people and their work.