It is disingenuous to assert that Riots do not work…

To be crystal clear, I do not condone violence and my heart simply aches to see my country on fire.

However, we must consider the simple truth that riots work. In America, violence works. No one accepted Kapernick taking the knee. And no one flinched as black America held praying hands over the head of Michael Browns’ mother as she wept for her son from the overflowing wellspring of black pain.

Whether or not we are ready to accept this (because it quakes the already shaky moral ground on which we stand) is a different matter entirely. But it would be completely disingenuous to assert that riots do not work.

As a gay man, I have access to basic human rights thanks to the Stonewall riots. Would gay folks have protections under the law in the absence of those riots?

Stonewall literally sparked a global movement that has been celebrated every year ever since, and has been punctuated by news of yet another country awarding hard-earned human rights to their lgbtq+ communities.

But as positive as these developments are and as much fun as we all have celebrating the lgtbqi+ community nowadays, we must never forget that Christopher Street Day parades around the world stand on the shoulders of queer gay and trans people of color who rioted against the police for 5 long days after being unfairly targeted and brutalized for years by people who swore to serve and protect “the people.”

We were all born out of the ashes of those riots and the world is a better place today because of it.

I do not condone violence and I wish that the protests could take another form. But maybe they might actually work to incite the type of structural change our country needs.

I hope so for the sake of my children … and yours.

Peace and love always,

the trendy one …