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Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Racist violence

At the time I confronted these white men with guns, I didn't know that the town I was in is the same one that produced the violent, hateful racist gang of white teenagers who beat to death a Black man, Mr. James Anderson, and then ran him over with their vehicle, murdering him. Although traveling in the south (or anywhere in the u.s.ofa.), it would be more unusual to be somewhere where some act of racist violence has not occurred.

An opportunity for a lesson in tolerance

"But if people are complaining making a fuss about what's written on my truck they're the ones causing a disturbance aren't they?" I ask.

"But what am I supposed to do," he whines in agony, "if people complain?"

I say: "You're supposed to give them a lesson in tolerance: you're supposed to say everyone, including my truck, has as much right (maybe more I don't add) to be here as you do. You're supposed to mention the u.s.ofa. constitution and our bill of rights."

He kicks the soggy grass as he grasps his hands behind his back.

"Better yet," I add. "Tell them I'd love to dialogue with them, to tap on my door!"

He turns heel and I'm sure he hasn't found much comfort here.

Shame on Joel.... and Chris

Ok so fuck the fuckin state of missifuckinssippi. 

After harassing me & claiming my vehicle is not a camper cause I don't have a recreational vehicle association 'sticker' - like whoever heard of them??? - & not accepting my California State Motor Home registration "cause who knows what they're doing in California?", Joel retreats to the office with a copy of my registration, my driver's license, and my Y card - he doesn't believe the picture on the license looks like me. Are you fuckin kidding?

But not before I have asked, with my most non-threatening smile, if he demands everyone's driver's license and/or demands to check everyone's "seal of approval" - or just those people whom he wants to discriminate against?

Suddenly another similarly weaponized white male about a foot shorter but with a louder voice and much redder face - flaming red after I ask him if he knows what 'live streaming' is (as I hold my phone camera up to fake live stream him - damn gotta learn how to do that). His tirade includes all the arguments Joel has spouted, ending with "your camper can't be here". HA!

I point out that he just called my vehicle a camper after claiming for 10 minutes it's not a camper, and he declares I've confused him - he didn't mean it. I scoff and say I'm sure he's not that easily confused.

"Besides," he continues as he changes his tune and starts taking pictures of every side of my truck  grumbling I'm taking pics of him: "you're breaking the 'no offense' rule." REALLY? He begins to point out all the things on my truck that people, including him, could find offensive.

Like I don't find those huge gluttonous rv's that get 2.5 miles per gallon with fuckin flags plastered all over fuckin offensive?

He, like Joel, whines about me putting them in a position of 'losing their jobs'. Hmmmm do I think two white men carrying guns, probably making up 'rules', trying to intimidate me into leaving a state campground should lose their jobs?

It's not up to me to decide if they meet the state of Missifuckinssippi's qualifications for state park police but if they seize the opportunity to discriminate against me because I don't have a seal they've conveniently made up as a qualification for camping there, that's probably grounds for dismissal.

I'm not ready yet to ask them where that 'rule' is written but I do mention that I did not see that rule written on their website. But I am ready to ask is it really me wanting them to "be flexible as they know my vehicle's a camper whether it has the seal they claim necessary or not - or the messages painted on my truck that they deem "offensive" that bothers them most?"

I don't point out that they started the topic of "offensive" by quoting the clause "causing a disturbance" as reason for exclusion from the campground. Honesty rears its head: they find what I've painted 'offensive' and therefore causing a disturbance. I do point out the "disturbance" is not caused by my silent truck is it, but is if a mob of one or more decides to attack my constitutional rights.

They must know they are on shaky ground with the 'offensive' track so they keep coming back to the scandalous bus - & 'homemade' campers issue - as in "what if a bus comes by and claims they're a camper, we'd turn them around". I finally say "keepin out all the hippies ru?" One laughs, the red-faced one declares his love 4 hippies.


They finally dejectedly state "you're not going are you?" I nod and say "Sure I am: I'm going to bed" and make them the promise that I'll go look up the 'seal' information tomorrow and let them know.


Does racism work both ways??? Absofuckinlutely NOT

So I do get to walk around the truck with him and talk about what I have written there. He is of course most upset about the "Death to Racism" and "End the White & Male War Against....everyfuckinbody".

He claims the largest thing on my truck is "Death"and that alone is "disturbing the peace". Really?

I ask him what he wants to happen to racism. He gets a glint in his eye, like he's finally trapped me, and says "do you believe racism can work both ways?"

I know immediately what he is referring to. We are no longer talking about whether I have the proper camper and 'seal' to be allowed to camp here, although I'm very aware of how close that subject is when I answer firmly "No".

"A ha" he exclaims as if he's found me out. I interrupt before he can dig his hole further, "there's a difference between bigotry, prejudice, discrimination. Anyone can prejudge, anyone can be bigoted, (and there's a difference between such things and the reaction to racist oppression) but not anyone can be racist - or sexist" I add.

"Racism doesn't have to be a personal thing, it can be and is all too often but it is also an institutional thing" I explain to him, "there isn't an institution in the country that is directed and run by men of color or womyn, including white womyn." He nods and it does seem he is getting the distinction.

Or he just knows he can't win this one. Racism needs power: if you don't have the power of skin color that the institution values behind you, you cannot be racist - or sexist.

Like the power of that gun. I ask him why the hell is someone carrying a gun at a campground. He claims it's so he can protect people. At a beatific peaceful campground on a lake in the middle of tall pines and an abundance of water birds.

I ask him and he tells me he's never had to use it, never even threatened to use it and, when pushed, he affirms there's never been a situation where it might've could've should've been used. He's seen no violence there in 12 years.

"I'm a born again Christian" he declares, as if that has something to do with his disassociation with racism and power and his gun. My turn to nod and to ask if I can then ask him a question. He consents so I ask "How does that (being a christian) square with you carrying a gun?"

He looks at me blankly as if he doesn't get the question. Really? Does your born again christian bible say "Thou shall not kill" unless you're getting paid to kill? Or "do good to those who would harm you" unless it's your job?

He doesn't want to talk anymore but instead asks me for my license. I ask him why? Does he ask everyone for there license? I've already given him my registration so he can see for himself that my camper is really a camper - according to the state of California. But of course for him, I might be talkin' consent of the devil, that evil state of California.

He says no and admits he neither looks for the 'seal' of the rv association either but he's sure every camper here has one. He has me at a disadvantage there - for now - but I will find out.


Discrimination Missifuckinssippi State Park style

Soooooo a very tall white male carrying a gun & various other weapons attached to his uniform is claiming I don't have the right kind of camper to camp at this state of Missifuckinssippi camp ground.

I'm rushing to write this as I don't know what he is capable of doing - he had such a nice, affable even welcoming voice over the phone when I called to inquire about wi-fi availability. Pre-seeing my truck of course.

He eyes my camper as if it might jump up and bite him any second. I assure him it is a camper and I've camped all over the country in it -= I don't tell him I even was a camp host at a alafuckinbama campground once - without any issues. 

Now he's 'concerned' as I don't have some kind of recreational vehicle "seal of approval". Are you fucking kidding me? He claims it's a "rule" of the campground...

fuck 'cheap'!

A young womon, smiling broadly and bouncing excitedly, rushes around the side of my truck to where I'm standing and exclaims: "I LOVE your truck!"

She, Monae, works at a gas station so she knows from a truck!

She continues: "I saw that mural and I HAD to come see you!" She has ducked out of the tiny cashier booth she's stationed in 6 straight hours a day.

"I HATE monsanto" she gushes "and I LOVE that ear of corn with the skull and crossbones!"

I'm thrilled. She is young and Black and a southerner, born and raised, and she knows about fuckin monsanto.

I ask her how she became so informed. She talks about the concept of 'cheap' and how she learned long time ago 'cheap' food has dire consequences on your body, on your health, on our land.

As she talks, I hear her almost quoting from the chapters I've written. I HAVE to give her a copy of my book. She slips back into the cashier's booth as she promises me she'll email as soon as she's read it and let me know what she thinks!