White Silence is Deafening: BLM Shines a Light On a Bigger Problem In The US.
By: Matthew Rhodes
Tags: White Supremacy, Asian American, BlackLivesMatter, Huntington Beach, Racism

White Silence is Deafening: BLM Shines a Light On a Bigger Problem In The US. Matthew Rhodes Follow Jun 2 · 10 min read

My personal story at the Huntington Beach Black Lives Matter Protest.

The day going to the Huntington Beach Black Lives Matter protest began with a driver driving by and calling us “Young dumb kids”. If exposing the injustice of George Floyd, who was wrongfully kneeled on the neck by Police Officer, Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis, Minnesota, deems us young protesters “dumb”, then we protesters are dumb enough to challenge the perpetual racism that White Supremacy continues to uphold to this day. I chose to attend the protest in Huntington Beach yesterday to avoid fears that my family might see me on the local news in San Diego, California.

Before I share my experience, here is a little bit about myself and how I felt compelled to show my support for the Black Lives Matter protest in Huntington Beach. I first began Breaking as a freshman in high school in 2010. I briefly stopped between 2012 to 2014 because of an extracurricular and began again in 2015. I first represented a crew called Specter Crew. I then eventually disbanded along with my Breaking friends and formed Daft Funk Crew in 2016. It was not until this year I began my transition from Breaking to Djing. In February, I was reluctant to get an opportunity to spin at a Black birthday party. This was my very first Dj gig. Everyone there was especially friendly to me and welcomed me to play music at their party. If it was not for the benevolence of Black folks and the Hip-Hop community, I would not have been inspired to Break and Dj today. These people greatly contributed to a huge part of my youth. And despite being a minority in a predominately Black space, having been around the Hip-Hop community for almost a decade now, I owe much of my gratitude to the Black community for embracing me into their home. After all, with Black people extending their arm to allow Asians into their culture, we respect the fact that Hip-Hop is a home for Black people and that Asians are simply guests in their house. I remember seeing a Strifetv interview on Youtube about a longstanding breaking pioneer, Alienness, from the crew, Mighty Zulu Kings. He said that, “Hip-Hop has put together more people from different races, colors, languages, religions, creeds and beliefs than any other political or religious leaders.” Hip-Hop is essentially a reflection of what America could be if People of Color solidarity existed in America. And if there is any ounce of POC solidarity left in the US, it is within the BLM movement. No one has to be actively involved in Hip-Hop or Black Culture to recognize the injustice in America. If you have any ounce of humanity, it should be apparent that America’s Justice System is committing a human rights violation. However, if anyone owes much of their influence to Hip-Hop or Black culture, then they should participate and support BLM as a symbol of their solidarity in whichever way they wish.

Furthermore regarding the events walking to the protest, my friends, whom I went with outside of the Hip-Hop community, and I were countlessly harassed by predominantly white men telling us to “Go back to your country!” or to “Go home!”, simply because we were Asians advocating for the swift justice George Floyd rightfully deserves. The night prior to this event, we were unsure of where Asian-Americans fit in this conversation. From long Discord discussions, to reading articles online of Asian-American’s relationship with the African-American community, we were struck with a grey area. This was all in an effort to try to understand where we belong in this dialogue in the Black-Asian race relations. Agreeably, we did not want to be complicit with the racism that exists against POC, especially Black people. However, how our families will react to us going will be the biggest obstacle. But we defied them anyway. We know that our Black-Asian experiences are not mutual, nor are they the same. In fact, there is this privilege that was bestowed to us Asian-Americans, known as the Model Minority Myth, granting us a guest pass to the resources white privilege has to offer. While it excludes African-Americans from those exact opportunities we get, we have decided that being silent about this issue will only make us complicit with racism. We did not want to be like the Asian police accomplice, Tao Thao, who just stood there and watched as Derek Chauvin suffocated George Floyd. It is evident that the socioeconomic platform that White Supremacy has provided us Asians with is used against Black people for the inability to economically advance in the American society. Hence, the most commonly used phrase, “Why don’t you be like the Asians?” If no one believes this, then I encourage anyone to pay close attention to his movie “Get Out” and why director Jordan Peele purposefully casted an Asian person to participate in the slave auction scene.

It is apparent that Asians have indeed faced discrimination here in the United States. From my Japanese-American ancestors before me who were forced into internment camps after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, just because we were accused of being spies and committing espionage. Or when California ushered in the Chinese Exclusion Act, which legitimized the discrimination against Chinese-Americans. And Vietnamese refugees, who arrived from Vietnam to escape violence and political instability, were treated with less respect in the United States than most people. Evidently, President Nixon’s involvement in the Vietnam war was a distraction from addressing the real problem in the United States, which is Black poverty. And since then, that history of Asian discrimination seemed to be swept under the rug today because of White Supremacy. However, I realized that the Model Minority guest pass was stripped away soon when my friends and I discovered Anti-Asian sentiments still exist here in the United States. And it happened in the whitest part of town, in Huntington Beach. It was not until recently when the coronavirus pandemic were there reports of Anti-Asian sentiments; falsely associating the virus with Asian-Americans. But even though racism against Asians still exists on a smaller scale, Black Americans have a much longer history of racism in the United States. Therefore, our unique experience is incomparable with the blatant racism Black people had and still endure today. From centuries of slavery, to the Jim Crow laws, we are still not far away from the institutionalized racism Black people experienced. Though racism against Asian-Americans is uniquely our own struggles, racism against Black people is far more severe and profound than Asians. Asians do not regularly experience harassment from police officers. Nor do we see over police presence in our neighborhoods. Not to dismiss racism against Asian-Americans, but we need to realize that this protest is about the systemic injustices that Black people constantly face everyday. Asian-Americans who recognize our privilege in life can use it as leverage to support the BLM protest. Asians have a platform that not many POC have. This is not to say that all Asian-Americans have this position, rather those who do, like myself, can use it to advance justice for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Eric Garner, Michael Brown, and Trayvon Martin. And the list just keeps going on. Just by participating, discussing, and contributing to these protests, Asian-Americans can do their part in achieving justice and strengthen POC solidarity.

Once we arrived at the protest, a white man asked me what my sign says. I wrote “#BLM” on it. That white man was persistently asking me where I was from. I was getting the impression that he was expecting I was a foreigner. But I kept answering him that I am from America. That California is my home. And that I am American. Then he rebutted to me, “Then act like one!”, implying that being American means being White. My friends and I then crossed that intersection to where the protest was held. As soon as we crossed, we were chanting “BLACK LIVES MATTER!”, “NO JUSTICE, NO PEACE. NO RACIST POLICE.” and “WHAT’S HIS NAME? GEORGE FLOYD!” All behind that backdrop of the counter protesters in Make America Great Again hats reciting the Pledge of Allegiance and singing the Star Spangled Banner, and implying that our protest is unamerican. In the protest, I saw everyone of all colors uniting in solidarity to promote peace and justice for George Floyd. I have seen Native Americans, Hispanic Americans, and White Americans all supporting a Black cause. One particular voice that made me emotional was a boy, 18 years old, who moved to California and witnessed the most beautiful diversity. He realized that unlike his other POC counterparts, he acknowledged his privilege in life. Not worrying about any confrontation from police officers. He spoke on behalf of justice for all Black people. He spoke on behalf of ending police brutality and the murder of innocent Blacks. He spoke to use his White privilege to expose the wrongful murder of George Floyd. Listening to him made me think about all of my Black friends I have made in the Hip-Hop community. It made me realize that the reality Black people face is definitely not like mine. I cried over the harsh reality Black people have to endure on a daily basis. I cried over those victims of police brutality, imprisoned for uncommitted crimes, and those who have lost loved ones from police’s excessive use of force. And I have cried for the family mourning over the death of George Floyd. It is apparent that the system is broken and that it only benefits the status quo, which is White Supremacy.

When everyone finished speaking, we all gathered together to march across the intersection connecting Pacific Coast Highway and Main St. Once there, we were blocked by counter protesters in MAGA hats, waving the American Flag, and chanting “USA, USA, USA”. We inevitably clashed with them. Everyone panicked and scattered around the intersection when one of our protesters suspected a MAGA protester with an AK47. My friends and I were separated with the other protesters and found ourselves entrapped with MAGA protesters in the corner section of Fred’s Mexican Cafe and Cantina. We then saw ahead a bald white muscular man with a prosthetic leg swinging punches at one of our protesters. And then, things escalated when the police deployed their officers in swat gear, holding rifles equipped with rubber bullets and strapped with tear gas. And when things went from bad to worse, the officers were accompanied by Trump’s orders to send the National Guard in, as a second deterrence. I tried to attempt to capture the National Guard on my phone to document this hostility but was stopped by a Black protester, saying that it was not worth it. And I realized that it truly was not. And that this image of hostility from America is left ingrained in my mind. As I reunited with my friends we were ambushed by white men preventing us from heading back to our cars. Shouting became louder and louder. As verbal punches came from every direction. But we stood our ground, raising our posters from the other side while contemplating whether we regroup with the other BLM protesters or retreat back home. It was a moral dilemma that we had to overcome. We wanted to be cautious about our safety but at the same time I did not want to be silenced. Just as when I encouraged my friends that we should continue our fight, a white man approached me. His scolding insults were deafening.

“You should be over there on the other side? You don’t belong here. Get out of my fucking country!”

I scorched back at him, “America was never your country to begin with, dumbass! This is Native American land!”

His interrogation got more and more violent. “Oh yeah? What are you?”

“I am just as American as you!” I replied.

“The fuck you ain’t! Now what are you?”

“I am Japanese-American.”

“WHOOOOAAA! POOF!” as he sarcastically blew his mind in revelation.

“Exactly!!! Go home!! Go back to your fucking country!!!” he yelled at me.

He viciously approached my sign and tore the corner bit as he lunged for an assault onto me. I quickly ran along with my friends away from the encounter. We were met with racist remarks on the way back telling us to “Go home!” and “You don’t belong here!” When we finally got to our ride, a police helicopter announced above that the protesters were engaging in “Unlawful Assembly”, unlike the same MAGA protesters a few weeks back who opposed the statewide lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic. We were baffled in silence during the car ride to In and Out Burger. We started to question whether unity will ever be achieved in the United States. Where we can all live amongst our differences. There was not much of a huge Asian-American presence at the protest. But my Asian friends and I represented. And I may not speak on behalf of all Asian-Americans, but let my story be a call to action that Black people need our support more than ever. If you truly believe in justice, the freedom of speech, and assembly, then show your support in whatever way possible. I hope that my experience yesterday inspires everyone to stop being silent and engage in this dialogue.

What I have learned participating in this protest is that we need solidarity to amplify Black voices while also sparing the megaphone for Black people to speak about their truths. In the thick of it all, it is peace that we all want, not violence. Deploying the military and encouraging civilian militias will only further the divide. Unlike America, Black culture introduced me to Hip-Hop, which stands for peace, love, and unity. BLM stands for the very core values of what Hip-Hop taught me. I remember Alienness also ended off saying that “Hip-Hop is God’s last hope for humanity.” BLM is God’s last hope to achieve justice for those they have lost in police brutality.