Re: [sudo-discuss] a very racist encounter from a man named Rob

i think it might be time for me to relinquish my sudoroom membership & focus on Liberated Lens where the diverse membership does not prejudge me in open court On Fri, Jul 12, 2019 at 11:48 AM robb <sf99er(a)gmail.com> wrote: > @Autonomous > i recall the incident & i apologize for my direct inquiry into you being > in the building & how it made you feel > prior to our interaction, Tony, a member of phat beets, came to me with a > concern that there was a strange person walking around the building acting > suspicious & he had never done this before so i thought it was serious > i don't know what caused him to seek me out but i felt obligated to help > it had been awhile since i had seen you & it took me a minute to > recognize you > when you said you were a sudo member, i accepted your answer & went about > my business > > On Fri, Jul 12, 2019 at 11:28 AM Autonomous <autonomous666(a)gmail.com> > wrote: > >> I would like to share an encounter I had with Robb prior to this most >> recent incident with Deon. >> >> I swiped my card at the front door and entered the building. As I was >> looking around for Marc who I was meeting at Sudo Room, I was accosted by >> Robb in a hallway who said in a loud voice "MAY I HELP YOU". I said that I >> was a Sudo Room member and was looking for Marc, and that I was "surprised >> that you don't recognize me, Robb". The entire time I was speaking, Robb >> was glaring at me in a hostile manner. I have not been back to Sudo Room >> since. >> >> I would like to point out that 90% of communication is non-verbal and >> Robb's attitude towards people he doesn't recognize or like could be >> interpreted as hateful or racist without the use of specific derogatory >> words. Since Robb now says "he hasn't heard from anybody" on the encounter >> with Deon I am wondering if the views, opinions and attitudes expressed by >> Robb are also those of Sudo Room and the Omni, and reflect the official >> policy or position of Sudo Room or the Omni towards unwanted guests. >> >> >> On Fri, Jun 28, 2019 at 4:31 PM D. Scott Nanos <scott.nanos(a)gmail.com> >> wrote: >> >>> Greetings Sudo et al, I'm so sorry but I have to bring to your >>> attention a recent, very unfortunate, inappropriate, and violent encounter >>> a friend of mine, Deon Saunders, had with a guy named "Rob", who I don't >>> think I know personally, although I'm sure he's well known around Omni in >>> general. I don't believe he's a sudo member specifically, but I believe >>> this incident sort of came into Sudo territory when Marc became involved; I >>> also really respect and love what Sudo room provides to the community, and >>> I know that Sudo is a powerful force within the Omni; as such, I'm writing >>> to you all now because I believe this issue definitely needs to be dealt >>> with, and not ignored or brushed aside. >>> >>> Basically, Deon is friends with Phat Beets and Food First, and has been >>> frequenting the Omni in order to do work and access the community resources >>> that are available. To my understanding, he often works in the Sudo room >>> space. Although this should not need to be said, I can personally vouch for >>> Deon as an upstanding and generous member of the Oakland community. >>> >>> Deon was having trouble accessing the space the other day and rung the >>> Omni doorbell several times, at which point guy named Rob opened the door >>> and started cursing at him and being very aggressive. After Deon was able >>> to enter Omni, Rob then started following him around and harassing him, >>> acting like a cop. Although this is egregious in and of itself, and a >>> terrible counter-representation of the Omni's values, this all came to a >>> head when Rob accused Deon of not being "an actual, normal, human being". >>> Whether or not this was intentional, it evoked longstanding racist >>> attitudes that black folks have been subjected to, suggesting that Deon was >>> less-than, or sub-human. Deon was so offended that he promptly left the >>> Omni and has not been back since. >>> >>> Besides this very loaded and hateful comment, this general kind of >>> treatment and attitude, overall, is the EXACT opposite of the way black >>> folks should be treated when interfacing with the Omni. Rob's actions are >>> not okay, at all, and I strongly feel that a serious accountability process >>> should be implemented for this incident. This is not a small matter. I've >>> spoken with Deon, and he has agreed to participate. >>> >>> I've also heard that this type of incident has happened before at the >>> Omni, specifically involving Rob. Correct me if I'm wrong, but apparently, >>> the attitude that was expressed to Deon was that Rob is one of the main >>> people that operates (i.e. helps to reproduce and sustain,) the Omni, and >>> as such, people basically go along with what he says and does. If this is >>> in fact the case, then an accountability process is even more imperative. >>> In no way should labor, and by proxy, "power" derived from labor, enable a >>> person to act with racism against members of the Oakland community. I think >>> it's in the best interest of the Omni to address this issue immediately, >>> for Deon, for the Omni, and for the Omni's relationship with the greater >>> community of Oakland. >>> >>> I believe Marc was present for part of this incident as well, and >>> although I know, Marc is so busy doing vital work for Sudo and Omni, it >>> might behoove him to also participate in this process, as a witness. >>> >>> I am writing this email not because I am trying to "cancel" or ruin >>> anyone, but because I care about Deon, The Omni, Sudo, and the Oakland >>> community at large. This issue seems indicative of larger problems, and if >>> addressed with love and respect and accountability, could seriously benefit >>> all parties listed above, and improve the Omni and it's relationship with >>> Oakland. >>> >>> I'm not sure where to take it from here, as I am personally extremely >>> busy with other community-based activities in Oakland right now, but a >>> mediator/facilitator should be sought out, ideally a black person, but at >>> the very least, a non-black poc, and probably someone that isn't personally >>> involved in the day-to-day operations at Omni, sudo etc. If i am able, I >>> could possibly be this mediator, but I hope other options are sought out >>> first, because a.) I'm a non-black, mixed race poc, and b.) I have very >>> little capacity at the moment. >>> >>> But please keep me in the loop regarding an accountability process for >>> Rob, and I'll do whatever I can to help move this along and reach a fair >>> and just conclusion. >>> >>> Sorry to bring such difficult news to you all, but I could not stay >>> silent. >>> >>> With love and Solidarity, >>> >>> Scott >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> sudo-discuss mailing list >>> sudo-discuss(a)lists.sudoroom.org >>> https://sudoroom.org/lists/listinfo/sudo-discuss >>> >> _______________________________________________ >> sudo-discuss mailing list >> sudo-discuss(a)lists.sudoroom.org >> https://sudoroom.org/lists/listinfo/sudo-discuss >> >