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

Tue Jul 23 09:07:45 PDT 2019

The bullshit asymmetry is real.

On Tue, Jul 23, 2019, 12:25 AM robb <sf99er at gmail.com> wrote:

> my black comrad in liberated lens think you "white social justice
> warriors" are being racist for not holding Deon accountable for the rude
> way he rang the doorbell
>
> On Sun, Jul 14, 2019 at 2:23 PM Marina Kukso <marina.kukso at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> just came across this book and thought that it would be relevant to folks
>> here: https://www.akpress.org/fumbling-towards-repair.html
>>
>> On Sat, Jul 13, 2019 at 8:31 AM Karissa McKelvey <
>> karissa.mckelvey at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Also, thanks to Robb for stepping up and apologizing. Everyone here
>>> appreciates your work. Thanks to Scott for stepping up and bringing this to
>>> the collective's attention.
>>>
>>> I want to help coordinate and would participate in any collective
>>> workshop we want to have on how we can turn fewer people away from the
>>> space. Echoing jake, I would be happy to contribute to a discussion on
>>> coming up with better options for helping people feel heard about their
>>> experiences and how Omni and Sudoroom can clarify for everyone our
>>> positions on treating everyone with respect.
>>>
>>> On Fri, Jul 12, 2019 at 12:32 PM Jake <jake at spaz.org> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Robb,
>>>>
>>>> I think you're doing a mostly good job acknowledging people's
>>>> experiences with
>>>> you and coming up with ways to avert problems in the future.  But I
>>>> wish that
>>>> you wouldn't push back this way when people bring up their
>>>> experiences.  I know
>>>> it must feel bad to be called out in a public forum this way, but one
>>>> of the
>>>> things you can do to help is to have a slightly thicker skin about it
>>>> to help
>>>> others feel more comfortable.  Remember that people without white
>>>> privilege
>>>> have to go through a lot worse every day.
>>>>
>>>> Complaining about prejudice against you isn't helping anything.  Nobody
>>>> wants
>>>> to be prejudged, but it happens to everyone.  Let's focus on learning
>>>> from
>>>> incidents where people felt uncomfortable, by welcoming criticism and
>>>> accepting
>>>> people's experiences even if we disagree with their perception of our
>>>> intentions.
>>>>
>>>> Nobody is asking you to relinquish your membership, but it does make
>>>> sense for
>>>> you to change your behavior toward people you don't know to avoid these
>>>> kinds
>>>> of things happening in the future.  Let someone else confront strangers
>>>> in the
>>>> building if you think it needs to happen.
>>>>
>>>> In the meantime, we can all discuss options for helping people feel
>>>> heard about
>>>> their experiences and how Omni and Sudoroom can clarify for everyone our
>>>> positions on treating everyone with respect.
>>>>
>>>> -jake
>>>>
>>>> On Fri, 12 Jul 2019, robb wrote:
>>>>
>>>> > 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 at 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 at 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 at 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 at lists.sudoroom.org
>>>> >>>> https://sudoroom.org/lists/listinfo/sudo-discuss
>>>> >>>>
>>>> >>> _______________________________________________
>>>> >>> sudo-discuss mailing list
>>>> >>> sudo-discuss at lists.sudoroom.org
>>>> >>> https://sudoroom.org/lists/listinfo/sudo-discuss
>>>> >>>
>>>> >>
>>>> >
>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Karissa McKelvey
>>> https://okdistribute.xyz
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> sudo-discuss mailing list
>>> sudo-discuss at lists.sudoroom.org
>>> https://sudoroom.org/lists/listinfo/sudo-discuss
>>>
>>
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