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1. mekka okereke :verified: (mekkaokereke@hachyderm.io)'s status on Monday, 27-Feb-2023 16:11:16 UTC mekka okereke :verified:

   Happy #BlackHistoryMonth !

   Still not talking about Black History. Still talking about white US History.

   The US *loves* soldiers and veterans! Virtuous! Service! 🇺🇲🦅

   The US *hates* homeless people. Lazy! Dirty! Want a handout!

   But... ~1 in every 20 US homeless folk is a Black or hispanic veteran. 🤷🏿♂️

   In the USA, the phrase "support our troops!" is a euphemism that does mean military jingoism, but doesn't mean supporting all of our troops.

   #BlackMastodon

   • Dan (civicdetroitdan@a2mi.social)'s status on Monday, 27-Feb-2023 16:11:11 UTC Dan

     in reply to

     @mekkaokereke “(Black veterans) had to ride in the back of the train, but Nazi POWs got to ride in first class in the front of the train. Nazis were getting treated better than Black veterans who had put their lives on the line. So that kind of pissed my dad off.”

   • mekka okereke :verified: (mekkaokereke@hachyderm.io)'s status on Monday, 27-Feb-2023 16:11:12 UTC mekka okereke :verified:

     in reply to

     Black service members who served in wars, were often denied access to the GI Bill when they returned.

     So white veterans could get loans for college, or to buy a house. Black veterans could not. This lack of access to affordable education and affordable housing had devastating impacts on Black veteran homelessness.

     https://www.npr.org/2022/10/18/1129735948/black-vets-were-excluded-from-gi-bill-benefits-a-bill-in-congress-aims-to-fix-th

     Black veterans were also denied access to medical care and benefits. This lack of access to healthcare also drove homelessness.

     https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9XEj1AL9Bsw

     Wonderskeptic repeated this.
   • mekka okereke :verified: (mekkaokereke@hachyderm.io)'s status on Monday, 27-Feb-2023 16:11:13 UTC mekka okereke :verified:

     in reply to

     I frequently have to remind my friends in Silicon Valley, that the military is not "more right wing" than Silicon Valley. The military is more inclusive.

     There are way more Black employees in the military than in Silicon Valley. Military demographics look closer to real US society, but with Black people being *over* represented.

     If you're standing in a room of 100 VCs in Atherton, vs a room of 100 active duty marines in Camp Pendleton, there are more Trump voters in the Atherton room. 🙂🙃

   • mekka okereke :verified: (mekkaokereke@hachyderm.io)'s status on Monday, 27-Feb-2023 16:11:14 UTC mekka okereke :verified:

     in reply to

     Black service members have served with distinction in every US war, going back to Independence.

     Shout out to everyone that's seen the painting of Washington crossing the Delaware, but never noticed the Black guy in the boat! 🙋🏿♂️

     If serving with honor were a path to being seen as a "real American," Black folk would've achieved that goal long ago.

     But I still run into EU immigrants (who just got their green card last year!), telling me that "BLM protesters don't love this country like I do!"🤡

   • mekka okereke :verified: (mekkaokereke@hachyderm.io)'s status on Monday, 27-Feb-2023 16:11:15 UTC mekka okereke :verified:

     in reply to

     Q: Why do Black folk disrespect the military by kneeling during the anthem?

     A: But... most active duty military fully support the kneeling protests? 🙂🙃

     You'll understand why that support exists, once you understand the military's true demographics. About 47% of the military is non-white.

     There's a stark contrast between most "honor our veterans" PR montages and a non-staged photo of a large group of service personnel. You can't "honor vets" or "support troops" by ignoring half of them.