Fight where it makes the most sense

[Nevilledog]

https://www.american-doom.com/p/fight-where-it-makes-the-most-sense

*snip*

In my lifetime, the American right has been tremendously successful in deploying the levers of government in their favor. The right has taken over school boards, library boards, city councils, and county governments. There, they’ve implemented policies that are often tyrannical in nature, seeking to stifle dissent and make the rest of us feel like we’ve lost. But the story of Sapelo shows that these losses are, at times, a choice.

In our cities, towns and state capitols, progressive Americans can do the same.

Tony Thaw and his fellow white landowners have gotten away with violating the law and building homes on Sapelo that are larger than allowed by county ordinance because they are the government in McIntosh County. If they’re not, if people with respect for the Gullah heritage of Sapelo and things like county zoning laws were in positions of power, people like Thaw wouldn’t be able to so easily get away with their apparent wrongdoing.

After the meeting ended, the members of the board left the conference room and headed toward the exit. Thaw went down a hallway toward an elevator, and I hopped in with him. He didn’t answer any of my questions about his acquisition of land on Sapelo or how he was able to build a home larger that’s in obvious violation of county law, but as he continued to walk away from me toward his truck he did respond to something I said. I told Thaw that my story detailing his and others’ sometimes questionable acquisition of descendant land on Sapelo — and their illegal homes — would come out whether he spoke to me or not.

“It doesn’t matter,” Thaw responded as he walked away.

I wondered, does it not matter because Thaw doesn’t care what people think of him? That’s possible. It’s also possible that Thaw doesn’t believe my story matters because he and his fellow white Sapelo landowners hold the power in McIntosh County, and my story won’t change that. If that’s the case, Thaw’s “it doesn’t matter” is perhaps the most instructive development of these last few weeks of reporting on Sapelo.

*snip*

[tulipsandroses]

1. I've often wondered if there will ever be an accurate accounting in regards to how much land has been robbed

from black folks.
I'm fascinated by Gullah people and how they have managed to retain so much, in terms of culture. It is a tragedy that they continue to be robbed of lands that their ancestors purchased. I hope they get justice. Thaw is another entitled white man that thinks he can take whatever he wants. Especially if it belongs to people of color.