White people really don’t like being confronted with the realities of systemic racism. If they’re not spending their time spamming The Root’s comments section with all kinds of inventive headassery, they’re going out into the world and committing acts of vandalism to further prove that “All Lives Matter.”
Fox 12 reports that a Black Lives Mural in Portland, Ore., has been vandalized. The mural spans a whole city block and within each letter is a story about the history of systemic racism in Portland, with the stories ranging from 1802 to 2018. Lead artist on the project, Nick Lloyd, went for a walk on Sunday only to find that some had painted out the words “Neo-Nazi” and the name of a person killed by the group.
“This isn’t history, this is people’s lives. I think that there’s a way for this vandalism to make this piece that does something that’s more inclusive, that’s more vibrant and more about all of us.” Lloyd told Fox 12. Lloyd has purchased the supplies needed to fix the mural but has encouraged people to donate to the Urban League of Portland if they wish to help. He is also looking to speak with people on their experiences with systemic racism so he can share their stories on the mural.
In recent weeks, Portland has been in the national spotlight as federal agents have been deployed to crack down on the ongoing protests against police brutality and systemic racism. On Wednesday night, the mayor of Portland was speaking with protesters about the presence of the Federal agents when he was tear-gassed.