Despite being landlocked in the middle of the country, the protests in Ferguson are a lot close to home than most surfers might think. Photo: Reuters|Lucas Jackson
By now, most of country has heard about the fatal shooting of an unarmed Black teen, Michael Brown, by a Ferguson, Missouri police officer. This incident incited a myriad of protests and demonstrations in Ferguson, while also drawing national attention to systemic criminalization of Black men in America. Many surfers assume that these types of controversies, occurring in the middle of the country — thereby thousands of miles away from the nearest surf break — have nothing to do with them. However, surfing does not exist in isolation from these social influences, but rather intertwines surf culture with the more dominant, mainstream society.
Historically, surfing exists as a sort of anti-establishment counter-culture that dances on the edges of mainstream convention. While modern surfers may not be as alternative to capitalist society as their fringe predecessors, the larger surf community still maintains its own distinct traits that separate it from the more general public. That being said, surfers, when isolated as individuals, generally fit within (and reproduce) mainstream culture. A study in 2011 by Surf-First and the Surfrider Foundation revealed that the majority of American surfers are male with a college education and a full time earning of at least $75,000. An additional glance at the racial distributions in the water, particularly in California, confirms that the overwhelming majority of surfers are white. These demographic findings reveal what many of us already know: that the average surfer isn’t just a jobless soul surfer, kickin’ it on the beach and waiting for the perfect set; he instead works all day before catching a sunset surf with the rest of the nine-to-five crowd. These white, middle-class professionals who comprise the majority of the “weekend warriors” seem far removed from the events that take place in America’s underprivileged communities, especially those which are primarily populated by working class or lower class Black people. The ability of our surf community to isolate itself from major social occurrences, such as the shooting of Michael Brown, reveals a serious issue with the society structure of our beloved culture.
The Black community is invested in protesting the events surrounding the Michael Brown shooting because this tragedy is not an isolated incident, but a violent manifestation of the ordinary occurrences that plague the lives of non-white Americans every day. Surfers may indeed care about the events occurring in Ferguson — watching news coverage, posting to Facebook, or even choosing to join the front lines of a protest against police brutality — but it is in the luxury of white privilege that allows them to choose their level of involvement in such an event. Many feel uncomfortable with how to address these racially charged issues. And that’s ok! Racism should make you feel uncomfortable!
We can use this discomfort to fuel desire and action for positive change.
As the media coverage of Ferguson inevitably begins to die down, bandwagon empathizers will forget about this issue and move on with their lives. But to dismantle systemic oppressions, all people should be continuously involved in fighting for a more just society. White police officers kill roughly two Black men every week, or an average of 96 times per year! This is “our” American problem, not “their” Black American problem. The criminal justice system that oppresses people of color, specifically Black men, was created and is sustained by white power and privilege. The purpose of this article is not to attack or shame white surfers for being white, but rather to urge surfers of all colors to consider how privilege affects everyone, and to think critically about what we can do to challenge this social hierarchy. The lineup can be a place to temporarily escape social expectations and let loose; however, many Americans can’t escape the preconceptions people place on them because that would require an impossibility — escaping their own skin. Being silent is not the answer. Being silent or otherwise ignoring the issue allows them to continue and is the same as supporting them. Commit yourself to a respectful understanding of how we each fit into society, and aspire to social justice and equality for America.
Want to learn more about being a “white ally?” Check out this an equally informative article on Quartz.
