Volunteering at Black Lives Matter

[Espressso]

Interesting how no one even asked what the OP specifically does in terms of volunteering. I would think that would be one of the first things you would want to ask if someone says "I volunteer with BLM". It's not like the OP said "can I put down I attend BLM rallies on my medical school apps"...

OP - I don't think you shouldn't put it down on your app, but I think you should continue to work with them if reforming policing culture in the US and use of excessive force is something you are passionate about. Think about it this way: it may rub adcoms the wrong way if they see/know it, but that doesn't mean you can't keep it in your back pocket and continue to work on the causes outside of your medical education.

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[Espressso]

The serious responses to the troll who joined yesterday.

I assume OP made a throwaway account to be able to ask this question without being ridiculed in the future.

 

[JustaDO]

I assume OP made a throwaway account to be able to ask this question without being ridiculed in the future.

Yes, that must be the case. It's quite innovative to make a controversial post with a new account, maybe post once or twice, and never be seen again.

 

[Espressso]

Yes, that must be the case. It's quite innovative to make a controversial post with a new account, maybe post once or twice, and never be seen again.

Definitely happens more than we may think on here.

 

[The Knife & Gun Club]

So much troll, so little thread

:troll::troll::troll::troll::troll::troll::troll::troll::troll::troll:

 

[studentdocftw]

Yumberry flavor was white.

@studentdocftw Caramel ripple, Chocolate, Jam Doughnut, and Toffee were all US Skittles flavors that were brown in color.
Also #BLM movement is not tied into any religious denomination. You're suggesting that the OP ignores black lives in order to spend more time at church?

Jam doughnut? Might as well make a s*** flavor. And what is a chocolate skittle? An off brand M&M? And yes, spending time in an undeserved community trumps being part of something controversial. JMHO. Including the religious aspect was me being facetious. Sometimes I feel like we all know each other personally here, so my hyperbole would've been more obvious. Oops.

 

[giantswing]

your typical white privileged males, and having a strong BLM presence (you!) will open up some intelligent discourse and help you all grow as you become physicians.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHA.

OMG.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHHAHHha.

What do I know? Talk about it in your interview!!!!

 

[Dagrimsta1]

I went to a school where I was the minority (I'm white ) and I marched outside for Black Lives Matter during lunch. I don't think I'm gonna include it just because it will likely look like fluff.

 

[giantswing]

Aren't the cadavers people that volunteered to donate their bodies to science? If you've ever seen the traveling bodies exhibit, almost all are asian...I really don't think that it's racially linked...

Isn't it bc they used Chinese prisoners?

 

[ZedsDed]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHA.

OMG.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHHAHHha.

What do I know? Talk about it in your interview!!!!

I do wonder what will happen to some of these kids once they leave the academic bubble and venture out into the real world... Lecturing your office coworker for "perpetuating problematic heteronormative pronouns" probably won't go over very well.

 

[aldol16]

There are ways to describe activism against police brutality without associating yourself with BLM.

I just don't really see any benefit to an applicant tying their name to such a controversial organization.

I literally made zero judgements and I certainly didn't imply any of that.

You're judging the organization. If you're not, what's wrong with associating oneself with BLM? Instead, you would just say "I don't see any benefit to an applicant tying their name to any political movement." But water under the bridge, buddy.

 

[aldol16]

@aldol16 Not surprising seeing as how our president's son sees Syrian refugees as skittles. A few bad ones apparently justifies throwing out all of them. It's also hilarious that the US has had every color of Skittle represented except one. Can you guess what color it is?

But what would a black Skittle even taste like? Activated charcoal?

 

[ZedsDed]

You're judging the organization. If you're not, what's wrong with associating oneself with BLM? Instead, you would just say "I don't see any benefit to an applicant tying their name to any political movement." But water under the bridge, buddy.

Huh? No... I'm giving my opinion of what the perception of BLM is for the broader community, which is independent of how I personally feel about BLM.

 

[happyducky]

But what would a black Skittle even taste like? Activated charcoal?

black licorice?

 

[WedgeDawg]

Hey everyone,

Just a guiding principle that everyone should try to best to follow: this thread should only be discussing whether or not someone should put a BLM volunteer position on their medical school application. This is NOT the thread to discuss and debate the merit of the BLM movement.

Thanks

 

[orthopower]

Honest question. Does the volunteer work involve looting and burning cities to the ground?

No, as I said I would be an outreach advocate. And I don't appreciate your tone. The BLM protests have been entirely peaceful.

 

[deleted480308]

No, as I said I would be an outreach advocate. And I don't appreciate your tone. The BLM protests have been entirely peaceful.

http://www.npr.org/2016/07/11/485593473/black-lives-matter-protest-turns-violent-in-st-paul

 

[orthopower]

http://www.npr.org/2016/07/11/485593473/black-lives-matter-protest-turns-violent-in-st-paul

"FLORIDO: On the same station, local Black Lives Matter leader Lena Gardner denounced the violence, which she blames on outsiders and anarchists.

LENA GARDNER: Black Lives Matter in Minneapolis has been and always will be committed to nonviolent protest. We've taken that position from the get-go and we have never wavered from it. And we don't know."

Nice try. I can see that the hate is alive and well, even in the medical community.

 

[Kkshake]

Just look at Charlotte, NC....

 

[orthopower]

Just look at Charlotte, NC....

Surprised to see this view in the medical community. We've had several BLM events at my school this year already, and no one has ever opposed us. If you guys are so convinced that BLM is violent, why don't you speak up?

 

[Kkshake]

When someone on this thread spoke out against BLM, you immediately shot them down and called out white privilege....

 

[orthopower]

When someone on this thread spoke out against BLM, you immediately shot them down and called out white privilege....

Which it is. I was just saying I was surprised to get feedback like on this on this forum since I haven't seen it in real life.

 

[Kkshake]

You don't even know if the person who spoke out against it is white...

 

[orthopower]

You don't even know if the person who spoke out against it is white...

"White", in the context of privilege, could just as easily be replaced with "not black." I think working as an outreach advocate would help communicate the oppression that the black community faces to the non-BLM community.

 

[tantacles]

Locking thread. I think we've had enough at this point, and the thread has gone off topic.