I completely agree and couldn't have said it better. I also feel as a daughter-in-law of a police officer and the mother of a son going into law enforcement that if I were to make a reaction video about the deaths in Dallas based on my fear of my these things happening to my child one day that the backlash would be so horrific. Yes. It's fear. Plain and simple. Fear. And it's sad that we have to be afraid of people we don't know saying we have no grounds to make an opinion. It's disgusting that people get up in arms when some old white dude belittles some woman's choice to wear makeup in her videos. I was so angry when these videos came out. I thought there's so much more going on that is way bigger than this and it was, in my opinion, drama. Why are we talking about makeup and insults about being a real reader when the things that Mickey is talking about here are being ignored? I'm promoting this video over all my social media outlets. More people need to see this.

+Now Voyaging I don't see it as condescending at all. I totally understand the fear of backlash. I was worried after I posted this video and dared to use #blacklivesmatter hashtag what sort of crazies might come out of the woodwork. But we can't let our fear of negative comments keep us from speaking. There's nothing wrong at all with you admitting that you don't know or you don't feel qualified to speak on the topic. Help amplify the voices that do. I love that Bustle article you tweeted with the list of books for white allies. I put several of those books on my own TBR to learn more about how race functions in other communities besides my own. YOU helped me do that. YOU started a dialogue. YOU just raised awareness. It was just so disheartening to login to Twitter feeling so heartbroken and people just aren't saying anything. No reposting of the news that this had happened. No acknowledgement whatsoever. There was so much solidarity after Orlando and while I know the death toll wasn't as great, these incidents still mattered; those deaths matter.

+dancing lizard I definitely understand the fear of backlash. There are people who would get really upset if they felt for a moment that you were privileging cops lives over black lives. Speak anyway. You have such a powerful and unique perspective. Because you have such close ties to law enforcement, to hear you say I grieve for the cops in Dallas and I fear for my family members lives but I also grieve for Alton Sterling and Philando Castile and I fear for the lives of my fellow black citizens could be powerful for someone. Anti-police brutality is not the same as anti-police. People may be more willing to hear this message from you than me because you're coming at it from a different angle.

+dancing lizard ALL of the deaths last week were caused by America's refusal to acknowledge our issues with race. Point blank. We think if we ignore it, it will go away. It won't. It'll just keep finding all these insidious ways to consume us.

Thank you so much for your reply. I totally agree, even though I don't feel qualified to speak I can at the very least promote those who can...like yourself! Thank you for making this video. I feel like today our society isn't comfortable having difficult conversations about topics such as sexuality, religion, and race because there is a belief that a difficult or challenging conversation automatically leads to confrontation. I don't believe this is the case but I do think that I let my fear overrule my desire to speak up or do something to help. Thank you again for this video and your reply.

+booksnq sending hugs and good vibes your way sis. I'm trying really hard to feel positive. To find the desire and strength to continue fighting. I feel like I already know what the outcome is going to be. My only hope now comes from the fact that Philando Castile for all intents and purposes, appears to be an upstanding citizen. They're having a hard time digging up dirt on him. Maybe that'll help. I don't know. I actually wish that I could pretend like nothing is happening but alas, I don't have that privilege. Going to try and rest this weekend and get up on Monday to fight the good fight.

And given that a LOT of people within this Booktube community have such agency, and so much powerf to make change? That is VERY unfortunate. I'm trying to change that because I don't believe that this is how it's meant to be. This community needs to be challenged and awakened to the fact that people within its midst are being affected by real life stuff. Stuff that should at least warrant a frickin' tweet. A mention. An instagram post. It's upsetting. No more. I'm calling people out.

I understand where you're coming from. I've been tweeting the videos I've been seeing and am horrified each and everyday when I open my phone. Some people are frankly speaking afraid to say anything. You can try to change the way Booktube reacts to issues like this, but you'll be wasting your time. Most Booktubers are far removed from diverse subjects, especially like this. This being said it's not hard to just stand up to say Stop! Enough! However some Booktubers have expressed things on other social media outlets, just not on Booktube.

I actually don't think I'm wasting my time, it's unfortunate that you think I am. As we ask the majority not to do to us, I refuse to lump this entire community into a one big assumption. I've personally already spoken to several people within the Booktube community, as have been very successful. My goal isn't to "change Booktube". My goal is to change minds. And Booktube is an excellent medium. Education and support is what this community needs and I aim to help with that, if I can. And yes, people have spoken up on other social media, I'm well aware of that. I am one of those people.

Well then great you're succeeding. That's all that matters.

+LuLo Fangirl Thank you SO MUCH for doing what you're doing and being an inspiration. People like you will be the change. I'm glad you aren't giving up and trying your best to do great things. That's truly awesome!

+Manika Wangasta Hahahaha "plantery silence" ....I hope you're including the black community who refuse to cooperate with prosecutors even after witnessing a drive-by of a child's birthday party.

+1book1review I totally get that some people just don't want to use their channel for political purposes though I would challenge that decision especially since a lot of us are engaging with books that are steeped in the politics of an author's time and place. Books and politics have never been mutually exclusive. But I can respect if you only want to talk about books. But there are people who do engage in politics on their channels or on their social medias who haven't said anything. This is about more than people arguing about political ideologies. People died. People are still dying. So many people posted after the Orlando shootings and nobody had a problem voicing the ways in which anti-LGBT sentiment led to those deaths. I don't understand why people aren't doing the same here. I definitely understand while Booktubers outside of America are maybe not engaging with the topic as much. I definitely had American booktubers in mind when I posted this video. But the confusion and the frustration you just expressed in this comment about the state of our world is needed. It tells me that you see and believe that something horrible has happened. Because there are a lot of people out there with their heads buried in the sand who want to pretend like nothing has happened. Sam from Novels and Nonsense posted a tweet on Thursday night where she basically encouraged us to love a little harder in the face of what's going on right now. She didn't directly engage with the topic but she let her followers know hey, I see and recognize that something awful has happened and I acknowledge that many people are hurting. It's small but it means something. We underestimate how important our voices are.

***** thanks for the long response. Of course I cannot speak for reasons why American booktubers don't speak out about it, but I understand your frustration and what you are asking for better now. Maybe videos will come in future days, booktubers need a little time sometimes to process their thoughts. There were a few in my inbox this morning, so don't give up on the community, and don't let the silence stop you from talking about it.

+Secundra Beasley I checked it out. Going to add to the description box as soon as I get to a computer. Thanks for letting me know about it and thanks for your comments. I hope you've found some peace these past few days. **hugs**

I have found some solace. In nature and in human beings. Thanks for the book tip. I will put in on my TBR. hugs to you. Thanks.

Robert Fishman And you didn't watch the video since I clearly state the book is about the obstacles police face when attempting to solve murders in black communities.

Mickey, what you seem to be implying is that since the victims are black, "society" doesn't care and the murders aren't solved. However, isn't the truth that if the killers were white, there would be large scale outrage from BLM, Jesse jackson, Sharpton and the liberal establishment? Wouldn't white on black killings generate a demand that the killers be brought to justice? I know this isn't the politically correct point of view but it seems as liberals react to killings of black men only when killed by whites or police

+Fredmullegun it is. I used to speed videos up to make them shorter but I've been working on trying to get to the point quicker. Lol. Sorry if it bothered you.

go to playback speed and put 0.75 problem solved.