There are times when the normalized systems of violence that support privilege and power become painfully visible.
In 1911, the New York Triangle Shirtwaist factory fire killed 146 garment workers and laid bare the inhumane indifference of the factory labor system. Out of this tragedy, the successful union fight for a 40-hour week arose.
In 1965, Americans were shocked out of their complacency when non-violent protesters were attacked with knight sticks and tear gas in Selma, Ala. The Voting Rights Act was signed into law five months later. ...