flamingsword | Important read is important

You're viewing

flamingsword's journal
Create a Dreamwidth Account Learn More

Reload page in style: site light

"White people own the top percent of the vast wealth in this county. White people own the majority of real estate, run the vast majority of corporations, determine the cost of the products and the pay of the employees. We control the political system, the judicial system, the educational system, the health system and the legal system.

But none of these systems are broken. They were built this way. White people are broken. We built these systems this way."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

we_are_spc

...

I want to see this display in Tennessee. You walk through this walkway and you get to hear everything black people were called during that time. Considering America's oversensitivity, I wonder if it's still even there.

White people want to stay broken. They don't want to realize the harm they've done.

I better understand now, why Jay and my PoC in system are so afraid of being mocked at.

They understand what it's like, but this body never will. Because it's whitte. Most of my PoC bring their accents with them.

If you know

ysabitwordsmith ask her; she'll know. She's met Jay in person, so to speak.

Now I want to be that witness, that person who stands behind someone while they speak out. I may not know first hand, but they've told me enough that I can empathize, as this person does.

And it makes me even more honored that an African-American man said that I was "like them." ... So very honored. (And even took the time to explain to me what that ment, I was touched, on that day, too, but this article lends it even more context.)

-T~

From:

ilzolende

I feel like Katherine Fugate was in some way trying to choose the least persuasive examples of her points that she had, to court arguments-in-the-comments or something. At any rate, most of the anecdotes and personal examples in that piece seem really poorly chosen and unpersuasive. Are we really supposed to cheer for anyone involved in that hat argument? How is being literally lifted up by a bunch of motivations-undescribed black people at an Emmet Till exhibit not making things about you?

It's also unclear what “To do so, white people can and should speak up.” means in a shut-up-and-listen context.

Overall, this article doesn't seem to have anything actually helpful to say about making society less likely to harm black people, and instead seems to be written by and for neurotic-about-racism white people. I don't really see the value in it.

From: (Anonymous)

As a white person with anxiety about what to do in race conversations, and a recovering "colorblind" racist, another white person saying, "just amplify POC voices" can be a huge help. Saying, "They're right, you need to listen" to other white people is enough. Standing beside black folks in solidarity and nodding along is enough. We don't have to lift up our own perspectives to support theirs; we have permission to lift up theirs.