So, I don't know [of] Jamie Utt, and I take issue with the essay, not with him. But I do take issue with the sentiments of the essay. The basic concepts, sure, they're sound. I just don't like the way he talks about interacting with people of privilege.
I think the clearest way to express what I heard in his essay is to quote the bits I didn't like and translate them into what I heard.
Lately, I’ve been hearing a lot of White people screaming about racism. I've been hearing a lot of white people overreacting to things with statements that have zero value.
There has been a concerted effort made by a small but loud group (like the Limbaughs, Zimmermans, or Robertsons) to coopt language and shift the discussion so that things stay just the way they are.
But I don't want to blame ordinary deluded white folks when we can identify the bad guys trying to keep them racist.
A young person with whom I am friends on Facebook recently posted the following as his status: “Why is it that all of a sudden the worst thing in the world you can be is a white, straight, middle class, christian? [sic]” And I engaged him. Because I’m hearing this sentiment more and more from folks of privilege: There is a tremendous fear (no matter how grounded in fiction it may be) that they are under attack.
Other people with privilege think they're under attack, and I decided to show one of them he was wrong.
It is a fear peddled by conservative media and in daily conversation. It is a fear that what was once promised to us as people of identity privilege (often at the expense of others) is no longer a guarantee.
Now, of course I am one of those privileged people, and I need to acknowledge that with the language of "us."
It is a fear that speaks to the progress –humble in some areas and significant in others – that has been made (and continues to be made) in overturning (or at least reforming) systems that were built fundamentally for the benefit of a tiny few. But it is also a fear that speaks to the kind of resistance we can expect as we move forward in these struggles.
But just to be clear, I'm not one of *those* privileged people. I'm totally on the side of the good guys here.
Well, if I simply write him off as a bigoted jerk who doesn’t understand power structures, where do we go? Instead, it is my responsibility as a person of privilege striving to be an ally to call him into discussion. It is my responsibility to at least attempt to bring him to a place where his words are less hurtful, and – who knows? – perhaps doing so will help him along the path to being an ally himself.
Because I ID as a good guy, I kinda want to write this guy off as a bigoted jerk. But he's just deluded, and it's my responsibility to convert him to the right side by pretending we're on same and I genuinely appreciate his struggles. Although not what he has to say, because: zero value.
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Re: Racism and Language
Date: 2013-08-26 11:31 pm (UTC)I think the clearest way to express what I heard in his essay is to quote the bits I didn't like and translate them into what I heard.
Lately, I’ve been hearing a lot of White people screaming about racism.
I've been hearing a lot of white people overreacting to things with statements that have zero value.
There has been a concerted effort made by a small but loud group (like the Limbaughs, Zimmermans, or Robertsons) to coopt language and shift the discussion so that things stay just the way they are.
But I don't want to blame ordinary deluded white folks when we can identify the bad guys trying to keep them racist.
A young person with whom I am friends on Facebook recently posted the following as his status: “Why is it that all of a sudden the worst thing in the world you can be is a white, straight, middle class, christian? [sic]”
And I engaged him. Because I’m hearing this sentiment more and more from folks of privilege: There is a tremendous fear (no matter how grounded in fiction it may be) that they are under attack.
Other people with privilege think they're under attack, and I decided to show one of them he was wrong.
It is a fear peddled by conservative media and in daily conversation. It is a fear that what was once promised to us as people of identity privilege (often at the expense of others) is no longer a guarantee.
Now, of course I am one of those privileged people, and I need to acknowledge that with the language of "us."
It is a fear that speaks to the progress –humble in some areas and significant in others – that has been made (and continues to be made) in overturning (or at least reforming) systems that were built fundamentally for the benefit of a tiny few.
But it is also a fear that speaks to the kind of resistance we can expect as we move forward in these struggles.
But just to be clear, I'm not one of *those* privileged people. I'm totally on the side of the good guys here.
Well, if I simply write him off as a bigoted jerk who doesn’t understand power structures, where do we go?
Instead, it is my responsibility as a person of privilege striving to be an ally to call him into discussion.
It is my responsibility to at least attempt to bring him to a place where his words are less hurtful, and – who knows? – perhaps doing so will help him along the path to being an ally himself.
Because I ID as a good guy, I kinda want to write this guy off as a bigoted jerk. But he's just deluded, and it's my responsibility to convert him to the right side by pretending we're on same and I genuinely appreciate his struggles. Although not what he has to say, because: zero value.