I think that what you describe beautifully in this piece is an ongoing dilemma for those of us committed in some way to a better world. I started off my career as a social worker. In this world empathy is a key to change at an individual level. Later I became involved as an environmental activist. My normal negotiating skills didn’t work. An older, wiser person, said to me that “Sometimes you have to draw a line in the sand and be prepared to fight.” This was shocking at first, but eventually I understood the wisdom. Later in my career I was an advocate for refugee rights and against institutionalized poverty. This was an endless balancing act between when to empathize and when to fight. I am never sure that I get the balance right, but I reassure myself that at least thinking about the issue, increases my chances.
Not sure what l think about those that stormed the capital. White privileged is the elephant in the room here. Change it to a Coloured president spouting lies to his majority coloured supporters. Goes without saying what would have occurred to the rioters and the out going president impeachment process.
So as a white, late 50’s male, born in Victoria Australia to a good family how do l provide any sort of understanding of BLM, Trumpers etc. I couldn’t as a humane be give an greater advantages in life and l constantly struggle with my frustration of privilege. Walk a mile in mile shoes, is how l try to understand those that hate through ignorance, have been brought up with racism as normal as night and day, live pay cheque to pay cheques only see handouts go to those that aren’t even trying. It’s endless the reason and rationalisation people either use or experience. Then l think, well they are all free think individuals that chose to behave in a way they did or should have known was wrong. I’m tied of excusing behaviour because of ignorance particularly white males living in western civilisation.
Reading at present, some of the easiest digestible fiction l could find. Every 3 or 4 books l need something to read like a tv show that doesn’t take much thought. Muhammad Ali autobiography next up thought.
First things first. I too watched - nay binged the winx saga for i am a sad human being..no I too love a touch of fantasy. I too wish bloom hadn't been so freaking Celtic although production values did find her hair washed out a bit halfway through. I wondered at the idea of making the water fairy a control freak - they could have expanded on the trope of a black girl needing to be better than best but in a fairy land there's no racism right? Just fat phobia. I thought that was handled reasonably well but if I was a fat teenager watching Terra I don't know if I'd feel liberated. Hmm. There have lots of backlash in the millennial kingdom of earth, young girls are pissed off and accuse the production company of whitewashing & leaving out characters. I read that with interest - the cartoon was interesting in that it was an Italian company that ripped of the slant eyed manga look- but it had a pretty passionate young audience...so I've been interested in reading the passionate fans comments on imdb posts. I liked the update because it was fast. But the boys kept taking too much camera time.
Ok. As to the meaty thoughts, I thing Pedagogy of the Opressed is brilliant.
In terms of white marginalised folk - the best book I've read on that core group of america is "Deer Hunting for Jesus". It was written by a member of that core group who "became a liberal". Joe Bageant looks at the democrats failure and abandonment of "white heartland" communities & the republican party ability to tap into the rural heartland. Its a really good read during the Bush and it explains clearly why the mortgage crisis was a death star coming. The financial stuff was shocking. If you couple that book with the movement against the Southern baptists aka white evangelicals/white supremacists, which is currently being documented by black writers such as Lisa Sharon Harper, you get a stronger picture of the damage wrought by these so called Christians. Their historic support of Jim Crow, the rise of the moral majority, and other things. For example, the recent announcement by white evangelicals that work on cultural intersection race theories was Not be to be studied or taught at seminaries. Its hard for me as an Australian to truly wrap my head around the power of this kind of church as the Christian lobby group here is so much smaller. We were not founded as a white country in the name of God. Ok my brain has shut down again. You can get cheap copies of "deer hunting" via the book depository - it explains it better. Finally, the work of Grace and loving those who hate you - ooof. I actually read something on that today. I may send it to you via instagram. But you're so on the money Yassmin about the paucity of a few good white working class men defending you. Uts still going to be "oh, you know, she's alright for a muslim", or in my case- "you're not so bad for a man hating dyke". Its not really going to help you when as you say, "the rubber hits the road". Peace be with you over there - I'm so looking forward to seeing you on zoom- I ordered my book yesterday. Yaay!
I think that what you describe beautifully in this piece is an ongoing dilemma for those of us committed in some way to a better world. I started off my career as a social worker. In this world empathy is a key to change at an individual level. Later I became involved as an environmental activist. My normal negotiating skills didn’t work. An older, wiser person, said to me that “Sometimes you have to draw a line in the sand and be prepared to fight.” This was shocking at first, but eventually I understood the wisdom. Later in my career I was an advocate for refugee rights and against institutionalized poverty. This was an endless balancing act between when to empathize and when to fight. I am never sure that I get the balance right, but I reassure myself that at least thinking about the issue, increases my chances.
Len
Not sure what l think about those that stormed the capital. White privileged is the elephant in the room here. Change it to a Coloured president spouting lies to his majority coloured supporters. Goes without saying what would have occurred to the rioters and the out going president impeachment process.
So as a white, late 50’s male, born in Victoria Australia to a good family how do l provide any sort of understanding of BLM, Trumpers etc. I couldn’t as a humane be give an greater advantages in life and l constantly struggle with my frustration of privilege. Walk a mile in mile shoes, is how l try to understand those that hate through ignorance, have been brought up with racism as normal as night and day, live pay cheque to pay cheques only see handouts go to those that aren’t even trying. It’s endless the reason and rationalisation people either use or experience. Then l think, well they are all free think individuals that chose to behave in a way they did or should have known was wrong. I’m tied of excusing behaviour because of ignorance particularly white males living in western civilisation.
Reading at present, some of the easiest digestible fiction l could find. Every 3 or 4 books l need something to read like a tv show that doesn’t take much thought. Muhammad Ali autobiography next up thought.
My thoughts, hope they made some sort of sense 😎
Oops! During the bush presidency.
First things first. I too watched - nay binged the winx saga for i am a sad human being..no I too love a touch of fantasy. I too wish bloom hadn't been so freaking Celtic although production values did find her hair washed out a bit halfway through. I wondered at the idea of making the water fairy a control freak - they could have expanded on the trope of a black girl needing to be better than best but in a fairy land there's no racism right? Just fat phobia. I thought that was handled reasonably well but if I was a fat teenager watching Terra I don't know if I'd feel liberated. Hmm. There have lots of backlash in the millennial kingdom of earth, young girls are pissed off and accuse the production company of whitewashing & leaving out characters. I read that with interest - the cartoon was interesting in that it was an Italian company that ripped of the slant eyed manga look- but it had a pretty passionate young audience...so I've been interested in reading the passionate fans comments on imdb posts. I liked the update because it was fast. But the boys kept taking too much camera time.
Ok. As to the meaty thoughts, I thing Pedagogy of the Opressed is brilliant.
In terms of white marginalised folk - the best book I've read on that core group of america is "Deer Hunting for Jesus". It was written by a member of that core group who "became a liberal". Joe Bageant looks at the democrats failure and abandonment of "white heartland" communities & the republican party ability to tap into the rural heartland. Its a really good read during the Bush and it explains clearly why the mortgage crisis was a death star coming. The financial stuff was shocking. If you couple that book with the movement against the Southern baptists aka white evangelicals/white supremacists, which is currently being documented by black writers such as Lisa Sharon Harper, you get a stronger picture of the damage wrought by these so called Christians. Their historic support of Jim Crow, the rise of the moral majority, and other things. For example, the recent announcement by white evangelicals that work on cultural intersection race theories was Not be to be studied or taught at seminaries. Its hard for me as an Australian to truly wrap my head around the power of this kind of church as the Christian lobby group here is so much smaller. We were not founded as a white country in the name of God. Ok my brain has shut down again. You can get cheap copies of "deer hunting" via the book depository - it explains it better. Finally, the work of Grace and loving those who hate you - ooof. I actually read something on that today. I may send it to you via instagram. But you're so on the money Yassmin about the paucity of a few good white working class men defending you. Uts still going to be "oh, you know, she's alright for a muslim", or in my case- "you're not so bad for a man hating dyke". Its not really going to help you when as you say, "the rubber hits the road". Peace be with you over there - I'm so looking forward to seeing you on zoom- I ordered my book yesterday. Yaay!