Yeah, and I think perhaps for people like myself who were on the streets fighting the Neo-Nazis, it's quite deep-grained offensive to hear somebody being called a racist, who doesn't fit into our/my preconception of what a racist is.
And I'm convinced, as you say, that this was a major contribution to the whole racefail thing. Because I thought that was so depressing, where people who are all basically on the same side, were falling out with each other so visciously. While all the time the real racist assholes are still out there laughing themselves silly at our sides inability to get along.
(And I'm not convinced we have moved on so much from kicking people to death in the streets. Look at the lot of Muslims in the UK for example, or anybody with brown skin in America. Or indeed that the BNP are still around. Though thank the gods Nick Griffin has had to resign following their election failure.)
Oh no, I do understand the concept. And I do admit that I am no doubt somewhat antiquated in my thinking on a lot of these issues, because I am a product of my environment where racists were skin head nazis, and sexual assaulters were rapist bastards who were largely protected by the police and society.
But at the same time I'm increasingly finding the politics of victim privilidge to also be damaging to real progress.
Oh no, I do understand the concept. And I do admit that I am no doubt somewhat antiquated in my thinking on a lot of these issues, because I am a product of my environment where racists were skin head nazis, and sexual assaulters were rapist bastards who were largely protected by the police and society.
But at the same time I'm increasingly finding the politics of victim privilege to also be damaging to real progress.
I think at heart it comes down to, people interpreting the world in very very different ways. And to effect real change, you somehow have to challenge that, without making people feel defensive and threatened. Which... is a huge challenge for language.
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andrewducker) wrote2010-05-25 01:04 pm
no subject
And I'm convinced, as you say, that this was a major contribution to the whole racefail thing. Because I thought that was so depressing, where people who are all basically on the same side, were falling out with each other so visciously. While all the time the real racist assholes are still out there laughing themselves silly at our sides inability to get along.
(And I'm not convinced we have moved on so much from kicking people to death in the streets. Look at the lot of Muslims in the UK for example, or anybody with brown skin in America. Or indeed that the BNP are still around. Though thank the gods Nick Griffin has had to resign following their election failure.)
no subject
no subject
But at the same time I'm increasingly finding the politics of victim privilidge to also be damaging to real progress.
no subject
But at the same time I'm increasingly finding the politics of victim privilege to also be damaging to real progress.
I think at heart it comes down to, people interpreting the world in very very different ways. And to effect real change, you somehow have to challenge that, without making people feel defensive and threatened. Which... is a huge challenge for language.