What White America Fails to See - by Michael Eric Dyson
What a bizarre, over the top and self contradictory article. He makes a point of emphasizing that black people have varied feelings and opinions and that Muslims should not be held accountable for the actions of a "few" but then launches a broadside against all white people, attributing to all of them every extreme stereotype of thinking imaginable.
Never my that my own daughter, over dinner last night, expressed mental anguish about the recent shootings (there was no black audience at the dinner table to "play" to) or that the majority of white people I know voted for Obama and that an even more substantial majority will vote for Clinton, aimed more at suppressing the white craziness behind Trump than out of love for Trump.
Kind of sickening.
Point being all white people enjoy white privilege and until we all stand together and say enough is enough, we only express that mental anguish, which wont affect the most of us at all while the black community daily has to deal with the absolute fear of police.
Fact is we are here in the liberal northeast where the problem is not as severe as in the south or midwest or west. Our silent commiserations with the plight of people of color doesnt change their lives or assuage their fear that they or one of their family members or one of their friends might be the next driving while black murder because some ill trained fearful policeman decides that he better shoot because theres no consequence to murdering a black man, whether with or without original intent.
The problem is real, and its not just black folks that can get killed by police, lots of white folks get summarily executed too, its just that the minority community is especially likely to be shot with no ramifications to the shooters.
There's no point in attacking the message, its one mans thoughts, but you should know that those thoughts belie actual fear, daily fear, that any interaction with the police can become deadly. Theres no behavior that can prevent it, hands up, shot, reaching for wallet, shot, not responding fast enough, shot, responding too quickly, shot, going home through a backyard short cut, shot.
Its real. Its happening everyday.
I struggle with articles like this, because I know they come from a very honest and painful place, and say something that must be heard about America's struggles with race. I want to make sure that the community of color leads this battle, and that I look to them for cultural insight that I cannot have on my pale-skinned own, as well as for their thoughts on how best I can help, as an ally.
My consciousness is raised, my heart is mostly in the right place, and I'm aware of the tinges of bias (whether racial, gender, class, ablist, etc.) left by my white midwestern childhood with otherwise good people who were mostly clueless about issues of race, religion, sexuality or class. Continuing to discover and root out my biases and teach my children well is a top priority for me.
Now I treasure, save and reread the articles that talk about specific steps that I can take, as a well-meaning white supporter who wants to help, without exercising my privilege or trying to redirect the effort. I've read three or four of these articles in just the last 24 hours, and was feeling heightened energy and drive.
Then I read an article like this, and realize that in more than a few eyes, I too will be judged by my skin color and found wanting, no matter what I do. Perhaps that feeling of depression and hopelessness is exactly what the writer wants me to feel.
However, lumping me together in "White America" with the most racist Trump supporter isn't fair, and doesn't make me a stronger ally. Honestly, it tempts me to focus on my limited time and donations on other my other social causes (homelessness, mental health issues, etc) where I'm not stereotyped and found intrinsically wanting. But I will go back and listen to other BLM voices, and try to help, rather than letting this writer detour me.
If all whites look the same, equally guilty and unhelpful, to the writer, then he is espousing an environment in which I will not feel welcome as an ally. I can respect his pain, and feel the guilt he wants me to feel, but I don't think that seeing all whites equally as grasping racists is any better than seeing all blacks equally as criminals.
(time to exercise a little privilege and go walk the dog, knowing that my middle-aged white female body doesn't look like a threat to anyone, and then take my daughter for some necessary shopping at stores that won't see me as a shoplifting threat, on streets patrolled by cops who won't profile me as a threat if I make a traffic violation)
bub said:
What a bizarre, over the top and self contradictory article. He makes a point of emphasizing that black people have varied feelings and opinions and that Muslims should not be held accountable for the actions of a "few" but then launches a broadside against all white people, attributing to all of them every extreme stereotype of thinking imaginable.
Never my that my own daughter, over dinner last night, expressed mental anguish about the recent shootings (there was no black audience at the dinner table to "play" to) or that the majority of white people I know voted for Obama and that an even more substantial majority will vote for Clinton, aimed more at suppressing the white craziness behind Trump than out of love for Trump.
Kind of sickening.
When someone writes about a controversial topic from a position of authority on the subject - whichever side - they will necessarily open themselves up to criticism and (I think) rightfully so
It may be instructive to gain some perspective on the actors before delving into the subject matter. Michael Eric Dyson is the author of a new book “The Black Presidency: Barack Obama and the Politics of Race in America” published Feb. 2, 2016 and is a prolific op-ed writer for the NYTimes.
“Readers will recognize Dyson's practiced flair for language and
metaphor as he makes an important and layered argument about American
political culture and the narrowness of presidential speech...[T]he book
ably maintains a sharp critical edge...[The Black Presidency] might well be considered an interpretive miracle.”
—New York Times Book Review
“Georgetown professor and New York Times op-ed contributor
Dyson...turns his full critical (and often angry) attention to the
president. It's an early take, as Obama has a little under a year left
in office, but a smart one.”
—Brooklyn Magazine
Folks in Mr. Dyson's business seem to know him very well. If I didn't know him that well, that might inform my opinion on his article.
susan1014 said:
Then I read an article like this, and realize that in more than a few eyes, I too will be judged by my skin color and found wanting, no matter what I do.
...
If all whites look the same, equally guilty and unhelpful, to the writer, then he is espousing an environment in which I will not feel welcome as an ally.
Other people have proven to me that it's possible to let contrary voices, either singular or more than a few, deepen understanding without dictating it. With those voices in mind, they make the best choices they can, aware that if the environment always had to be conducive, they'd never get anywhere. Theirs is a tough standard to meet, but I take heart from it.
ETA: Your posts in Education threads and appearance before the BOE about your battles on behalf of students like your daughter, Susan, convinced me you're one of those people.
DaveSchmidt, agreed...I won't let this one voice dissuade me from support. However, I think that many less strongly-committed allies can look at an article like this and decide not to participate in a movement where they seem to risk automatic rejection based on skin color.
susan1014 said:
I struggle with articles like this, because I know they come from a very honest and painful place, and say something that must be heard about America's struggles with race. I want to make sure that the community of color leads this battle, and that I look to them for cultural insight that I cannot have on my pale-skinned own, as well as for their thoughts on how best I can help, as an ally.
My consciousness is raised, my heart is mostly in the right place, and I'm aware of the tinges of bias (whether racial, gender, class, ablist, etc.) left by my white midwestern childhood with otherwise good people who were mostly clueless about issues of race, religion, sexuality or class. Continuing to discover and root out my biases and teach my children well is a top priority for me.
Now I treasure, save and reread the articles that talk about specific steps that I can take, as a well-meaning white supporter who wants to help, without exercising my privilege or trying to redirect the effort. I've read three or four of these articles in just the last 24 hours, and was feeling heightened energy and drive.
Then I read an article like this, and realize that in more than a few eyes, I too will be judged by my skin color and found wanting, no matter what I do. Perhaps that feeling of depression and hopelessness is exactly what the writer wants me to feel.
However, lumping me together in "White America" with the most racist Trump supporter isn't fair, and doesn't make me a stronger ally. Honestly, it tempts me to focus on my limited time and donations on other my other social causes (homelessness, mental health issues, etc) where I'm not stereotyped and found intrinsically wanting. But I will go back and listen to other BLM voices, and try to help, rather than letting this writer detour me.
If all whites look the same, equally guilty and unhelpful, to the writer, then he is espousing an environment in which I will not feel welcome as an ally. I can respect his pain, and feel the guilt he wants me to feel, but I don't think that seeing all whites equally as grasping racists is any better than seeing all blacks equally as criminals.
(time to exercise a little privilege and go walk the dog, knowing that my middle-aged white female body doesn't look like a threat to anyone, and then take my daughter for some necessary shopping at stores that won't see me as a shoplifting threat, on streets patrolled by cops who won't profile me as a threat if I make a traffic violation)
bub said:
What a bizarre, over the top and self contradictory article. He makes a point of emphasizing that black people have varied feelings and opinions and that Muslims should not be held accountable for the actions of a "few" but then launches a broadside against all white people, attributing to all of them every extreme stereotype of thinking imaginable.
Never my that my own daughter, over dinner last night, expressed mental anguish about the recent shootings (there was no black audience at the dinner table to "play" to) or that the majority of white people I know voted for Obama and that an even more substantial majority will vote for Clinton, aimed more at suppressing the white craziness behind Trump than out of love for Trump.
Kind of sickening.
I was not at all taken aback by the article. I thought it was very powerful and I took it as an expression of frustration, period end of story, to convey a perspective to the "sickening" events.
Frankly susan1014, I think you nailed it with this:
Then I read an article like this, and realize that in more than a few eyes, I too will be judged by my skin color and found wanting, no matter what I do. Perhaps that feeling of depression and hopelessness is exactly what the writer wants me to feel.
Don't they all look the same.
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/georgia-man-mistaken-suspect-hit-stun-gun-arrested-article-1.2713147
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2qgwx4yrO4
"You look a lot like this person we're looking for."
They charged him anyway.
@susan1014, your post is very well written. My take is this: Some will not want me as a sympathizer, but I don't think it means I shouldn't try. I have spoken about racial justice on facebook recently, and most of my black "friends" there appreciate what I say. Some are not my friends but are friends of my daughter, so that makes me already not an interesting person to them, yet they seem glad that I want what they want. Only one black person I'm connected with on facebook disagrees, and that is only because he does not want to resent society for its injustices. That is his prerogative, and even then, I don't think I'm making him angry; we just disagree.
So don't let writing like this discourage you.
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