To the broader political world, most folks will rightly say, "so what?" But the context should provide us with some lessons to learn. That's because one of the biggest battles going on there was about people of color (mostly African Americans) speaking up when they heard racist things being said by other commentors. The "OMG you're calling me a racist?" reactions where overwhelming and the pushback was severe. After months of this, some black participants and their supporters got angry and said so. It was in the midst of this that Markos came in and lowered the ban hammer without taking the time to look at the context. As a result, about 1/3 of the punishments were given out to either African American participants or their supporters. You can read about Adept2u's (one of those banned) experience here.
What I observe is something I've been talking/hearing about on progressive blogs for years now. It comes down to the fact that if we want to have dialogue about the issue of racism, white people are going to have to get used to the idea that its going to make us uncomfortable.
Interestingly enough, the first time I ran into this issue online it was in a discussion between Glenn Greenwald and Nezua from The Unapologetic Mexican back in the summer of 2008. I wrote about it here.
It starts out with a post by Greenwald where he says this:
It is always preferable to have views and sentiments -- even ugly ones -- aired out in the open rather than forcing them into hiding through suppression. And part of the reason people intently run away from discussions of race... is because it is too easy to unwittingly run afoul of various unwritten speech rules, thereby triggering accusations of bigotry. That practice has the effect of keeping people silent, which in turn has the effect of reinforcing the appearance that nobody thinks about race (which is why nobody discusses it), which in turn prevents a constructive discussions of hidden and unwarranted premises.
And here is Nezua's response to that:
In this analysis (or this part of his post at least) the problem is the various unwritten speech rules. But guess what? There really aren't any. There are just poor attitudes we keep about people who look different. Or who we've been taught to think of differently. And there is a "White" attitude of deciding for everyone else how they should live, be, self-identify, and do many other things. There are old slurs and old tropes that hurt people. These are the things that are flushed out when people speak: attitudes, thoughts, beliefs, manners of speaking that hint at lurking attitudes.
People avoid talking about race because they are scared of exposing their thoughts and views on race. They are afraid they are A RACIST. They are not afraid of "unwritten speech rules." They are afraid that what they really think and feel will cause them to be ridiculed or ostracized in public, or that they may see a part of themselves they have to feel bad about. So they keep the potential to themselves.
But if we keep the focus on Speech Rules, we miss the opportunity to change ourselves...
I would just end by saying what people have to get over is the shame of admitting they are not perfect as-is; admitting that they soaked up some terrible views and thoughts and ideas while growing up absorbing American culture. We have to get over our idea that the work of becoming a Grownup is over—the work of improving ourselves, of continuing the climb toward being a helpful and healthy human being. We should search out these grains of harmful thoughts in ourselves like joyful detectives. Because when you can find them, you can change them. Just seeing them begins that change. Just wanting to see them is a part of that change. This is my idea of changing the world for the better.
Amen! I thought that was the whole point of being a progressive...changing the world for the better. But to do so we've got to get over this fear of feeling bad about what we might have done/said that was racist and be prepared to deal with some genuine anger on the part of those we've hurt.
Several years back I started off an online row when I used the word "oriental" to describe an individual of Asian descent. I could honestly say, at that moment, that I had never heard that quite a few Asians considered it a racist term. It's just the word I always heard when talking about Asians so it never was a problem.
ReplyDeleteDid I fight back against the offense by saying that I shouldn't be accused of racism because of my ignorance? Well, maybe a little. But then I realized I was really having a stupid argument over semantics and I wasn't helping the matter by acting like the fact that the word meant nothing harmful to me was more important than the fact that it obviously did sound harmful to others.
So I stopped using the word and I haven't been the worse for it. Nor have I been better. Because the test of our characters is not the words we use but our appreciation of the impact those words have on the world around us (the same is true of our actions).
That's what it means to be a grownup.
Good post.
Chris - yes, that is exactly what it means to be a grownup.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in one of these discussions a few years ago, someone made the perfect analogy. It goes to the issue of intent. They said that if I drop an anvil on your foot - it doesn't hurt any less if I didn't mean to.
People are so afraid of seeing their own racism that they seem to have completely lost their empathy.
One of the most read posts I've ever done was when I came out and said that many of these sites had more than a little racism present. Which should have been (I know where it got copied) something that made them realize that if the somewhat tone-deaf white guy is saying "hey, you guys are racists," it probably is coming across that much worse to those affected.
ReplyDeleteMarkos apparently has chosen to blame the victim, and get rid of those who see it.
Smartypants, you are more decent than you need to be. dKos has become very toxic.
ReplyDeleteThe truth is Norbrook, any system that is majority white is going to incorporate a lot of racism. That's true of work places, blogs, churches, schools, etc.
ReplyDeleteThe process of opening up people and systems to people of color is - in my experience - long and painful. Anyone who thinks otherwise is just deluding themselves.
A few wise folks over at DK are suggesting that it isn't going to happen there until it comes from the top. Since that is true and is also not likely to happen, I don't see much change happening there.
Bill - I certainly wouldn't disagree with that assessment of DK.
ReplyDeleteOh, I don't deny it at all. I've had my own moments of being an idiot, jumping to conclusions, stereotyping, and so on. Heck, I'll even admit to an occasional backslide. But generally, I'm willing to change, and it isn't pain-free. "Sorry about that, I didn't realize," when meant - if followed by a real change in behavior - works, if you're willing to admit you're at fault, or that what you're doing is offensive.
ReplyDeleteWhat I see over at DK is that they're unwilling to even admit the possibility (despite getting a lot of people pointing it out) that they are tolerating various ethnic/racial/sex-based offensive actions and language, and have decided to deal with it by getting rid of the people who are pointing it out. If you get rid of the complainers, you don't have to face the problem.
Norbrook - Yep. And that's why it has to start from the top - beginning with the willingness to see it.
ReplyDeleteI just logged out of there awhile ago, most likely for the last time evah. Made the mistake of dropping in on BBB's diary only to witness the snark infested mockathon going on there, and lost my cool entirely. Boy did that feel GOOD! I have simply HAD it with mean spirited, hateful people, period. I wanted to stay and support of the POC still fighting it all, but damn, it's literally making me sick.
ReplyDeleteThe boycott was impressive, pretty much dominated both the rec and recent lists for some hours. But I expect no change in the long run. That would have to come from the top down, not the bottom up, with a 97% white, affluent male demographic. It would take an owner totally committed to having strong minority participation, and one hell of a lot of time and effort, none of which I can see ever happening there. Not as long as the clicks keep coming and the coins and personal publicity keep rolling in, and the majority 97% remains happy as clams with the good ol boys club just the way it is.
But I've had about all of the snooty white male superiority and arrogance I can tolerate in this one lifetime. If they haven't seen it, it doesn't exist. If they haven't felt it, it doesn't exist. If you have a problem with the playing field they own, or the rules and norms they've set, or don't see or say things their way, or, god forbid, object to however they wish to treat you, then you're the problem, there's the door, don't let it hit you in the ass when you go. They only tolerate minorities and women as long as we suck up enough and conform to who they want us to be, while, of course, contributing free content that generates traffic. Ugh. Just...ugh.
scribe - I'm so sorry!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThe part I struggle with - and did after watching the original pie wars - is to grieve my vision of what I thought progressivism was all about. It certainly has no bearing at all on what's going on there.
And then I try to figure out how representative that crowd is of progressivism - and how much this medium brings out both the best and the worst in us.
I rarely go there and I was a regular with a low id#.
ReplyDeleteThe hatred for anyone who supports the Pres is disgusting. I'm not sure they even know they are racist , they just spew. I wonder how many have left? Its little more than a FDL these days.
So when they are involved with getting the Pres to lose they will have something to complain about(the Rep Pres) and will make more money.
Sadly I have lost friends over all this.
snowbird - I can totally relate to the losing friends part. It's really sad.
ReplyDeleteThanks Sadly too they are real people not virtual ones!
ReplyDeleteIt saddens me more than it angers me. There was a time when DKos was a haven for those who didn't buy into the 90% support for Bush. It was a place you could go to reassure yourself that you weren't nuts when you thought the rest of the country had gone nuts.
ReplyDeleteTo see a great institution reduced to irrelevancy is never a good thing, regardless of the cause.