(no subject)

[nilchance]

Originally posted by brynwolf, but I want to see this spread far and wide, so:

This Is Your Nation on White Privilege

Comments

[nilchance.livejournal.com]

A) At no point does the article cite Republicans as the problem. Our culture's view of race is the problem. The media isn't picking up on these issues, a large chunk of DEMOCRATS aren't picking up on these issues.

B) I have no doubt that your husband and daughter are compassionate individuals. My problem is not a personal one with them or most other individual Republicans. My problem is with the Republican PARTY, who has definitely made things personal when they seek to legislate my relationship, my body and my health. I can't espouse unity between the parties at this point without surrendering on these issues, and I'm not willing to do that.

[twasadark.livejournal.com]

You're right in what you say, and you say it eloquently. I guess what I'm saying is that I don't have a problem with people having opinions. We're all different - we all SHOULD have different opinions. My problem is that by demonizing the 'other', whether it be Democrat (can I strangle Sean Hannity now, please??), Republican, Muslim, whoever, we make them into the enemy. Then it's okay to propagate all manner of hateful actions towards that group. Isn't that what happened with Mathew Shepard? The demonizing of gays led to hateful actions by a few hateful individuals.

I'm not trying to imply that YOU are this way. I know you only through your writing and kitty posts (which I love) and the occasional reviews and links you post. I'm just saying that I wish for unity in the sense that all thinking people "agree to disagree" and proceed to make difficult decisions without hateful rhetoric and finger-pointing.

I teach college level history, and this is my goal - to help students to analyze their thinking, to go beyond emotion and instinct and engage their higher brain functions. So I get all bent out of shape when I see attack ads and articles, and what not. And all sides in politics do it.

At least this election there is an effort by both sides to keep it positive. Maybe it will help? I don't know.

I appreciate your thoughtful response, especially in lieu of the fact that I'm commenting on your journal. I mean, it's YOUR journal and you should be able to post whatever you want on it. I guess I commented because I'm still working these thoughts out in my own mind. And perhaps your posting is a way of the universe telling me that I need to post about things other than the usual inanity I usually do.

[nilchance.livejournal.com]

My problem is that by demonizing the 'other', whether it be Democrat (can I strangle Sean Hannity now, please??), Republican, Muslim, whoever, we make them into the enemy. Then it's okay to propagate all manner of hateful actions towards that group. Isn't that what happened with Mathew Shepard? The demonizing of gays led to hateful actions by a few hateful individuals.

I don't consider cultural criticism "demonizing the other". In a lot of cases, it deconstructs demonization of the other, like McCain's views of disability/health care or GLBT issues. I don't believe that disregarding issues like white privilege or straight privilege or WHATEVER in the name of courtesy is really doing anybody any favors.