notes.jays.net

# [Not|Yes] All [Men|White People]

Originally posted to deafferret on 2016-05-02.

[ Ha, whoops. Wrote this months ago, just found it stuck in my “Drafts.” Click here for RV stuff ]

sigh. More unfollows.

I’m a white male. Statistics show me my privilege. I assume I enjoy privilege in situations I’m unaware of.

I care about women’s issues. I care about race issues. I want to help.

When someone pulls “Not All,” feel free to yell “Yes All” at them. Including me. You’re angry. I get it. I share your frustration with deniers of privilege.

As the holder of privilege it’s my job to listen to “Yes All.” Silently, again and again. And to amplify the voices of the unprivileged. I understand that.

But I can only silently empathize with “Yes All” so many times before I unfollow you.

Because the word “all” has an actual meaning. “Not All” is accurate. “Yes All” is inaccurate, but a satisfying shortcut to yell at people who deny their privilege. It feels good to yell it at people who don’t get it. OK.

Let’s amplify the voices of the specific individuals who are being treated poorly.

But yelling at the “Not All” people is not helping address our actual problems. It’s just shutting off communication. Some of those people want to help.

Social media is a terrible vehicle to attempt thoughtful conversations of complex problems. Can we try to use it to focus on problem behaviors and what, specifically and systematically, we can do to fix the situations we find ourselves in?

Those constructive voices are the ones I follow on social media. I try to be one of those voices.

Thanks.