> If you're in a room full of klansmen who are all going on about how whites are the superior race, and you disagree. Are you the problem? NO!
Well, yes actually, you are. By what mechanism does a group of clansmen become one notch less destructive? Certainly not by having newcomers tell them non-whites are equal.
They become less harmful by A) feeling like they have the institutional support to take care of their own, so they have less need to lash out, B) having safe, passive exposure to The Other, and C) having people they trust question their worst ideas.
If you’re not making some similar constructive move, then yes: you’re part of the problem.
Notice that we’re not saying you’re wrong. Of course speaking out against white supremacy is right, that’s a separate question from whether it’s problem or solution.
It’s easy to be correct while contributing nothing to solving a problem.
Well, yes actually, you are. By what mechanism does a group of clansmen become one notch less destructive? Certainly not by having newcomers tell them non-whites are equal.
They become less harmful by A) feeling like they have the institutional support to take care of their own, so they have less need to lash out, B) having safe, passive exposure to The Other, and C) having people they trust question their worst ideas.
If you’re not making some similar constructive move, then yes: you’re part of the problem.
Notice that we’re not saying you’re wrong. Of course speaking out against white supremacy is right, that’s a separate question from whether it’s problem or solution.
It’s easy to be correct while contributing nothing to solving a problem.