It’s Not Enough To Admit Our Privilege
The civil uprisings in Minneapolis and Louisville following the “police-involved incident culminating in the terminal neutralization of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor” are shedding light on just how formative a moment the 2014 protests in Ferguson, MO were for America’s social conscience. Not only did they bring wider attention to the systemic violence against black men in America, especially by the police, they were ground zero for organizing the sort of mass protests we’re seeing today; they taught those organizers important lessons like the necessity of caution when sharing photos and videos of protesters and the consequences when precautions aren’t taken; and, of questionable import compared the those other things, it began to change the minds of privileged white people on the benevolence of policing and, as a consequence, the benevolence of the country as a whole towards people of color.
In the ensuing years, it’s become clear that having our minds changed and our point of view shifted isn’t enough, because it very often amounts only to theater. The impact of tweeting a hashtag or some emojis and kind words in support of protesters is negligible and could even be a net negative if it takes the place of action. The same goes for merely admitting that we are privileged as white men; while true, it’s not something anyone deserves credit for admitting, it’s just a fact of life. I’ve written before about how white people like to co-opt the anti-white language of people of color show that they’re “one of the good ones.” Admitting to privilege is no different. Alone, it’s performative, and as such, it’s ultimately selfish.
I won’t say I’m not guilty of this sort of thing; in fact, I feel comfortable saying this precisely because I have been, over and over again. I’ve prioritized getting a couple beers or some fast food over donating to GoFundMes or bail funds for victims and protesters, I’ve volunteered for not nearly long enough at protests and live-ins, I’ve avoided the commitment of joining my local DSA chapter, I’ve been mostly satisfied to be a nominal ally. Accusations of virtue signalling from the political right are often meant to excuse their own racism or sexism or selfishness, but that alone doesn’t mean they’re without merit. If all you’re doing is saying that you know you’re privileged and that you support people doing the work to build towards a world you want in your mind, you’re not doing enough. You’e doing pretty much exactly as much as the people whose support for the value of black lives ends at the destruction of a Target or a police station.
This is not to castigate myself but to serve as a reality check for people like me — people who believe themselves to be supportive to the cause of ending systemic racism and dismantling the police state that perpetuates it to serve the interests of capital but whose contributions are mostly campaign donations and social media posts, because almost none of us have a platform worth anything. I think there are a lot of people like me out there. It’s not enough to vote in a presidential primary, because, well, look what happens anyway. We’ve gotten to the point where saying that we’re privileged is the statement du jour for white public figures during times of racialized turmoil, another platitude to punch up the thoughts and prayers. We need to stop being the virtue signalling echo-chamber bumps on a log the right often accuses us of being, and that needs to come in the form of dollars and action, because this fight is not about us even if our instinct is to make it so (I really hope that comes across in this little blog). With that in mind, below is a (likely incomplete, will be updated) list of places our dollars can go:
Louisville Community Bail Fund
This thread includes many more
Additionally, keep an eye out for protests; listen to what organizers tell you are best practices for keeping protesters safe when you attend or follow along on social media; know that your place at a protest is to center and protect black voices; don’t get anyone killed or maimed because you want to tell the kids about the time you went epic mode and jumped on a cop car; and remember that collectivism and autonomy are not mutually exclusive, and that those who find discomfort in your goals of liberation will be issued no apology.
