It happens every day

[eumelia]

I've been wringing my hands about the huge Race and Cultural Appropriation debate which I've mentioned.

I've read the posts and the arguments and what people have been saying.

What's really been shocking is the total lack of perspective and how unwilling people are to listen to those who actually do know what racism is, seeing as racism actually affects their lives every day.

Dramatic? Maybe. Doesn't make it any less true, and if you find it dramatic you're probably not experiencing that variety of oppression and discrimination.

Someone I was discussing racism (anti-racism more to the point) said that we should just stop classifying people and start from scratch.
I find that kind of attitude baffling.
We do not live in a world in which clean slates are possible. We do not live in a world in which history can be removed and nicely boxed away as the past.
Especially because, as I've mentioned, this happens every day, all the time. The mechanisms that keep power where it's at do not let go once they are acknowledged.
Knowing how something works doesn't mean you can take it apart.
Especially when there are many people who benefit, whether they know it or don't, from the way these power structures.

I do not face discrimination or prejudice due to the colour of my skin. I am peachy-pink in the face, all rosy and fair.
In my country I am at the top of the racial totem pole.
The reason I have a country is because my ancestors, not that long ago, my grand-parents generation, were being exterminated for being the lowest on the racial totem pole.
A reminder, I'm an Israeli Ashkenazi/White Jewish grrl, the extermination I'm talking about it the Holocaust.

The relevance of those two facts are whatever you think they are. To me they are fundamental parts of my identity. Not because I chose them, but because they were written unto me by the history of my people.

For the debate currently taking over fandom on LJ and we all know it's not just about fandom and never was.
It was/is the unwillingness to hear, to fucking listen, to what others are saying!
The fact the oppression Olympics came out to play is nothing new, nobody want to own up to the fact that the in my reality I am an Oppressor, especially when I am at the same time also Oppressed.
Racism is not like any other oppression, just as Sexism is not like any other, or Homophobia.
To begin qualifying your own prejudices by saying "look I'm oppressed as well"... it don't fly.

I've been called on my racist shit. Not because I believe that as a white Jew I'm better than someone who isn't, but because as a white Jew the system works in my benefit and if I so chose I do not have to see how my privilege makes my life easier than the lives of other people.
I've been called on my racist shit because I believed in being colour blind... what does it matter if I'm Jewish and you're not?
Let me tell you how...

In the course of a discussion IRL with my family I got so fed up with the way we were heading I said "does anyone have any idea how racist we sound?!"
And a family member said tetchily "Including you!"
Well, no shit.

I have no clue if this adds, detracts or actually does anything to this discussion. But I felt I had to contribute something.

Comments

[shelestel.livejournal.com]

For the debate currently taking over fandom on LJ and we all know it's not just about fandom and never was.
I hold a diametrically opposite view.

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

It is only about fandom and nothing else in your opinion?

[shelestel.livejournal.com]

For me it is mostly about nerds being their wordy selves. There's no meat to it.

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

Hehe.
I think it the fact that wordy nerds have the ability to reflect on these machinations that are generally not spoken about, doesn't mean it doesn't actually happen.

[shelestel.livejournal.com]

but I've appropriated some Bialik this morning, maybe it's related :).

[shelestel.livejournal.com]

Of course it does happen. But nerds discussing it among themselves in flamewar style is very loosely related to the actual issues, methinks.

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

It's not appropriation when you abuse your own culture!

:P

*hugs*

[danamaree.livejournal.com]

I can't read it anymore, it's like, everyone going around same circles that they went around with the last time, and the time before.

So, I just can't watch. It's too frustrating. I find myself screaming things at the screen, and yeah.

[ladyjax.livejournal.com]

Truthfully, I think that's part of the problem. At one point I just wanted to point certain people to posts from the 2006 cultural appropriation discussions that came up after WisCon and say "read this and understand why some of us are a little tired of going over this mess *again*"

My advice: back away from the screen. Slowly. Deep breath. I've had to do that several times myself.

[eumelia.livejournal.com]

I just reached the conclusion that I couldn't ignore this any more and just say "hey, this is happening", with out at the very least talking more deeply about it.

But yeah, backing away and breathing deeply is something that is necessary in these debates.

[gairid.livejournal.com]

We do not live in a world in which history can be removed and nicely boxed away as the past.

Unless, of course, you are tnh and you can and do conveniently delete any and all posts that interfere with your worldview!

As for this go-round, I have been following it with a sense of dismay more than anything else--dismay that so many people will just stick fingers in their ears and chant 'LA LA LA' because it's easier than realizing that, yes, white privelege does affect the way white people (and I include myself in that pale horde) act and react.

[daf9.livejournal.com]

It was/is the unwillingness to hear, to fucking listen, to what others are saying!

Sadly that is true for individuals on all sides of this shouting match.