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Abstract

h2>Many powerful words are commonly used without the attention they deserve. The challenge is to really understand them and use them appropriately. Words have a story, they shape culture. Words can hurt or uplift, they touch our emotions. They have the power to bring us together or pull us apart. Words matter.Consider “White privilege”. The first time I heard this expression, I was surprised. I thought privilege was about wealth and social class. How can it have a color? After all, many white men, women, and children live in extreme poverty and suffer terribly. Where’s their privilege? I needed to go past that first impression and learn what it meant, how life can be different depending on the color of your skin, and how that condition can be a privilege. Once you dive into the full meaning of a word, a whole new world presents itself, it opens new opportunities to grow.While some words might enlighten, some others, on the contrary, entrap us into dark corners. Words are sometimes just so fully loaded there is no way to justify their use. It does not cost much to stop using a word, especially once you understand how much damage it can make. The “n-word” is an obvious example, but we do not need to go that far to pay attention to apparently inoffensive words that can hurt. For example, consider <a href="https://readmedium.com/can-y-all-please-learn-how-to-use-poc-f9931a31bcbc">this excellent article</a> about how to use and not to use the acronym POC (People Of Color) by <a href="https://casiracopes.medium.com/">Casira Copes</a>. This might sound trivial or even ridiculous to some readers, but if someone says it matters and can hurt, we should listen and focus on understanding their perspective.One word I currently have some difficulties with is “anti-racism”. In general, I do not like “anti-” words. They’re negative. They define what to reject without offering a solution. That’s mostly why, for now, I prefer the word “ally”, which conveys the acknowledgment of a problem, as well as the need to bring people together with a moral purpose to resist and eventually overcome a recognized threat. It’s a positive word. However, I realize an alliance can sometimes be too weak against powerful evil forces. Being an ally might not be enough.It is no easy task to deconstruct a familiar language in the context of becoming an ally. But it does matter. The more I learn, the more I appreciate the depth and complexity of language and its power to unite or divide.<h2 id="c201">The risk and temptation of remaining quiet</h2

Options

As a white man, it can be challenging to find the right thing to say or to do for supporting social justice, without saying or doing too much or too little.Doing too little does not change the status quo, and thus leaves the ground to White supremacy, which gains power as it remains unchallenged by the silent and passive non-racist majority.Doing too much is however also self-defeating, and sometimes suspicious.For example, I have recently started posting articles about social justice, and each time I strongly hesitate to publish my writing. What legitimacy do I have to express my opinion on such matters? By doing so, am I taking someone else’s space that would be more meaningful and legitimate?Overall, I think the risk is greater to do too little rather than too much, so it is worth trying to push ourselves even if it brings some discomfort. This is a very small and transient price to pay compared to the constant harassment and fear People of Color have to live with. I found the story “<a href="https://readmedium.com/the-world-needs-more-antiracist-white-men-6ccaa0c75d87">The World Needs More Antiracist White Men</a>” by <a href="https://rstevensalder.medium.com">Rebecca Stevens A.</a> quite motivating.<h2 id="a774">Anti-racism does not equal leftism</h2>Last (for now), but not least, the fight against racism is too often associated with a radical political agenda that, to be honest, makes me uncomfortable. By supporting social justice, I do not mean to support every other opinion that may be promoted by groups who otherwise share the same goal.For example, I think police should be an important and respected part of a functioning democracy, and I am thus generally not in favor of defunding the police (although there are probably some urban areas where the police are corrupt beyond repair). Anarchy is not social progress.So the challenge is: how do I support a cause without finding myself enrolled against my will in a broader movement I may not align with? Social justice is a universal right, it should be supported by all but still allow for a variety of political opinions to shape a reasonable debate, which is another pillar of democracy.Thanks for reading this series of articles. Each of us has the power and responsibility to shape society. I hope this will inspire you to go beyond your level of comfort and support social justice in new ways, as I look forward to receiving any advice you might have. Love.</article></body>

Becoming An Ally — Part 4

A few challenges

This is the last in a series of 4 articles about becoming an ally. In the previous article, I described some actions one might consider to become an ally. As I have been working on this, I identified a few challenges that constitute the subject of this last article.

Having shared my findings so far, this story would not be complete without highlighting some of the challenges I have identified along the way. I expect some readers might ask themselves similar questions. I do not pretend to have found any definitive answers, which might not even exist, but I hope it can help to address them.

Is talking against racism just giving ground to a social construct?

When I started this journey, I experienced some sort of initial allergic reaction. Racism is a social construct without any scientific foundation, why should we talk about it?

We already addressed this question (why?) at the start of this series, and I do not intend to repeat myself here. The challenge I wish to highlight now is the following: by talking so much about fighting racism and its presence and power in our society, is it possible that we may paradoxically sustain the development of this beast?

In other words, by fighting against racism, are we giving legitimacy to its otherwise unjustified existence? Are we putting fuel on the fire, broadening the resistance of an attitude that would otherwise be limited to the fringes of society?

Well, the fact is that ignoring or downplaying racism has still not worked after centuries of abuse… so we do need to talk about racism and work actively against it.

Racism does exist even if it is irrational and baseless.

Having said that, is it possible to do too much about it, go too far, feed anger and sustain a vicious cycle? Racism might be like cancer: when it metastasizes, strong treatment is desperately needed. But if the treatment is too strong, the whole body dies with it. How strong or soft should treatment be for the whole body to heal and win over the disease?

Words matter.

Many powerful words are commonly used without the attention they deserve. The challenge is to really understand them and use them appropriately. Words have a story, they shape culture. Words can hurt or uplift, they touch our emotions. They have the power to bring us together or pull us apart. Words matter.

Consider “White privilege”. The first time I heard this expression, I was surprised. I thought privilege was about wealth and social class. How can it have a color? After all, many white men, women, and children live in extreme poverty and suffer terribly. Where’s their privilege? I needed to go past that first impression and learn what it meant, how life can be different depending on the color of your skin, and how that condition can be a privilege. Once you dive into the full meaning of a word, a whole new world presents itself, it opens new opportunities to grow.

While some words might enlighten, some others, on the contrary, entrap us into dark corners. Words are sometimes just so fully loaded there is no way to justify their use. It does not cost much to stop using a word, especially once you understand how much damage it can make. The “n-word” is an obvious example, but we do not need to go that far to pay attention to apparently inoffensive words that can hurt. For example, consider this excellent article about how to use and not to use the acronym POC (People Of Color) by Casira Copes. This might sound trivial or even ridiculous to some readers, but if someone says it matters and can hurt, we should listen and focus on understanding their perspective.

One word I currently have some difficulties with is “anti-racism”. In general, I do not like “anti-” words. They’re negative. They define what to reject without offering a solution. That’s mostly why, for now, I prefer the word “ally”, which conveys the acknowledgment of a problem, as well as the need to bring people together with a moral purpose to resist and eventually overcome a recognized threat. It’s a positive word. However, I realize an alliance can sometimes be too weak against powerful evil forces. Being an ally might not be enough.

It is no easy task to deconstruct a familiar language in the context of becoming an ally. But it does matter. The more I learn, the more I appreciate the depth and complexity of language and its power to unite or divide.

The risk and temptation of remaining quiet

As a white man, it can be challenging to find the right thing to say or to do for supporting social justice, without saying or doing too much or too little.

Doing too little does not change the status quo, and thus leaves the ground to White supremacy, which gains power as it remains unchallenged by the silent and passive non-racist majority.

Doing too much is however also self-defeating, and sometimes suspicious.

For example, I have recently started posting articles about social justice, and each time I strongly hesitate to publish my writing. What legitimacy do I have to express my opinion on such matters? By doing so, am I taking someone else’s space that would be more meaningful and legitimate?

Overall, I think the risk is greater to do too little rather than too much, so it is worth trying to push ourselves even if it brings some discomfort. This is a very small and transient price to pay compared to the constant harassment and fear People of Color have to live with. I found the story “The World Needs More Antiracist White Men” by Rebecca Stevens A. quite motivating.

Anti-racism does not equal leftism

Last (for now), but not least, the fight against racism is too often associated with a radical political agenda that, to be honest, makes me uncomfortable. By supporting social justice, I do not mean to support every other opinion that may be promoted by groups who otherwise share the same goal.

For example, I think police should be an important and respected part of a functioning democracy, and I am thus generally not in favor of defunding the police (although there are probably some urban areas where the police are corrupt beyond repair). Anarchy is not social progress.

So the challenge is: how do I support a cause without finding myself enrolled against my will in a broader movement I may not align with? Social justice is a universal right, it should be supported by all but still allow for a variety of political opinions to shape a reasonable debate, which is another pillar of democracy.

Thanks for reading this series of articles. Each of us has the power and responsibility to shape society. I hope this will inspire you to go beyond your level of comfort and support social justice in new ways, as I look forward to receiving any advice you might have. Love.