Summary

The article critiques the use of "devil's advocate" arguments in discussions about human rights, civil rights, and justice, suggesting that such positions align with systemic injustice and are not welcome in these serious discourses.

Abstract

The author of the article reflects on a scene from the movie "Bad Boys 2" where the character Mike Lowery is met with the proclamation "The Devil is not welcome here" by a Caribbean gangster. This scene serves as a metaphor for the author's stance against individuals who play devil's advocate in conversations concerning fundamental human and civil rights. The article argues that invoking the devil's advocate position often perpetuates a false neutrality, giving undue credence to unjust viewpoints that are already deeply entrenched and privileged in society. It highlights the problematic nature of this approach, especially when it comes from a place of privilege and serves to derail or dismiss the experiences and advocacy of marginalized groups. The author emphasizes that there is no need to entertain arguments that support injustice, especially when these arguments are presented under the guise of intellectual exercise or neutrality.

Opinions

The author finds the phrase "The Devil is not welcome here" from "Bad Boys 2" humorous yet apt for dismissing devil's advocate positions in serious discussions about rights and justice.
Playing devil's advocate in discussions about racism, sexism, and other civil rights issues is seen as a weak counter-argument that often stems from a position of privilege.
The article criticizes the notion that all sides of an argument deserve equal consideration, particularly when one side represents systemic injustice.
The author views the practice of devil's advocacy in these contexts as a form of disinformation and intellectual dishonesty.
It is pointed out that devil's advocacy can be a passive-aggressive tactic used to disrupt or undermine advocacy for justice.
The article suggests that those who truly support just causes should not feel the need to argue from the devil's perspective.
The author rejects the idea that devil's advocacy is necessary to test the soundness of logic or the strength of an argument in the context of human rights discussions.

Playing Devil’s Advocate? The Devil is Not Welcome Here

Analysis of a Popular Position for the Wanna-be Intellectual Antagonist

Actor Kiko Ellsworth (Now named Iseluleko Ma’at El 0) as the “Blond Dread” in Bad Boys 2 (2003) / Movie Still via Columbia Pictures

The Devil is Not Welcome Here

I remember this one scene off of Bad Boys 2, where Martin Lawrence and Will Smith’s characters infiltrate the home of a set of Caribbean antagonists. Will Smith, as Mike Lowery, announces himself as “the devil” to the blond dreadlocked fellow. The blond dreadlocked man, who seems to be the lead gangster, says:

“The Devil is not welcome heeeeeeeyah!” ~ Blond Dread, Bad Boys 2 (2003)

“The Devil is not welcome heeeeeeeyah!” / Bad Boys 2 (2003)

Bad Boys 2 came out long before everyone on social media felt compelled to speak with pictures and memes, so a meme for this phrase didn’t exist (until now).

Back then, I thought it was funny as hell how that man said those words. Shoot, I still think it’s utterly hilarious. Why did that man say it like that? That man said “heeeeeeeyah” with all the strength in his torso. I always wondered if anyone else thought it was strangely hilarious how that character said that phrase.

The way this man said this phrase made me laugh regardless of how intense the scene was.

While it’s uncertain if anyone else had my sense of comical detail, it is clear that I hold this man’s sentiment each time someone attempts to play “devil’s advocate” in regards to basic human rights, humanity, civil rights, and justice overall.

The devil simply isn’t welcome here.

“Just Playing Devil’s Advocate”

Protesters marching for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery in Washington, D.C. No one has time for a bullshit devil’s advocate white privilege flex when fighting for civil rights. | 2 Jun 2020 | Photo Credit: Johnny Silvercloud

It seems no matter what, in mixed circles, someone is going to present a horrendously weak counter-argument to your cause. Protesting racism? A white privileged person will play “devil’s advocate” and bring up a myriad of whitewashed excuses and deflections. Protesting sexism, misogyny? Expect a man to mansplain and defend the indefensible.

The problems with the devils advocating are many; for starters, the devil needs no advocate if the devil has all forms of local, state, and national government.

If the devil is the most empowered in this nation, then why act as if the devil is weak or missing in an argument for basic civil, human rights? How evil do you have to be, to argue that the devil’s presence is necessary to combat good, when evil already prevails?

The devil needs no advocacy if the devil walks in plain sight, completely unfettered by such things as a moral compass.

This problem is related to the notion that all “sides” must be presented no matter what. CNN, among the most-watched news sources in the world, does this in spades. False neutrality is a problem because it assumes all arguments are on equal footing. There is no equal footing when it comes to what is just, and what is unjust.

If you speak as the “devil’s advocate” and it’s really YOUR point of view, YOU are effectively “the devil”.

With that being said, the devil is not welcome here.

Furthermore

Another problem with the Devil’s Advocacy Brigade is the fact that they always act like their disinformation isn’t mainstream thought already.

They always act like their disinformation is new; it isn’t. When it comes to racism, white America announces itself in all forms of art, entertainment, and education tenfold — so it’s should be no surprise when a Black abolitionist has an intimate understanding of the white point of view. When it comes to sexism and other forms of misogyny, men follow the same pattern. Shit ain’t new.

What’s worse is the sociological problem with devil’s advocacy by design; it’s a privilege flex.

In regards to racism, a white privileged person is essentially flexing their white privilege by being so distant from a problem that plagues others, a problem to many that they technically, in many cases, benefit from. Sometimes you’ll come across a person who is doing this only because they are “testing you out,” under the guise of “making sure you’re good at this.” This, paired with tone policing, becomes particularly infuriating.

No one needs to ensure that one is of sound logic, and no one needs to police emotionality.

The last problem with toying around with the devil is the intellectual dishonesty of it. Typically, the person playing devil’s advocate is not really playing at all. The person playing devil’s advocate is actually engaging in a passive-aggressive way to simply get in your way.

If you speak as the “devil’s advocate” and it’s really YOUR point of view, YOU are effectively “the devil”.

With that being said, the devil is not welcome here.

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Johnny Silvercloud is a U.S. Army vet turned civil rights/conflict photographer and anti-racism/sexism writer. Not a fan of intentional stupidity or passive-aggressive racism supporters, which tends to overlap.

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