It's Not About Us - Or Maybe It Is

I've been very quiet about making my own posts - both here and on Facebook - during the past few days. I feel like it's not my place to give my privileged (yes, I am privileged in many, many ways) opinion right now.

I'm trying to follow the lead of the people most affected, and for me, that means amplifying their voices where I can, responding with care when I am asked a direct question, and supporting however I'm able.

And for the love of whatever you may hold holy, not getting in the way of progress.

Look, I dislike violence on principle. I can afford to, straight white person that I am. On the other hand, I am fully aware that not everyone has this luxury, and that this exact inequity is one of the key things in all this <waves hand vaguely at 2020>. From our healthcare system (insofar as it is a system) to our educational and employment and justice systems... they're all heavily weighted in my favor, even though I still decry a lot of how those systems have treated me and mine.

But the people fighting for their rights to exist as actually equal human beings - not just officially by law, but in reality - those are the people who need to be heard right now. It's why responding with All Lives Matter is an asshole move; of course they do. But right now the Black Lives are the ones in jeopardy. So stop centering yourself, fellow white people; this is not about you, or rather it's only about you in relation to Black Lives in this moment. You'll get your turn to be the center of attention again. Try not to blow it.

Which is another, related point... other topics which are only tangentially related to the issue immediately at hand? Now is not the time. Talking over people about whatever your pet cause is... is the same exact thing as saying All Lives Matter, and again, an asshole move. I keep seeing (well-meaning, white) folks going off on tangents about abortion or "black-on-black" crime or vaccines or what-have-you, and right now? Tone-deaf as fuck. If you look around you may notice that Pride Month is taking a back seat right now because as a general rule, oppressed folks support other oppressed folks. Not all, of course, but generally.  Because they know how it feels to be unheard forever.

Use your brains. If it's not about racism or police violence, take it somewhere else. I mean, have I posted my usual Cute Things My Kids Say here lately? Sure. But only in specific places, not to the world at large, not this week. It's neither the time nor the place.

You don't have to go out there and risk your physical health to protest. I'm certainly not; I'm keeping my asthmatic ass away from what they assure me is not tear gas, thank you very much.

But get out of the way. Support if you can. Shut up and follow for once in your life.