Budi. I apologise for the late reply, I didn't feel like I could spare the time and attention your post deserves. I want to thank you for taking the time to reply. To be honest I didn't expect you to elaborate on your position any further. When I usually engage with people that are strong proponents of debate and I question their approach, I end up with a non-answer. This is the first time my questions have been answered in such a genuine and introspective manner.
This is not a realisation that I feel comes easily to most white people, not in my experience, so I applaud you for acknowledging the position you hold and the responsibilities tied to it. I applaud you for actively using your position to further progressive ideas.
However, when these debates take a larger stage and attract or invite a significant crowd of both participants and onlookers, I believe that we run the risk of furthering regressive ideas rather than curbing them. Just look at the increasing prevalence of far right movements. Living in Europe and witnessing the inclination to embrace far right politics is scary. It's disheartening.
In my experience, white people challenging the status quo has sadly been a rare occurrence. Please keep calling out bigotry. It means a whole lot, hopefully you will succeed in convincing others to do the same.
Definitely and just for the record, this is something that I actively take part in and I feel like the responses have been very favourable so far. I strongly believe in unifying marginalised groups and attempting to curb in-fighting.
As I touched upon earlier, even if members of marginalised groups don't actively participate in the debate, the potential for harm is far too great. It gives way to rhetoric that serves to dehumanise marginalised groups and helps normalise harmful stereotyping. I firmly believe that when my mere right to exist is put into question, there is nothing to debate - nothing. Regardless of the number of participants or onlookers the debate attracts. Regardless of whether the debate takes place exclusively amongst white people or not.
If it wasn't evident through my participation in this and similar threads, I am all for de-platforming the far right, suppressing regressive attitudes and curbing far right recruitment efforts. I believe providing some background as to why I've taken up this stance could be helpful, not as justification for my stance, but rather to contextualise it.
- We fled our country of origin due to a genocidal government and sought refuge in Europe. We were granted asylum after a few transfers between refugee camps.
- As a child I experienced my parents receive verbal abuse due to the colour of their skin.
- I went through primary and secondary school dealing with verbal and physical abuse due to the colour of my skin. I had to fend for myself, the staff never bothered to do anything, nothing preventative nor anything of any severe repercussions. One teacher participated in alienating me even further, openly mocking my background in front of the entire class while I was doing a presentation about the country I fled. Didn't tell my parents about any of this, I was ashamed.
- Gave a few of the racist swines a good beating when I could isolate them, go at it one-on-one. Of course I received a warning from the staff.
- My sister started at the same school, she received bouts of verbal abuse due to her skin colour, my class mates participated in the abuse as well, kids that are 5 years older than her. Imagine that. Teachers were quick to tell me not to meddle, they were very explicit about that.
- The abuse continued outside of school. Luckily, I had friends that would stand up for me.
- As a teenager I felt like I wasn't worth anything nor deserving of anything. I mostly experienced ignorance and the diet sort of racism, but the abuse I endured as a child stuck with me.
- As an adult I question my self-worth a lot, I am struggling with my self-confidence, but I try to hide that. I have a wonderful and beautiful wife and I have a wonderful and beautiful son. I am grateful for that.
- I hope that my son never has to endure a fraction of what I went through as a child. That would break my heart.
- I experienced a lot diet racism through-out my career, at my last work place there was a loud and proud bigot that I attempted to get through to, but let's just say that he was stuck in his ways and continued to spout hateful garbage. My colleagues didn't call any of this shit out and I was often painted as the aggressor (white fragility is legitimately scary), I pondered whether I should report it to HR, but due to my colleagues' clear indifference or even outright dismissive attitude, I didn't bother.
- I currently work at a wonderfully diverse and vibrant company. I feel welcome. I am grateful for that.
So while I disagree with a few of the aspects you've put forth, specifically in regards to the validity of de-platforming over debate and under what premises debate should be undertaken, I wholeheartedly appreciate your genuine will and ambition to do good. Thank you.
