Mickey Z. -- World News Trust
Feb. 27, 2015
One of the great lies of so-called libertarianism is the concept of a level playing field.
You know, the bullshit about if we all work equally as hard, we each have the same chance for “success.” This malicious mythology allows the free (sic) market crowd to convince themselves they’ve earned their place while others have lazily squandered their birthright.
Sadly, the level playing field myth remains alive and well. It rears its ugly head, for example, every time a person claims to be “colorblind,” every time a victim of privilege is accused of “overreacting,” and every time someone howls about “reverse racism” in a “post-racial” world.
It thrives each time a white or white-passing activist declares: “I don’t see skin color, ability, or gender, I just see the individual. For me, we are all one.”
As an able-bodied middle-class white cis-male activist striving to become a better ally, here’s a sample of how I choose to mansplain, I mean, reply to such drivel:
I could go on -- and on -- but please consider this: As long as I can confidently claim that I do not enjoy white male privilege and have most of my white friends enthusiastically agree and promptly start talking about (wait for it) “reverse racism/sexism” or “men’s rights,” we are definitely not all one.
Unless we learn to recognize, accept, and celebrate our differences without assigning privilege to them, we’ll never cultivate the kind of solidarity, intersectionality, and coalitions required to challenge the dominant culture while also creating the communities we’ll need to navigate the coming collapse.
In a society built upon a foundation of hierarchy, declaring “we’re all one” -- regardless of our intentions -- is yet another example of privilege run amok. If we wish to profoundly connect with our fellow humans, we must become allies... not “one.”
Instead of defensively debating whether or not all men are misogynists or all white people benefit from racism, let’s instead focus on the reality that all privileged humans can play an important role in the struggle for justice by:
Male Privilege, “Not All Men,” and the Scourge of MRA’s
Before you (yes, I’m looking at you, my fellow white cis-male activists) attempt to prove that male privilege doesn’t exist on the scale I describe, I urge you to consider the 46 examples listed HERE but for now, ponder these:
(Again, please click the link for many more examples.)
Shift Happens…
I’d like to share one of the most crucial lessons I’ve ever learned as an activist: The most fundamental male privilege is choosing to remain unaware of male privilege.
Wake up and join the struggle.
It takes no extra time to choose solidarity instead of privilege. The payoff for this transition is not only a richer, more compassionate life for yourself but also, a deeper commitment to collective liberation. #shifthappens
Mickey Z. is the author of 12 books, most recentlyOccupy this Book: Mickey Z. on Activism. Until the laws are changed or the power runs out, he can be found on the Web here. Anyone wishing to support his activist efforts can do so by making a donation here.
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Check your Privilege, Become an Ally by Mickey Z. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at https://worldnewstrust.com/check-your-privilege-become-an-ally-mickey-z.