"Trumpism is what a specifically American, twenty-first century version of fascism looks like.

Clément Duval

@wdlindsy If this is what they state publicly, what is the inner circle agenda? They'll find ways to spend that military budget and decrease the world population through war and poverty, the 1984 method.

William Lindsey :toad:

@duval That's an excellent question to ask, isn't it?

William Lindsey :toad:

@pattykimura I'm deeply sorry for what you've experienced. I'm a bit confused that you're addressing me personally as if I witnessed attacks on you and did nothing. But you're responding to commentary from Wendell Griffen, an African-American leader in my community who has for years stood up for those attacked by bigots, and has paid a price for doing so. I wouldn't conclude that either he or I has done nothing or is doing nothing.

Patty Kimura for Harris2024

@wdlindsy Hmm. Curious you felt defensive about my comment or felt the need to defend Mr Griffen who would immediately identify with my comments as a targeted person who has witnessed privileged inaction by silent bystanders. It's the work. It also reflects the social sciences studies on the bystander effect on prejudice.

I cannot compare the personal violence or threats made to me directly by avowed gun flashing KKK, Nazis (including jumping in a ditch to escape a car full of racist young men trying to run us down, being hit, shoved, spit on, threatened, etc), and garden variety racists to the violence endured by my brother Mr Griffen, but we've both been targets for just walking on the street. My post was to point out the need for those whose white privilege allows them to remain silent, to understand that talk without action is another variant of racist privilege, not much different than the guy who spit in my face and called me a Chink and told me to go back where I came from.

To tell you the truth, I expected empathy not defensiveness from you, my brother. I follow you and boost you because I find you a kindred ally, and what you post as a critical act of the necessary and the good.

As a person who faces intersectional prejudice and hate even within my own diverse (POC, lgbtq, women, elderly) communities, I know we, myself included, all harbor biases even as we are also victimized by bias. My critique of the failure and hypocrisy of good (white) people is particularly intense at this moment as Trump rallies those who would destroy us all, and the majority of white people continue to vote for hate, even as they do so unchallenged by their white friends and family.

If you took umbrage, okay, I hear you; my truth may not be yours. And if you feel you have led an anti-racist life without failure, you're doing better than me. I still have to find courage every day, because I am given no other choice.

William Lindsey :toad:

@pattykimura If I misunderstood your statements, then I'm sorry to habe done so. When your first response in this thread repeated the word "you" four times, I assumed — wrongly? — that you were directly addressing me, as you spoke of waiting until it's safe to offer support, called that self-justifying cowardice and collusion, and then said, "If we are in this together, act like it." I truly don't understand whom you're addressing, then. If not me and my friend Wendell, then whom?
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William Lindsey :toad:

@pattykimura I truly don't understand how what Wendell Griffen wrote provoked the response that you wrote — and am trying to understand. I'm certainly sorry at the hostility you've endured. My own experiences with atrocious homophobic injustice have long made me intent on standing with anyone being attacked and marginalized for reasons of race, gender, economic status, ethnic background, sexual orientation.
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