By now, I assume it is somewhat evident that I prefer to use quotations from the text as my entry point into discussion. The quote above was written by Wise in regards to an incident with his mother in his teenage years when she was intoxicated. After returning home from a Peace Fair, his mother initiated a conversation that gradually descended into her spewing vitriolic of Black people on welfare, and ultimately a personal criticism of her Black colleague. Wise recognizes this moment as significant in his own anti-racist consciousness because in indicates that even those who are perceived as the progressive, Wise's mother in this case, are not and indeed, never will be exempt from the privilege one is afforded.
In addition to a poignant commentary about, generally, the commitment required in being an ally for marginalized peoples, this quote is even more noteworthy in light of recent criticism Tim Wise has recently received himself for ranting on Facebook in a manner that "reflects his own white privilege."
Check it out:
http://america.aljazeera.com/watch/shows/the-stream/the-stream-officialblog/2013/9/17/anti-racism-activistgetsbacklashoverrant.html
To paraphrase a quote from James Baldwin, one finds her/himself at war upon becoming conscious of the fallibility of one's own society in promoting injustice and choosing, rather than being complicit, to act morally. However, this is an external conflict that overlooks the internal conflict with the same oppressive forces that have socialized our self-understanding. I believe that Tim Wise recently found himself caught up in this internal conflict, which he openly admitted was "inappropriate." Particularly for those who identify as allies, I think this example offers a sense of support and anxiety: you're going to struggle (although not in the same manner of the marginalized group(s) you advocate for) and inevitably, fail in your attempts to be this ultra-conscious being that has a super-human moral and ethical compass. However, these moments should not instill one with anxiety or sentiments of hopelessness; these are critical moments of learning. What's more, dismantle and deconstruct the pedestals on which you've hosted up others in your life (even Tim Wise)! I think about this often in terms of my own feminism, at moments when I've had men and women claim that "I'm different than other guys." Granted, we may be more or less conscious than others in our advocacy and activism, but that does not make me (or anyone, by implication) exempt from engaging in and subscribing to patriarchal and sexist beliefs, thoughts, actions, practices and institutions. Committing oneself to justice is often accompanied by not only failure to adequately support the oppressed, but also frustration, depression, alienation, and in certain circumstances, even (physically, verbally, emotionally, and spiritually) violent opposition. The value, I believe, in promoting love—because supporting an ethically just and inclusive society is one that places primary importance on a way of being that encourages compassionate empathy with everyone—is understanding that our resistance, far from romanticized, must be contextualized within the historical struggle for justice: the blood, sweat, tears, and life shed by those who were "prisoners of hope" that we might one day be free.
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