[Noisebridge-discuss] [SPAM] Re: Red asked to leave.

Adrian Chadd adrian.chadd at gmail.com
Tue Jun 18 17:18:09 UTC 2013


On 18 June 2013 10:09, hep <dis at gruntle.org> wrote:
> yeah, everything here is certainly about how i stated i have a monopoly on
> suffering, and not just trying to defend myself and other minorities from
> continuing to feel the suffering that we experience in all other walks of
> life at noisebridge, while a bunch of white guys stand around and justify it
> and tell us to get over it. and people wonder why minorities need minority
> only safe spaces to feel safe in, it's because of situations exactly like
> this. and by all means "exercise your brain" while perpetuating the same
> tired white racism excusing that the rest of the country has been practicing
> for centuries. because white guys have never said to "give the white power
> guy a chance, he isn't so bad (to us white guys)" before. really thinking
> outside the box here, son.

Gah,

Plenty of kids growing up have tattoos. They got them as part of local
gang initiation. Some of them went on to ride motorcycles. You know,
gangs that traditionally espouse "white pride" and such. Except, hey,
if you grow up in certain parts of Australia (and the US), there's
plenty of "<non-white> pride" going on. And if you're the white guy
living in that area, sucks to be you. You may even feel pressure to
join a gang of your own so you don't get beaten on alone. Does this
make you a bad person? How can you get the hell out of that cycle?

I understand if seeing skinheads triggers you. I have my own similar
reactions to certain groups and types of people. But if you push those
people away, you're contributing to the problem, not making it easier.
There's a whole bunch of research into groupthink and group
polarisation, which starts by _pushing away people who think
differently to you_ and _pushing away people who you see as a threat /
out-group_. Those people form groups of like-minded, polarised
people.. and their polarised beliefs get even more polarised.

Guess what? By pushing people away, you may be contributing to the problem.

2c,


-adrian



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