The trouble around difference is really about privilege & power-the existence of privilege & the lopsided distribution of power that keeps it going. The trouble is rooted in a legacy that we all inherited, and WHILE WE'RE HERE IT BELONGS TO US. It isn't our fault. It wasn't caused by something we did or didn't do. But now that it's ours, it's up to us to decide how we're going to deal with it before we collectively pass it along to the generations that will follow ours.
- Allen G. Johnson
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The highest patriotism is not a blind acceptance of official policy, but a love of one's country deep enough to call her to a higher plain. George McGovern
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5 comments:
It WAS caused by something we did or didn't do... I disagree with Allen G. Johnson's point that we are not guilty of such a place we find ourselves in. If it were not the fault of all then "all" couldn't possibly fix it... Right?
Peace.
TPM - I probably shouldn't have posted this quote without providing any context for it.
This quote, taken from a book written on racism, is part of my response to one of the comments I rec'd to "My Happy Post."
Daniel said, "Could I make the point that your history, good or bad, is your responsibility and has nothing to do with me."
This is a common argument that many people make. "I personally didn't own slaves, so what's your problem?" sort of logic. Even though the larger discussion with Daniel wasn't about race, the same illogical absolution of responsibility is often falsely attributed to other oppressed peoples. "I personally have never called someone a 'fag' to their face, I personally have never raped a woman, I personally have never fired an assault weapon into a crowd of Iraqi civilians...etc."
The quote I posted is in response to this line of thinking. I think the point that Allen G. Johnson is making is that while all those things may be true, while I may personally have not committed those atrocities, because of power and privilege I reap the benefits of the actions that others have taken. While I may personally have not done any of it, it still belongs to me, and I have the obligation to do something about it. If I do not, then I share a collective responsibility in passing it along. That is my fault.
Gee, Mel, I don't know what to say...
I agree it's up to us to work out how to deal with whatever issues we humans have but there seem to be so many of them and each one, it seems, is complex and filled with a thousand different alternatives and viewpoints...
Talking is obviously a good starting point but the world is filled with the clamour of voices all shouting, "We're right! We want this! We demand that!"
It's enough to turn a man to drink!
Now that I know the context of the post I can say what I was gonna say anyway but w/more confidence-
The quote reminds me of one of my old adages(probably said by many before me) -
While we are not all Guilty, We are all Responsible.
I used to have a comforting feeling that the America had a balance between the Collective and the Individual. Not any more :(
Peace. It's possible.
Some of your readers aren't the brightest somtimes......
I saw that headline, skimmed the article, then ran back to my place, trying to figure out what the heck you were referring to, and why you aimed it so directly.
Then I saw the Allen G. Johnson........Put down the mouse and back away slowly Dan....nobody'll get hurt!:)
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