bc people getting angry about racism, sexism, homophobia arent trying to make everybody friends, they arent trying to end “hate”, theyre trying to end OPPRESSION. when the world is historically and socially designed to benefit whites, cishets, and males, it doesnt matter if those privileged people asked for their privilege, or if they even realize they have it, bc they benefit from it no matter what, even if they claim to “not get involved” bc they dont like the hassle and effort required to create social progress or change.

when a man does something sexist, it contributes to and perpetuates a system that massacres, rapes and dehumanizes women. when a white person does something racist, it is supported by our racist society and allows the continuation of legal child murder (zimmerman, dunn, etc), biased targeting and prejudice by the police and court system, media representation, and so on. when a woman does something sexist, or a PoC is prejudiced against a white person, it is most likely stemmed as a defense mechanism, and its consequence is individual to the context of that particular situation, not a contributor to societal oppression as a whole.

you cant look at the actions of the bully and the victim the same. we dont exist in a vacuum. power analogy: boss says “youre fired” to their employee. employee is now fired. employee turns around and says to the boss “and YOURE fired!”. nothing happens. actions mean different things depending on the context of who is creating them.

and anger does get shit done! this “everybody be nice and no yelling!” approach is privileged horse shit. no equality act was accomplished by relying on the moral compass of their oppressor. you have to demand attention, demand results, and never quiet down just because youre starting to make people uncomfortable. when someone can remain calm in a discussion about something like racism, its because it doesnt effect them. calmness is not an indicator of maturity, its an indicator of distance, apathy. you dont yell because you dont have to, your whisper gets more representation then theyre screams. and it gets more validity bc you can afford the nonchalance of someone who can walk away from the topic, not live it.

but most of all, i hate that post because it is so whiney and full of shit. people see a space that acknowledges privilege, that doesnt center around the type of people theyre used to it centering around (themselves), and they scream reverse oppression. no, a blog dedicated to lgbt issues or a black person saying white people cant dance is NOT the same as a privileged person using their (usually unacknowledged) societal advantages to reinforce the constant, historic, fatal oppressions against someone who has had to deal with that prejudice their whole lives, and will continue to. the hurt feelings of that rhythmless fool END with that specific exchange. you dont like the hostility? end the conversation. turn off your computer. now its over. but racism, sexism, and homophobia dont work like that.

ive made a mess with this post so let me end with my favorite MLK quote that i hope clears things up more: “I have almost reached the regrettable conclusion that the Negro’s great stumbling block in the stride toward freedom is not the White Citizen’s Counciler or the Ku Klux Klanner, but the white moderate, who is more devoted to “order” than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice.” -MLK, Letter from Birmingham Jail

(note: when i say “you” i dont mean YOU specifically)