Many within our CUUPS community spend a considerable amount
of time fighting for Social Justice issues. These efforts clearly reflect our principles as part of the
greater UUA Community. What is not always as clear is how effective these
efforts are. Matters of personal
responsibility and culpability stir great passion and animated debate not to
mention defensiveness and retreat into a place where individual worldviews are
not challenged.
As a white male fighting for these causes it is incumbent
upon me to measure my actions, insure that I am speaking up but not over the
voices of those who directly experience oppression in our collective culture.
Individuals who directly experience oppression have every
right, maybe even an obligation, to speak forcefully and directly, calling out
the oppressive actions and attitudes that they experience. Doing so as an ally, however, often
just causes an un-needed escalation that causes distrust, hurt feelings and
little in terms of progress in important social justice actions.
When we direct words like racism, white privilege and sexism
towards individuals we effectively establish ourselves as individuals willing
to label a human being. My
argument here is not that the label does not fit, but that if those labeled as
such do not see themselves as represented by the label our ability to engage in
changing views and behaviors is shut down due to the defensiveness caused by
our verbiage.
What I am suggesting is that we take compassion-centered
approach, as members of the dominant culture all of us have had to confront our
beliefs and evolve to a deeper place of understanding and compassion. In what way then is it appropriate to
engage in name calling and labeling of individuals who have yet to arrive at a
more inclusive worldview? Is it
not our job instead to engage them with compassion, directly discuss our
concerns about their views in a way that will be heard avoiding escalation that
ends open discussion?
For me compassion is the centerpiece of effective radical
social justice. If we engage in “calling people in” too compassion
based discussion instead of “calling them
out” for unacceptable beliefs are we not being more effective in our social
justice work?
For me this approach means using story telling skills about
oppression that have the potential of opening the eyes of those listening. It
also means direct and ongoing engagement in social justice causes, manifesting
a center place where open discussion is not shut down by name-calling or hyperbole.
The majority of racism and discrimination that we encounter
is perpetuated by individuals engaging in “adverse”
racism. By definition these people have no insight into the racist
undertones of their opinions. Painting them with the same brush as the overt
bigot only further entrenches their beliefs.
As CUUPS members we can choose a more effective and
compassion centered approach; let us set the table of discourse with the language of compassion in the hope of effectiveness and the desire to reflect our belief in the dignity of everyone.
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