(The Root) -- "You're being divisive!"When I raised the racial issues I sawin the Occupy Movement, I was barraged by accusations of being divisive. We have to work together, my critics said. Identity politics is bad, they tweeted. It's not about these differences; it's about the big banks, they said.While I didn't necessarily disagree (although I am 100 percent pro-identity politics), I did find the idea that I was being divisive because I'd voiced concerns to be problematic. My critics claimed that Occupy was working toward racial justice; how could I say these things about people who wereallies?
The answer: easily.The idea of allies in social-justice battles isn't new. An Ally (I'll capitalize it to identify it as a title) is one who doesn't belong to the persecuted group but nevertheless seeks justice and equality for them through support and action. White Allies marched with Martin Luther King Jr. Male Allies fought, or fight, alongside women for equal opportunity. "Cisgender" Allies protest and voice their opposition against the unequal treatment of the LGBT community.Oftentimes the marginalized need Allies in order to achieve their goals because of their small numbers relative to the population. Allies swell ranks and create a chorus of dissent, and together they force change to occur.
it takes a complete village.
although not all the time just one time when a unsure person is listening that could be tantamount to a Fox broadcast.But I would be remiss not to acknowledge his #AllyFail in the past. He's made problematic offhand comments here and there, but he famously stepped into the fire when, after President Obama's State of the Union speech in 2010, he stated, "For an hour I forgot Obama was black." Not seeing color isn't a compliment. It implies that if you did see my color, there could be an issue -- but since you don't, now I can be looked at as equal.
i always have liked Chris, but of late i don't know what direction he is leaning as with other MSNBC personalities, if they are propping up right wing with out challenging like they used to do then they are doing their viewers a dis-service by allowing lies and innuendo to stand. i'm disappointed.
although not all the time just one time when a unsure person is listening that could be tantamount to a Fox broadcast.
