not to single out this post, but this is exactly the kind of stuff I mean when I’m talking about how often people have this idea that “extremism” is the result of some sort of brainwashing or mind control or something.
There’s this weird desire to claim that underneath it all, everyone has the same goals and values, so if someone’s in a hate group or raping people or doing other atrocious behavior, then that means they were somehow manipulated into doing these things, and that we could be too. The whole premise is just devoid of any kind of analysis of power, any kind of accountability and responsibility for people’s actions. Especially when we’re talking about grown adults– people make decisions about what to engage with based on their values.
Listen, I’m a far left “radical” and I was not “radicalized” by others– I make the conscious decision every single day to read far left theory, learn from and organize with leftists, and engage in action to further leftist goals. I literally choose to do this because it’s aligned with my values. I’m not a centrist at heart who is lacking vital information or being misled- I’m literally operating on a distinct value system where I believe that everyone is deserving of what they need to survive, and I have a genuine belief that everyone depends on each other to survive and it is in all of our best interests to cooperate and take care of each other rather than compete. That’s what I believe.
JK Rowling and other TERFs and other Far Right actors are not innocent centrists who were misinformed, manipulated, and radicalized by others. They have a value system rooted in transmisogyny, fascism, eugenics. They do this shit to further their goals of making it impossible for trans women (and other targeted groups) to survive.
It honestly reminds me so much of the standard abuse apologist narrative that abusers are just “out of control” due to mental illness or alcohol or past trauma or whatever excuse. Or the idea that rapists rape because they just don’t know any better and they’ve been misinformed about what consent is. Like those articles when #metoo was big being like “accidentally raping people is something anyone could do, so should we really be deplatforming rapists??” It’s nonsense– rapists and abusers are making choices based on their values. They justify their actions to themselves, and they make decisions to further the goals they want (control, power, sexual gratification, ensuring their partner can’t leave them, etc.).
So no, it couldn’t “happen to” any of us, because it didn’t “happen to” them. They chose to research far right theory and associate with far right people and engage in oppressive behavior because it aligns with their values and it furthers their goals. Hold these people accountable, and hold yourselves accountable instead of perpetuating this idea that otherwise compassionate people could just flip into fascism at no notice. That’s not what’s going on.
don’t look away. don’t become desensitized. let yourself feel the anger and let it fuel your need to do do something, anything!
we are the country we grew up feeling sorry for and it’s scary. instance after instance is overwhelming, but it exists and each individual matters. we can’t see it all, we can’t keep up, but please don’t give up hope
“Stop scrolling and please help me spread the word, because if I’ve landed on your page you’re most likely either a black woman or someone who cares about black women and the simple phrase I’m about to share could help save a black woman’s life.
Doctors are to black women what police officers are to black men. That may seem controversial but I believe it to be true and I speak from personal experience.
If you’ve seen this TikTok you know that a 2016 study showed that 50% of medical students and residents thought that black people couldn’t feel pain the same as white people.
And we learned from this video that because of a 1999 study, to this day, there’s a black correction factor for the creatinin levels in black people’s kidneys, meaning we’re less likely to recieve a kidney transplant if needed.
So if you go to a doctor, feel you aren’t getting proper treatment or they refuse the treatment you’ve requested, say to them the following:
I will need you to document on record that you are refusing the treatment (or medicine) I’ve requested, and the reason you are doing so.”
This works. I have used it in other situations. If medical staff have to document and take responsibility and be on the hook legally for doing shady shit they behave much differently.
If you weren’t already going to spread this advice because black women are at risk, then spread it because it’s applicable to everyone else as well, including you reading this.
But particularly women, and especially black women.
(not included in the article is his height which is around 5’8)
06/18/2020 Update: Though Little has a history of “voluntarily disappearing” he is still at high risk of coming into harm, due to being both black and deaf. A 2017, news report of one of his previous disappearance also reveals Little is “emotionally challanged”.
