Week 2: So our History doesn't become your Future

Julie Le

Week 2

ASA002 A01

October 2, 2015

The article “So our History doesn’t become your Future” mentions an issue of white organizations “helping” minority communities, specifically during the Arab and Arab American struggle during 9/11. The article claims the predominantly white organizations tactic of supporting victim communities is to “heighten its status within mainstream activism for tolerance and diversity.” Essentially these white organizations worked with the idea to “help” bring to the forefront issues facing minority groups but really they’re silencing their narratives. The purpose of making these issues known is to hear the stories of those being affected from their point of view. It’s their lives being affected so it’s their voices that need to be heard in order to fight for the equality they deserve as people. Allies are important in fighting for equality but speaking FOR them and speaking WITH them are two completely different things. White privilege is when someone can speak their mind for controversial issues and not face any horrid consequences. Instead of using their privilege to help the struggling communities by giving them a voice, these folks use their pirivlege to talk about how they “understand the struggles underrepresented communities are facing” without truly understanding the struggles minority groups suffer.

So my question is: How can we get folks that identify as white or American understand the privilege and power they have and use that to assist the struggling communities rather than speak on their behalf? And why do these think they have any rights to speak on anyone’s behalf when they really don’t understand the struggles that minority groups are facing? Why is it so difficult for them to understand that by speaking for the minority groups, they’re actually silencing them and their narratives?