![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tyresiasStaying a few minutes to hear what a person of colour has to say about "race" and the specific incident for which we're suppose to be protesting does not make me xenophobic. Some of us have learnt to hear more than one angle on a story, esp. when it comes to "community". I do not believe at this point in time that the change in music was a deliberate or xenophobic act.
If you're going to throw words around, try using the correct ones. I am not xenophobic (which people kept calling racist). Despite being a white person, I'm not so ignorance as to believe I'm always aware of when my "race" gives me privilege (that would be racist) or that I'm fully aware of the extent of my privilege (again racist not xenophobic). By virtue of recognizing that I am not always aware of the full extent of my privilege, I am racist. I know that I'm white (not so long ago I believed I was colour blind but now I know better). I get privilege because of it, I'm trying to gain awareness around it but I don't humour myself. My desire to not be racist, does not in fact render me immune from being racist. My desire drives me to keep on learning and become increasingly aware and it is key but it is not enough on its own. I continue to be racist by virtue of the privilege I'm trying to be more aware of because I'm an individual amidst systems, it isn't as simple as my intentions in my actions.
To those of you going to IDKE, try listening closely when the topic of white gender performers doing songs by artists of colours gets brought up. You should start by checking what is behind YOUR desire to appropriate an artist of colour's voice and putting on top of it your white face message. I'm not saying it's never acceptable or always problematic, but many performances tonight were arguably innapropriate.
Discourse is about having a DIALOGUE. I did NOT appreciate having words I didn't even utter put in my mouth and than her storming away. Your rumour mill is tired and innacurate (just like the rumours that lead to tonight's walk out). Too few of you could be bothered to stop and analyse what was going on. The point of the walk out was not explained to people outside your circles of gossip. You may think it was painfully clear but it wasn't. Many people came up to me to ask what had just occured and were utterly confused because the 2 sentences blurted (according to other people's perception not my own) sounded like the runner up to Mr. Zone being bitter when he said "Enjoy the Crews brothers!"
