The 99% Isn’t Me: Being the Minority in the 99%
Another issue I have with the 99% concept is that it smacks of the rhetoric we black and brown people heard from the Left back in the 70’s, that we’re all just people and we need to be colorblind, and that we are all being oppressed by the same people and on and on… Those thoughts are valid, kind of if you ignore much of American history.
Piece from Dissent of a Woman on issues of race and gender in the occupy movement. Appreciated them referencing the piece I wrote on the issue a few months ago. Regardless of the peg I agree with all their points especially this one, "It’s not merely our job at this point to open the door and say, “You are welcome to join us.” We have to do that and then actually allow conversations about their unique experiences, or else what we’re really saying is, “You’re welcome to join us as long as you pretend your struggles aren’t different.” In that latter case, we’re setting a very high price on participation by demanding that they be less true to their experiences and needs for the privilege of being accepted even at the margins."
