The privilege of speaking openly
Jan. 30th, 2009 01:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
yelosonOne of the sticks waved around recently was, "We post using our -real names- and that means we're more special than you!". Not everyone has that privilege, especially when you're speaking out against an entrenched oppression. There's always someone willing to bring consequences to you for that.
The right to speak freely, without threats being made, without people inviting physical and personal harassment and harm upon you? The ability to say what you will without fear of being assassinated?
And the fact is, these folks don't need to threaten you personally, they simply need to open the door, put up a sign, and throw the info to people who -are- crazy enough.
It's always about who -isn't- protected in this society.
The right to speak freely, without threats being made, without people inviting physical and personal harassment and harm upon you? The ability to say what you will without fear of being assassinated?
And the fact is, these folks don't need to threaten you personally, they simply need to open the door, put up a sign, and throw the info to people who -are- crazy enough.
It's always about who -isn't- protected in this society.
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no subject
Date: 2009-02-15 03:28 am (UTC)There's also the fact that if who says it is more important than what is being said, that tells you everything about the person making that judgement.
As far as firestorms, it's all about what your LJ is to you - I generally screen comments because it prevents firestorms. Clueless and ignorant statements simply don't need to have space on my LJ, and they don't deserve my time or bloodpressure.
There's a (priveleged, entitled) way in which people who are often screaming to enforce the status quo act as if they're an "unheard voice" and such.
Once I figured out their pleas for "fair debate" were really a mask for demanding my silence, and that "fairness" would only exist in their eyes once I agreed with their racist, sexist, heterosupremacist shit, I stopped playing the game. They have the news, the tv, the radio, the movies, books, schools, government, and most communities- they didn't have the right to my LJ too.
What role your LJ is to you determines where you draw the lines, because it's one of the few places we have that kind of control to make space for our voices.
no subject
Date: 2009-02-15 03:32 am (UTC)