While I agree with you on Spivey, doing the right thing for Spivey. I also think, if he didn't block him then maybe he keeps a friend center right, instead of right too far right 🤔
Well from talking with friends and family over the years, engagement is better than disengagement.
If you call someone a friend and they start leaning into the abyss of disinformation do you just cut them off? Some random on the internet sure! I just refuse to let politics determine who my friends are, and my friends dont have to agree on everything
That doesn’t answer the question about center right. Spivey made clear the decision wasn’t a capricious one. Harboring anti-Black sentiment isn’t on the same level as holding an opinion on whether a film, sports team, or rosemary in beans is “good” or not.
Spivey, myself, and many others make the decision to lose those who view us (Black people) as less than based on self-preservation and lived experience.
@Snowshadow This is probably more info than anyone wants or needs but I tend to hold on to relationships long past their expiration date. I give people the benefit of the doubt and ample opportunity to “work things out” between us, partly because I’d want the same measure of grace. The other reason is because once the decision is made it's hard, really hard (not impossible) for me to trust them that way again.
Not "too much information"-thank you for sharing.
In many ways you listed we are alike. However, I did have to make that decision so as to protect my children and grandchildren from toxic role models. Sometimes a parent must demonstrate how important it is to make a stand for what is right, no matter how pain is involved. When faced with it, children do identify and understand hypocrisy.
"... or after a while"
I don't like to judge people by first impressions, but too often later I have had regrets.
There's much to be said for "gut reactions"...they are usually correct.
Sometimes people make it obvious what they are from the start. For example, I have a neighbor who hung a thin blue line flag in front of his house. Don’t even have to speak to him to know what he is.
@bageera@clayrivers@Chip_Unicorn@blackmastodon@BlackMastodon@BigAngBlack When someone's saying shit like "it's good to abort Black pregnancies because they'll probably just grow up to be criminals or on welfare", they're no longer "starting" to "lean into" disinformation. By that time, they've dived into it headlong and are swimming in the deep end.
It may never be 100% too late to help, but that's definitely too late for me to bother trying, and a Black man has even less obligation to.
@clayrivers@kagan@BlackMastodon@bageera@Chip_Unicorn@BigAngBlack@blackmastodon I was trying to explain to a (thoughtful, well educated) friend yesterday why being in community with some people, implies being out of community with others. That it’s OK to write off some people in order to center others. I didn’t succeed, but it’s going to be an ongoing conversation.
@clayrivers@BigAngBlack@blackmastodon@BlackMastodon We should all have that talk with our melenated children. They grow up in this social media fantasy where social justice is cool but nothing prepares you for the white supremacy of progressive friends. Nothing. It'll shock you to the point where you require medication. Prepare your kids early it will not traumatize them. Not knowing is the trauma.
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