tealie mcdearson's Bookmarks tagged race →  View Popular

The conclusion drawn was that civilian deaths were an unfortunate consequence of war which did not justify desertion.

Iranian human rights campaigners believe more than 4,000 gay men and lesbians have been executed since 1979.

Mr Kazemi fled to the Netherlands after the Home Office rejected his case late last year, but a Dutch court ruled he could not claim asylum in the Netherlands.

Roadrunner, the point is that your ability to ”call the cops”* so as to create a safer situation for you is a function of your position in society: your race, your class, your gender identity and presentation. It’s a function of your privilege.

On a personal level, you do what you must to protect yourself; I don’t think there’s a lot of room for others to judge decisions made in that context**. I don’t think anybody is saying that if you feel like you’re in a dangerous situation you shouldn’t do what you need to do to get out of it, even if that involves leveraging an oppressive authority.

But understand that many in your situation cannot call the cops with the expectation that they will improve the situation. And also understand that because you can call the cops, you are more likely to think that the police and legal system are viable tools that can be shaped to produce justice. You are more likely to work towards remedies that benefit only those who can turn to the legal system, and abandon all those who cannot. That’s the source of the very real anger, frustration, and pain that’s so often confusing to white feminists.

* Quoted because actually phoning the police is just one form of leveraging authority.

** Examine, yes, but not judge.