(no subject)
Serious question. I've just been paging through the blog of an anti-racist activist. Her focus is very much on snarky mockery of blatant racism in the blogosphere. This is very similar to my own start in online feminism, which was concentrated very much on whacko Usenet misogyny. I learned a great deal that way, but I also had a lot of bad experiences, and eventually burned out.
My question is: if you or I or anyone want to counter racism online, where should we focus (other than ourselves, obviously)? On decrying the worst examples? On educating well-meaning but clueless posters? On supporting allies? On some or all of these? And what's the best approach - honest anger, cool rational argument, gentle remonstration?
ETA: Oh good grief, a kid just posted this on the OG: "Without wanting to sound racist the Doctor is quintessentially british and if he was non-caucasion then some of his quintessentially britishness could be lost" [sic]
The mob have handled this daft remark pretty gently so far. The perp's only fifteen, after all; and IIUC he's from regional Scotland, so may have had pretty minimal contact with POC. I'm curious, too, about how much education he's likely to have had about Britain's history and its complex mix of ethnicities: I seriously doubt he's aware of the Black British identity which many have adopted. (I first became aware of it when - of all things - I saw Paterson Joseph as the Marquis de Carabas in Neverwhere.)
I see ire directed at young White fangirls who make clueless remarks. It worries me that, in many cases, they have also has little contact with POC and little or no opportunity to learn about race and racism at school or from the media. It may be that gentle correction is the most appropriate response in many cases - although, as I recall from my fire-breathing Usenet days, human patience is not limitless. :-)
My question is: if you or I or anyone want to counter racism online, where should we focus (other than ourselves, obviously)? On decrying the worst examples? On educating well-meaning but clueless posters? On supporting allies? On some or all of these? And what's the best approach - honest anger, cool rational argument, gentle remonstration?
ETA: Oh good grief, a kid just posted this on the OG: "Without wanting to sound racist the Doctor is quintessentially british and if he was non-caucasion then some of his quintessentially britishness could be lost" [sic]
The mob have handled this daft remark pretty gently so far. The perp's only fifteen, after all; and IIUC he's from regional Scotland, so may have had pretty minimal contact with POC. I'm curious, too, about how much education he's likely to have had about Britain's history and its complex mix of ethnicities: I seriously doubt he's aware of the Black British identity which many have adopted. (I first became aware of it when - of all things - I saw Paterson Joseph as the Marquis de Carabas in Neverwhere.)
I see ire directed at young White fangirls who make clueless remarks. It worries me that, in many cases, they have also has little contact with POC and little or no opportunity to learn about race and racism at school or from the media. It may be that gentle correction is the most appropriate response in many cases - although, as I recall from my fire-breathing Usenet days, human patience is not limitless. :-)