Folks, some of you have shared Ferguson/BlackLivesMatter-related - TopicsExpress

Folks, some of you have shared Ferguson/BlackLivesMatter-related essays from Tim Wise here on FB and have been criticized for it by people who know his background. For those of you who are confused about why many of us reject Tim Wise as an authority on whiteness or racism, there are many examples we could give you. First, there is his documented history of bullying Black/Brown social justice activists, either because of their age or because they arent able to earn a sustainable living doing social justice work. He has literally called POC activists who criticize him haters, and has told them that they will lose this beef, badly if they continue to challenge his privilege. He has gotten into public beefs with women of color like Suey Park (who is problematic but still doesnt deserve violent harassment from white men) on Twitter. He has used his connections with older POC figures as a cudgel to shame younger POC activists. Second, there is his unrepentant ableism, using slurs like moron, crazy, and imbecile to dehumanize people (usually women) that he disagrees with. Third, there is his unrepentant profiteering from white supremacy, and his obstinate refusal to engage substantive criticism of his wealth built off the violence against people of color. But finally, the biggest reason we reject Tim Wise as an ally or anything resembling a justice advocate is because, frankly---he doesnt believe his own schtick. Because if he really believed that Black lives mattered, he would make damn sure that Black people (and other POC) got living wages for their hard work. He would make sure that speaking engagements, book deals, fellowships, contracts, and other opportunities were given to Black and Brown movement workers. Most importantly, he would LISTEN to Black and Brown people, without insulting, trolling, or dismissing them. It is as simple as that. groupthink.jezebel/he-just-apologized-and-all-the-comments-are-about-how-1334800166