Y’know…while I agree with much of this, I’m just thinking that the idea that some sort of uplift is the “white ___’s burden” is maybe part of the problem here; coz, you know where -that’s- from, right?

Oh, ouch, I didn’t even think about that. I was thinking that white people need shoulder responsibility for our privilege, rather than shuffling the responsibility onto the non-privileged group. But now that you point it out, I see how that was a bad choice of words on my part ._.

Katie: Omigosh, do you really think I’m cute? Which side is my better one? I want to make sure that I’m presenting my best when I show up on the dustcover of my new Seal Press book: “Diversity the White Way” (see, it’s a hilarious play on words, I’m so witty, tee hee!)

(And object though you might that you’d rather give the offer to someone else–someone who suffers the pain you merely translate–they’d want you, cute, smart, sassy Tekanji! (TOTALLY critical traits.))

I understand what you’re saying here, and I’m honestly not trying to be pedantic or something, just…well for one thing, i dunno, is it a “burden?” to listen to other people? Because honestly I think I do that as much for myself as anything else. It’s a pleasure. It makes my life richer. It’s not, like, a grim duty, you know?

and also: I dunno, I think listening to people because they’ve got something important to say, and…yeah, it’s not about “privilege.” It’s not about charitably lending an ear. It’s about “hey, these are the women the world requires: it’d be fucking stupid to -not- listen.”

What happened to my other comment??

I don’t get exactly what you mean…Could you please give me examples?

http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2008/04/25/i-guess-its-a-jungle-in-here-too-huh/