On ally behavior
I’ve never really been comfortable with the idea of being an “ally.” But I’ve never been really able to articulate why. Yesterday somebody thanked me for my “ally behavior.” And it was then that I realized my objection to using this term.
I was not being an ally. I was simply striving for justice.
Sometimes white people talking about being “white allies” makes me distinctly uncomfortable. Because anti-racism is something white people should desire for themselves. They should not have to view themselves as allies or helpers to people of color.
By the same token, I am distinctly uncomfortable describing myself as an “ally” to other communities. I hope that I always choose to behave morally and ethically. I hope similarly that my motivation is my desire to be a good person as opposed to searching out cookies and praise.
Being thanked for my “ally behavior” felt like an assumption that this type of behavior is not expected and is not a given. Whereas I did not behave in this manner because I felt I was forming an alliance with someone, or because I felt we were joining together. My behavior was motivated solely by my desire for justice and fairness.
Posted on November 4, 2008, in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink. 3 Comments.
In war, allies are usually states that agree to put aside any potential antagonism they may have for another state under threat, and join with that state in order to defeat a greater threat. It usually involves risk on the part of the ally.
There is, therefore, in the word “ally” an element of doing something not out of altrusitic reasons but for personal gain. That is what bothers me. This can be linked to the cookies and praise, but more often it is linked to the feeling gained by the “ally” not of doing the right thing but of self-justification for putting themselves at risk.
to me, white ally is an oxymoron, the white construct of ethnocentricity is the problem. how can you be an ally when you and your opposing positions are the problem that has caused so much damage to people?
people of the light skin tone should be the ones at war with ourselves, to cure the mental disease of blind zombiehood.
ot
i have election day off, and i can’t watch the t.v., 2 seconds of new york Rudy was enough for me.
An alliance of any sort is what the individual allies make of it. Still, the word “ally”gives an impression of perceived differences being set aside. What if you don’t feel any difference? I guess this is what resistance’s post is getting at. I worked in poor communities and always thought I could be in the shoes of any one of the people I helped but for some cosmic turn of fate. We are all human. What do we need allies for?