I’m not saying it’s easy. From the people I have interacted with that are in the vocal minority group, often have no interaction with the groups they are vehemently against. If those people are given the opportunity to interact with someone that is trans or a group they are dehumanizing, they will come to relate to them and that will change their views. When people interact with people they will humanize them and realize that first and foremost we are all human beings.
A good case study of this is Darryl Davis, a black man, who ended up befriending several members of the KKK. Those people he interacted with ended up abandoning the Klan and that made an impact on racism.
If people demonstrated more of that compassion, the world would be a better place than it currently is.
But I think you are missing that the people Darryl talked to had to also be open to that conversation in the first place.
Moreover, the physical risk in that approach is quite high and the level of violence in the modern GOP’s rhetoric has just continued to ratchet up every year. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend the same approach in this situation. Most of the people that we’d need to replicate what Davis did are in no position to put themselves in that kind of situation–and presumed allies like myself can only do so much.
The KKK is a violent extremist organization. How is interacting with that any less risky than the current political climate?
If people just give up on dialog there is 0% of change but if we don’t give up and there is even a 5% chance of humanizing with someone to change their hurtful view, that is many thousands of times better than no chance.
Because Davis was a grown adult when he started doing this, not a teenager or younger that is already much more likely to be a victim of violence.
I never said we shouldn’t try to have a conversation, but there are situations where I cannot recommend putting yourself in harm just for the small chance of changing someone’s mind. Davis decided to do that, but it’s not everyone else’s responsibility or duty to do the same.
I’m not saying it’s easy. From the people I have interacted with that are in the vocal minority group, often have no interaction with the groups they are vehemently against. If those people are given the opportunity to interact with someone that is trans or a group they are dehumanizing, they will come to relate to them and that will change their views. When people interact with people they will humanize them and realize that first and foremost we are all human beings.
A good case study of this is Darryl Davis, a black man, who ended up befriending several members of the KKK. Those people he interacted with ended up abandoning the Klan and that made an impact on racism.
If people demonstrated more of that compassion, the world would be a better place than it currently is.
I admire your compassion and empathy.
But I think you are missing that the people Darryl talked to had to also be open to that conversation in the first place.
Moreover, the physical risk in that approach is quite high and the level of violence in the modern GOP’s rhetoric has just continued to ratchet up every year. Unfortunately, I cannot recommend the same approach in this situation. Most of the people that we’d need to replicate what Davis did are in no position to put themselves in that kind of situation–and presumed allies like myself can only do so much.
The KKK is a violent extremist organization. How is interacting with that any less risky than the current political climate?
If people just give up on dialog there is 0% of change but if we don’t give up and there is even a 5% chance of humanizing with someone to change their hurtful view, that is many thousands of times better than no chance.
Things will never improve if we give up.
Because Davis was a grown adult when he started doing this, not a teenager or younger that is already much more likely to be a victim of violence.
I never said we shouldn’t try to have a conversation, but there are situations where I cannot recommend putting yourself in harm just for the small chance of changing someone’s mind. Davis decided to do that, but it’s not everyone else’s responsibility or duty to do the same.