Not Going Silent as White Gentiles
I attended Cherie Brown’s Jews and Allies Webinar. (Cherie Brown is the International Liberation Reference Person for Jews.) Cherie explained more about the “hook” between anti-Jewish oppression and racism.
I had previously encountered several instances of the “hook” between a Jewish friend and a Black friend. However, because I am white Protestant, I hadn’t thought much about how it affected me. It had just seemed like a dynamic between the two of them. I’d had an interest in understanding it, but it hadn’t seemed personal or related to my re-emergence.
Following Cherie’s webinar, our local Allies to Jews support group talked about what we usually do as white Gentiles in regard to “the hook.” Mainly we stay silent. We recede into the background, glad that we are not the target of the upsets. It is now clear that we need to stand up and speak out when it happens. We mustn’t “go silent” and let the Jews or the Black people take the heat [be the targets] when distress is being acted out. We can speak up and encourage kindness and good thinking even if that makes us the target of the distress. With enough discharge, we can be relaxed and helpful when our loved ones act out distress even when they aim it at us.
Eugene, Oregon, USA
Reprinted from the e-mail discussion list for RC Community members
(Present Time 201, October 2020)