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Thoughts on
Trying to be an Ally

by David Turner

We all must make a journey of self awareness individually and together.

I am a person of privilege. As a white English-speaking, middle-aged male who is able, heterosexual and middle class, I rarely have to prove my credibility, credit worthiness and place of power in society. In fact, these qualities are accorded to me as if by divine right.

I am a person without the lived experience of racism. I do not know the daily fear of being rejected, singled out or attacked because of my skin color, accent, religion or customs. I am not economically or socially exploited. Doors of opportunity are not slammed closed in my face. Accommodation and employment vacancies do not miraculously disappear when I show up. I do not have to search hard to find models of myself in the workplace, schools, social clubs and seats of power.

For those who believe in a more egalitarian and socially just society, this privilege brings responsibility. Here are a few ways we can try to be allies with persons oppressed because of their race. The words of Anne Bishop in her book Becoming an Ally and the shared thoughts of Jean Trickey when she visited Victoria last fall echo here.

• We need to speak out against racism and discrimination when we see and hear it. We are all often uncomfortable in discussing difference. Sometimes we don't want to be singled out by the social groups who have accorded us so many advantages. Other times we feel hyper critical at speaking out so late in the game. Often we feel paralysed at our own guilts about our own racist attitudes. We need to explore the benefits of our silence and truthfully confront out inertia and complicity.
• We need to remember that we are part of the oppressor group. Accept our responsibility and convert it into real energy for making changes, personally and in society.
• We need to truly listen to the pain and experience of the oppressed person. We can never fully understand it since this is not our lived experience, but listening with open hearts and minds can be validating for the victim of racial harassment.
• We need to build solidarity with racially oppressed persons. Work with them to find safe places of support for victims of racial harassment. Assist them to find appropriate advocacy for their concerns. Without patronizing, include persons of diversity in our social, recreational, work and professional activity. Be careful not to takeover their power and leadership. We must work as true partners.
• We need to use our power credibility and privilege to work for change. Name the backlash and resistance when it inevitably happens. Don't leave it up to the oppressed group to resist or speak out. we need to exercise our own responsibility without speaking for others.
• We need to reeducate ourselves and not expect racial minorities to do it for us. As Ann Bishop says, we must all be workers in our own liberation struggle. We all must make a journey of self awareness individually and together.
• We need to find our own places of power and support. Working across difference to share and resist the collective experience of oppressions (ableism, ageism, sexism, classism, heterosexism), we can all find strength to continue the struggle.
• We need to use our creativity and humour to deal with these painful issues. Our vision of a fairer and more collaborative society must entice us forward.

Finally, persons of privilege must face a crucial question. What power and privilege are we willing to share or even surrender for a more egalitarian society?

David Turner is an Associate Professor at the School of Social Work, University of Victoria.

RACISM: "...AN EMOTIONALLY RIGID ATTITUDE TOWARD A GROUP OF PEOPLE. IT INVOLVES NOT ONLY PREJUDGMENT BUT... MISJUDGMENT AS WELL. IT IS CRITICAL THINKING THAT SYSTEMATICALLY MISINTERPRETS THE FACTS." - Wellman, 1974

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