Comments on: (re)thinking walking: Students of color taking up space at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities http://flipfloppingjoy.com/2009/05/07/rethinking-walking-students-of-color-taking-up-space-at-the-university-of-minnesota-twin-cities/ it's where the movement is... Sat, 13 Mar 2010 07:32:31 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: ODDitie415 http://flipfloppingjoy.com/2009/05/07/rethinking-walking-students-of-color-taking-up-space-at-the-university-of-minnesota-twin-cities/comment-page-1/#comment-4516 ODDitie415 Fri, 08 May 2009 21:02:12 +0000 http://flipfloppingjoy.com/?p=1070#comment-4516 Thank you for putting up this post BFP! I cried when I read about the monsters called "institutional discrimination and positional power" that these students are so fiercely taking on, because this isn't about any one individual, rather about the power-over relationships demanded in existing systems (governance, learning, activism and relationships to ourselves, to each other, and our planet; etc) that we as individuals, coming from an often vehemently-denied violent history, have learned to create and re-create for ourselves and others in the everyday. This part of the First Open Letter- "To anyone reading this who thinks institutional racism is irrelevant: The act of silencing is an act of violence. The abuse of power permitted by privilege is an act of violence. Talking about it is no more inappropriate than talking about sexual violence. Racism must not be treated like the molesting uncle in the family whose public acceptance is bought by the suppression of his victim’s voices. It is more shameful to be silent about the violence that to feel ashamed about its existence. Denial only aids the oppressor, and hurts the survivor. As we confront our own unthinking prejudices and strive to become better allies to each other, we are very aware of the magnitude of what we are asking of you." - remindeded me of the analysis of Generation Five about interlocking systems of oppression and the identification of child abuse, and child sexual abuse in particular, as an early training into relations of power-over (domination/submission) and a product of a culture where power-over relations are the norm. To me THIS is a project focusing on the interruption of that power dynamic and I am grateful for their courage and your voice! Thank you. Thank you for putting up this post BFP! I cried when I read about the monsters called “institutional discrimination and positional power” that these students are so fiercely taking on, because this isn’t about any one individual, rather about the power-over relationships demanded in existing systems (governance, learning, activism and relationships to ourselves, to each other, and our planet; etc) that we as individuals, coming from an often vehemently-denied violent history, have learned to create and re-create for ourselves and others in the everyday.

This part of the First Open Letter- “To anyone reading this who thinks institutional racism is irrelevant:

The act of silencing is an act of violence. The abuse of power permitted by privilege is an act of violence. Talking about it is no more inappropriate than talking about sexual violence. Racism must not be treated like the molesting uncle in the family whose public acceptance is bought by the suppression of his victim’s voices. It is more shameful to be silent about the violence that to feel ashamed about its existence. Denial only aids the oppressor, and hurts the survivor.

As we confront our own unthinking prejudices and strive to become better allies to each other, we are very aware of the magnitude of what we are asking of you.” – remindeded me of the analysis of Generation Five about interlocking systems of oppression and the identification of child abuse, and child sexual abuse in particular, as an early training into relations of power-over (domination/submission) and a product of a culture where power-over relations are the norm.

To me THIS is a project focusing on the interruption of that power dynamic and I am grateful for their courage and your voice! Thank you.

]]> By: Speaking of young people I love, plus everybody else « Chicks Dig Me http://flipfloppingjoy.com/2009/05/07/rethinking-walking-students-of-color-taking-up-space-at-the-university-of-minnesota-twin-cities/comment-page-1/#comment-4512 Speaking of young people I love, plus everybody else « Chicks Dig Me Fri, 08 May 2009 19:49:41 +0000 http://flipfloppingjoy.com/?p=1070#comment-4512 [...] to in this post and am not fully understanding yet what’s going on, and then look!, this post by BFP lays a lot of it out and helps me shortcut for a minute, although the original site I link in this [...] [...] to in this post and am not fully understanding yet what’s going on, and then look!, this post by BFP lays a lot of it out and helps me shortcut for a minute, although the original site I link in this [...]

]]> By: (re)thinking walking: Students of color taking up space at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities « Raven’s Eye http://flipfloppingjoy.com/2009/05/07/rethinking-walking-students-of-color-taking-up-space-at-the-university-of-minnesota-twin-cities/comment-page-1/#comment-4497 (re)thinking walking: Students of color taking up space at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities « Raven’s Eye Fri, 08 May 2009 11:34:33 +0000 http://flipfloppingjoy.com/?p=1070#comment-4497 [...] cross posted from flip flopping joy [...] [...] cross posted from flip flopping joy [...]

]]> By: jess http://flipfloppingjoy.com/2009/05/07/rethinking-walking-students-of-color-taking-up-space-at-the-university-of-minnesota-twin-cities/comment-page-1/#comment-4490 jess Fri, 08 May 2009 02:56:52 +0000 http://flipfloppingjoy.com/?p=1070#comment-4490 BFP - thanks for posting this. reading now ... -j BFP – thanks for posting this. reading now …
-j

]]> By: plain(s)feminist http://flipfloppingjoy.com/2009/05/07/rethinking-walking-students-of-color-taking-up-space-at-the-university-of-minnesota-twin-cities/comment-page-1/#comment-4488 plain(s)feminist Fri, 08 May 2009 02:13:38 +0000 http://flipfloppingjoy.com/?p=1070#comment-4488 Trying to figure this out is making my brain hurt. The Ananya Dance Company is a woman of color dance company whose work focuses on issues of importance to women of color globally. I'm having a hard time understanding how Dr. Chatterjea and her department have become the focus of these concerns. It seems like, if there were a safe place for dancers of color, this would be it. Maybe that's what prompted the protests - that it *should* be, but *isn't* safe space? Trying to figure this out is making my brain hurt. The Ananya Dance Company is a woman of color dance company whose work focuses on issues of importance to women of color globally. I’m having a hard time understanding how Dr. Chatterjea and her department have become the focus of these concerns. It seems like, if there were a safe place for dancers of color, this would be it. Maybe that’s what prompted the protests – that it *should* be, but *isn’t* safe space?

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