2020-07-31 :: Choosing Shackles
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on 2020-07-29 [kvothe wrote][1]:

> The world is on fire and I feel like I don't know what my part in it is.
> I am privileged. I'm a programmer, well-paid, and have a family to take
> care of. So I program, and we are provided for by the system that needs
> things programmed.

> [...] *I* choose to remain tethered.

This is a feels that I also feel. I am cis, hetero, and male. The trifecta of
easy street. But I also have a family - a wife and five children who depend on
me for health and safety.

So there are legitimate reasons to remain tethered, choosing shackles.

Yet...

We do have power. As white males, esp. cis/hetero, our word is more believed.
We must lend our voices and witness to those who are less fortunate than us. We
can call out our racist friends and family. We can check on People of Color
when we see them being engaged by cops. We can stand up for those less
privileged when we see injustice.

We can also point out inequality and intolerance to our children and
families.

We can engage our elected representatives, and push to make sure the voices and
needs of those who are persecuted are heard. We can fight racism.

And when we get exhausted of this fight we can take strength and heart because
there are people who don't get to just stop - the color of their skin means
they can't.

So we can fight for them until they *can*.

> I want us to do better than this.

And we can. But we have to do it. We have to fight injustice where we see it,
and we have to hold ourselves accountable. We can't be the white moderate.

We have to do better.

[1]: gopher://zaibatsu.circumlunar.space/0/%7ekvothe/phlog/2020-07-29.txt