Apr
14
“If you are asking ever, why is this necessary to talk about power and privilege? I want to you believe me, believe every person who nods when I say this that whether you believe in power and privilege, whether you think that systems of oppression they still affect you. Whether you are a person who lives at the intersections of oppression or someone who has no idea what targets you hold, just know that as I stand up here systems of oppression and the agents (you and us) are working in line to keep this machine going. We are being used as weapons of systems that exclude, abuse and exploit people with limited power and target statuses. If you think that you understand all forms of oppression because you too are marginalized I want you to rethink that. We are taught from childhood to use our position in power, no matter how little power we have to put others down for not having the same power as us. We are taught to deny our experiences and to deny others theirs. We are taught to not believe in each other, to want quick answers, this is our internalized capitalism, to punish ourselves and others and put them through a jury of our oppressive messages (internalized prison industrial system.) We are taught that this is normal. Alejandro Jodorowsky says “Birds born in a cage think fly is an illness” so think about how these systems have caused you to believe that liberation work is impossible that it is pointless simply because you have never been given another way.”
Fabian Romero [excerpt from the keynote speech at Southeast Regional Unity Conference April 13, 2013 at UNC Chapel Hill] (via fabianromero)
