Capital B is so obvious, come to think of it, or it should be.

Thank you for your graciousness.

>>As an "ally", I don't know. I'm ingrained, and not just with
>>my wife and kids. I suppose, one aspect of being supportive
>>means I don't pepper the black friends I have with
>>conversation about every black issue that arises, because to
>>me that "otherizes" them, for lack of a better term.
>
>This is next level awareness...YES! Not enough white people
>understand this part..good gracious

Yeah. That's definitely something I've learned, and I'm positive I've done that shit in the past. Between here and my family and friends, it's an issue that I had to witness to really understand.

>>I've had to reprogram the way I see a lot of shit over the
>>years, and the way I engage. I had to abandon things like
>the
>>"race card", once I realized the problems with it. I learned
>>that here, on OKP, and I don't let that go unchallenged if
>it
>>comes up. As time goes on, I allow less and less to go
>>unchallenged.
>
>
>>Me and Deadzombie had a horrible relationship, and I
>couldn't
>>stand him, because he would not leave me the fuck alone. So
>I
>>once told him to go find a cop and reach for his waistband.
>>I'm ashamed of that, and regretted it at the time. I
>>weaponized- and this trivialized- a real issue that he,
>people
>>here, and people I know and love in my day to day life,
>faces
>>every day.
>>
>>An ally doesn't do shit like that.
>>I learned from it, but that doesn't change the fact that it
>>happened.
>
>Its powerful that you owned this out loud.

If nothing else, it's a sobering reminder to myself.

>>All in all, I'm not sure there's a whole lot I do that can't
>>be chalked up to "cute, he's trying". I don't do enough
>>studying, reading and listening to academic black voices.
>Yes,
>>i listen to my favorite rappers and producers and other pop
>>culture voices on these issues, but I haven't yet gone all
>in.

>not just academic Black voices though...revolutionary ones
>too...radical ones too..uneducated ones too...trans ones
>too...all the voices

Agreed. To interject a bit, it was intended as a simple illustration to show the sort of gap between what I do and don't do, in terms of seeking information, not singling out academics as any more important or valid.

>>So I'd classify myself as someone who is falling far short,
>>and needs to do much better.
>
>Yes, please study and read more. I recommend the 1619
>Project, How to Be an Antiracist, The New Jim Crow or Hood
>Feminism

The second and third are on my list already. I'll add the others, and I do intend to get to it in the near future.