Empathy

Human Rights: Allies and the Practice of Human Dignity

I have a friend who is a little older than I. He has been involved in activism for marginalized communities for decades now, and I consider him a mentor, as he is always on top with the most up-to-date trends and learnings within the larger human rights universe.

Just a year ago, my friend turned me onto this essay, which is one of the best and most authentic pieces I have ever read on the subject of building alliances towards the goal of attaining a society based on equality and rights for all. I would like to see this article become a required text for young people learning about human rights, race, gender, LGBTQ+ issues and equality. It would go a long way in softening the unnecessary adversarial stance against majority identity groups and reducing the dehumanization and stereotyping of “the enemy”, those who belong to groups we have deemed to be privileged.

 Activist leaders and progressive educators exercise immense power and influence over young, impressionable people searching for purpose and belonging, and it seems important to be responsible with that influence by teaching compassion alongside outrage.
 
Treating allies with dignity is not coddling or kowtowing to power, entitlement, or privilege. It is the call to practice the principles we wish to promote in the world. As this essay tells us, authentic activism that  embodies its vision is a disciplined political commitment to work steadily towards the building of coalitions and lasting relationships that will help us arrive at the place we want to go.

Because in the end, as the author reminds us…. love is thicker than blood.
 

In Praise of Allies: Wherever we’re going, we’ll only get there together