stillwaterseas:

queeranarchism:

“The function, the very serious function of racism is distraction. It keeps you from doing your work. It keeps you explaining, over and over again, your reason for being. Somebody says you have no language and you spend twenty years proving that you do. Somebody says your head isn’t shaped properly so you have scientists working on the fact that it is. Somebody says you have no art, so you dredge that up. Somebody says you have no kingdoms, so you dredge that up. None of this is necessary. There will always be one more thing.”
– Toni Morrison

I get messages like this a lot, always demanding one more debate. Always trying to guilt trip me into conversations that I am tired of having. Always claiming that if I don’t spend energy on every single person that disagrees with me on every single thing, all that happens to me is my fault. Usually threatening to ‘expose’ my unwillingness to entertain them, like this person did. It’s manipulative bullshit.
I am posting messages like this public so those who experience the same know that it is okay to block these kinds of people. Have conversations on your own terms. Value yourself enough to not perform for anyone that demands a debate. Save your energy for people who are worth it.

Good news! Almost every city in America has justice groups that host public trainings, workshops, book clubs, discussion groups! University campuses have student groups engaging in this dialogue! Some of these resources cost money (because teaching this shit is LABOR just like teaching math to ungrateful 14 year olds). Some of them are FREE! 

These resources already exist! So if you are manipulating, whining and bullying online to get someone to reinvent the wheel, you know what that tells me? You don’t care about learning, you just like the power of having someone jump when you say “jump.” 

Also, if you are ‘open to different opinions’, just, ya know, read my opinions? They’re right there. If you wanna read ‘em, go for it, and I’ll be off reading opinions that interest me.

If you feel the need to force a person into a debate, it’s not because you’re open to their opinions. If you were, you’d shut up and read.