I look at her and this is what I see because this is who she is. She is sweet and joyful and loving and caring. But to people who don’t know her, she is a Pit Bull that cause some real harm if she chose to. And it gets even more complicated when you factor in that she is seven months old and wants to cuddle with absolutely everyone.
I have spent a bit of time looking at the world differently because of this puppy. I have to monitor our surroundings constantly to make sure that we pose as little threat to others as possible. I know what it looks like when a Staffordshire is wandering off leash. We can only play about half of the times we go to the park because either small children or small dogs are present.
So, what does this have to do with anything, you ask. Yup, I’m going to bring race back into the conversation.
Many white Americans, liberal as well as conservative, have never had to monitor their surroundings because of how they look. There is no time spent analyzing a room for threats or allies because of, well, whiteness. It is a really protective bubble.
But some of us are starting to understand that we have different presentations to the world than all the joy and love and care we feel. It is hard for someone who has always been encouraged to speak up to be able to truly listen. Especially when the subject of White People comes up.
The last week has been an amazing experience for me. My friends and family of all colors, abilities, genders, etc. etc. etc. have been kind enough to let me process this horrible week through their existences. And it has been hard.
There is a little bit of politeness dancing still being done between people in different groups. We all want to scream and tear our hair out. We are all raw and we are all afraid. But I have the least to lose in TrumpLandia™. I have to work very hard to hear “White People” and not immediately get into defense mode or into “but some of us really are down for the cause” territory.
Think about adding yet another horrible layer of Trumpish dystopia to your past week. Then take away even more of your safety. This has been a REALLY bad week for people in our coalition, in our lives and in our families. Try taking a minute to listen to each other out here in cyberspace and in the real world. Listening without waiting to respond not listening for the next opportunity to make your point.
At the end of the day, this Trump versus the American people thing cuts across every demographic marker. We all know ourselves to be the sweet Staffordshire Terrier. Please remember that a lot of people see us as the Pit Bull right now, no matter who we are inside.