As a gay man, I’ve been told by people claiming to be “allies” and “friends” how I was somehow empowering homophobes and gay bashers by pointing them out, and expressing my anger and sadness that I was inundated by commentary that I was a morally inferior person, that I should be imprisoned for being gay, that I did not deserve equal protection under the law because I am gay, or in some cases, that I should be executed for being gay.
“You are too sensitive.” “You are being hysterical.” “You are obsessed with this topic.” “You are letting them control you.” “You are just giving them the attention they want.” “It’s just their religious beliefs, have some empathy.” “It’s just a difference of opinion.” “Sticks and stones can break your bones, but words can never hurt you.”
“Just ignore them, and they will go away.”
I often feel like I am a victim of a mass gaslighting effort. I know I am not alone.
I know black people have been told the same way about white supremacy. I know all LGBTQ people, Jewish people, Latino people, Muslims, Asians, Sihks, Buddhists, Hindus, atheists, disabled people, women, etc… have been told the same about their tormentors.
“Just ignore them, and they will go away.”
Everyone on the left who expressed concerns about a mobilizing white wing have been told it. “Just ignore them, and they will go away.”
Concerns of white wing armed mobilization going on for decades has always been met by so-called allies of those targeted by that mobilization with minimization, and dismissal.
“Oh come on, they are just running around in the woods in their pajamas playing army.”
“They just want attention, and you are rewarding them by giving it to them.”
“Just ignore them, and they will go away.”
Oh yes! We can just ignore them, and they will go away! Why didn’t we already try that?
On January 6, 2021, well ignored by the vast majority of the population, they came anyway.
Should we not understand by now, that you can’t ignore the white wing into nonexistence?
Nope. We are once again being told to ignore them. Our “allies” are demanding our intentional ignorance, so they can continue theirs.
Will our allies ever accept that white wing mobilization, violence, aggression, and terrorism is tangible not a manifestation of our imagination that we can will away by pretending it’s not there?
If the ransacking of our Capitol with the aim of mass assassination to aid Trump’s efforts to unlawfully retain power can’t move the needle away from the “ignore them” strategy, then what? What will it take until our allies are willing to confront white wing mobilization as a real threat that exists well outside our minds?