6.4.20: Privilege
Plus US military domestic intervention and brand statements
June 4, 2020.
Good Thursday Morning. I feel like a bit of a broken record saying this day after day, but I continue to be amazed by and grateful for all of your comments, suggestions and questions. One of you even shared a cited list of academic studies about policing. (Unfortunately, Typeform messed up the formatting for it.)
Because we’re having this conversation every day, I'm going to get things wrong from time to time. But your feedback makes me better.
If you want to get started on today’s questions, click on the Let’s Talk button.
Mailbag
i know you are trying to acknowledge your users but all of the comments from the majority are a bit triggering for me as one of the 1% black users. it is exhausting for me to try to watch certain people 'think out loud' when we really are just asking them to listen and amplify our voices through their privilege/platform/family. maybe the next poll can ask if someone is part of a minority group, then ask them the questions, excluding white voices for a day? not sure if that is something you can get behind but it may help!
I’m deeply sorry. I want this to be a fun, engaging and meaningful experience for everyone, and it absolutely sucks when it’s not. But I love your idea. If you’d be so kind, either through the anonymous comments or (only if you’re comfortable) directly by replying to this email, can you reach out? I’d love to collaborate on this. I want to make sure I’m asking the right questions, doing this the right way and providing the right platform.
It has been proposed that in order to make fundamental changes that you need a "seat at the table". There needs to be long term and systemic changes that come out of the protests and a specific agenda met on both a Federal level and local level. How can individuals channel this energy into effective change in their own communities to make change? My proposal is that every protester is registered to vote, vote at every local election, ask specific questions of the candidates and their plans, and broadcast the answers through every available means. When the seats are filled at the table with people who are elected and appointed it will be a true voice. I also believe there are immediate things that can be done right now at the Federal levels but to really institute sustained cultural changes it has to be from the ground up as these protests are suggesting. I for one am going to ask questions in my own community and state leaders. Lets see where that goes.
Local government is, by definition, where all of us can have the most impact. Our votes and voices matter more.
To the respondent that shared that they felt this platform was only for liberals, I hear you and I would like to see more political diversity on this platform, too, even though your political opinions are different than mine because thats what drew us all here in the first place. But this is a grassroots operation which means we, the supporters, need to work to get Tina out into the ether. Please share it with even one friend that you believe is politically aligned with you because then opinions from those politically aligned with you will be heard by the liberals on this platform!!
^^^ Someone is coming for my job. Click Share Tina and listen to the new leader of the Tinaverse. (Well said. Thank you, friend.)
And to get started on today’s questions, click the Let’s Talk button below.
Results from June 3, 2020
Question 1: Do you approve or disapprove of the job Mayor Bill de Blasio is doing in handling the protests and social unrest?
This question was asked just of New York City residents. New Yorkers are not terribly pleased with their local leadership.
Question 2: On Monday, radio personalities Rush Limbaugh and 'Charlamagne tha God' debated the concept of white privilege on The Breakfast Club radio show.
"I don’t buy into the notion of white privilege," Limbaugh said. "I think that’s a liberal, political construct right along the lines of political correctness, it's designed to intimidate and get people to shut up and admit they’re guilty of doing things they haven’t done."
Charlamagne disagreed, calling Limbaugh "delusional" and arguing that it exists.
With whom do you tend to agree more?
A lot of people have been jumping at you recently, but I have to as well. Question 2 is challenging to answer as you did not substantively quote Charlamagne the God. By not doing so, you explained the reasoning of one side, without providing the reasoning of the other side. Either do each point justice or just ask the question "Do you believe white privilege exists?”
You’re right.
Question 3: Would you support or oppose cities calling in the US military to supplement city police forces to address protests & demonstrations?
Some of you pointed out that this question was tough because the situations in different cities are, well, different. That’s true. But it’s remarkable we’re even entertaining the question.
Question 4: If a brand or company makes a political or social statement with which you agree, do you actively try to buy more goods or services from that company?
Many of you made the point that when companies make statements you don’t support, it can influence you to buy less from them.
Speaking of companies making political statements. I feel lots of companies made statements on Tuesday just because it was trendy. Most of them did not feel genuine, especially those that refused to say Black Lives Matter. Say the words.
This anonymous user gets at the question I was trying to probe. Do these “statements” matter?
Make it all the way through but forget to answer today’s questions?
Click on the Let’s Talk button below to get started.