Using Your Voice or Not

When I started sharing my thoughts on social media a few years ago, I knew there would be consequences and repercussions.

I wasn’t wrong.

Supposed friendships have been lost.

I have become intimately acquainted with the holy social media trinity of delete/unfriend/block.

I have been pleasantly surprised by some who agreed with me, and unpleasantly surprised by the rancor and hostility of some who disagreed with me.

At any rate, I have become accustomed to the odd ebb and flow of sharing opinions and dealing with the reaction.

At the moment, social media commentators, both famous (entertainment figures, sociopolitical activists) and not famous are being pressured to say something about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

No one is currently pressuring me to say anything.

But people who have celebrity status and many social media followers are being lambasted for not sharing their opinion.

I have read/watched a number of celebrities of various types saying they are being inundated with messages saying that they should take a stand.

Some of these people are looking for pro-Israeli statements.

Some are looking for pro-Palestinian statements.

The situation is extremely volatile, and the desire for some to comment is also volatile.

People who take a side on issues are always hoping to not only inform but convince others of the correctness of their position.

Allyship is important.

As a Black person concerned about racism and prejudice and its pernicious effects everything, I hope that what I say educates, enlightens, and embolden others to act.

When I write about LGTBQIA2S+ issues, I hope other allies will speak out.

But in the end, it boils down to having a choice, passion, and articulation.

First of all, a person’s voice is theirs and theirs alone.

It does not belong to the crowd.

It speaks what it wants to speak when it wants to speak it.

Like most Black people, I am thankful for people who speak up and out on matters of institutional racism, prejudice, and this country’s attempt to whitewash (literally and figuratively) its sorry racial history.

I’m grateful for the people that use their voice to help people like me.

I wish more people would use their voice.

But I’m not going to slide into someone’s DM’s and make demands.

I’m not going to guilt someone into being an ally.

You either are an ally or not.

And allies do more than write a piece, make a speech, or contribute money.

They provide public and private assistance.

Using your voice can include voting and organizing.

There’s a place for public and private voices.

Next, each of us have passions, things that move us to thoughts, tears, and then to action.

You should act on our passions that help others, unless acting on passions means hurting others. (If your passions drive you to hurt others, that’s not passion. That’s selfishness and a lack of control.)

Finally, when we speak, we ought to be able to speak with clarity and lucidity.

Until or unless I have something substantive to add to the conversation, I’m not going make comments.

I don’t want to be among the crowd that muddies the water instead of helping to purify it.

Those who are passionate about the issue are speaking about it, and with any issue, there are some voices that are more cogent than others.

My hope is that the people speaking out about any issue speak from a place of knowledge, compassion and empathy.

We should exercise our choices, demonstrate our passions, and articulate our point of view well.

Or wait until we can.