Thread by @ReignOfApril

She’s doubling down & making it worse. I’m not spending my layover engaging further. “I thought we had gotten past racism. We elected Obama.” is all I need to read.

I’d love to live in the bubble that so-called white allies do, tho. I bet it smells like lavender & good credit.

Today is a good example of why Black folks say they’re are tired of/mistrustful of white “allies.” Alyssa holds herself out as an activist & identifies as a liberal/progressive/Democrat/whatever. She also has all the privilege and access necessary to be informed. Yet here we are.

She screws up, as we all do, & gets both called out & called in. As per usual, it is a Black Woman who attempts to pull her into the light. But instead of sitting w/ her newly received info & committing to learning, she comes on here to tell us she gets it now. It’s performative.

Because now, instead of the original gaffe, we have several more, because she chose to engage instead of listen, which is AN ALLIES’ BIGGEST JOB.

And if Alyssa can’t/won’t get it, some of us are less than confident that others will. Which... leaves us with the 53%.

I’m off the plane and reading now that Alyssa tagged Brittany in without B’s consent and then used her as both sword and shield against other Black folks calling Alyssa out publicly. That’s not what an ally does. That’s what white women have done historically. And I’m angry.