Institutional discrimination is based on institutional power. Institutional power does not step back in response to kindness. It does not step back in response to smiles. Power only ever steps back in response to power. Anyone who preaches otherwise is preaching subservience.
If you don't get this, then I will not waste even a minute of my time trying to explain it to you.
I can turn the other cheek to my rude neighbor or to a random lady on the bus. But if you're asking me to turn the other cheek to an institutional machine of discrimination that seeks to take away my rights and make me a second class human being, then guess whose side you're on.
Be kind, be courteous, be law abiding, yes. But if someone comes to take away your rights you have to become their worst nightmare. You have to fight. There are far too many stories of minorities who smiled as they were made into an underclass. You have to fight.
Power building does not necessarily mean violence; in fact, often violence is what the weak do when they run out of options. Violence is often a perfect way to give up power, not to build it. Be smart. The key word in "build power" is "build".
