Being an Ally and the Importance of Minority Voices

Editor’s Note: This article contains harsh language.

By Jason Blanks

As we get deeper and deeper into the new generation of political figures, policies, and social norms, two of the largest topics to emerge for minorities have been representation and the support of allies. People are waging ignorant wars in both the digital and physical world over technicalities that are unrelated to the real social problem.

You may ask, “What is the issue?” While I personally could give you my own perspective of the cause of current racial tensions, my viewpoint is restricted to that of the black, male experience. Thus, another question arises: Why do people who do not share another’s plight feel they can speak to someone else’s struggles? 

The Ally

Before we dig in too deep, let’s begin with a mantra of sorts by saying, “I am an ally, nothing more, nothing less.” 

I know that this will easily be perceived as a negative expression because human nature gravitates towards chaos. After all, our purpose as individuals is often born out of the chaos in our lives. However, this statement does not imply that you are less-than. 

Part of being an ally is realizing when and how one should become an advocate. For example, the United States and Morocco are long-standing allies. If Morocco had a massive conflict with another country such as North Korea, the U.S. may choose to aid and support Morocco with military funding. This would be an entirely different scenario than if Morocco was trying to establish or reform its own laws. In this situation, it would not be appropriate for the U.S. to become involved. 

The opposite seems to be occurring when it comes to minority issues. Take for example the protest of the police killing of George Floyd that occurred outside the White House on June 1st, 2020. In this situation, black people were calling for the reform of laws that disproportionately and negatively affected their community. This did not stop President Donald Trump, a white man, from interfering with their efforts by sending armed police officers. These police officers then escalated the situation with unwarranted violence against this group of minorities.    

Another part of being an ally is accepting the fact that you will make mistakes. For example, you may find yourself describing a social problem with verbiage that is considered discriminatory, insensitive, or demeaning to the subpopulation that it relates to. Consider this a learning opportunity for yourself. Do not avoid these teachable moments because you are afraid for it to be labeled as “mansplaining” or being a “culture vulture.”  Remember that as an ally, your experience with systems of oppression is limited because of your privilege. There are examples of this in hip-hop culture. 

Minority Voices

Rappers like Eminem and Lil Dickey are white rappers who have earned their stay in the House of Rap. Rap has always been a representation of hip-hop culture, as it was truly the first way black and brown people were able to express themselves. Although the genre was founded in the 1970s, one could argue it pioneered the flashy fashion wear of the 1920’s and the heavy bass sounds from ragtime and rock ‘n’ roll music. 

Eminem has on many occasions been a controversial figure. First, he is a white rapper in a primarily black genre of music. Secondly, he is a person who frequently uses the word “faggot” to emasculate others. In addition to this, he is hyper aggressive toward the public in his music and he politically attacks the government in his songs as well. Eminem has been in headlines for his problematic behavior as recently as 2018. However, Eminem is still considered an ally in hip-hop culture due to his history with black and brown people. He has been known to repeatedly help black people to jumpstart their careers and break the glass ceiling of the rap industry. 

Eminem’s long tenure in hip-hop can be attributed to his mentors, who were some of the most radical rappers in the industry. These rappers were N.W.A., Tupac, and LL Cool J. Eminem is considered equal if not better to the same people who he looked up to. One could argue that technically this white rapper took a platform and copied these artists to gain success, but there is another side to the story. This is a rapper who overcame the odds in an industry that didn’t accept him. His skin color was a gift and a curse.

Commercially, Eminem benefited from a brand that targeted a specific audience. Eminem did not seek to hinder rap music through capitalism. Instead, he just wanted to have a piece of the platform for his own self-expression. His messages spoke to the struggles of living in poverty and experiencing different forms of violence. This is something most black and brown people could relate to. His acceptance into hip-hop culture was a pivotal moment for both minority and non-minority communities because it highlighted the commonalities among these groups. Yet, this also shows that hip-hop and minorities are better at being allies to a cause than our white counterparts.   

Eminem experienced something that most minorities don’t get a chance to experience, which is the chance to freely speak without the interference of an outside party. Eminem also gets to freely choose his identity. On the other hand, black rappers are ascribed gimmicks such as being a thug or a partier. We as minorities are not afforded the same privileges as our white counterparts. We as minorities have asked politely for freedoms and equalities, but were beaten and told to stay in our place. It has now come to a point where minorities are no longer asking, but fighting for the rights that were never bestowed upon our ancestors or us.   

Black people are not a monolith. We are also not a decoration for a special time of the year. Our resistance against systems of oppression does not stop on February 1st and start back up March 1st. If this was the case, then Ahmaud Arbery (23) wouldn’t have died on February 23, 2020. If you are not familiar with this case, Ahmaud was a black man who was unjustly gunned down during a morning jog in his neighborhood. 

To be honest, this is a scary and frustrating article to write because I feel like I'm taking the same risk as Ahmaud. I am already bracing myself for the scrutiny of viewers that will try to make my words fit their agenda. They will say that I am anti-white or worse, ignore my message completely. The killing of black men like Ahmaud brings about two types of death. One is of humanity. The other is the opportunity to learn and understand the unconscious bias that has indoctrinated us over generations.  

If you want to be an ally, actively listen and do not take offense to the constructive criticism of minorities. Do not reply with common rhetoric such as “You’re being sensitive” or “All lives matter.” Also, do not sugarcoat discriminatory or racist words in an effort to make the oppressive party feel less uncomfortable. Minorities are very intellectual people and we understand that the message is the same even if the tone of it changes. For instance, Donald Trump referred to Haiti and African countries as “shithole countries.” Although many news outlets and government officials condemned Trump’s statements, Fox news host Jesse Watters tried to justify this hate speech by saying, “This is how the forgotten men and women of America talk at the bar.” 

As an ally, it is vital that you understand that the pain that minorities feel is raw and it is not the outcome of a single narrative. Furthermore, an ally does not determine the issue at hand. Rather, they are an echo chamber for minority voices. When we say, “Black Lives Matter,” it's okay to say it with us and stand beside us. It is not okay for you to assume or pursue any underlying agenda to our talking points. 

Lastly, I urge all allies and non-allies to be conscious of the fact that we are not here to cause any harm in our efforts to establish equal rights for minorities. We simply want to live a life without the threat of enslavement or a premature death.