me and white supremacy - day 6

you and white exceptionalism

What is white exceptionalism? Layla Saad tells us that it is; “. . . the belief that you, as a person holding white privilege, are exempt from the effects, benefits and conditioning of white supremacy and therefore the work of antiracism doesn’t apply to you.” (me and white supremacy, p. 67)

Layla Saad knows that every time I disagree with her, I’m ‘proving’ my white exceptionalism; “White exceptionalism has shown up every time you saw one of the reflective journaling questions and thought, I don’t do that or that doesn’t apply to me or I have never or would never think like that.” (Ibid, p. 69)

According to Layla Saad, my white exeptionalism makes me dangerous, “to BIPOC because you cannot see your own complicity and will not listen when it is reflected back at you. . . . If you believe you are exceptional, you will not do the work. If you do not do the work, you will continue to do the harm, even if that is not your intention.” (Ibid, p. 70,71) What is ‘the work?’ The work is capitulating to and agreeing with everything Layla Saad says I’m guilty of because of the colour of my skin. Who is the real racist here?

My disagreement proves my white exceptionalism and that makes me dangerous and harmful to BIPOC according to Layla Saad. I should be so ashamed of my complicity.

Am I being guilt tripped here? What’s going on?

Layla Saad is simply trying to sway me to her opinion (her brand of racism) by using an old trick - appeal to guilt.

The fallacy of Appeal to Guilt mimics this situation in which a reasoner criticizes his listener for failing to correctly follow the offered reasoning. However, in this case, the reasoner has not actually offered any reasoning for the listener to follow. The criticism (and accompanying guilt) create an illusion that a complex logical argument has been offered, implying that anyone who fails to be persuaded by it simply failed to understand.

Appeal to Guilt, Bruce Thompson's Fallacy Page

Layla Saad’s ‘complex argument’ about white exceptionalism is a house of cards with ‘white supremacy’ as the foundation. Dislodge one card and the whole flimsy edifice falls apart.

The first reflective journaling prompt (like all the rest) is a loaded question that shows how a negative response cannot be allowed because the whole argument would then fall apart; “In what ways have you believed you are exceptional, exempt, ‘one of the good ones,’ or above the conditioning of ‘white supremacy?’ (Ibid, p. 72) The question presupposes the conditioning ‘white supremacy’ which guarantees white exeptionalism. The only acceptable response is to quickly make a guilt list of shameful confessions. To refuse is to ‘not do the work’ and to be ‘dangerous’ and ‘harmful’ to BIPOC.

My response to this prompt question - “I am exceptional because I won’t fall for your guilt trip.”