Just briefly logged into mastodon and my mentions are mostly people debating my experiences here and whether I was entitled to tweet about them, and I just want to say, I was called slurs for days by people on *other instances* and received a death threat saying that they would do to me what was done to Emmett Till.
Anyone discussing any of this like *I* did something wrong, including by talking about it, is a fucking dipshit.
Have a fabulous fucking day.
I’m disgusted that protecting the reputation of the platform is more important to some people — including some Black people, what the actual fuck — than making sure people are safe, physically and emotionally.
That’s some nasty shit.
And to the “it’s just growing pains/join the right instance” crowd: Black people shouldn’t need a fucking Green Book to navigate the physical or virtual world.
@economics @chanda You said it better than I could.
Dr. Prescod-Weinstein, you're probably not going to have the experiences you're looking for here, because people on the general Internet are awful and the real world is a white supremacist world. Also, you're a famous public figure, compared to the average person, with a large following, and in multiple groups that the far-right hates. This place isn't going to provide the experience you're seeking, because it can't. It may never be able to.
@jedmund @chanda @jhamby @economics I'm curious in what way we're shrugging our shoulders?
We can't help everyone, we can do what we can. What more do you want from random people?
@mizrobin @chanda @jhamby @economics @jedmund that's again not what I meant to imply. Any time I'm in a position to help, I do what I can. I'm referring to, for instance, the homeless situation here. I don't have the resources to house everyone.
What I can do is not sell my home to a flipper who would blow the price up even more than it already is. When I see cops harassing someone I'll stop to watch what they're doing.
@denebeim @mizrobin @chanda @jhamby @economics @jedmund
Joy, someone told you that they got death threats. Then they told you that the Mastodon community instead of responding to those death threats in any reasonable manner, asked her not to talk about those death threats, in order to maintain the Stepford Wives civility Mastodon prides itself on.
And you asked "What more do you want from us?"
@denebeim @mizrobin @chanda @jhamby @economics @jedmund
No one is even asking you to help, because honestly, I don't think you're far along enough in this space to be helpful.
But, please don't make things worse.
Asking people not to talk about things makes it worse. Pretending that we are already doing everything that we possibly could be doing, makes it worse.
@mekkaokereke @mizrobin @chanda @jhamby @economics @jedmund
You're absolutely correct. I mean you don't know me. And yes, I meant how can I help make things better?
What I said sounded callous, and I apologize.
I can tell you what my normal baseline is for what can I do to help. Shut up and let the PoC talk. Be there when crap stars to happen.
And as far as far enough along, well, I've been at this for... well a long while. Learning all the time. or trying to
@mekkaokereke @mizrobin @chanda @jhamby @economics @jedmund
Oh and FWIW as a node admin I try to proactively block toxic sites. If I have users I'd keep them under control. Although TBH I can't imagine having people I'm not familiar with on here, and nobody who's a *oginist would be around me for very long.
I lost no one in my circles when I transitioned. So I'm pretty sure there aren't any.
Chanda Prescod-Weinstein
The Other Economist
jedmund
Joy Denebeim
Robin
mekka okereke 