Civility = White Comfort
Maintained by the hypocrisy of old white men
This post prompted by this one, from “Worcester Politics 101” which has blocked me but based on the first Google result calls itself “The only go to local state & national political source.”
As far as I’m aware, it’s exclusively written for and operated by Steve Quist, who used to be on the cable advisor commission and I believe has a background in media or journalism, and uses that page as his primary platform at the moment.
Monday Breaking News: David Webb isn't getting the old white vote, because he denies their entitlement to civility. 🙄
Very perceptive. Certainly Worcester Politics 101, indeed. Thanks for your insight and journalism Steve. Sorry you don't feel represented enough in this country/city.
Here’s the full comment
Sidenote, The not enforcing respect thing is a from a determination that actually originated in Southborough where the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled ruled that a public comment policy, or “civility restraint,” used by the town of Southborough violates the free speech rights codified in the Massachusetts Constitution saying that “Although civility can and should be encouraged in political discourse,” the court wrote, “it cannot be required.”
This exchange was on the Central mass Chabad’s post attempting to allege antisemitism against councilor Bergman, but it still is being determined if there was anything antisemitic said, or just people calling him a Zionist and Fascist. Either way, I guess antisemitism isn’t a concern for Steve Quist either, as he would rather draw attention to my “ageism” and use it to highlight why he feels I don’t have any qualifications and don’t “deserve to be an elected city councilor”
Notably, he has also been silent for the “isms” exhibited by sitting councilors the past few months.
I'm not ‘ageist’ but I do recognize that most “old white men” speak for their own perspectives, and also recognize this country was built by and has laws mostly written by their demographics with colonial values and that for our society to improve, we need to consider more perspectives than just theirs. Part of what makes me a good advocate is listening to the perspectives of impacted communities at a higher priority than people who are benefitting from capatalism and colonization. This is largely to mitigate my own biases and preconceived notions as a white man. I do listen to many “old white men”, just only ones who have perspectives built on listening to people outside their own demographics.
But I’m glad Steve is saying the quiet parts out loud.
Civility is the right word for what they’re looking for, it’s not respect, or ‘decorum’ as we’ll be hearing a bunch in upcoming city council discussions.
It’s like this post, from a tumblr user about respect
They’re not actually talking about civility, because civility would be about what is civil, like civil rights - civility would be considering equity and accountability. What they’re actually talking about is their perceived entitlement to being treated with dignity, even if they don’t treat others with dignity.
I’m going to say that again: This is their perceived entitlement to being treated with dignity, even if they don’t treat others with dignity.
And it’s so blatantly hypocritical, transparently so, when you look at if they act with any integrity and hold these same values to others who don’t force them to cosnider the impact of their own behavior, who don’t insist they recognize their privilege.
Is Candy Mero-Carlso qualified to be a city councilor? Has she been respectful to people outside her own demographics? Of course not.
Donna Colorio still calls herself a “psychotherapist”, a term that hasn’t been used in the actual profession for decades, and her largest professional credential is teaching at our local community college (Can you imagine how horrible it must be to listen to her drone on and have to take notes?!?). Councilor bergman’s tenants hate him, clients use him because he’s a councilor with sway, and I have heard that Toomey is unemployable and a menace to work with.
But, that doesn’t matter to people like Steven Quist, because the goal here is attacking me without discussing politics, and selfcentering his own perspective - because that’s all they do. They’re demanding civility, while maintaining oppression.
Because ‘civility’ is really just ‘white comfort’
Here’s a really great writeup on the characteristics of white supremacy, which will help you recognize the ideologies at play as we go into this election season
