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Let's All Clap for the White Man

The Difference Between a Savior and an Ally

By Ashley MellingerPublished 4 years ago 7 min read
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The White Savior Complex is sometimes accredited to Rudyard Kipling's The White Man's Burden, a poem espousing the moral obligations of white folks to civilize non-whites living in the darkest corners of the earth. Inspired by the Phillipine-American War, Kipling urges the White Man (sic) to exercise patience and fearlessness in meeting the needs of his captives, (in this case the Filipinos,) who are described as "Half devil and half child". It seems strange that an India-born White Man would describe his brown-bodied brethren in such a way; yet the roots of white supremacy run deep and does not require strength in numbers, and remember that his most famous work does center around a brown-bodied man-cub who was raised by wolves. And how lauded Kipling is today for having brought such humanity not only to the beloved animals of The Jungle Book, but to the uncivilized Mowgli as well.

Rac(ial)ism

The White Man's Burden is an ode to imperialism and colonialism, but what about racism? Some publications describe Kipling's philosophy as being racial but not explicitly racist. The difference between racialism and racism is subtle but distinct; Merriam-Webster lists racialism as the theory that race determines human traits and capacities, while racism is the belief in said theory. It can be argued that there is no difference between racialism and racism, but it can also be argued that the White Man can masquerade the former as heroism, which he cannot do with the latter. Thus enters the white savior, the salt-of-the-earth humanist whose humble philosophy guides his sacred mission, the conversion of savages, as simple as an 1890's advertisement for Pears' soap - "The first step towards lightening The White Man's Burden is through teaching the burdens of cleanliness, a potent factor in brightening the dark corners of the earth as civilization advances."

Clapback

Of course, Kipling's white savior wasn't without his critics; Mark Twain wrote the anti-imperialist "To the Person Sitting in Darkness", and Henry Labouchère's "The Brown Man's Burden" sheds its own light on colonialism's falsely philanthropic narrative. Yet the trope has prevailed in countless modern retellings of the noble savior's pursuit, one of the most famous examples found in the film Glory, a biopic about a Civil War captain who accepts command of the Northeast's first all-black regiment. Other notable white savior characters appear in classic favorites such as A Time to Kill and To Kill a Mockingbird, or even more recently in films like 12 Years a Slave and Green Book. Setting aside the opinion that many of these films could qualify as racial torture porn, it's easy to see how many a well-meaning White Man (or white person for that matter) could be confused into thinking he's doing the work of divinity every time he happens to do something nice for a person of color. In these cases, a heartfelt "I see you" is simply not enough because, as evidenced by our history's cultural representations of the white person's perspective, sometimes what is "seen" is far from helpful and even further from the truth.

The Savior

To try and achieve some clarity on the illusory White Savior, one must understand the telltale signs. Such a figure is often male, but not always; perhaps the same spirit that created "mansplaining" and "manspreading" also recognized the typically male entitlement that accompanies a self-professed Savior. And most saviors truly believe that they know what is best for another culture, that their way is the right way, the morally superior way. Related to this is the Savior's seemingly endless knowledge of another race's culture, sometimes even to the point of adopting said culture with virtually no personal or historical context, (the dreaded "cultural misappropriation"). The Savior might vehemently speak out against racism and oppression, and offer up their own story of marginalization as an example of the ways in which they understand what a person of color has been through. Of course, the strength of the Savior's voice is one of his most recognizable qualities, and he will gladly speak on behalf of communities that he doesn't identify with but feels he represents.

The Ally

But what about those who are considered allies in the collective fight against marginalization? The ones who effectively use their privilege and status in ways that are selfless, honorable, and true? The ones who see racial equity not as an obligation or a burden, but as a moral imperative? Unlike the Savior, the Ally is more of a listener and less of a talker. He makes a point of being inclusive without calling attention to himself; in other words, he treats non-whites the same way he treats any of his other friends or family. In the most heroic cases, an Ally not only stands up for marginalized folx, but will sacrifice or threaten their own privilege on behalf of another person or group. If there is a burden that the White Man must bear, it is the heavy realization that in order for egalitariansim to exist, something must be given up.

The Wound

The problem with Saviors confusing themselves for Allies is that it perpetuates a narrative that the White Man truly is the best arbiter for furthering social change. The idea that a person of color can only be granted equity at the behest of, or with the permission of, a white person simply reaffirms the theory of racialism, that a racial hierarchy does exist based on perceived differences. Consequently, the Ally knows that sometimes the most helpful thing to do is to simply step aside, but the Savior will see it as an opportunity to "do the right thing". And while maintaining human civil rights is everyone's responsibility, that responsibility is not meant to be a platform for proclaiming one's list of good deeds towards men.

Exoneration

Since the White Man should be relieved of Kipling's proposed burden, he has two options. He can choose to live his life as he pleases, free from the moral complexities of self-assessing his privileges and unchecked biases. He hasn't chosen to be born with status, nor has he any control over the systems that advantage him. The White Man, as with every man, has his own struggles too; who's to say that his are any lesser than his non-white counterparts?

The Pew Research Center determined that only 46 percent of white people say they benefit “a great deal” or “a fair amount” from advantages that society does not afford people of color. And what even constitutes "a fair amount" as seen from the perspective of someone who benefits from said advantages? What might "a fair amount" look like to a person of color? Would it look more like "a great deal"?

The White Man's second option is this: he can choose to educate himself and others, to constantly question the things he possesses that were unearned. He can pay attention to the subtle ways in which his world caters to the needs and desires of his white brethren before anyone else's. Mostly, he can spend time with and listen to the stories of the people whose experiences differ most from his. He can take advantage of his all-access pass to the broader community.

Identity

Ultimately, The Ally is not an identity. It is not a badge that one can wear in the hopes of being congratulated and recognized for a job well done. Being an Ally means accepting that the fight against oppression and the process of breaking the cycle of systemic racism is a process. And oftentimes, it's a process rife with uncomfortable truths accompanied by feelings of shame, guilt, and confusion. If the current sociopolitical climate is at all a reflection of the power of the White Man's identity, it should come as no surprise that if it's applause a White Man seeks, then applause he shall get, irrespective of background or merit.

Solution

There is no easy solution to the problem of systemic racism. While many people are willing and able to recognize is at a palpable issue, and many of those same people are even keen to fix it, the truth is any cycle of oppression is a chain that no one person can break. Kipling's call to action incited the White Man to bravely take up the mantle of social change, but in the modern understanding of creating racial equity, it is a struggle that must have willing participants from both sides. While the average person of color implicitly understands the monumental nature of disrupting a society's status quo, the White Man will need to make a pilgrimage of his own to the depths of understanding, to the dark recesses of collective human condition, in order to tackle the task that lies before him. He will first have to stand, stand up for and stand with those he's sworn to help, before anyone will stand and clap for him.

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