One hears that academic or official positions are, or ought to be, neutral. So we should start with some of the definitions of the word ‘neutral’.
not saying or doing anything that would encourage or help any of the groups involved in an argument or war Cambridge dictionary
not engaged on either side… specifically : not aligned with a political or ideological grouping Merriam-Webster dictionary
The poem that follows here reflects on the effects of a neutrality that presumes everyone has been, is being and will be treated equally by the law and by society. Neutrality creates a fiction that closes its eyes to the real inequalities actually created and reproduced in society. This forces us to always have to negotiate with existing injustice.
Yesterday, I tried to find some middle ground with a racist.
I would prefer no one said the n-word.
He wanted everyone to be free to say it.
We agreed that half of the people in the world could say it.
Middle ground, found. Splitting my soul in half.
Yesterday, I tried to find some neutral ground on racism.
I would prefer that no houses of Black or Brown people burn.
Racists want to send them all “back” to the bowels of hell.
We agreed that some of their houses could burn.
Middle ground found. My heart is on fire. His is ice-cold.
Yesterday I tried to find some middle ground with a racist.
It would be great, I said, if the police did not kill any more unarmed Black men.
The police can do what they like, he said.
We agreed that the police could kill half the Black men in the world.
Middle ground found. Splitting the world in half.
Yesterday I tried to find some middle ground with a racist.
It would be great, I said, if the earth were not bled dry.
“The earth is ours to do as we like,” he said.
We agreed that half of the earth could burn.
Middle ground found. Destroying the planet.
Today I tried to find some middle ground with the racist.
“Can I hold you to your promises?” I asked.
To hold the middle ground, where only half burn or die?
“What promises?” he said. “I can do what I like.”
“You are barely human.”
No middle ground found. And we all burn to the ground. We all burn.
