“Just Be Kind” and Other Violent Statements
I was walking down the road from where we live and saw it for the umpteenth time: the “Just Be Kind” sign somebody had placed by their mailbox. Perhaps you’ve seen the version I’m referring to. It seems to be the product of a movement of some sort, as I’ve seen numerous copies of it around town and online. It would seem that those who display such signs believe they’ve unlocked the secret to making the world a better place. From my point of view, though, seeing it again reminded me that I’ve long wanted to dig below the surface of this ostensibly inspirational bromide in order to point out its smug vapidity as well as the potential for it to perpetuate violence. This "Just Be Kind" sign seems to be a thing Just being kind does nothing to address structural racism. In other words, it doesn’t address inequities in educational opportunities and health outcomes resulting from what neighborhood you’re born into. It doesn’t address disparities in wealth accumulation based on where ...