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by _hhkc 2093 days ago
I've experienced some of my Indian coworkers criticize BLM, which was a bit surprising. I don't know what caste they belong to, though.
2 comments

It's surprising to you because North Americans have gotten used to saying "people of color" as if they were all united.

Upper-caste Indians basically see themselves as people on top of the racial hierarchy. In many ways they identify far more strongly with British or American elites than with Dalits.

I was more surprised because I assume they’ve faced their own fair share of discrimination from Americans
It's often hard for many people to empathize with people they view as being entirely separate from themselves, even when undergoing similar hardships.
An amazingly astute trick by the British.
Replicated across the Empire, divide and conquer, or co-opt and exploit
Marginalized people speaking up or protesting bothers people with authoritarian personality traits because those acts are interpreted as attacks upon rigid social hierarchy.

It doesn't really have anything to do with the content of BLM's message, but everything to do with who is saying it, how they're saying it, and to whom.