Indeed.

Thanks to shweta_narayan for the link to this:

Abusers typically, in the moment they are exercising their power, believe themselves to be the victims. The Nazis feared the Jews, the slaveholders feared the slaves, rapists feel humiliated and controlled by short skirts. There's something much scarier about this detachment from reality than there would be in mere cynical political manipulation. The most dangerous people in the world are the powerful caught in a fever dream of victimhood.

The article itself is a commentary on the recently passed measure in Switzerland that would ban the construction of minarets, which are a kind of architecture used in mosques, but that one statement can apply to so many things on the large and small scales.

I deplore the Swiss government's decision to let such a thing be passed and hope action will soon be taken to strike down such an obviously Islamaphobic law, but I can't say that we're doing much better about being tolerant and understanding here in the United States of such things.

The quote, however, reaches deeper than just the conflict in Switzerland or Lilburn. I think it's particularly applicable to the phenomena known as White Woman's Tears. It's something I try to keep in mind when reading things like this about white women's tears and the affect on women of color and their ability to express themselves. It seems like WWT's are the perfect example of abusers acting as though they are victims, using feigned or overblown grievances to justify depriving others of empowerment and access.

I find a sad irony in realizing that we often give the support and empowerment to those who falsely claim to be victims that we ought to be granting to those who truly are being victimized.

So there's your cheery thought for the day.