I like to think the truly rebellious thing is choosing the name "John" in a family of Maddox, Pax, Zaharah, Vivienne, and Knox. Maybe in time John will learn to conform and at least go for Xavier or Max. Boys names have Xs in the Jolie-Pitt family!

i need a goddamn vodka.

You did not come off as 'wanting a cookie.' These people are making this all about themselves, not you.

I'm a sixth-grade teacher. I will keep on trying to use my voice for good as long as I have a voice to use.

I guess what I'm still struggling with—at least in the context of this piece—is that fine line.

loquaciousmusic: "I think they're expressing empathy."

because the death of Matthew Shepard was not about straight people.

Your point is a fair one (especially because, as a guy, I've had a lot of learning to do about misogyny). And I appreciate that this piece—which I agree was excellent and clearly written—was about the author's conflict over this exact issue, as you also note.

I don't think you should think of it as empathy—you should think of it as drawing a line in the sand with your white colleagues—-THIS IS NOT OK

I'm also curious as to whether or not this is a problem that has been created by social media or exacerbated by social media. Social media certainly makes it easier for people not to put their proverbial money where their proverbial mouths are.

I mentioned my interest in African American history not to be congratulated for it but because it's been one of my interests and passions for the last 20 years. If you don't want to congratulate me, that's okay. You don't have to.

THANK YOU. I'm white, but gay, so I feel like I have this unique veiw into being a minority and also not being a minority. When my straight friends post things on social media about going off on a homophobe or something like that, I think great. Awesome. It makes me feel good that people out there support me even…

No, but this article WAS about us (white people).

where does this commenter say that they think kindness is the limit of what they need to do?

You're absolutely right. I'm not trying to absolve myself, and I apologize if I came off that way. I'm just trying to understand a distinction that I see as existing.

Ms. Bennett wrote:

Would you have said the same thing to the white Mississippi freedom riders? They were good white people, too, and they paid the ultimate price for their decision to stand up for justice. Or the straight folk who mourned the death of Matthew Shepard? Or the men who fight for equal pay for women? Or the able-bodied…

Right. I don't want a prize, but also, don't basically tell me to shut up. That doesn't do anyone any good.

I thought it was a wonderful piece, but I sincerely doubt that most good white people—or at least the good white people who run in my circles—believe that they "deserve a fucking prize." I think they're expressing empathy.

I guess the question is "How can white people be supportive of the issue without seeming to demean or take over the issue? " If white people don't talk talk about what they do in the situation, then the narrative is that white people are ignoring the issue (which so many do). If white people talk about the issue,…