Redefining Self-Defense: Marginalized Communities and the Right to Protection
In "Why I am rooting for the villain?" I explored society's nuanced relationship with self-defense and the selective approval it offers in certain circumstances.
Drawing parallels from characters like Magneto in X-Men, I highlighted the blurred distinction within our capitalist, polarized society when it comes to recognizing violence as a form of self-defense. Despite Magneto's complex motives and the systemic discrimination mutants face, his actions are often seen solely as villainous rather than as a form of self-defense against a world that marginalizes and persecutes mutants.
This societal bias becomes even clearer when we consider how our legal framework handles cases of self-defense, particularly within marginalized communities.
When a woman, depending on her societal rank or race, resorts to lethal force to protect herself from prolonged physical abuse, our biased legal system often dictates the boundaries of permissible self-defense. This failure of the criminal justice system to grasp the nuances of self-protection against oppression is deeply entrenched in racism & sexism further exacerbating the challenges faced by marginalized communities in seeking justice.
Overall, the way society perceives and legitimizes acts of self-defense is deeply entwined with systemic biases.
Whether it's within the realm of fictional characters like Magneto or within our own legal and societal frameworks, the blurred distinctions and selective approval of self-defense reflect the complexities and biases deeply embedded in our society. Little was I aware that there existed a book providing historical facts to explain all of my reflection.
Self-defense, written by Elsa Dorlin, carefully examines the moral complexities of using violence as a means of self-protection in the context of historical and contemporary struggles for social liberation. Drawing on a wide range of examples, such as the slave revolts, the modern activism of movements like Black Lives Matter and the genealogy of Krav Maga, Elsa Dorlin dissects the complex interplay between power dynamics, violence and authority. The book meticulously describes how marginalised communities have been systematically disempowered by entrenched societal structures. It traces the origins of this problem through the enduring legacies of colonialism, racism, sexism and capitalism. Dorlin fearlessly highlights the deliberate disempowerment of certain bodies, strikingly juxtaposing the perceived value of protecting some while deliberately rendering others powerless. This stark dichotomy prompts profound reflection on the ethical implications of using violence as a defence mechanism and a defence of justice.
Her analysis is both erudite and accessible, combining ideas from many philosophical and political thinkers, including Frantz Fanon, Michel Foucault and Judith Butler.
Her meticulous scholarship quickly challenges conventional notions of governance and political subjectivity, offering a radical reassessment of the dynamics of power and resistance. One of the most compelling aspects of Dorlin's work is her exploration of the complex relationship between the defender, the defended and the defenceless.
DORLIN insightfully observes how the state often perpetuates insecurity to consolidate its own power, making marginalised communities dependent on its protection while perpetuating their vulnerability.
She examines the systemic racism and stereotypes that lead to the demonisation of black men, presenting them as inherently violent and responsible for the perpetuation of violence in society. This representation ignores the wider social, economic and historical factors that contribute to violence, perpetuating harmful stereotypes and prejudices.But also how power dynamics can be so pervasive and insidious that they not only subjugate individuals, but also compel them to participate in their own subjugation and demise, often through means that superficially appear to empower them.
To sum up, for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of liberation movements and the moral dilemmas they face, this book is an essential reading.