And as a side note, actual activism that involves participation in the community is the best way to achieve it. Complaining on Tumblr will not get you anywhere. And let the members of minority groups speak for themselves. For example, it annoys me how LGBT rights activism is dominated by heterosexuals (generally female). Let actual LGBT people speak out against homophobia and fight for their rights.
This does tend to be a problem - there have been many occasions where someone with a platform will speak over, if not for, the people actually affected by the issue at hand. It's definitely a noted problem. For example, you get liberal western feminists speaking over Muslim women and erasing their stories and their own issues, replacing their inherently different narrative with an overarching Western one. Definitely a problem and you are right there. At the same time, there are just as many cases where the so-called spokesperson is being unfairly given the attention through no fault of their own. People have a tendency to listen to those not directly being affected by the issue rather than those who are - they don't like having to put faces to name/stories. Let's take the relatively recent acceptance (or at least, focus) on transgender people in Western countries. When Caitlyn Jenner had her interview with Diane Sawyer, she took a moment to emphasise how lucky she is because of her wealth and status, compared to most of those within the transgender community. Particularly those who are trans women and black or Hispanic, who tend to have the highest rates of assault/sexual violence/murder directed at them within the transgender community. Not only that, they tend to be poorer and thus have less options of legal recourse, more convincing attempts at femininity should they want that, housing, etc. I could detail the specifics but that's not what I'm talking about. The point is that Ms. Jenner talked about it and suddenly many people who knew about trans issues were absolutely shocked about the situation, despite the people Jenner was talking about having being vocal about the issue for years. But they were ignored because it is easier to package the info coming from a wealthy white trans person, rather than a poor trans minority.
I'm just trying to say that sometimes, people can't help being considered as speaking over others. Sometimes it is inevitable. But as long as they aren't using the issue to promote themselves and getting others to actually listen to those directly affected, putting the focus on these people and not using the issue to further their own interests, then that's good.
I also think that minorities have to accept some responsibility for the problems that might plague their communities. As a Muslim, I can definitely say that misogyny, anti-Semitism, homophobia, religious fundamentalism, and crime are all serious problems in our community. Believe me, pointing out that anti-Semitism is a serious problem in the Muslim community is NOT Islamophobic - it's not the same as saying that all Muslims hate Jews and want to kill them. Ignoring problems that disproportionately affect minority communities or pretending they doesn't exist are wrong because it only ends up making the problems worse. We need to advocate for ourselves and teach people within our communities to fight against these stereotypes - if we accept responsiblity for problems in our communities, it will be easier to fight against them. I'm fine with non-Muslims trying to help us, but the way the SJWs are "fighting" anti-Muslim sentiment is completely insincere.
I agree with your general sentiment - my thoughts on the specifics are irrelevant as it is not my place to talk about them.
SJWs are counterproductive to society by silencing actual members of minority groups (I hate to say it, but women don't count as a minority group since half of the world's population is female) and using them as agendas for their ultraliberal baloney. If we let SJWs hold the reins of society, all hell will break loose. Contrary to popular belief, being too tolerant is just as bad as being bigoted and prejudiced. There has to be order, rules, and limits in society. There are plenty of worse things than someone being offended. I mean, we live in a world where cultural appropriation accusations are omnipresent, video games have to kowtow to Anita Sarkeesian's demands, playing the race card is considered okay, boys liking girl things (or vice versa) is considered a sign of being transgender, animals are considered the equals of humans, fictional characters are expected to be role models for real people, and offending someone is considered tantamount to murdering or raping someone. I'm sorry, but that's not how society is not supposed to work. We have forgotten what is important. Trying to be super-tolerant is like trying to be funny - the harder you try, the less effective it is.
Yeah, this is where you lost me, though. I'm directing this at pretty much everyone who thinks the same way - it is extremely tiring to see the term SJW bandied about with the notion that these people have anywhere close to the numbers and influence as the people they're (rightly or wrongly) angry at. It's just a bit laughable to think that ultraliberalism, namely the exaggerated kind used by opponents of 'social justice' to make any sort of social improvement that is contrary to their beliefs seem crazy, poses a threat to the status of modern society. Not to mention that, well, most of these so-called SJWS are young people who are misguided in their beliefs and equally misguided in expressing them. It's only natural to have those who are premature in thought when this is the first generation to have the widespread info and means of communication that we have. I'm hardly going to chastise beyond what is necessary when they're simply trying to help in the way they think best. They're certainly not as widespread as the internet likes to make them out to be either, given that if we're being realistic, people are only just getting around to liking gay people and only just considering the option that perhaps there is a problem with how society deals with rape. Let alone this apparent idea that 'ultraliberalism' will sweep the world and topple governments or whatever.
I'd rather focus on the growing number of ultra-nationalist radical groups across Europe, for one thing.
