Dear White People:

A Small Lesson on Intent vs. Impact

A quick example of how intent doesn’t matter

A white lady looking deranged and frantic. | 14 Oct 2014 | Photo Credit: Johnny Silvercloud

Argument: Intent vs. Impact

Debate focus: Confederate Flag

1. A white woman tried to argue she isn’t racist by flaunting and waving the Confederate flag, and just because it has a long history of terrorizing Black people of the United States, her intent should be considered. The concerns of Black people shouldn’t be heeded. If she doesn’t intend on gaslighting, right? If gaslighting Black people with white supremacist terrorism symbology isn’t in her intentions, she should be fine, right?
2. Me? Impact > Intent: analogy: if your lover intended on making love to you and sticks it in the wrong hole, I’m quite sure all intent is out the window and you’ll appreciate him heeding your concerns, impact considering.

I was very brutal back in 2017. Ruthless even. But hey, I’m called the “Vicious Abolitionist” for a reason.

Intent Doesn’t Matter if the Impact is Severe

Another example would be a military one.