Anyone remember when "racism" was real?

[IM2]

I understand all this. But, Sandmann didn't get justice, he got money. And think about this: Sandmann was reviled by almost an entire country and probably not a few from other countries. The media; social media; politicians; celebrities; CEOs and other company executives; whites; blacks; Hispanics and people of every race and culture and walks of life were all too eager to jump on the bandwagon and drag this kid through the mud. All because of a fucking hat and a smile on his face.

The history of racism and discrimination is a dark period in our country, no doubt about it. But I doubt any black person has ever experienced this magnitude and scope of hatred and loathing heaped on their heads all at once by an entire nation because of their skin color.

There is a lot you unpacked in one response and I have something to say in response to most of it however the two paragraphs above particularly struck me.

Sandmann was reviled but I heard he received 25 million dollars to salve his wounded feelings however you have to be incredibly naive or simply disconnected from reality if you think that what he faced and received money for was worse than what black people who have been terrorized and killed by white supremacists have suffered only to be told by our "justice" system that what they have suffered simply doesn't matter, let alone receive any compensation for their loss, pain and suffering.

I simply cannot understand how you think being lynched, dragged to death behind a pick-up truck, having your church bombed causing the death of 4 young congregants, being mowed down by gunfire during prayer group, having your black community which was the most affluent in the country burned to the ground, and the white mob who perpetratored that attack all got off scot free and then on top of that, being the subject of legally sanctioned threats, harassment and systemic racism comes anywhere close to being compensated in the millions for defamation and threats which lots of people receive online unfortunately.

And whilte you're right that this isn't a contest the intentional infliction of pain and emotional distress that has been metted out upon people of African descent for the last several centuries is a continuing violation that has to be answered for. All of this distraction, white people calling other white people racists and nazis, has nothing to do with the task at hand or what any of you call it. And with the exception of someone telling you all to be ashamed of being white, I understand your gripes (why you would listen to anyone who doesn't have their act together is beyond me, maybe you can explain it?).

The issue though, at least from my perspective, is why is it only now a concern that everything be 100% fair and just, when the white supremacist didn't have problems with things not being fair and just as long as everything favored them? I'm sure I've stated this before, but white people, white men in particular are not being targeted, you're simply no longer being favored to the extent that you have been in the past.

I understand that change can be uncomfortable and cause anxiety and fear but per usual you're blaming the wrong people. The people causing the most problems for white people are the same people that cause us problems - white racists. They're the reason for the backlash and the implemtation of rules and laws that you all don't like because you consider them as being unfair and taking things from you (chants of "We will not be replaced!", all due to the racists in your own race.

AMEN!
PREACH SISTER!

 

[Ghost of a Rider]

I understand all this. But, Sandmann didn't get justice, he got money. And think about this: Sandmann was reviled by almost an entire country and probably not a few from other countries. The media; social media; politicians; celebrities; CEOs and other company executives; whites; blacks; Hispanics and people of every race and culture and walks of life were all too eager to jump on the bandwagon and drag this kid through the mud. All because of a fucking hat and a smile on his face.

The history of racism and discrimination is a dark period in our country, no doubt about it. But I doubt any black person has ever experienced this magnitude and scope of hatred and loathing heaped on their heads all at once by an entire nation because of their skin color.

There is a lot you unpacked in one response and I have something to say in response to most of it however the two paragraphs above particularly struck me.

Sandmann was reviled but I heard he received 25 million dollars to salve his wounded feelings however you have to be incredibly naive or simply disconnected from reality if you think that what he faced and received money for was worse than what black people who have been terrorized and killed by white supremacists have suffered only to be told by our "justice" system that what they have suffered simply doesn't matter, let alone receive any compensation for their loss, pain and suffering.

We don't know how much money Sandmann received, we only know that they settled out of court. I never heard about any specific amount.

As for the rest of it, I'm not making comparisons. I only stated that no black person has probably ever gone through what he did and I'm pretty sure I'm right about that. I'm pretty sure no one has.
I cite this case, again, not to make comparisons, but to illustrate how dangerous and volatile the anti-racism movement in this country has become.

I simply cannot understand how you think being lynched, dragged to death behind a pick-up truck, having your church bombed causing the death of 4 young congregants, being mowed down by gunfire during prayer group, having your black community which was the most affluent in the country burned to the ground, and the white mob who perpetratored that attack all got off scot free and then on top of that, being the subject of legally sanctioned threats, harassment and systemic racism comes anywhere close to being compensated in the millions for defamation and threats which lots of people receive online unfortunately.

Yes, lots of people receive threats online. But from an entire nation and society?

And whilte you're right that this isn't a contest the intentional infliction of pain and emotional distress that has been metted out upon people of African descent for the last several centuries is a continuing violation that has to be answered for. All of this distraction, white people calling other white people racists and nazis, has nothing to do with the task at hand or what any of you call it. And with the exception of someone telling you all to be ashamed of being white, I understand your gripes (why you would listen to anyone who doesn't have their act together is beyond me, maybe you can explain it?).

Do you not understand that white people being called racist or Nazi (or calling others racist or Nazi) is part and parcel of the task at hand to do away with racism against blacks? This is not a distraction from the fight against racism at hand, it is precisely because of that fight.

This is not something that's been going on contemporaneously with discrimination against blacks the whole time. This is a relatively new phenomenon that stems directly from the current movement against racism that started just a few years ago. There were isolated incidents before this of course, but it really got going after Michael Brown. It gained even more traction when Trump was elected and now it's a full blown religious Inquisition-like hysteria.

This is why I bring it up; not to say it's worse or equal to discrimination against blacks but to point out that the movement is going off the rails and going in the wrong direction. Possibly the opposite direction. Whatever we can say about racism and discrimination against blacks, THIS is not the way to go. All it does is make things worse.

This supposed pushback that people are seeing from a lot of whites about their racism and facing their "whiteness" is because of this carnival atmosphere of paranoia and suspicion and the tendency by a lot of folks to cry "Racism!" where there is none. Another thing people keep doing is making every issue about race all the time when it is usually not. People are sick and tired of it. Even a lot of blacks are tired of it.

The issue though, at least from my perspective, is why is it only now a concern that everything be 100% fair and just, when the white supremacist didn't have problems with things not being fair and just as long as everything favored them?

100% fair and just does not just mean equal opportunities and consideration for, and treatment of blacks, it also means holding those accountable who actually perpetrate racism and discrimination, not the entire white race. It does NOT mean spitting on your white supervisor because you THINK he's being racist. It does not mean a seventeen year old kid be summarily condemned by an entire country before learning the facts because of a hat. It does not mean a man exercising his 1st Amendment rights and wearing an emblem you don't like should be hunted down and assaulted.

And what does anything white supremacists have done have to do with me? Why should I be spit on and called racist because some piece of shit dragged a black man behind his truck? Do you see what I'm getting at?

I'm sure I've stated this before, but white people, white men in particular are not being targeted, you're simply no longer being favored to the extent that you have been in the past.

If I am accused of being racist when I am not, it means I am being targeted. Or it means that the person making the accusation has no real understanding of what racism is. I guarantee you that if I was black or maybe Hispanic, that guy that spit on me would have taken the reprimand as a matter of course and would have just gone and put some work gloves on. It wasn't about race until HE made it about race.

Some people are just looking for an excuse to accuse someone of racism. Who are they looking at most of the time? White people. And if they're looking, they'll find it whether it's there or not. And sometimes (as we've seen on a few occasions), if the racism is not there, they'll manufacture it. *cough*Jussie Smollett*cough*

There are lots of examples of people making an issue of race when it has nothing to do with race but a good example is something that happened recently involving Taylor Swift. She just released an album called Folklore and there is a line of clothing being sold separately that match the clothing she wears in the videos and on the album cover. There is a small patch on some of this clothing with "The Folklore Album" stitched on it.
Apparently there is a black-owned clothing company in California called The Folklore that specializes in imported African clothing and the woman who owns it, Amira Rasool, made an issue of the similarity of the names. So far, so good. Sounds like a legitimate concern, right? As far as that goes, yes, it was a legitimate concern. However, before even consulting with Swift to resolve the issue, she immediately jumps on Twitter and tweets: "Wait, hold up. Taylor Swift, it's one thing to use the name "Folklore" but we're out here stealing black womens' logos too?"

First of all, she never bothered to get in contact with Swift or her people about it to get the facts and get it resolved before going public. Secondly, her company is called "The Folklore" and Swift's clothing was marketed as "The Folklore Album". Unless Rasool has a copyright on the words "The" or "Folklore", it is two entirely different names and logos. Third, The two logo designs were entirely different with different fonts and word placement. And finally, she made it about race when it had nothing to do with race. At the very least, she should have engaged with Swift first about the matter before making the accusation.

The way she presented this implied that Swift deliberately and knowingly copied her logo when she knew no such thing. It also implies (to me anyway) that Swift had the arrogance to do so because The Folklore is a black-owned business and maybe she could get away with it.

In my opinion, if this had escalated to litigation, Rasool would have lost her case. However, Swift being a good little white girl who didn't want to anger a black person even if she was in the right, agreed to change her logo design. In short, Rasool played the race card and Swift caved.

I understand that change can be uncomfortable and cause anxiety and fear

What gave you the idea that I'm fearful or anxious? Do you honestly think I'm saying all this because I fear change in the black community? Have you not been paying attention? I'm not fearful or anxious, I'm fucking pissed.

I haven't said anything to give you the impression that I'm uncomfortable with things changing for blacks. All I've ever said is that I'm sick and tired of the false, frivolous off-the-cuff accusations of racism, making every issue about race and the moronic cries of cultural appropriation for every little goddamn thing.

but per usual you're blaming the wrong people.

I'm not blaming anyone for anything other than certain individuals making false accusations and I only do that when THEY MAKE FALSE ACCUSATIONS. And as I've already pointed out, I get it and see it more from whites than blacks.
Even after everything I've said, you still think I'm just criticizing blacks here? White people are probably more guilty of race baiting than blacks are right now.

The people causing the most problems for white people are the same people that cause us problems - white racists. They're the reason for the backlash and the implemtation of rules and laws that you all don't like because you consider them as being unfair and taking things from you (chants of "We will not be replaced!", all due to the racists in your own race.

I don't know anything about any rules and laws but I will say that white racists are not the ones falsely calling me racist.