Kenny Mayne: Dear Fellow White People: Or should I have said ‘Caucasian’?

[gbear]

I think this oversimplifies a lot of historical awareness.  Did all white people know slavery was bad?  It is easy to assume people must have known, but how would they have known?  Were newspapers covering the evils of slavery, and do we think everyone read those that mentioned it?  I also think specifically in belief's like white man's burden, where it was the responsibility of the European Christians to spread Christianity. If they converted a slave, have they not improved things long term for the slaves?  I mean they were no longer starving infidels...  There are also the biblical references to slavery.  For something so often mentioned, why was the practice of slavery not mentioned more as an evil in and of itself (rather than just wrong when the Jews were slaves).  Finally, I suspect many people then, not unlike now, took their moral compass readings directly from the pulpit of their local churches.   

 

Of course, it is true many White people benefited directly or indirectly from slavery, and that benefit likely colored their perceptions.  However, I think the same thing happens everywhere at all times.  Most of us see ourselves as good, and few have the introspection needed to recognize the potential harms we inflict often without ever giving thought.

 

It's one of the reasons I have long admired the Quakers.  In a time of slavery where many were thriving using the practice, they rejected the practice.  What's more they were a huge force in the abolishment movement both here in the U.S. as well as England. 

[tshile]

22 minutes ago, NoCalMike said:

it just isn't referred to as identity politics (for whatever reason) when the GOP courts old angry rural white folks

 

Right, you guys are pretty persistent that the correct term there is Racism/ist

[ClaytoAli]

Why are you all talking about racism and slavery? 

 

The article is a broad brush of white people, but in most cases people in general care to ignore the plight of others. 

 

The Root=CNN=FOX NEWS=MSNBC=New York Times=Breitbart=People that want your attention by any mean necessary!

 

but they do report the news we need to know between the thick lines of news we don’t.

 

[NoCalMike]

3 minutes ago, tshile said:

 

Right, you guys are pretty persistent that the correct term there is Racism/ist

 

Well, if the shoe fits. 

8 minutes ago, gbear said:

Of course, it is true many White people benefited directly or indirectly from slavery, and that benefit likely colored their perceptions.  However, I think the same thing happens everywhere at all times.  Most of us see ourselves as good, and few have the introspection needed to recognize the potential harms we inflict often without ever giving thought.

 

It's one of the reasons I have long admired the Quakers.  In a time of slavery where many were thriving using the practice, they rejected the practice.  What's more they were a huge force in the abolishment movement both here in the U.S. as well as England. 

 

I think there is a difference between bad people, and good people participating in a bad system. 

[ClaytoAli]

10 minutes ago, tshile said:

 

Right, you guys are pretty persistent that the correct term there is Racism/ist

The dancing damsel has emerged for her ballad of racial discussion. You must be looking for a dance partner to swing arm and arm with.

[tshile]

2 minutes ago, NoCalMike said:

Well, if the shoe fits.

 

Surely you have mirrors in your house. 

[ClaytoAli]

1 minute ago, tshile said:

 

Surely you have mirrors in your house. 

I think you both show attend each other’s cookouts on the 4th.

[ClaytoAli]

Redskins fans talking about racism, oh the irony.

[tshile]

8 minutes ago, ClaytoAli said:

I think you both show attend each other’s cookouts on the 4th.

 

no more room on the boat

[TradeTheBeal!]

7 minutes ago, ClaytoAli said:

I think you both show attend each other’s cookouts on the 4th.

 

Who’s bringing torches?

 

[NoCalMike]

23 minutes ago, ClaytoAli said:

I think you both show attend each other’s cookouts on the 4th.

 

I'd go. I get along with most folks.

[CousinsCowgirl84]

4 hours ago, ClaytoAli said:

And some white people have given their lives for the benefit of minority movements.  But that is not the point of the article .

 

 

Yea, point of the article was to generate clicks through a divisive title... #winning... 

[Bozo the kKklown]

I am just going to assume most of the posters in here who are complaining the most didn't actually read the article.

9 minutes ago, CousinsCowgirl84 said:

 

 

Yea, point of the article was to generate clicks through a divisive title... #winning... 

what did you disagree with in the article?

[bearrock]

7 minutes ago, BenningRoadSkin said:

I am just going to assume most of the posters in here who are complaining the most didn't actually read the article.

what did you disagree with in the article?

 

Quote

And most white people don’t actively fight to eradicate inequality and injustice because they usually benefit in some small way.

 

Setting aside the convenient use of most (broad enough to be incendiary, but vague enough to escape any meaningful scrutiny), do we still have slavery, jim crow, lynching?  What race were the people in power when these practices ended? Is it politically acceptable to spout racial bias and hatred as a political candidate? (Sit down Steve King and Donald Trump).  Who makes up the majority (or is it near majority now?) of the electorate that created such a political climate?  Just about 40% of whites voted for Obama in both elections.  Are they not speaking through their action?  What about the white person that recorded the Starbucks incident in Philadelphia?  Lot of people do stay silent in the face of injustice and that's a problem.  But most whites don't fight inequality and injustice?  What kind of racist bull**** is this?

[ClaytoAli]

 

1 hour ago, tshile said:

 

no more room on the boat

Dude that’s just selfish. 

[Bozo the kKklown]

4 minutes ago, bearrock said:

 

 

Setting aside the convenient use of most (broad enough to be incendiary, but vague enough to escape any meaningful scrutiny), do we still have slavery, jim crow, lynching?  What race were the people in power when these practices ended? Is it politically acceptable to spout racial bias and hatred as a political candidate? (Sit down Steve King and Donald Trump).  Who makes up the majority (or is it near majority now?) of the electorate that created such a political climate?  Just about 40% of whites voted for Obama in both elections.  Are they not speaking through their action?  What about the white person that recorded the Starbucks incident in Philadelphia?  Lot of people do stay silent in the face of injustice and that's a problem.  But most whites don't fight inequality and injustice?  What kind of racist bull**** is this?

one, a lot of Trump supporters voted for Obama... twice.

 

Second, 40% isnt a majority.

 

Third, um the President of the United States and an entire political party is okay with fascism. You can pretend that "its just a few" but we clearly aren't seeing its just a few.

 

And more to the point, that article isn't necessarily directed at the Trumps and Steve Kings, it is directed to the "moderates" and a lot of the Democratic party.

[ClaytoAli]

1 hour ago, TryTheBeal! said:

 

Who’s bringing torches?

Here we go

[bearrock]

12 minutes ago, BenningRoadSkin said:

one, a lot of Trump supporters voted for Obama... twice.

 

Second, 40% isnt a majority.

 

Third, um the President of the United States and an entire political party is okay with fascism. You can pretend that "its just a few" but we clearly aren't seeing its just a few.

 

And more to the point, that article isn't necessarily directed at the Trumps and Steve Kings, it is directed to the "moderates" and a lot of the Democratic party.

If that article said "Some white people don't fight injustice" or "not enough white people fight injustice", I'm not going to disagree (though the second phrase is a bit incendiary).  It could easily say most people need to do more and actively look for opportunities to fight against injustice.  But when it says most whites don't fight injustice out of self interest, that's flat out wrong.  That ignores all the progress that America has made since its inception that started with counting a black human being as 3/5th of a person.  Much of those progress occurring while white people were in charge.  Excoriate the horrifying beginning.  Blame the dragging of feet.  Highlight the progress still to be made.  But don't vilify an entire race as self serving weak willed racists.  That serves no purpose other than to divide and perhaps generate clicks.

[Bozo the kKklown]

25 minutes ago, bearrock said:

But don't vilify an entire race as self serving weak willed racists.  

Here is the thing, if a majority of white people were interested in ending this horror show, it would be over.

 

You can say its a few, or a portion, or a section, or whatever. But a lot of white people have friends, family, relatives who are on the fascist side of things and just let it go because they are nice to them.

5 hours ago, Springfield said:

If the system were set up to keep black people in power and ensure that black people received better education, health care, standards of living, etc, would black people fight for their own self interest or would they fight for equality?  All black people or only a few?

is this what you fear? we are talking about reality.

[bearrock]

8 minutes ago, BenningRoadSkin said:

Here is the thing, if a majority of white people were interested in ending this horror show, it would be over.

 

You can say its a few, or a portion, or a section, or whatever. But a lot of white people have friends, family, relatives who are on the fascist side of things and just let it go because they are nice to them.

 

What is your definition of "most"?  Because to me, what you are saying and what the article is saying are not the same thing.  

[TradeTheBeal!]

5 minutes ago, BenningRoadSkin said:

Here is the thing, if a majority of white people were interested in ending this horror show, it would be over.

 

You can say its a few, or a portion, or a section, or whatever. But a lot of white people have friends, family, relatives who are on the fascist side of things and just let it go because they are nice to them.

 

 

This is anecdotally true.  In my family (mother’s side), which is white southern middle class, only my little brother and myself are progressive enough to participate in BLM or pride marches/offer financial support to such causes.  The rest of the family (aunts, uncles, cousins) range from frothing Hannity/Trump lunacy to lifelong apathy and ambivalence about it.  I suspect many other white folks in here have a similar experience.

[Springfield]

6 minutes ago, BenningRoadSkin said:

 

is this what you fear? we are talking about reality.

 

Nope.  I’m talking about how human nature transcends race.

[Bozo the kKklown]

33 minutes ago, Springfield said:

 

Nope.  I’m talking about how human nature transcends race.

Oh ok, the long term “both sides.”

 

Like I said, we are past hypotheticals and are now focusing on reality. Because right now we are seeing fascist policies play out to harm Central American families leaving places that this country caused to spiral. And children are being separated from families.

 

This isn’t theory, this is reality. Please wake up.

 

38 minutes ago, bearrock said:

 

What is your definition of "most"?  Because to me, what you are saying and what the article is saying are not the same thing.  

Huh?

[bearrock]

16 minutes ago, BenningRoadSkin said:

Huh?

 

Do you agree with the article's position "most white people don’t actively fight to eradicate inequality and injustice because they usually benefit in some small way."?  

[Riggo-toni]

I just wish some of you cotton picking monkeys would stop calling us racists when there are fine people on all sides.