I don't think so - what about you...?
John Maynard Keynes once said that "Words ought to be a little wild, for they are the assaults of thoughts on the unthinking." Know what? I tend to agree with that, so this post is sure to do at least one of two things - possibly even both. It will either greatly offend some people who will want to give me a piece of their mind (particularly those who can't really spare it), or it will cause others to ignore it on the grounds that "Oh, he just wants to argue!"
While I readily confess that I love a good discussion - mainly because it can generate illuminating light (though sadly often accompanied by less-welcome heat) and give my brain some much-needed exercise into the bargain - I wouldn't say that I love to argue. And while I don't believe that I ever start an argument, I'll certainly never run away from one. Bloggerland is a funny place, filled with people who use it to state their opinion on any given subject, but who seem reluctant to explain the reasons for their point of view or defend their beliefs. "I have said, therefore 'tis true" appears to be their motto. Ask them why they think as they do, however, for no other reason than to understand them better, and they do a runner.
So racism has been a lot in the news in recent times, and what a bunch of bastards white people are for all the ills they have bestowed upon the world. George Floyd was killed and shouldn't have been, but was it really because he was black? Has that been established beyond all reasonable doubt? I'm only asking because I don't know either way. Cops shoot or beat white people too, but colour is never mentioned in the news reports in those instances. And white people never stand up and accuse the police of racism because they shot a white guy, even if one (or more) of the policemen happens to be black.
It just seems to be that the people who shout racism whenever something happens are black people - or other ethnic minorities - never white people. Black people (and I mean some, not all) ask why aren't there more black actors being awarded Oscars, as if they're specifically not being given them because they're black. Here's something a lot of you will already know. Centuries ago, when some black tribes conquered others in neighbouring villages, not only did they kill their rivals, they made those they didn't murder their slaves. The point being that it wasn't only white people who took slaves. We were the first to gave it up though.
Not good enough, cry our critics. So we're supposed to ignore all the white people who died in the fight to abolish slavery because it doesn't fit in with the 'white people are trash' mantra that some people want to propagate. There are no black people alive today who have ever been slaves in the way we think of slaves - as unpaid servants or butlers. Sure, there are people of all colours - and ages - who are what are called sex slaves, or are made to work against their will in factories by crooks who smuggled them into the country (take your pick) with the promise of a better life, then did the dirty on them. Those kind of 'slaves' exist, but like I said, they're not restricted to any one colour or ethnicity so they're not the ones I'm discussing here.
Black people are slaves though - slaves to the idea that they're slaves who are victimised or oppressed purely because of the colour of their skin. It's only when they realise that they can't claim the wrongs done to their ancestors as their own, or pin the crimes of white people's ancestors on their descendants, that they'll ever truly be free from their own prejudices. Black people prejudiced? (Some, not all, remember.) You betcha! Let's say you're a white celebrity and you see a news report about starving children in war-ravaged or disease-ridden countries and decide to front an appeal to assist them (out of a genuine desire to help, not to rejuvenate your flagging career by raising your profile) - well, now you shouldn't - because you're white.
Why? Well, apparently because you're presenting whites as 'saviours' rescuing poor little black babies, and in doing so you're being a racist. Run that past me again. Surely the reverse is true?! You're trying to help disadvantaged people with no thought as to what colour or ethnicity they are, but you're being told you shouldn't lead from the forefront because you're white and it gives the wrong impression to the world? Your skin colour is being held against you! Surely that's where the racism lies?
It seems obvious that there are those within the black community who have a vested interest in perpetuating the notion of blacks being oppressed by whites. (And I'm not saying it never happens, probably more than I'm aware of, but I don't believe it occurs as often as they imagine.) There are some blacks who hate white people and are looking to demonise them, the better to present themselves as champions for black rights. If there's no conflict they have no purpose, so they stoke the fires of conflict at every opportunity. From their point of view, anytime anything bad happens to a black person, it's for no other reason than the fact he's black. That's one helluva chip they're carrying on their shoulder.
Then there's Lenny Henry, who used to be an ordinary British guy before he decided to be a leader to 'his' people. Willingly took the wages for being part of The Black & White Minstrels Show, but now says he was just a kid who didn't know what he was doing and was just trying to provide for his family. Now he's ashamed of it, you see. Well, there's certainly a convoluted and controversial history to white people 'blacking up', and some sources say some of it was malicious and racist and others say it wasn't necessarily so, but one thing's for sure, and it's this.
At the time the show was on TV, it didn't make fun of black people, didn't try to demean them, and wasn't negative about black people in any way. The British public loved the Minstrels and took them to their hearts, and the show perhaps even helped alleviate any latent or overt racism in this country at the time. But no, it was wrong and evil cries Sir Lenny, conveniently ignoring the fact that he 'whited up' in his one and only (that I know of) Hollywood movie, which did sod all for his career. They say converted former smokers are the worst, and that seemingly also goes for duff British comedians (allegedly) who are trying to reinvent themselves as relevant, when their 'best' work was nearly 40-odd years ago. And no, I don't say that because he's black.
Anyway, what I'm getting at is that the section of our community who is subject to racism more than any other is white people. They get it from all sides. Want to have an Afro hairstyle? Can't, that's cultural appropriation. Want to wear something that is (or resembles) the traditional garb of some ethnic minority? Can't, that's cultural appropriation - in short, racism. Yet for decades, many black women straightened their hair to match their white colleagues or neighbours, some of them even applying skin lightening lotions in an attempt to appear less black. And not necessarily, as some will claim, because they were made to feel ashamed or embarrassed about being black, but only because they wanted to appear more like their favourite actresses or pop stars, who - by a sheer accident of birth - happened to be white. Surely it should also work in reverse. Don't wear jeans and a tee-shirt if you're black - that's cultural appropriation.
Yes, of course that's a stupid thing to say, but that's the point! It's every bit as stupid when said from the other side of the fence too. Any excuse to beat whitey over the head though, eh?
What you have to remember if you're white, my friends, is that, according to some, white people were and are responsible for every evil ever inflicted on the globe, back in the past and also today - and no doubt tomorrow as well. You should be ashamed at your ancestors for merely living in a time when things weren't as they are now, even though there was little chance they could do anything about it even if they'd wanted to. No other 'race' ever did everything even remotely wrong and were the epitome of goodness and light, so they have nothing to be ashamed of. Everything is whitey's fault.
Black Lives Matter? Why even bring skin colour into it? Surely all lives matter?
What's your view?
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(Update:) And here's the very thing that proves my point. There's currently an ad on Scottish telly where a black guy is talking about racism and says that a sign of it is when he's followed around a supermarket by a security guard because of the colour of his skin. Excuse me? How could he know that? Marvel at the ease with which he readily assumes he gets followed because he's black. Hey, it's happened to me, and thousands of other white people, due mainly to the fact that it's a security guard's job to be suspicious, it's nothing to do with colour.
Am I carrying a shopping bag from another store into which I might be stuffing items, or do I just look like a dodgy character who's up to no good? Might it be because I've already been in the store and gone back because I forgot something and that's attracted attention? Nah, it's nothing to do with that, it's just because I'm white! See how paranoid it sounds when I say it? You see, that's part of the problem: Too many black people are far too quick to attribute every problem they encounter as being simply because they're black. Lose the chip, fellas - it's wrong and it's boring. Look for racism and you'll see it everywhere, even when it's not there.
Slavery was/is evil but I think we do need to acknowledge that not only white people were involved in it. All the Africans sold into slavery in the Atlantic slave trade were captured by other Africans - the entire business couldn't have occurred without Africans capturing other Africans and selling them to European slave traders. And Islam was capturing slaves from East Africa for centuries before the European slave trade and continued with slavery long after it had been abolished in Europe and America - Saudi Arabia didn't officially abolish slavery until 1962!! But Islamic countries have never apologised for their long history of slavery and are never asked to apologise. This is a difficult and sensitive subject but I think we need to accept that slavery wasn't just carried out by Europeans.
ReplyDeleteIndeed, CJ, but in some people's minds, whitey is the enemy and now it's payback time. Our very culture is under assault, and some people won't be happy until, figuratively-speaking, whites dress themselves in sackcloth and ashes and apologise for being - well, white - regardless of whether we've done anything wrong or not. It's really not our place to apologise for the crimes or sins of our forefathers.
ReplyDeleteThe topic of "the white savior" is particularly irritating to me. During most of my formative years, I learned that white people ought to help people of other races in seeking justice or parity-- but the overall idea is that white people also ought to do the same for any white people suffering from injustice. There was no thought comparable to the contemporary idea of "reparations."
ReplyDeleteIn the U.S. one of the flashpoints of the "anti-white savior" meme was the 1988 film MISSISSIPPI BURNING. I think it was either the writer of the film or director Alan Parker (one of youse British guys) who said that he played with the facts a little because he wanted to produce a dynamic film showing the FBI prosecuting the KKK. Instead guys like Spike Lee claimed that this desire for justice was just white people trying to marginalize blacks by not playing up the accomplishments of activitsts in the KKK investigation. I felt then, and feel now, that this was a way to shift the narrative to the idea that blacks and whites of good character were not, and never would be, allies.
Interesting and thought-provoking comment, GP, and thanks for making it. I haven't seen either of the two movies you mention, so can't add any worthwhile observations on them, but if they ever come up on TV, I'll certainly consider watching them. There's a thought buzzing about my brain, which I might add to the post once it settles within my mental reach.
ReplyDeleteI apologize if I seem to go off on a rant. From the perspective of being a Londoner who grew up in a multicultural city I find it mind boggling that slavery and it's aftermath have left such strong emotions in the UK. Pulling down statues?
ReplyDeleteIt's even stranger being a Brit in the US where the latest election has brought out such a strong Republican vote that is heavily based on pure racism.
While there are incredibly stupid people everywhere, Boris is Britain's PM? Trump is US President? How does this happen if counties are populated with intelligent life?
Back to racism, I knew black people in both school and work in the UK who were no more oppressed than the rest of the working class.
In the US I've known Black Americans as neighbours and work colleagues. There really is a big contrast between those who are of West Indian decent and American blacks descended from slaves even if the West Indians were descended from slaves?
In terms of management, black women frequently played the race card to get their positions and over the years I encountered many American blacks who were not really qualified for their jobs but held there positions in large corporations because they were the token blacks as required by law. I found many a Graphics department in corporations in NYC when I free-lanced that was the dumping ground for minorities. The rest of the office building would be full of white people. Artists and designers were the multicultural part of the company.
In contrast I met many black people who are good at their jobs and it was only skin colour that made them different. These are people that had been educated, were intelligent and the only thing that was different from you or me was skin colour. They didn't live in a sub culture of being African rather than being American.
The real problem in the US with Black Lives Matter is that there is the need for it as a genuine cause. There is such bigotry in the southern states especially and comes out of their churches. Congregations are not mixed race. Police forces throughout the US have their own 'wall of blue', us vs them attitude. They do not serve their resident population equally they literally oppress them with pre conceived notions.
Crazy at it is black policemen oppress black people! It's the police culture that's wrong.
This happens in NYC which is as liberal a city as you will find in the US.
Sorry, it was a rant. Destroying statues of former slave owners or traders in the UK is bizarre to me. Learn from history, African peoples were traded as slaves before Europeans needed extra labor. The British turned to black slaves when they ran out of petty criminals to turn into indentured servants for the colonies. In Elizabethan times English sailors were enslaved by the Spanish.
How far back do you want to go complaining about slavery? It wasn't just white people to blame.
Hardly a rant, T47. An extremely interesting contribution to the topic, with lots to consider. There just seems to be something in the air at the moment directed at white people, which, if the reverse were true, would be labelled 'racism' - and the label would be deserved. Not being able to front an appeal to aid people in other countries because you're white seems to spring from nothing more than jealousy to me, from a racist perspective. "We can't let the world think that there might be anything good about white people because of their willingness and selfishness in helping others" seems to be the thinking, added to the idea that we're only doing it for selfish reasons. It's a crazy world. Thanks for the pertinent comment, hopefully it will kick-start further discussion.
ReplyDeleteYou've obviously heard of George Floyd, but have you heard of Justine Damond or Cannon Hinnant?
ReplyDeleteThe thugs rioting in the streets do not care about George Floyd (who, BTW, was not killed by the cops; he died of a self-inflicted drug overdose). If they are angry about anything, it is that they live in welfare housing projects (like council housing) instead of mansions. Which they blame on white racism.
Actually, tax payers-some white, some black, some Asian-are the reason why the hoodrats live in apartments instead of in cardboard boxes in alleys.
"Do you know that Negroes are ten percent of the population of St. Louis, but commit fifty percent of the crime? We've got to address that. And we've got to do something about our moral standards. We know there are things wrong in the white world, but there are things wrong in the black world, too. We can't always blame the white man. There are things we must do for ourselves." -Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
BLMatter. I'm sick of the sight of them . A minority trouble making group. Trying their best to upset society. Go back to the 50s and 60s. All the African Nations were British French or Dutch controlled. All wealthy well run colonies. What now .All now thanks to independence Black..shit did I say that word...run and now all bankrupt squalors with their hands out for charity. I'm shutting mouth or I will be here for hours.
ReplyDeleteHi TC, long time no hear. Can you give me more details about GF's death? I understood he died because a policeman kneeled on his neck for 8 minutes or so. I do know that he wasn't an angel, as he had quite a number of previous convictions, at least one being for home invasion and assault, I believe.
ReplyDeleteDr. Martin Luther King Jr. sounds like a man who knew his onions. If only there were more like him.
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Hi LH. Yeah, from what little I've read of them, they seem to be pursuing an agenda of disrupting society in an attempt to diss whites and diminish our cultural history. What gets me is that their very name tends to suggest that someone (a white guy obviously) once said that black lives DON'T matter. I can't recall ever hearing or reading of anyone proposing that idea.
A store keeper or restaurant manager (accounts vary) called the police on Floyd when he (maybe unknowingly and unintentionally) paid with a counterfeit bill. Before the cops arrived, he was already complaining of shortness of breath, and was literally foaming at the mouth.
ReplyDeleteWhen police arrived and put him in the back seat of the patrol car, he complained of claustrophobia, and asked to lie down outside. So they took him out to the sidewalk. They also called for an ambulance and paramedics.
When he became combative, one officer used the knee-on-neck restraint technique. It looks horrible, but it is specifically allowed (and even recommended) in that situation.
The autopsy revealed that Floyd had three times the lethal dose of fentanyl in his body, and a dangerously high amount of methamphetamine. There was no indication of injury from pressure on his neck.
A second autopsy also found no evidence of choking or trauma from the police officers' actions, although the media (and an ambulance-chasing lawyer) tried to spin the story to make it appear that it did.
And so Floyd joins the long list of thugs who have been whitewashed and portrayed as martyrs to advance the agendas of politicians and lawyers.
BTW, in the riots, looters always steal lots of designer sneakers, but never any work boots.
Also: those cops did not violate any regulations or break any laws, but they have all been fired and one is being prosecuted. They are probably grumbling, "Where is all that 'white privilege' when we need it?"
ReplyDeleteMost people who have heard of GF probably haven't read the background you've just explained, TC, and the BLM movement would probably prefer it that way. I looked up the other two names - woman shot by Somali-American cop, 5 year old boy shot by a black guy, both killed, but no accusations of racism that I can see from the victim's families. Yeah, the race card is a handy weapon for those determined to use it, eh? And it seems like it's always used by ethnic minorities with a chip on their shoulder and a hatred of whites.
ReplyDeleteThe clip does look as if they're being a bit heavy-handed though, which is probably why people have taken against them and have sympathy for GF (as well as not knowing the full facts). Some cops do overreact in certain situations and abuse their authority, thereby making it easier to believe that a lot of them are like that. That's what may have happened in this case, as well as BLM trying to fan the flames of discord to their own advantage.
ReplyDeleteGeorge Floyd,Racism,Racial Dissatisfaction,Civil Rights Movement, Black Lives Matter,Me Too, Rap Music, Mass Racial protests. All from one place the USA.. Take the USA and it's crazy laws and lawmakers out of existence and I suspect the world will revolve a much more less crazy place.
ReplyDeleteThe Civil Rights Movement was necessary, LH, because there's no doubt that there was racial discrimination at that time, so I don't have any issues with that, but I'd agree that the 'Me Too' movement has more than its fair share of feminist harpies who are just down on men in general, and the BLM group is not quite what it appears and has far too many racists who just hate whites and want to diminish or destroy our cultural place in the world.
ReplyDeleteRemember, if we didn't have America, we wouldn't have Marvel Comics and all the great, talented people in every sphere of creativity and entertainment that have made life more enjoyable for a lot of people across the globe. Besides, Britain (and all other countries) have their fair share of things that are wrong or crazy, so we've got a lot to sort out ourselves before pointing the finger at America.
Sorry for getting off the subject but it is USA related. I downloaded and watched an episode called Dateline Secrets Uncovered. The comic book murders. True crime. The shop owner murdered his wife in the shop. Would have been better had he divorced her as they threw away the key on him. But by God he had a great shop. Many hours could have been spent in there
ReplyDeleteI remember reading about a comic book writer or artist who murdered his wife, but I assume it was a different guy, LH. I take it that the episode is on YouTube? If so, I'll take a look when I get a spare moment. Ta.
ReplyDelete