See this is the problem here. Many people assume that all the allegations of racism still existing to the extent that it can tangibly affect lives in the United States is long gone and that these black activists are just playing the persecution card. I'm a Bengali-American. I have brown skin so I stand out especially given my background. Since I'm a Marine vet, I have really close relations with other Marine vets that I served with, one of them I visit routinely in Maine. I remember once I went with my buddy (great guy who is not racist in the slightest) to a shooting range in Maine. I remember the range owner behind the counter when we entered had a perplexed look when he met eye contact with me. Then he asked my buddy if he can vouch for me and whether I'm not a terrorist... Maybe he was being factitious but it did feel somewhat demeaning. Since my buddy was born and raised in the area, he has plenty of family and friends in the area and I often tag along with him to any bbqs or other social gatherings. For me, sometimes those situations when I enter these parties where it's literally 99% white, it can be a bit nerve wrecking especially when the only people who know me at these parties are him and his girlfriend. Trust me, when I first enter these parties I do sense some odd and aggressive stares like "Who the **** is this terrorist looking ****er here". I have to cling to my friend because I need him to introduce me to his friends - "Oh, this is my buddy that served with me in Afghanistan". I have to slowly progress through the party following him until I feel that majority of the parties' guests know that I'm a Marine veteran that isn't the 'other'. It can be nerve wrecking sometimes. It's almost as if I have to prove myself. I used this anecdote because I feel as if you aren't a minority you are just assuming based on bull**** that racism isn't tangibly present in present day America because you don't understand the anxiety and the preconceived judgments layed upon minorities ALL THE TIME before they even speak a word. Many of these pre-convinced notions are subtle and the individual who holds them doesn't even notice it. Also, it's hard to fathom a reality where a culmination of racist rhetoric that spanned 400 years that demeaned black people at the genetic level would just abruptly end in 1964 because of a piece of legislation. These notions get passed down. It takes more than freaking 50 years for these sentiments to dissipate. White people cannot understand how black people live on a daily basis. They can't understand all the second guessing of their character or the preconceived judgments placed upon them. And it can be really frustrating when white people tell them that they are making **** up. I think the largest issue I have with you on this particular debate is that you believe black people CHOOSE to see color rather than being FORCED to see color. White Supremacists CHOOSE to see color.
Maybe a rational discussion can be had if a significant portion of this majority doesn't just flat out deny that racism exists today(towards minorities) and then on top of that perform some crazy Orwellian double speak and make a claim that the majority is being oppressed.
I don't know what is so controversial and difficult to grasp that if you aren't black you don't know what it feels like to be black? Is that really an outlandish statement?
That's not controversial at all. But that's not what you've been arguing. I've never pretended to understand what it's like to be a black man. I've never pretended to understand what it's like to be an Indian, or a Muslim, or anything that I'm not. That doesn't mean that I don't have my own POV worth sharing. I'm sorry that you don't find perspectives from people who happen to be of a different ethnicity worth discussing.
You can't play this game of "many black people are only perceiving racism when it's not there" and then turn around and state "Oh... I never stated that I know what it's like to be a black individual". You don't see the cogntitive dissonance in that? How does your experience as a non-black individual contribute to how a black individual feels about racism and how it affects him? I don't get it? How is your perspective that is 'valid' when it comes to racism against blacks?
That's a tu quoque fallacy. Just because white supremacists exist whites can't complain about racism against them anymore? There is a distinct, open racism against whites now-a-days that's based around white-guilt. But to address your point about how there are more white males sharing Stormfront ideology, considering how liberal society is today, I bet not.
I can give distinct explicit examples of how racism towards minorities affects my life tangibly. Can you give an example of how racism towards white people has negatively affected your day to day life in a negative manner?
Sure, I can certainly see how that comment would be confusing. Just because I acknowledge that I don't know what it's like to be black, doesn't mean that I can't recognize that black people can be wrong about things. I know they're wrong about these things because the facts of the case come out long after the emotional response from groups like BLM. For instance, Michael Brown. "Hands up don't shoot?" That came from Michael Brown...it was a lie. The whole thing was a lie. Michael Brown wasn't approached for being black. He was approached for walking in the middle of the street, refusing to move to the sidewalk, and then assaulting a police officer. How long did it take for the media and BLM to stop naming Michael Brown as an instance of police brutality. They haven't. People to this day use Michael Brown as an example of excessive use of force. But back to your question, I never said I understand how a black person feels. In fact, I don't buy into the narrative that black people know how black people feel. About certain issues on a micro level, sure, but on the whole, I don't play identity politics. What I said is that I as a non-black person have a perspective, and when discussing race relations and the issue of police and race, I am an American and my point of view should be taken just as seriously as the next. Personally, I think it's people like you, on both sides of the aisle, that are too stubborn to understand or accept that you don't know it all. Being black doesn't give you the answers to all things concerning blacks. I wouldn't imagine that being half white make me intrinsically knowledgeable about how white people feel on certain issues.
Didn't you read some of those examples in an earlier post or is being called a terrorist to your face not a racial insult?
You're talking about your Maine story? So someone made an offensive comment towards you and you made an asismption that this is how the majority of white people feel? How is this any different than what people say to me about Arabs or what black people say to white people? you don't think black people have ever made racists assumptions about white people or treated them differently because of the color of their skin?
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I'll save everyone some time... "Errr uhhh what I mean err uhh that is ummm err what" makes up about 90% of that video.
I bet the only reason Trevor Noah got that job was because he is black, it's not like he's funny or talented.
