Quote:
Originally Posted by MrWookie
Disagree.
1. The optics of "Stay back, black people, this is a job for whitey!" are pretty terrible, even if that isn't your intent.
2. If these people respect the protest of white people but not black people, then that says that there is still a big problem in how they think about black people.
Hmm. Pretty interesting disagreement then because I think the optics of seeing almost exclusively black people and very few, if any, whites protesting obvious straight up racism are also pretty terrible. In fact, it makes me sick. Since the election I've shown up at protests and marches and as a white male it's a very powerful feeling. How much more powerful would the optics be if instead of a sprinkling of white people (or men among women), our true majority were represented?
It's not a matter of who's job it is. It's a matter of who's problem it is. If you think racism is strictly a problem reserved for non-whites to handle for themselves, then I don't know what to say. As American citizens we should have each other's backs. Leaving it solely, or even mostly, to non-whites to fight for every inch of their rights is just wrong imo. JFC it's 2018. When will whites become every bit as outraged when black people get kicked out of a Starbucks and ARRESTED for something that no white person ever would? Or shot DEAD by law enforcement for something no white person ever would, or when a Hispanic man gets a ****ing gun pulled on him for buying mementos. Like that would ever happen to a white person? Or AirBnB guests leaving a home and having cops called on them because they were black. Or two people visiting a college and having cops called on them because they weren't white... And this is just the most obvious **** that makes the news. When do white people rise up in unison and shout enough!
I'm not saying go home, this is a job for whitey. I'm saying racism and discrimination is a problem for EVERYONE who wants to live in a culturally diverse, educated, and progressive society. I think it's not only necessary, but mandatory that more white people are fighting along side non-whites in the battle for equal rights and treatment. And it should be to the point where non-whites shouldn't even have to show up. Whites should beat them there.
Last note: I agree it's sad that non-whites don't get the respect that whites do, but it's unfortunately still a fact. When "Trump's America" sees a bunch of blacks protesting it's an affirmation of what they fear most. An uprising from oppression and there go them blacks getting outta line again. It's important to remind them they are a minority among whites and think having huge turnouts of majority whites protesting makes a much bigger impact and lets racists know this is NOT their America and they will not win.
I mostly just browse the politics forum because there are a lot of smart and knowledgeable posters here. Maybe I'm thinking about it all wrong. If there's a better way towards progress way I'm all ears.