Black Lives Matter—Do You Agree With Their Philosophy? (page 10)

Hisclarkness

Thank you, jp1692!

All I want is to have a productive conversation and not have people talking at and past each other.

Lets get facts and work together to solve our issues collectively.

LongHairGal

HISCLARKNESS:

I am really sorry you have suffered because of the crime committed by OTHER black people. But, you and many other people are in denial about the crime that black men commit.

I was one such woman who had to escape from an elevator because of two black males in hoodies that appeared out of nowhere - one with a wire in his hand.

However, if I saw somebody well-dressed like you, I certainly would not have jumped out of the elevator but would have smiled pleasantly. Yes, that’s too bad about all the cliches you mentioned and so forth. But, what do you expect from people?

I won’t go into my mugging experience and close calls in malls being followed to my car.

The fact of the matter is: I cannot afford to concern myself about somebody’s hurt feelings and how something may ‘look’. Yeah, it’s a terrible thing but when the reality in the world around me changes..so will my behavior and opinion. But, I don’t see it happening any time soon!

Hisclarkness

Long haired girl,

I am sorry for your experience. I truly am. And I don’t blame you for one second for having suspicions based on your experience. This is what we all have developed in us on an evolutionary level in order to survive.

And yet, this is the very thing that we have to root out of ourselves.

You experienced a mugging by two black men. So naturally you are suspicious of black men, especially ones “not so well dressed”.

And yet, black men are NOT inherently more dangerous than white men or asian men or Latino men. You have developed an implicit bias (through no fault of your own!) out of fear for survival.

So what to do?

The next time you are in the presence of a black man and those feelings creep up into your psyche, ask yourself, “Why am I afraid? Has this particular person given me reason for fear or is my fear based purely on my past experience? (Implicit bias)” Work to subdue the unfounded fears and don’t act on them. These are the small steps needed to work towards the bigger steps.

And to be clear: checking your implicit bias and taking proper precautions are two different things. An old feeble lady might take precautions against ANY younger stronger man regardless of race. But the caveat is; does she find herself taking MORE precaution against a black man than a white man? That’s the implicit bias!

LongHairGal

HISCLARKNESS:

Thanks! I’m sure you are a nice guy.

Unfortunately, it’s a little too much to imagine that I should go through those mental gymnastics when I meet somebody! ..regardless of implicit bias or whatever you call it.

It all depends on the circumstances, but I have to go with my gut and what it tells me - regardless of whose feelings get hurt.

Pete Zahut

This issue is not to guilt trip white people.

Do you think it's helpful to tell someone who did every kind of unpleasant job and struggled to get everything he got, that he's privileged? Especially when there are so many people of color who are doing well and wouldn't stoop to doing any kind of unpleasant job themselves?

can’t tell you about the many times someone has exclaimed to me, “oh, you speak so well!” which is code for, “oh! I don’t expect a black man to be so articulate! I’m surprised!”

How awful....someone chose a poorly though out way of complimenting you.

I can’t tell you about the times people have assumed I like listening to rap music. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve been greeted by a white person with a “yo, yo ,yo” or “wasSUUP” or any other stereotypical African American vernacular that the person assumed I spoke and tried to fit in an be “cool” with me.

Can't tell you how many times as grown man black people have told me that I dance pretty well for a WHITE BOY? You're kinda cute for a WHITE BOY ?? I didn't think White people liked spicy food.

I can’t tell you about the many times a white women has visibly clutched her purse as I joined her in an elevator,

I'm blonde haired blue eyed Brad Pitt lookin baby faced male and I can't tell you how many times women have crossed an empty street when they've seen me coming toward them. How many women have pulled their children in close when I got on an elevator with them. How many times I've been doing the speed limit and pulled over by a white police officer simply because I was in a sporty car and was young. I had a tail light burned out and was afraid I'd get a ticket so I immediately went into an auto parts store to get a bulb. I went outside and began changing my tail light and two police cars suddenly surrounded me and demanded my I.D and wanted to know what I was doing. I got annoyed with them and one of them lunged toward me but fortunately his partner pulled him back otherwise I'd have had my ass kicked. Another time I was driving through my JW friends neighborhood at night and the cops pulled me over because there had been a robbery and they wanted to know what I was doing in that neighborhood.

Just because you don't hear about police injustice to whites doesn't mean it doesn't happen. It's just that we're privileged and no one cares. It doesn't sell advertising to put such things on the news.

If you're conditioned to see racism, you'll find it every where you go even if it isn't there.

"You Can Find Ants At Any Picnic If You Look Hard Enough"

Pete Zahut

When I was a Jehovah’s Witness we were told the world hated us And I saw evidence of it everywhere. Now I realize that no one even knew we existed… So where did all that hatred go that I once was sure was there?

rh3988

@Simon

Can you clearly describe the privilege that you believe white people have that black people do not.
Not hyperbole and arm waving, real things. Go.

If I may interject, I think Jimmy Kimmel did a very good job of explaining this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPS7S-Zxm_8

Now you could be sneaky and make rules that you know will impact one group more than another (such as Scotts / Whiskey, playing on stereotypes for illustration). If we made a law banning 'fried-chicken', for instance, would that impact one group more than another? Maybe, keep that thought ...

Are you sure you're just "playing on stereotypes for illustration"?

The welfare system has to some degree decimated the black community and I think it was intentional, but there isn't anything racist in it per-se, it's just targeting "fried chicken".

Oh I'm sure you meant nothing racist by that you krazy kooky kid (playing on alliteration because I like alliteration.) I'm Chinese. Chinese people love, I mean absolutely LOVE fried chicken. We aren't too crazy about whiskey because we're more likely to be allergic. Could you do one about us?

(All you racists be sure to thumb me down please.)

jp1692

Pete Zahut: When I was a Jehovah’s Witness we were told the world hated us And I saw evidence of it everywhere. Now I realize that no one even knew we existed… So where did all that hatred go that I once was sure was there?

Interesting point. Clearly, that "hatred" that you saw everywhere only existed in your own mind because of the beliefs that you (and most of us here on this forum) had.

There is an old saying: "We see the world, not as it is, but as we are."

Change your beliefs and you can change the world!

minimus

Jp you sound a little obsessed. I looked at my threads list that you provided. I like them. If you don’t like them, don’t engage in them. I prefer my threads to yours. Sometimes I read yours and other times I don’t. Whether you read mine I don’t give two shits. Justt saying.

jp1692

Minimus,

Your response really just proves my point and exemplifies the problem I have with certain of your threads: the ones where you open with a question seemingly inviting discussion but then immediately post your own highly biased opinion, which has a chilling effect on anyone posting a dissenting or differing point of view.

You clearly aren't interested in having a free, open and productive discussion which may include disagreement, rhetorical argumentation and debate. If you were, you would not frame your OPs the way you do.

This is why I have posted as I have on this thread. I think this is a very important topic that needs to be discussed. It's clearly a very complex subject and emotions can run high. All of this emphasizes the need for people to engage in the conversation in a respectful and measured way, freely expressing their points of view while also at least considering the views of others, even when—and perhaps particularly when—they disagree.

If you really and truly "don’t give two shits" about whether I read your threads or not (which I doubt), then you might want to consider simply not responding to any of my posts.

Just click on the IGNORE button.

If, on the other hand, you feel the need to continue a dialogue on this particular point, I'd suggest you PM me rather than derail your own thread with our perceived personal differences.

jp

Black Lives Matter—Do You Agree With Their Philosophy?

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