
Why I’m no longer talking to white people about race - azuajef
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/30/why-im-no-longer-talking-to-white-people-about-race
======
nickpsecurity
I sympathize with the author as a believer in structural racism that's dealt
with those same conversations with white people. However, I have to call the
author out for not mentioning black people do _the same things_. As always,
this article pushes The Narrative where only whites are racist and only
minorities are victims of racism. Like the author's troubles, I have similar
troubles describing to minorities (esp black people here in the South) what
it's like to be a white minority in black school, business, or city. This is
really Dominant vs Non-Dominant group stuff rather than White vs Black which
is just the instantiation that plays out the most in this country. It goes the
other way, too, any time a "minority" becomes the majority in an area or
institution.

Quick examples from my time in black institutions, esp school. We're excluded
by default from social activities unless we become more like them (white style
is wrong/inferior/lame) but not too much since then we're posers (or wiggers).
We're told we're inherently imperialists, rapists "going after their women,"
responsible for all their problems, and so on. In businesses, the racists ones
will hire, promote, or (food place) even sometimes serve their own ahead of
us. If we disagree on a topic, they're more likely to unite in a mob of sorts
to shout us down in class. They'll physically attack us in school usually in
greater numbers since we're the minority. In government, it's common for them
to try to reward their people over others with many businesses straight-up
leaving over it in one of my cities. The list just goes on and on w/ a lot of
whites coming out of these areas with conditions ranging from becoming racists
themselves to PTSD-like effects from the beatdowns. Irony is I've seen black
people accuse several people of racism for getting anxious when the blacks
approached them during a verbal conflict when it was actually racist attacks
by blacks that created permanent anxiety they can't control. They were
reliving the attack to some degree during the approach since the body language
looked similar to when the attacks happened.

Now, just try mentioning this to writers like the OP. There's some people that
will agree structural racism goes both ways. It's uncommon, though, with most
blacks saying things so similar one would almost think there was a class
giving out specific instructions on what to say to white victims. (Same goes
for most whites on racism in fairness.) When I ask for black activists to help
white victims, here's the responses I almost always get in some form: (a)
structural racism against whites doesn't exist & my experiences were simply
isolated acts of discrimination; (b) black people have been through more shit
and experience it more often so greater good is to focus on them first; (c) we
have it coming because someone somewhere else is victimizing black people in
similar or worse ways.

Well, ain't that great. Might as well stop talking to black people about race
since they'll reject even the existence of white victims of structural racism.
Definitely ain't going to start campaigning against or suing black-controlled
schools, companies, and governments to help us. They'll go after white ones to
help blacks, though. It's too bad because the greatest threat the racist
establishment ever perceived was a guy, MLK, that defended oppressed of all
colors trying to unite them. He scared the power-mongers so much they
straight-up murdered him in my hometown before he did his Washington march.
They thought it would be game over for them. Kind of a hint of how we need to
approach social justice today if we want the government scared, giving
concessions, or showing their true colors.

Pieces like I just read are just politics. They don't care about equality or
justice. They just care about (benefits or punishments here) going to
(preferred groups here for each). The moderate realists who would recognize
and help both groups are rare. They'll also get out-shouted by political
movements on both Left and Right. That's not metaphorical: I'm talking a room
full of black people screaming at the white person until they shut up or leave
as happened numerous times at our local university. The right wingers do
something similar but with accusations toward black people instead citing all
the worst stuff in media. Also citing their personal experience which didn't
have racism as in original article. Dissent is simply not allowed by either
group. That's why both sides are part of the overall problem that can only get
better in tiniest, incremental ways and often gets worse for opposing groups
in some way. And people in my camp are totally screwed since almost nobody
will help white or male victims of oppression.

Ok, now off to my leaning-toward-mostly-black establishment to put in a long
shift possibly hearing a guy making more and with more privilege talk about
how the company is holding him back because he's black. Usually only every
other week but who knows. Maybe I'll get lucky & we all be peaceful today like
last shift. ;)

EDIT: I dont upvote these kind of articles to front page since a lot of people
just start fighting with throwaways and discussion quality drops too low. I am
respondjng since submitter has an interest and my not have encountered this
perspective. Just clarifying that if anyone was interested.

