Will America ever have a #MeToo-style reckoning for racism?

[Liza B.]

I think you missed the point of my comment. "One person" does not refer to a single person, it refers to the people that come out the woodwork to deny that someone doing or saying something racist is a problem. This matters a lot because racist attitudes mean racist policies.

So it's great to say "don't be racist", but the bounds for racism are now drawn so far out that one can hardly blink or breathe without being racist. It's been decided on this forum, for example, that I voted for Donald Trump so I am without a doubt a racist. *shrug*. The term itself is thrown around so freely that at least half the population have decided, well there it is, I get up in the morning, I'm a racist, I go to bed at night, I'm a racist. It's long been a debate tactic of the American Left. We're used to it. We're inured to it now.

Progressives did this. The term carries no significance anymore. It's meaningless, essentially. You have to live with that now.

 

[Shiloh Raven]

I can only hope that you realize that America is far, far from the only nation with a history of one people taking land from another people. In fact this is pretty much the history of the earth from the very beginning. So, in fact, is the prevalence of slavery, human trafficking, racism, colonialism and etc. Do not think America owns the history on this.

Yes, I am more than aware that America doesn't 'own the history' on this, but that, by no means, even remotely justifies the perpetual racial violence against minorities in this country or releases it from the responsibility of that history. Please know that I'm not saying that you're trying to justify anything, but I have encountered other people using that excuse in their feeble attempts to overlook America's violent racist history, even attempting to justify the atrocities committed against minorities in this country. I want to make sure you know that I'm not accusing you of anything.

 

[Liza B.]

Yes, I am more than aware that America doesn't 'own the history' on this, but that, by no means, even remotely justifies the perpetual racial violence against minorities in this country or releases it from the responsibility of that history. Please know that I'm not saying that you're trying to justify anything, but I have encountered other people using that excuse in their feeble attempts to overlook America's violent racist history, even attempting to justify the atrocities committed against minorities in this country. I want to make sure you know that I'm not accusing you of anything.

I am not overlooking anything in fact. But a balanced view is best. It happened and it was atrocious. But it didn't just happen in America. It seems we agree.

 

[JGG]

It might happen when actually being racist is believed to be worse than being accused of being racist.

 

[bhsmte]

The big problem with such a proposal is that "racist" has become something that far too many "progressives" toss about like candy at a parade rather than actually deal with anything put in front of them that they don't like.

Criticize a black politician's tax proposals? You're racist. No need to look at the criticisms. Boom.

Think a Hispanic entertainer isn't funny? You're also racist. No need to consider differences in personal taste.

Call out a Middle Eastern pundit for saying hateful things? Once again, you're racist. No need to consider where the pundit's sympathies lie.

Et cetra.

It is cool to cry racism in today's world, and ask questions later.

 

[Rion]

And ditto what counted as misogyny and harassment, so anyone could have predicted that Metoo would descend into an absolute cluster of trivial anecdotes mixed in with some actually serious claims.

Lo and behold, that’s exactly what we got.

If Metoo taught me anything, it is the fact that those who most often cry about sexism and are 'male allies' are more likely to be projecting their own behavior onto society at large. Ergo, a MeToo for racism would be very interesting... provided we go with the actual definition of racism, and not the bull squeeze "Power + Privilege" nonsense.

 

[Gadarene]

If Metoo taught me anything, it is the fact that those who most often cry about sexism and are 'male allies' are more likely to be projecting their own behavior onto society at large. Ergo, a MeToo for racism would be very interesting... provided we go with the actual definition of racism, and not the bull squeeze "Power + Privilege" nonsense.

Yep. Aziz Ansari, the latest scalp for not having enough respec for wahmen

 

[super animator]

Doubtful...and I'll explain my reasoning with the following bullet points:

- You have a subset of people who think that the notion of systemic racism was never an issue.
- You have some who will admit it "was" an issue. However, they put the emphasis on the "was" and refuse to acknowledge the lasting residual effects.
- Among that crowd, you have a portion that's under the impression that the law changes that occurred on paper during the civil rights era somehow magically fixed everything in the real world, and anything that's happened since then is the direct fault of the impacted groups themselves.
- In that crowd, there are also some who have decided to blame the residual effects themselves (the symptoms), and refuse to put any blame on the catalyst (cause) that put the perpetual cycle in motion.

When you boil it down, there are very few who will admit it's a problem without trying to attach an *asterisk to it with the disclaimer of *but everything that happened after the 1960's is technically their own fault

You have a subset of people who uses "white privilege" as a mean of white guilt and justification of their racism.

 

[TerranceL]

If Metoo taught me anything, it is the fact that those who most often cry about sexism and are 'male allies' are more likely to be projecting their own behavior onto society at large. Ergo, a MeToo for racism would be very interesting... provided we go with the actual definition of racism, and not the bull squeeze "Power + Privilege" nonsense.

 

[ThatRobGuy]

You have a subset of people who uses "white privilege" as a mean of white guilt and justification of their racism.

That's true...but that number pails in comparison to the number of people expressing the sentiments I listed out.

 

[Rion]

That's true...but that number pails in comparison to the number of people expressing the sentiments I listed out.

Even if this is true, these people often have positions of power which greatly influence their reach. For example: majority of modern universities, most Bay Area tech companies, etc. Even companies who are infected with this mindset are often more worried about upsetting the people @super animator mentioned, rather than upsetting the people you mentioned. So your group may be far larger in number, but his has a far greater reach.

 

[Phil 1:21]

So it's great to say "don't be racist", but the bounds for racism are now drawn so far out that one can hardly blink or breathe without being racist. It's been decided on this forum, for example, that I voted for Donald Trump so I am without a doubt a racist. *shrug*. The term itself is thrown around so freely that at least half the population have decided, well there it is, I get up in the morning, I'm a racist, I go to bed at night, I'm a racist. It's long been a debate tactic of the American Left. We're used to it. We're inured to it now.

Progressives did this. The term carries no significance anymore. It's meaningless, essentially. You have to live with that now.

Dead...on...the...money!