Walking the neighborhood

Debate and discussion on racism and related issues

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Walking the neighborhood

Post #1

Post by otseng »

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Copied from a Facebook post:
Twice a day, I walk my dog Ace around my neighborhood with one, or both, of my girls. I know that doesn’t seem noteworthy, but here’s something that I must admit:

I would be scared to death to take these walks without my girls and my dog. In fact, in the four years living in my house, I have never taken a walk around my neighborhood alone (and probably never will).

Sure, some of you may read that and think that I’m being melodramatic or that I’m “playing the race card” (I still have no clue what the hell means), but this is my reality.

When I’m walking down the street holding my young daughter’s hand and walking my sweet fluffy dog, I’m just a loving dad and pet owner taking a break from the joylessness of crisis homeschooling.

But without them by my side, almost instantly, I morph into a threat in the eyes of some white folks. Instead of being a loving dad to two little girls, unfortunately, all that some people can see is a 6’2” athletically-built black man in a cloth mask who is walking around in a place where he doesn’t belong (even though, I’m still the same guy who just wants to take a walk through his neighborhood). It’s equal parts exhausting and depressing to feel like I can’t walk around outside alone, for fear of being targeted.

If you’re surprised by this, don’t be. We live in a world where there is a sizable amount of people who actually believe that racism isn’t a thing, and that White Privilege is a made-up fantasy to be politically-correct. Yes, even despite George Floyd, Christian Cooper, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor (and countless other examples before them, and many to come afterward), some people still don’t seem to get it.

So, let me share some common sense points:

1) Having white privilege doesn’t mean that your life isn’t difficult, it simply means that your skin color isn’t one of the things contributing to your life difficulties. Case in point, if it never crossed your mind that you could have the cops called on you (or worse, killed) for simply bird watching then know that is a privilege that many black/brown people (myself included) don’t currently enjoy.

2) Responding to “Black Lives Matter” by saying “All Lives Matter” is insensitive, tone-deaf and dumb. All lives can’t matter until black lives matter.

3) Racism is very real, and please don’t delude yourself into thinking it’s limited to the fringes of the hardcore MAGA crowd. As Amy Cooper proved, it’s just as prevalent in liberal America as it is anywhere else.

4) While racism is real, reverse-racism is not. Please don’t use that term, ever.

5) In order for racism to get better, white allies are absolutely critical. If you’re white and you’ve read this far, hopefully you care enough to be one of those allies. Please continue to speak up (despite some of your friends and family rolling their eyes at you), because your voices matter to PoC now more than ever. Special shoutouts to my friends Becky, Catherine, Dory, Elizabeth, Greta, Jessica, Kayte, Kurt, Peter, Sharri, and Teri (and anyone else who I missed) for doing it so well.

6) And if you’re white, and you’re still choosing to stay silent about this, then I honestly don’t know what to say. If these atrocities won’t get you to speak up, then honestly, what will? Also, it’s worth asking, why be my friend? If you aren’t willing to take a stand against actions that could get me hurt or killed, it’s hard to believe that you ever cared about me in the first place.

As for me, I’ll continue to walk these streets holding my 8 year-old daughter’s hand, in hopes that she’ll continue to keep her daddy safe from harm.

I know that sounds backward, but that’s the world that we’re living in these days.

#BlackLivesMatter
(Note: this post does not necessarily represent any views of any posters on this forum, but is posted to provide a perspective from a Facebook user.)

koko

Re: Walking the neighborhood

Post #11

Post by koko »

Here's how to walk the neighborhood, no matter where you are:


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Re: Walking the neighborhood

Post #12

Post by DavidLeon »

koko wrote: Fri Jul 10, 2020 8:43 am Here's how to walk the neighborhood, no matter where you are:


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I would agree with that. What I wouldn't agree with is this . . .
koko wrote: Thu Jul 09, 2020 7:27 am Thankfully, people are waking up to the proper solution to this problem of right wing hate, racism and treason - and that is to march fully armed like these patriots did when they marched against those same monuments you are defending:


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Re: Walking the neighborhood

Post #13

Post by Difflugia »

DavidLeon wrote: Fri Jul 10, 2020 10:50 amI would agree with that. What I wouldn't agree with is this . . .
As long as the only part of "armed black militia marches on confederate monument" that you disagree with is "armed," then I'm with you.

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Re: Walking the neighborhood

Post #14

Post by DavidLeon »

koko wrote: Sat Jun 27, 2020 10:00 am
The narrator is moved to tears over the racial division that we have in the USA. A problem clearly exacerbated by Trump.
I'm not a Democrat or a Republican. In fact I don't vote. I'm apolitical, but I'm so tired of the radical left Democratic ideology. Identity politics, victimization, and Trump hysteria. I don't think I'm alone in that.



I'm all for equality and an end to racism but the BLM and the rest of it is just nonsense and that's putting it mildly.
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Re: Walking the neighborhood

Post #15

Post by Difflugia »

DavidLeon wrote: Fri Jul 10, 2020 2:38 pmI'm all for equality and an end to racism but the BLM and the rest of it is just nonsense and that's putting it mildly.
I'm really trying to figure out how this plays out for you. Are you saying that racial inequality is a thing, but victimization of black people by the police isn't? Or that it is, but the reaction to it is ineffective? Or unethical? Or that the negative impacts of the various forms of protest should be valued by the protesters more than the potential positive ones?

koko

Re: Walking the neighborhood

Post #16

Post by koko »

DavidLeon wrote: Fri Jul 10, 2020 2:38 pm

I'm not a Democrat or a Republican. In fact I don't vote. I'm apolitical, but I'm so tired of the radical left Democratic ideology. Identity politics, victimization, and Trump hysteria. I don't think I'm alone in that.

I'm all for equality and an end to racism but the BLM and the rest of it is just nonsense and that's putting it mildly.


I'm an independent voter and have been all my life.

I'm more tired than you are over the divisional politics we see in the USA. But the blame for such polarization lies far more with the radical far right Republican hysterics. They engage in McCartyite censorship more than anyone. Just consider the Fox network and its endless lies. Remember how they said the corona virus was just another Dem party hoax? That it was nothing to worry about? That it was no worse than a cold? Thousands have died because of Trump's incompetence and Fox's constant defense of him. Now imagine if this had happened under a Democrat. What would the right wing be saying today?

Trump hysteria? What the Tea Party say about Obama? Remember the posters they carried of him getting lynched or burned? That's treason in my book. What did Fox say about Obama and Ebola? They had many reports calling him incompetent in dealing with the disease. Remember? And how many Americans died because of Ebola? Only TWO people did. Now compare that with how they have reported Trump and his incompetence. Trump allowed internationals to cross our borders by granting them visas. He failed to force the CDC to quarantine them thereby allowing the spread of corona. It has been said on the news media that if he had responded more effectively only 1 week earlier it would have saved thousands of lives. That isn't partisanship, it is fact. Too bad we don't have a Dem in the White House or the response to the virus crisis would have been infintely more effective and the death count FAR lower.

Victimization? To this day there are certain right wing delusionals who blame Obama for the Katrina disaster. This despite the fact that Bush was in the White House when Katrina struck. More Americans died due to a storm in Puerto Rico under Trump. Where is the condemnation for that?

I have my quarrels with the Democrats. But I do not blame them for the pathetic state the USA is in. That blame goes squarely to the Republicans. Everybody knows it.

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Re: Walking the neighborhood

Post #17

Post by DavidLeon »

Difflugia wrote: Fri Jul 10, 2020 4:58 pmI'm really trying to figure out how this plays out for you. Are you saying that racial inequality is a thing, but victimization of black people by the police isn't? Or that it is, but the reaction to it is ineffective? Or unethical? Or that the negative impacts of the various forms of protest should be valued by the protesters more than the potential positive ones?
Is racial inequality a thing? Obviously. It always has been. With all races. So. What constitutes a race? If we were created we all came from one couple. And if we evolved? Good question. Back to what constitutes a race?
Wikipedia wrote:A race is a grouping of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into categories generally viewed as distinct by society. The term was first used to refer to speakers of a common language and then to denote national affiliations. By the 17th century the term began to refer to physical (phenotypical) traits. Source
So these groupings are not derogatory in nature but deteriorate into some sort of xenophobic reaction meaning every race is racist. It is, as you say, a thing.

Is inequality a thing? It is. To what extent is difficult to say because it can be used to create division or perceived division. Divide and conquer. The same applies to victimization of black people by police, though it appears that victimization of white people by the police is equally a thing it's difficult to say because quis custodiet ipsos custodes; who is guarding the guards or who is watching the watchmen?

Victim mentality or identity politics can be used as a very effective tool for all sorts of manipulation. That doesn't change any of the above "things" except for possibly making them worse and more difficult to examine the extent of the problems.

Is the reaction to the problems ineffective? Yes. I think that due to my upbringing I'm naturally inclined to think that protests in the past have been ineffective whining that was pacified, usually in an underhanded way. If that wasn't the intention it certainly was the result. My guess would be both. My understanding of spirituality being the subtle unseen forces in our lives like tradition and culture indicate the problem could be very complex and it undoubtedly is that. My Biblical examination inspires me to think that we aren't going to solve our problems. Only Jehovah can. We can alleviate them to some extent but that's about all. So part of me sees - not just protesters but rioters doing their "thing" and some part of me thinks Yes! Burn it down. Then I remind myself that that isn't going to make it go away. That sort of thing is just another facet of the problem.

Unethical? It's subjective. More importantly sin all comes from the same place. Determining the ethics of it weighs one form of violence against another. Does that bring real solutions? I don't think so.

Should the negative impacts of the various forms of protest be valued by the protesters more than the potential positive ones?

That doesn't make any sense to me.
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Re: Walking the neighborhood

Post #18

Post by DavidLeon »

koko wrote: Fri Jul 10, 2020 9:18 pmI'm an independent voter and have been all my life.
Ross Perot and Ron Paul. I very nearly voted for both of them. I don't think it matters, though. It's just a distraction to keep your eyes off the real rulers.
koko wrote: Fri Jul 10, 2020 9:18 pmI'm more tired than you are over the divisional politics we see in the USA. But the blame for such polarization lies far more with the radical far right Republican hysterics. They engage in McCartyite censorship more than anyone. Just consider the Fox network and its endless lies. Remember how they said the corona virus was just another Dem party hoax? That it was nothing to worry about? That it was no worse than a cold? Thousands have died because of Trump's incompetence and Fox's constant defense of him. Now imagine if this had happened under a Democrat. What would the right wing be saying today?
Both sides of the wings flap equally. Well, it used to be that way. Nowadays the left get all of the attention. To me it looks like a WWF event.
koko wrote: Fri Jul 10, 2020 9:18 pmI have my quarrels with the Democrats. But I do not blame them for the pathetic state the USA is in. That blame goes squarely to the Republicans. Everybody knows it.
I don't think so. I could be wrong because I don't even have a dog in the race, but it seems to me the country - and even in Canada there is a minority of insane people making a great deal of noise. They operate on emotion rather than reason. They don't care about facts, they care about how they feel. They interpret speech as violence and then justify their own real violent reaction. They started out in the college campuses being provoked by their Marxist or post modernist professors.



Oh, well. Whatever. Fight it out amongst yourselves.
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koko

Re: Walking the neighborhood

Post #19

Post by koko »

DavidLeon wrote: Fri Jul 10, 2020 9:59 pm I don't think so. I could be wrong because I don't even have a dog in the race, but it seems to me the country - and even in Canada there is a minority of insane people making a great deal of noise. They operate on emotion rather than reason. They don't care about facts, they care about how they feel. They interpret speech as violence and then justify their own real violent reaction. They started out in the college campuses being provoked by their Marxist or post modernist professors.

That reminds me of the far right when Bush lied about WMD in Iraq. When the Dixie Chicks dared to stray from his gospel of war and hate, the right wing immediately condemned them as traitors even though they spoke the truth while he lied. Bush then said "you're either with us or against us" - no middle path in his ways nor that of the radical far right. The result is thousands of dead Americans, hundreds of thousands of dead Middle Easterners, and $ 2 trillion wasted. Just think how many lives could have been spared and how much money we could have saved if people had only voted Democrat. Yeah, think about it.

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