Omg the scenes from the London protests

[SistemaAddict]

I'm just watching the news and am finding it so frightening to see the crowds, the police, the tension, the horse bolting.
I understand the desire to protest but how is this the right way to do things? I know there will be thousands of peaceful protesters among the ones causing trouble.
I'm concerned about the covid risk to everyone there especially as BAME are more at risk of the virus.

I hate confrontation and get very anxious so wanted to chat to others about this. Yes, I could switch off but I think it's important to watch and learn and understand what and why is happening.

I am not ashamed to say I wept yesterday watching the scenes around the country. The Government has lost total control.I saw the policing and how protesters were in the faces of the officers and with no ppe.They were stood there so open to catching this evil virus and to take it home to ttheir families.It was beyond disgraceful. I am white and working class and I am beyond incenced about the death of anyone especially in such vicious circumstances as we have witnessed in America and change should come it should but not this way and not now.in the face of the biggest pandemic the world has ever seen.Our country is a mess and this is not helping anyone. We are allborn equal in my view here in the UK.We have access to education free,we have access to health care free,we have a system of provision for those unable to work often coupled with housing and we have, all of us a fair chance in life to make something of ourselves.Yes it will be harder for some than others but that equates equally to all races and religions. I am sick of hearing about devisions in society..most of us are decent and kind and caring and we share many of lifes expectations with our friends and family and colleagues from every background and we eperience hardships in different ways.Life is not perfect for anyone. The scenes yesterday destroyed me notin a positive way to want me to make change but to despair at the actions taken. I may be accused of being racist but I am not. I care about everyone and the risks people were taking with their health and the health of the nation terrified me. I pressume those taking part if they catch the virus will not be seeking state support and the care of the NHS ? No one an have it all ways...white me or brown you or black you. The rules of law were trashed yesterday in my view and as I watched I was devoid of admiration for the protesters the more I saw. Thats not white privelidge talking its a person who was praying people would go home and be safe from this dreadful disease which is killing people so fast regardless of any race or religion.I ared about my fellow citizens all of them...sadly it seems I willhave to pray for the same again today....

To those taking issue with my point about Fundamental Principles of society against transient disease, I say tosh. There's been little or no social distancing throughout for people who have had to go to work, for one thing. Justify that - builders, for instance.

I don't get how you can compare a fundamental principle with an illness and think the principle is the thing you can ditch.

People aren’t being racist toward white people. People are pointing out white privilege. I’m white and this thread has opened my eyes to how people really behave/ think. I didn’t see it before because of my privilege. I’m ashamed of myself. I just wish some of the rest of you were ashamed too. If these protests do cause further diversions it’s because of racists.

I’m not going to get into a petty argument of “I’m not racist”, “yes you are” etc. I know I’m not, and that is good enough for me.

I am just saying that people who are less certain of their views, perhaps (dare I say it) less intelligent, less evolved in their thinking, more open to persuasion - these are the people who will see large intimidating COVID-rule-breaking protests and will think “I don’t like black people”.

I’m certainly not excusing that line of thinking, it’s disgusting, but you don’t have to be a genius to know it’ll happen.

I’m white and this thread has opened my eyes to how people really behave/ think

And me. I shouldn't be shocked but I am.

@PlutoTheDogPlanet I agree with your post. I also have failed to see where people have been racist to white people in their posts.

@Mintychoc1 you seem to be blaming the protests for ignorant racists deciding they “don’t like black people”. Why not blame the ignorant racists instead?

@Bercows

Yet all white people are judged by some on the abhorrent actions of their forefathers.

No, not all, some. Don’t make shit up. It’s an uncomfortable truth and one that people like yourself don’t want to face. It’s clear some white people still have the “white master” mentality over non-white people. Some of you really need to stop digging that hole.....

Yet all white people are judged by some on the abhorrent actions of their forefathers.

No, they are judged for their lack of recognition that their relative privilege is the result of the abhorrent actions of their forefathers. And on a state level, failure to recognise and bear some responsibility for the fact that rich majority white countries that became rich by exploiting, enslaving and nicking stuff from other places that they decided was theirs because they were white and had better weapons. And that the situation of many of those places today can’t be separated from our previous action, and so yes, foreign aid is a responsibility, not benevolent charity.

@JassyRadlett

Yet all white people are judged by some on the abhorrent actions of their forefathers.

No, they are judged for their lack of recognition that their relative privilege is the result of the abhorrent actions of their forefathers. And on a state level, failure to recognise and bear some responsibility for the fact that rich majority white countries that became rich by exploiting, enslaving and nicking stuff from other places that they decided was theirs because they were white and had better weapons. And that the situation of many of those places today can’t be separated from our previous action, and so yes, foreign aid is a responsibility, not benevolent charity.

Well said 👍🏽

@PlutoTheDogPlanet

People aren’t being racist toward white people. People are pointing out white privilege. I’m white and this thread has opened my eyes to how people really behave/ think. I didn’t see it before because of my privilege. I’m ashamed of myself. I just wish some of the rest of you were ashamed too. If these protests do cause further diversions it’s because of racists.

I disagree. They are judging people simply on the basis of their colour, without knowing anything about them. The message on this thread is white = bad, BAME = good. The reality is there are good and bad in all races, and creeds.

You carry on beating yourself up because of “White Privilege”. That to me is virtue signalling at its worst.

Any divisions that result from this won’t be just because of racism, although of course there will be an element of society who will use that to justify their behaviour. They are the same people who have mocked my gait and shouted spastic after me for years. However it will also be because people see a large group of people choosing to identify as a completely separate group within our society. If that’s how they see themselves then they can’t then be surprised if people then treat them as such.

I am not condoning racism in any shape or form. However neither am I prepared to wear sack cloth and ashes because my skin happens to be white. I have done enough of that because I am disabled. The fact I was born white is no more my fault, than the fact I was born disabled. I am not going to apologise for either.

Is MasakaBuzz a parody account?? “I worked in Uganda for a while, I loved the little sweet bananas and goat meat”
If you are: bravo 👏

@MasakaBuzz The more you post the more you reveal about your character.

@GoodbyePorpoiseSpit

Is MasakaBuzz a parody account?? “I worked in Uganda for a while, I loved the little sweet bananas and goat meat” If you are: bravo 👏

Nope. I went out with VSO to set up a computer skills training course for the very few young disabled Ugandans who had managed to get an education beyond Primary School level.

The majority of them were given the skills to provide for their families.

Rather than mouth off about “white privilege” I actually got off my backside and did something concrete to help.

The fact it completely buggered my health is neither here not there. I still think it was a worthwhile thing to do.

However think what you like.

pluto of course ignorant racists are to blame for their ignorant racism. I’m just saying that the timing of the protests, the strength of the anger shown at a time when the whole nation is fragile, the anti-white feeling - these are things that can tip people who previously thought little about racial differences into being more negative about black people.
I’m not saying the protests were right or wrong, I’m just stating a fact. I am certain that there will be more negativity towards BAME people in big cities in the coming weeks.
Hopefully I’m wrong. Time will tell.

People are assuming that everyone has vulnerable relatives or contacts. DP and I both live hundreds of miles from any family, are WFH full time, we haven't seen any other people for 12 weeks and are unlikely to see any until lockdown is ended. We wouldn't be putting anyone but ourselves at risk if we protested as there would be no one for us to pass it on to.

People don't like anyone who's different and that includes those from similsr backgrounds. The working class sneer at the old grammar school boy three generations ago was reflected similarly by the upper middle class in the professions.

There's a resistant bittereness based in lack of opportunity, poor educational outcomes and poverty but it's the same bitterness that pervades the white working classes who worked in mills, and mines - perhaps not as slaves but with little more choice between that or the workhouse.

Slavery was shocking in every aspect but it didn't happen to those alive now but its a hook on which to hang every other perceived injustice.

Equality of opportunity is a key aim of any liberal society. I think that the uk is a good example of liberal society. Yes access in some areas is not as good as others and needs constant vigilance to try to address. I think these protestors are largely jumping on a bandwagon they want something to be angry about, at the moment its BLM, before it was COVID and before that it was the EU. Why not campaign on policies to protect and extend our liberal society rather than dividing on race, religion and creed.

@CorianderLord
No risk to anyone except medical staff, the postman and a host of delivery drivers no!

@OhtheRoses The last bit of your post reveals your ignorance on the matter.

[quote C130]@MasakaBuzz The more you post the more you reveal about your character.[/quote]
That’s okay by me. I think my character is fine. I know who I am. You don’t.

It saddens me that the only people who are really going to suffer from the kick back over these protests are the BAME people themselves.

Any virus upsurge is going to effect BAME people to a greater extent than white people. However it might also have an impact on the rest of the population where these protests are being held. Guess who will get blamed for any subsequent upsurge.

Peaceful protests are fine, but now is not the right time for them. The argument that there is never a right time for protests is cobblers. This pandemic is like no other since 1918. Different rules apply at the moment.

'Don’t make shit up. It’s an uncomfortable truth and one that people like yourself don’t want to face. It’s clear some white people still have the “white master” mentality over non-white people. Some of you really need to stop digging that hole.....'

You've just said don't make shit up, then you've 'made shit up'.

Please c&p any examples of 'white master' mentality from this thread. You can't because there aren't any. All comments have been concern for the resurgence of the virus and the violence aimed at the police. It may have been a minority but the crowds cheering and laughing were loving it. Follow your own advice and stop making shit up.

I heard a simple thing. Suggested that people, not the system, is broken.

Rang true with me.

Many people are broken. I don't like people very much except for a select few. I find them very disappointing. ASD has a large bearing on that though I think.

It seems no matter what, white people will always be wrong.

Only a racist would judge an entire ethnicity on one action

Only a racist would speak as if BAME people are one homogeneous entity whose opinions are identical. Only someone who is either profoundly ignorant or deliberately mendacious would claim that policing in the US is comparable to policing in the UK. There is zero comparison. George Floyd was killed in Minnesota. Why should UK cops be regarded as guilty by association? Are Sweden's cops guilty too? What about cops in Vancouver? How about cops in Peshawar? Are cops globally all guilty? People chucking bikes at police horses in London and claiming to 'care' about George Floyd are thugs. Their defenders are thug apologists. Does David Dorn's life matter? Why isn't his name being sprayed over London's memorials?