Does racism only work one way?

[Libre2]

twitter.com/MrNishKumar/status/1544372542097559554

Not sure what I think about this really, but I can see it causing absolute outrage if it were the other way round.

Not sure which PP said that corrupt black millionaires in sun saharan Africa is in fact the fault of rich white men.

Granted, the effects of colonialism is alive and well.

But this type of reasoning used to excuse any black person of wrongdoing is bollocks.

Also, saying a person can’t be racist if they have no power. Bollocks.

It is tragic that working class poor white boys are ignored and left to rot and not given any support.

This government only cares about privileged people.

And yes, it is true that although these boys are very disadvantaged in life - the white privilege aspect is true because poor black boys have the added disadvantage of being black and suffering racism.

Yes, exactly this. Racism a horrible dehumanising stain on anyone who practises it. I feel very fortunate to live in a society where racism is emphatically not acceptable to the vast majority of people - this has changed even in my lifetime, so I don't take it for granted. Saying that racism is okay now as long as it's directed against white people (or people with 'privilege') is just incredibly dangerous.

UN report on British Reports

Oh the report that was produced by a prominent black academic? When it didn't produce the results the left wanted, they set about cancelling him and the other black people who worked on it.

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2022/03/18/tony-sewell-cancelled-race-report-now-feel-completely-vindicated/

Laughable that the report found there was no institutional racism.

@Sbqprules I won’t disagree with you regarding the treatment of Black people in Britain.

But the OP was “ Does racism only work one way, “ it’s not confined to one country. Globally, does/can racism only work one way?

But the OP was “ Does racism only work one way, “ it’s not confined to one country. Globally, does/can racism only work one way?

In a country where white people were genuinely the current and historical oppressed race, meaning their social opportunities were fewer and bias against them in institutions and systemic bias against them were prevalent, I think systemic racism against white people would be possible in principle.

I can't think of one at the moment though. I can think of places where white people are a minority race but where those who live there are in statistically likely to be ex pats with financial privilege, be within the top percentage of earners within the country, be corporate leaders etc - due to lack of opportunities for the majority race within those countries in comparison to that for white people who grew up in, or moved to, that country.

Happy to be corrected, just explaining my thinking out loud (well, in writing).

*historically not historical

This.

On a global scale, racism is clearly not set in a black/white mold which is the version many are talking about here.

Consider the Asian continent, for example. The dominant power there is not white people, obviously. But it is nonsense to argue that Asians cannot be racist against any other group based on racism Asians have experienced in Europe and North America.

Racism is:

"...prejudice, discrimination, or antagonism by an individual, community, or institution against a person or people on the basis of their membership of a particular racial or ethnic group, typically one that is a minority or marginalized."

And:

"...the belief that different races possess distinct characteristics, abilities, or qualities, especially so as to distinguish them as inferior or superior to one another."

There is no caveat given. Any group of people can be racist to another group of people.

Racism is not defined solely by colour of skin either. Ethnic background is a part of it. For example, a white person can be racist to another white person on the basis of accent, language, customs and so on that identify an ethnic group. Same goes for other groups around the world towards people who otherwise look the same physically.

So, racism is not a one way street. Nothing is literally a one way street, however much some wish to assert it is.

There are places where most people are white, but where there are white minorities that are discriminated against / are racially oppressed.

Excellent, balanced view based on facts and not people’s personal version of racism in which they assert anyone sticking to the facts is obtuse, slyly or overtly racist etc

There are different levels of racism. A white person technically can experience racism. However, it would be ignorant to suggest it would affect the white person as much as a brown or black person and that’s just common sense. Racism is felt profoundly on a daily basis by black and brown people in a way that’s hard to fathom by white people.

Your line of reasoning is troubling.

Because of social conditioning, a lack of opportunities and intervention for say, young black men or women, it is a vicious cycle.
It’s not as easy as you would like to think. Then there are very educated/ successful black people that still have to face racism.

@dogmandu I live in a very diverse area in the IS, majority African-American. As @Tillsforthrills says, cycles of poverty and choices are very hard to break. Gang membership is rife and if everyone you know joined a gang at 12, for example, including your parents and other adults in your life, it’s very hard to resist. The local government pours huge amounts of money into the schools, with mixed results, there are all sorts of mentoring and recreational programs, and some people do take a different path. But it’s a huge effort to break the cycle, even with the increased opportunities nowadays, such as college scholarships for minority students.

More recent immigrants seem less likely to fall into this cycle. Purely anecdotal, but I personally know two families from Korea, the parents run small businesses and still speak limited English, but all of their children have gone to university and are in professional careers. I’m assuming this is partly because they have parental backing and don’t face the same community pressures.

There’s not an easy solution.

*US not IS 🤣

He was reported by Calvin Robinson.

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10987321/Black-political-commentator-Calvin-Robinson-reports-comedian-Nish-Kumar-racism.html

So evidently many agree with you that respect goes both ways OP

Granted, the effects of colonialism is alive and well

I don't understand this obsession with colonialism. What do we think would have happened if hundreds of years ago people in non-white regions had had the opportunity to travel, establish themselves and prevail in majority white territories?

It is likely due to mere serendipity that things happened the other way round.

I think we should drop the vindictiveness and coexist in harmony together.

But for society as a whole there is a reason Kumar's comment is acceptable, but not the other way around.

Acceptable to whom? It's definitely not acceptable

His comment does not cause problems for white people in the way every racist comment, or even unintionally racist comments/action impacts on all PoC given that power is so centred on white people

A white person could absolutely be attacked as a result of someone kicking off like this.

Some posters on this thread do sound very juvenile and seem to be echoing rhetoric heard at dubious educational establishments, that's for sure

Oh I’m sorry, how silly to think it’s very relevant to consider the after effects of colonialism.

Playing devils advocate saying what if it had have been minorities dominating white people - how ridiculous and excusing is that.

Please don’t try to downplay the history of it all as ‘vindictiveness’ with the excuse of oh let’s all just unite and forget it all. First you must be able to listen and understand why people are still upset about the after effects of colonialism and where that history has brought us.

Being dismissive doesn’t help ‘unite’.

@Tillsforthrills Perhaps @apintortwo ‘s point is that at some stage, surely the former colonists are no longer responsible for problems in their former colonies? The current conflict and ethnic cleansing that’s crippling Ethiopia, for example. That’s a form of racism. Should Italy be blamed for that, given they lost control of Ethiopia in 1941?

It would be like saying that Nazi Germany is responsible for Britain’s current problems.

Again! Louder for all those at the back!

But no accountability has been taken? Reparations are not paid (and never will be). How can there ever be "let go" of accountability when accountability has never been accepted in the first place?