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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Racism threads.

260 replies

Cranberri · 11/09/2018 21:44

Anyone else feel a bit uncomfortable with the spike in threads about racism? I don't mind a healthy debate about racism but many threads recently seem to have brought out the worst in people. Mnhq having to delete numerous comments due to racism. Ignorant or culturally unaware posters writing ridiculous posts that would simply not be accepted in day to day life. People claiming racism when it isn't.

I'm tired of it. Is anyone else tired of it? It's really draining...

OP posts:
crispysausagerolls · 11/09/2018 21:48

And your response to being tired of threads about racism was...to start a thread about raciam?

crispysausagerolls · 11/09/2018 21:48

*racism

Original poster
Cranberri · 11/09/2018 21:50

@crispysausagerolls yes. I started a thread to see if anyone else felt uncomfortable with the comments that have been left on numerous threads that have been as described in my OP. Just because I feel uncomfortable with something doesn't mean I am not allowed to talk about it. We all do it.

OP posts:
picklemepopcorn · 11/09/2018 22:15

I have noticed a few odd comments. I'm not sure there is anything sinister behind it, though. I don't think it's great to pile on people when they are 'faux naive'- some people are slow to catch on.

Original poster
Cranberri · 11/09/2018 22:18

@picklemepopcorn gosh I've seen some awful comments the past couple of weeks!

OP posts:
QueenOfTheAndals · 11/09/2018 22:33

You're not wrong OP. I've despaired of some of the stuff I've read here recently.

MadameButterface · 11/09/2018 22:36

There are some assholes for sure

Imagine a world where people had the capacity to think ‘hang on a minute, as a white person i am perhaps not best placed to be the arbiter of what is and is not racist, i know, i’ll stfu for five minutes’

abacucat · 11/09/2018 22:38

There is lots of racism on MN, more than I remember there being a few years ago.

rainbowsandsmiles · 11/09/2018 22:42

I'm on here quite a bit too much Grin and can't say I've seen lots of those threads lately? So not sure what's warranted your AIBU post really Confused
You'll occasionally get the odd poster within threads with racist views, but I haven't seen any specific threads.

QueenOfTheAndals · 11/09/2018 22:42

There certainly wasn't at least one golliwog thread per week back in the day Hmm

MesM · 11/09/2018 22:52

OP and Queen - absolutely agree. More frequent posts, more unlikely scenarios and more unrestrained and racist opinions expressed.

keyboardkate · 11/09/2018 22:52

Sorry now, but the potential effect of BREXIT may be much more devastating for all of us.

Racism was a factor in the YES vote.

Pick your battles.

RonniePickering · 11/09/2018 22:57

Yes, I’ve noticed it. Definitely increased in the last couple of years.

Original poster
Cranberri · 11/09/2018 22:59

It's the most aware I've been of my race for a while.

In the past week I've seen numerous posts accepting that golliwogs are okay. A few which were deleted as they were mocking and outright racist towards black peoples (and not just on golliwog threads!). People being hugely insensitive to race issues. Minimisation of racism. The shutting down of black people who dare to express their opinion on race and racism. Being told they are too sensitive.

As a black woman I find it draining. That's all.

OP posts:
Original poster
Cranberri · 11/09/2018 23:00

*people

OP posts:
Original poster
Cranberri · 11/09/2018 23:02

I don't even think it's the golliwog threads that are an issue, it's the response to someone being upset at seeing them on show. That 'you are being sensitive' or 'get over it' response to a real race issue is infuriating.

OP posts:
karyatide · 11/09/2018 23:10

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Katjolo · 11/09/2018 23:14

I agree OP

1981fishgut · 11/09/2018 23:16

MadameButterface

There are some assholes for sure

Imagine a world where people had the capacity to think ‘hang on a minute, as a white person i am perhaps not best placed to be the arbiter of what is and is not racist, i know, i’ll stfu for five minutes’

Totally agree as somone who is black this really fucking is really fucking annoying and this is happening from left wingers as well btw
As well as the right wing
They are aderment what is and isn’t rasict

keyboardkate · 11/09/2018 23:17

Land of Hope and Glory.

Racism is just below the radar and sometimes pops up sadly.

Awful stuff. And Brexit Yes voters agree with racism too. How bloody awful that is. They may deny it, but I don't believe them.

Original poster
Cranberri · 11/09/2018 23:20

@1981fishgut I agree also. The things some people claim are racism on the behalf of ethnic minorities is unbelievable. I find myself thinking 'hang on a sec, that's racist? News to me!'

It's becoming boring and minimises real issues surrounding racism.

OP posts:
rightknockered · 11/09/2018 23:22

I gave up on threads discussing racism around a year ago. It's just disheartening to have to respond to posters that tell me, as a person of colour, what racism is and whether or not I should feel racially abused. It's easy to forget that most people, most white people, that I know irl understand exactly what racism is and never claim to know my reality or my experience better than I do.

1981fishgut · 11/09/2018 23:24

keyboardkate

Sorry now, but the potential effect of BREXIT may be much more devastating for all of us.

Racism was a factor in the YES vote.

Pick your battles.
please don’t just don’t as a black person I always suffrage racism and it was at its worst in the 90s I hate people trying to make out like some how after brexit people thought oh I can be a racist now all racists were racist before brexit I in every decade since I been born I have had rasict abuse and it was at its peak in the 90s when Labour was in power Hmm I got called the p word called a wog got told to go back home all sorts the only difference to now and the 90s is I have a camera phone and white people can no longer say I liying but I won’t allow the white left to high jack this as if the years o suffered didn’t happen and my issues are down to brexit

Original poster
Cranberri · 11/09/2018 23:27

@rightknockered I still get sucked in to these threads but I think I need to leave them well alone.

It's like when a tonne of people, 99% of whom were not BAME were upset when Colleen told Katie Prices son he had a nice tan as if mixed race people can't possibly catch the sun. It was unbelievable! And when hundreds of black and mixed race people commented to say how ridiculous their outrage was, others continued to tell people they should be offended.

It is laughable when it is occasional as you can brush off the odd ignorant asshole. When it's constant or from a lot of people, it's disheartening.

OP posts:
rightknockered · 11/09/2018 23:30

Totally fishgut. Racism has always been a part of my life. I think a lot of white people like to believe that just because they're not racist, that no white person is. I think a lot of mners have lead a very sheltered existence. I know that in my experience in academia, it wasn't quite so blatant as people shouting at me in the street that I experienced as a child.

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