Is it unreasonable for a bunch of white people to debate rationale for higher proportion of BAME people dying from Covid-19?

[TGear]

I am part of a professional group on Facebook. A member has asked why people from BAME communities have a higher number of covid-19 related deaths. It's now just a bunch of white people trying to work this out. Is this totally inappropriate? I want to be sensitive to other people and acknowledge that it's not something I can relate to on a personal level, but equally I feel everyone should be asking the answer to this to support those that are disproportionately affected.

You can be in my FB group LastTrain!

FFS! I'm so fucking sick of having to be terminally woke all the fucking time!

The best people for the job are the ones with the knowledge and experience to do it.

Congratulations on starting the third thread I've opened this morning and the third ludicrous one. And my third 'oh, do fuck off' of the morning.

How clever of you to use the word terminally.

So apposite.

@Grasspigeons
I think there may be more to that story as a blood test would have revealed she had had a heart attack!! It is well known by most people that women's symptoms of a heart attack are different to men's. If I know it, then I am sure the health professionals do...

"I would be more concerned about why a "professional" group has only white members." Moondust001 don't ever visit China because you will find that nearly everyone there is ethnically Chinese and that may make you uncomfortable. Also they won't take kindly to you complaining about that.
Same for just about every country in the world. They all tend to have a majority native population

I do not think it is a trivial question to then notice that those discussing it are 'a bunch of white people'

@IamAporcupine

This is a novel virus. Its symptoms vary from mild to lethal. What makes some more vulnerable than others? This is an area which requires rigorous research. The OP is concerned with the pigmentation of an allegedly 'professional' group on Facebook and if it should preclude them from this issue. If certain ethnic groups are more vulnerable to this than others, many of us who are potentially affected directly would like to know why. Sooner rather than later. I am not remotely concerned about the ethnicity of those making this analysis. I am concerned with their analytical abilities and their professional qualifications and experience. As for those on this thread demanding that only a specific racial demographic can conduct this research? Perhaps you should check your own white privilege. Instead of erecting barriers to vital, potentially life saving investigations.

A group of 'professionals' having a discussion on Facebook.

Pull the other one.

@AnnUumellemahaye yes racism

I think a group of any professionals could discuss this, BUT there are so many BAME doctors that it would be very silly not to make sure they are well represented. Apart the from obvious political reasons, there are likely to be interesting research perspectives they can bring which are not available to an all white group.

It is always reasonable to question why particular groups appear to be (or are) excluded from a group of which they are the subject.

Their theories on it are as likely to have some validity as other people's. Being white doesn't stop them knowing stuff about how different ethnicities live.

We have freedom of speech so anyone can talk about it. Also I am sure BAME people want as many scientists to look at this as possible and would not rather more of them died to make some politically correct point. If a scientist who can help you is white or a doctor who is black you wouldn't care less what colour or gender they are.

On certainty for all posters however whatever their colour if you are over weight (waist for women over 31.5 inches - NHS test) then stop eating as much and start losing weight or covid 19 might get you badly (and yes mine is over 31.5 inches...)

It is always reasonable to question why particular groups appear to be (or are) excluded from a group of which they are the subject

Since we know absolutely nothing about the qualifications of this allegedly 'professional' group on Facebook, it is impossible to know how it was formed. The professionals I know do not use Facebook as a medium.

onlinelinda
Which would be fine, if we're talking about a formal professional body, but this is some people talking on Facebook.

Based on the OP's logic teachers in a Facebook group I'm in shouldn't discuss the impact of GCSE reforms on students with certain SEND needs unless we've arranged for representation of those with the full range of SEND needs to be present, or we shouldn't discuss the cultural capital required to access one of the SATS paper that may have made the paper more difficult for disadvantaged pupils unless enough teachers participating disclosed their family's socio-economic status when they were children.

It's ridiculous to be seeking offence based on the make up of an entirely optional discussion on an area of interest, on social media in people's own time.

Good point, @LolaSmiles

Of course teachers can discuss the impact of reform on certain populations and groups in a Facebook group.

Their professional experience would certainly help.

Doesn't necessarily mean they will understand the groups they are talking about though.

@RandomSelection - its better known now. There was quite a bit of campaigning to make it well known!

I think the OP asks a valid question.

A lot of people seem to have assumed that the 'profession' is science, research, or health related, but I can't see where the OP says that it is? It could be accountants, teachers, builders, outdoor instructors...

The fact that the group is on FB means that it must be a pretty informal group rather than a forum for real 'research'. So it may well be just a load of white people sounding off about a topic they know little about.

A group of 'professionals' having a discussion on Facebook.

Pull the other one.

There are certainly groups/communities on FB that are aimed at people in specific lines of work. For example, I know that Freelance Outdoor Instructors have a group on FB. In that group, they have talked about things such as how to perform covid risk assessments (before the lockdown), appropriate H&S, rates of pay, best practice etc... as well as more informal stuff.

Just because you haven't seen a group like that doesn't mean they don't exist. Some people have no concept that the world exists outside their own experience of it.

So it may well be just a load of white people sounding off about a topic they know little about.

They’re allowed to do that though.

There’s no threshold of knowledge required to have a conversation,

A lot of people have assumed that the conversation is contributing to research etc. and therefore has value for that reason - I'm just pointing out that there's every chance that it does not.

So it may well be just a load of white people sounding off about a topic they know little about

Maybe they do know a lot about it, maybe they don't. But they absolutely do have the right to talk about that, and whatever else they choose to talk about it. There's plenty of professional discussion groups on FB btw. And informal groups do not mean people lack knowledge either.

@BovaryX , As for those on this thread demanding that only a specific racial demographic can conduct this research? Perhaps you should check your own white privilege. Instead of erecting barriers to vital, potentially life saving investigations.

Sorry, I really think you are misunderstanding what I and a couple more are saying. As far as I can see, no one is demanding that only a specific demographic does this research, quite the opposite.

This is ridiculous. If the virus was killing a higher majority of white people, can you imagine the comments if someone had come on saying a "bunch of blacks" were discussing it on FB??

Are white people supposed to look at this scientific data and honestly not talk about it or look in to it just because they're white??

Bonkers

Are white people supposed to look at this scientific data and honestly not talk about it or look in to it just because they're white??

Is this honestly how you are understanding the question?

You come up with your hypothesis. Ohh, I wonder why more BAME people seem to be affected and you brainstorm possible reasons. You gather data from which you can run any number of statistical tests. You either find significance or not.

This is exactly what people all over the world will be doing. Does it matter what ethnicity they are?