SpaceX vs George Floyd

[focuspuller]

AIBU to be baffled that so many of my acquaintances on social media are happy to share comments and reactions to the SpaceX/NASA flight but are not sharing similar reactions or comments about the murder of George Floyd?

It's not an either/or situation.

I don't get how the two are comparable?

They are in no way comparable.

I suppose to me it shows that they are news-aware, and internationally news aware. It put me in mind of Desmond Tutu's words:

"If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality"

So I wondered, what moved them to comment on an international news story like SpaceX but not George Floyd?

Maybe you have the wrong friends as my Facebook feed is full of white allies and black lives matter and lots of people commenting on the death of George Floyd. Perhaps a lot of white people struggle with their own white privilege and don't want to insult POC by not being articulate enough to express themselves or perhaps they dont think social media is an appropriate place to discuss the racist murder of an African American

YANBU. Lots of people feel uncomfortable posting anything which might be seen as political / moralistic on social media. But silence is complicity, and we should be openly discussing these things even when they make us uncomfortable. Perhaps even especially then.

I have watched SpaceX with joy and excitement. Perhaps you have friends who want to concentrate on the positive things in life at the moment?

Whataboutery 🙄

I posted a photo of the ISS and Dragon on my Insta. I was very proud of it. I keep my social media resolutely non political, its mainly dog pictures. I left FB because of the virtue signalling and anger.

Thanks Rover, you might have a good suggestion. I have a fair number of left wing white friends, which is where I most noticed the discrepancy. Maybe they aren't the assholes they seem.

Isn’t Facebook for entertainment?

@focuspuller

I suppose to me it shows that they are news-aware, and internationally news aware. It put me in mind of Desmond Tutu's words:

"If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality"

So I wondered, what moved them to comment on an international news story like SpaceX but not George Floyd?

Speaking to my white friends as a person of colour they have expressed that they sometimes feel awkward where racism is concerned because as white people they are the ones with priviledge.

A lot understand that to be silent is to be complicit so they are now more vocal with issues specific to the BAME community, just as they are vocal about DV etc.

This is the definition of Woke and wanting some kind of internet validation, only being permitted to internet like about approved subjects.

I have a large family in heart of ground zero in minneapolis, not one of them or the neighborhood have even hinted at it.

This shows more about you than it does about the friends your judging.

“I have a fair number of left wing white friends, which is where I most noticed the discrepancy. Maybe they aren't the assholes they seem“

FFS have you heard yourself??

@Justanotherlurker well said

WHat exactly do you want them to say.

The real issue here is that silence somehow equals complicity but complicity in what. I am not neutral about it but certainly dont want to say it on facebook

Because there are no words for me because what can I say - and certainly facebook is not the environment I would choose. Doesnt mean that they are neutral just that it is not the correct environment or indeed a topic that needs commenting upon to know what most of us think about it

Space and ISS is easy its lighthearted and fun and what facebook should be.

Maybe ask yourself why you need them to comment

You are being bit stupid comparing these two
Many people keep politics of their social media. No matter what the politics are about.

The fact that you don't share something on SM doesn't mean you don't care about it.

So awkwardness and fear of offending as a best option and only posting happy things or entertainment and not wanting to look 'woke' as a worst option.

Thanks all. There's a long way to go before white people see kneeling on a black guy's neck until he is dead as reaction-worthy as a space rocket.

What did you post about it on social media?

Christ on a bike

"reaction-worthy"? What does that mean? What do you think a Facebook reaction is achieving, exactly?

I have never posted a single political view on Facebook, doesn't mean I don't have any, other people aren't you, nothing sinister in that.

I think social media is a great platform to show support against Rascism as its somewhere everyone sees and that's important. The issues BAME community face are caused by white privaledge therefore white people need to grow a backbone and post, share and comment on things relating to these issues as to get the message out.

However if posts about an innocent black man being murdered by a cop for no other reason than the colour of his skin makes you uncomfortable then unfortunately we are a long way from things getting better.

How the fuck you can think the two are the same Is insane. 🤦🏻‍♀️