Are the people protesting in London mad?

[JKD1982]

I agree that what happened in the USA is appalling but why would anyone risk their own health and go against all the social distancing rules to protest in London? It won’t make a difference to what’s happened and could cause another crisis in London hospitals because people catch COVID.

AIBU thinking they are mad and there is a better way (from a laptop?) to express anger

@changeitupagain

Black and brown are semantics. Part of the rights movement is that people choose their own path are aren't discriminated against for doing so.

If you've experienced racism (as a minority) at any level and choose not to protest then that's completely up to you. I disagree with Covid being a bigger threat, so I will participate in the movement as is completely up to me.

Not all black and brown people are the same so we don't have to agree.

The difference of other posters is the lack of lived experience that people are willing to risk their lives to challenge.

@changeitupagain what happens if the protests lead to real change? would it be worth it, if it saved lives in the future?

I don't think they care about racism either.

That’s a vile, evil thing to say.

I’m not the one who’s been lying through my teeth and pushing an obvious agenda the entire time.

Again: England has had 27,000 deaths over the course of three months. There is no possible way of interpreting screeching about millions of deaths than as hysteria.

@WhatwouldLangdo

Then why say "if you aren't black your opinion is irrelevant"

Is it not language like this that further marginalises minority groups?

Language and it's uses are powerful and should not be thrown around in such a way as 'semantics'.

You're right we don't have to agree but how dare you attempt to silence my voice, oppress me and write off my opinions because of my skin colour. With that line you are no better than any white person who think that because you're not white you're opinion doesn't matter. And part of me thinks you are actually worse, because you have experienced oppression yourself yet continues to oppress others with blasé comments.

@changeitupagain

I don't need to jump when you click your fingers. I answered it when I seen it, not "clearly ignoring" anything. 🙄

@ToffeeYoghurt

Not called anyone a dementia on any thread. Don't put words in my mouth. Gaslighting is unpleasant as you let us all know earlier.
Yes, I'm angry. It's a perfectly valid emotion. But you crack on analysing something you've absolutely no understanding of.

I don't think some on here want to engage in civilised adult debate.

You obviously don’t. But thanks for the condescension. Us brown people really need to be lectured about how not only are we only pretending to care about racism, we’re also not debating adequately.

Gosh darn all us “uncivilised” brown people! Thank god we have you to show us the way!

@changeitupagain

You're right we don't have to agree but how dare you attempt to silence my voice, oppress me and write off my opinions because of my skin colour. With that line you are no better than any white person who think that because you're not white you're opinion doesn't matter. And part of me thinks you are actually worse, because you have experienced oppression yourself yet continues to oppress others with blasé comments.

That's some jump. That post was directed entirely towards @ToffeeYoghurt and the absolute shit that's been peddled out. Nothing to do with you at all but make it all about you if you like.
I'm mixed race myself and said as much so your massive overreaction is odd.

@frazzledfatty
@ChocolatelyAsFuck

We're being angry about racism wrong! Helpful information there from @ToffeeYoghurt.

@WhatwouldLangdo

It doesn't matter who you said it to, or for what reason, you said

"if you aren't black your opinion is irrelevant"

That is racist. With that you say the opinion of brown people, and every other race too, doesn't matter. And as a brown person yes I do take personal offence to this.

Words have meaning and it's pretty clear in this case. Words have effects and what your were trying to do with these words was wrote off any options from people who aren't black.

What you said was racist, don't try and defend it.

@changeitupagain

And the reason I find black/brown purely semantics is because it's absolutely up to any person of colour how they choose to identify. I choose to use the word black because I've had extensive experience of being treated as such regardless of having a white mother.
So no, I'm not marginalising anyone by using a word which I feel comfortable using. Don't police my language.

@changeitupagain

Have you ever considered that, shockingly, people may feel like black people being murdered by police & constantly facing racism is a higher priority than covid-19?

The people attending the protests balanced all the risks to their lives from catching covid-19 and made a choice between what was most important to them. Surely that should tell you that the protest is of upmost significance to them - they did what they felt is right.

Who is this supposed “other group” at risk anyway? BAME Brits are the ones dying at the highest rate. They made a personal decision to attend the protest and risk disease transmission. Same with any other vulnerable people present - they went knowing full well they are “at risk”. Perhaps they felt like they would rather risk death, if they could make a difference? Some things are worse than death, such as their children growing up in a world facing the same racist bullshit?

I am not black at all though, I am brown in that my mother and her family are from Bangladesh, we are completely different races.

The semantics aren't in whether a mixed race black person chooses to describe themselves as black or brown.

It's in you discarding the options of an entire other marginalised race. Actually every other marginalised race, but I appear to be the only one here to call out your racism right now and as a Bangladeshi woman you have just said my opinion doesn't matter.

@WhatWouldLangDo

I am not black at all though, I am brown in that my mother and her family are from Bangladesh, we are completely different races.

The semantics aren't in whether a mixed race black person chooses to describe themselves as black or brown.

It's in you discarding the options of an entire other marginalised race. Actually every other marginalised race, but I appear to be the only one here to call out your racism right now and as a Bangladeshi woman you have just said my opinion doesn't matter.

Toffee, are you not able to even consider the possibility that the fact numerous BAME posters who don’t know each other find your posts offensive, ignorant, disingenuous and condescending, might indicate that you are the one at fault?

Rather than some strange idea about “sidekicks”?

@changeitupagain

Ok, I'm black and racist so worse than the white people doing the killing.

Still going out to protest and putting that at a higher priority than Covid.

Double the reasons to "call me out", crack on

I also use the word disabled for myself and not differently abled like some identify as so I obviously hate people who use the words I don't 🙄