For those of you that think ‘all lives matter’ heres a quick and easy explanation

[TeddyIsaHe]

MN can be extremely racist at times, most posters that have been here for a while will know this.

All lives can’t matter until black lives do. It’s something we ALL need to understand and I think this makes it very easy for people to grasp.

@SleepOhHowIMissYoutjays horrendous and I’m sorry you had to go through that, but thank you for standing up and doing something.

I don’t think I can be mad at a black girl for not intervening in a racist murder tbh. In all likelihood they would have at best neat her, worst, killed her.

*beat

FatalSecrets

But then watching footage of the riots and they showed instances of the press being assaulted by police. The reporters and cameramen were all white. Two were pushed over, one had the camera slammed into him and a German reporter was shot at whilst standing on an empty street wearing body armour with PRESS emblazoned on it, so being white is not guaranteed preferential treatment.

What happened to George Floyd was despicable but it is also strange because of who was involved but also because of the connection.

George Floyd himself can't have thought Hispanic Lives mattered too much when he robbed Aracely Henriquez at gunpoint in her home back in 2007. Thankfully she acquiesced and was spared.

That's completely beside the point. He has already been punished for that. It doesn't make it ok to murder him.

It's "Black lives matter" because it is a retort. A response to the state of affairs in societies that act like they don't.

That's why "all lives matter" doesn't make any sense in the context, and misses the message. No one anywhere acts like all life doesn't matter (except for the next super villain).

The black population (and their allies) are protesting a problem that actually exists!

Black lives matter.

@JoeExoticsEyebrowRing both times I intervened that I mentioned, I was on my own. Both gang situations with at least 5 members. So, yes, I would get myself arrested and potentially hurt to prevent someone being killed in front of me. But this situation isn't about me, and I have no intention of making it so, therefore, I have no intention of arguing hypothetical situations with you. Think what you like.

What matters is that justice is done and this situation is never repeated.

Has anyone suggested doorstep clapping for Black Lives Matter to show solidarity?

@SnackSizeRaisin

They were saying that we need to use our white privilege to help - my question though is how? Some suggestions were to actively speak out, to visibly be anti racist rather than just being not racist, yet then one particular site had hundreds of black.people slamming any white person who had spoken out - saying it was offensive, as white people we have no right to speak out, that the people doing it are only doing it to feel good about themselves. So, is it wrong to do that then? Is that causing more harm for white people to speak out? If it is wrong, what can we do that uses our privilege for the right reasons?

I think you have to remember that a lot of people who have experienced racism can be understandably quite sensitive to being patronised by white people. Also, there will be a few who just want to have an argument, probably partly fuelled by the frustration and fear of the whole situation. I can completely understand black people on a site where most people are black, getting annoyed by white people virtue signalling on line. I mean what is "speaking out" , anonymously, online, anyway? Obviously I haven't seen the site you have been on, but that's my guess as to what's going on.
In my opinion the best way to "help" is to take real life actions, rather than on social media. For example, think about how you vote. Be aware of white privilege if you have a job that involves interviewing or employing people. Don't laugh at racist jokes, even to be polite. Challenge subtle racism by refusing to turn a blind eye and being inclusive in the workplace and in social situations (for example don't allow people to make racist remarks, even if there is no one else present. Include everyone in work dos, include everyone in conversation). Don't make assumptions about people. It should be about genuinely helping others to feel comfortable, and not about making yourself look good. No one is expecting you to make some kind of amazing stand! Just have good manners mixed with a bit of awareness.

The site isn't predominantly for black people, it's just that over the past few days many black people have been expressing their views on there, understandably. The white people that had posted on there had done so at the request of black.people. The call was for white people who have followers on the site to speak out, to publicly state that they are against racism and that what is happening is wrong. That was why they did it - to gain publicity for the black.lives matter movement and to raise awareness amongst their followers.

Your points about looking at how we vote, speaking out in real life, including everyone etc are what I do normally anyway. To me, that is the part of not being racist but the big criticism was that it's not enough to not be racist you need to be anti racist - this is where I'm not sure. Watching it yesterday it was impossible to see the way forward that wasn't going to offend or upset the very people you were trying to stand with. Maybe it's too raw, to recent. Maybe with some time it will be acceptable for white people not speak out and to be more vocal or other more acceptable ways of condemning racism will emerge.

George Floyd's daughter was recorded saying that her daddy had changed the world and I so hope she's proved right.

Shocking that the OP, despite the George Floyd case, thinks that there is no need for the singular slogan.
Have a look at these 2 clips of 2 young black college students being abused by police (post George Floyd's death) and reconsider if we need to remind everyone that the lives of people other than just black people matter.

so being white is not guaranteed preferential treatment

I’ll leave that to a white guy to decide whether he’s had preferential treatment because of his race. He believes so, so I think that’s reasonable don’t you? Unless we’re telling him he’s wrong for fully acknowledging his privilege.

Sorry OP - just re read your post and realise you were trying to explain (there are a number of these threads atm).
Point is that it is indeed shocking that some people still don't get it.

@FatalSecrets

so being white is not guaranteed preferential treatment

I’ll leave that to a white guy to decide whether he’s had preferential treatment because of his race. He believes so, so I think that’s reasonable don’t you? Unless we’re telling him he’s wrong for fully acknowledging his privilege.

Sorry, what white guy?

I don't think any of the ones I referred to think they got preferential treatment.

Sorry, what white guy?

I don't think any of the ones I referred to think they got preferential treatment

You addressed a point to me after I made a clear description of an anecdote.

It might be easier if you were to quote what you were responding to rather than just address points to people.

@FatalSecrets

Sorry, what white guy?

I don't think any of the ones I referred to think they got preferential treatment

You addressed a point to me after I made a clear description of an anecdote.

It might be easier if you were to quote what you were responding to rather than just address points to people.

Err, I have been quoting posts.

Funny how you only quoted one sentence from my post though yet decided to accuse me of doing precisely what you yourself did.

@Acrasia good find!

What I thinks an interesting example of white privilege is

• if white people protest or riot, they are told off and called naughty little boys and one or two are told off.

• if black people protest or riot, white people demand so many answers to so many questions. But be warned, the answer will never be good enough and will always be met with “yes but what about...?”

“Why didn’t they ask white people to help”
Indeed “why DID they ask white people help?”
“What was the long term goal”
“What was the short term goal”
“What about the black businesses”
“What about the white businesses”
“Did they think about x, did they think about y, did they think about z...did they get angry and then sit an entire degree and write a dissertation?”

So many people demanding questions of black people and yet never hearing the answer nor being satisfied with it if they do.

Hey, young black working class man - give me a doctoral thesis on this or your opinion isn’t worth a jot.
Form decades worth of theories before taking any action to stop your people being killed or I won’t accept what you say.

"A majority of Americans sympathize with the nationwide protests over the death of Floyd and disapprove of Trump's response to the unrest, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Tuesday"

If MN is your idea of somewhere that "can be extremely racist" you clearly lead a very sheltered life.

You are deluded.

One or two are arrested*

MN and the MN wannabe site are definitely exhibiting how racist they can be right now. Some posters (elsewhere) are even trying to justify George Floyd's murder by posting his alleged rap sheet and saying he deserved what happened to him. That is just a new kind of low!

Biden is expected to pick a black female VP candidate, especially after his incredibly cringy gaff on The Breakfast Club

m.youtube.com/watch?v=KOIFs_SryHI

DioneTheDiabolist Wed 03-Jun-20 21:13:08

We can also refuse to allow ourselves to be distracted from the goal of making racism history by Whataboutery. Be that what about looters, black people who commit crimes and white victims of crime

Bloody well said, @DioneTheDiabolist .

if white people protest or riot, they are told off and called naughty little boys and one or two are told off.

I'll add to that - even if the white people are a bunch of gun-toting fascists spewing hate and covid germs in broad daylight they will get away with it. Look up photos of anti-lockdown protests in Michigan a few weeks ago.

Smilethoyourheartisbreaking my point is if you watch Biden he is definitely affected by dementia, he is not as sharp as he was and the way he talks to Charlemagne is definitely cringey in so many ways. Like he changes his speech patterns and the whole "you ain't black" thing. No need to change how you speak for your audience. Tony Fauci was on TBC and just spoke as he always did and expected his audience to understand everything he was saying without attempting to change his register. Biden doesn't seem to recognize his not so subtle racism.

Having two male 70+ dementia sufferers to chose from shows the state of leadership in the US. But at least Biden is looking seriously at choosing a very well qualified black female VP.

Biden was in good form 10 yrs ago but his mind is definitely being affected no doubt about it.

I am in the US but won't be voting as am not a US citizen, my husband and eldest child (old enough to vote) voted for Bernie in the Primaries.

mathanxiety there was a lot of discussion in our household at the time at the hypocrisy of burly white guys armed to the teeth going totally unmolested at Capitols around the nation. It was like the white militia that took over federal park property in Oregon a few years ago. As if a group of armed black or brown men would be allowed to spend DAYS if not WEEKs on that property without being raided (and very likely killed). White men with guns are noble and defending their rights. Black men are criminalized.