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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to think some people are being very hypocritical over Black Lives Matter

105 replies

EmmaGrundyForPM · 03/06/2020 08:40

People are, quite rightly, outraged over the killing of George Floyd. On my social media there are loads of posts along the lines of "racism must end" and "all people are equal".

However, many of the people posting this on FB etc are also people who happily expresse the most racist opinions about Travellers. We live in a rural area where Travellers are the largest minority group and the prejudice towards them is horrendous.

AIBU if I point out the irony of this to them? People can't seem to see the parallels.

OP posts:
SharonasCorona · 03/06/2020 10:05

@SiaPR - stop calling people stupid, for a start. I know what OP has said. But this is distracts from the very real issue of black people dying.

But you think that it is ok that the same people who call you pejorative names can virtue signal about George Floyd?

There are lots of people calling people 'Paki' every day. That doesn't mean I'm going to start a thread on MN about it TODAY.

Laiste · 03/06/2020 10:06

It's really strange that so many people - even ones who may well feel fully against the racism shown towards black people - feel the need to keep muddying the waters by bringing comparisons and other issues to the table. Swirling it all around until it's not clear any more. Again.

This is a time when the table should be clear of everything except this one issue.

Lets stop all the 'what about this' and 'that' and 'oooh this is just like this and that'. Lets stop slipping other agendas on there.

FTMF30 · 03/06/2020 10:07

@SimonJT I'm not saying treating a group of people a certain way is right. But calling something racism when it isn't just muddies waters. People who belong to a certain race which you can see, suffer unescapable hardships compared to those who are, let's say, ambiguous. E.g. being homophobia is wrong, but you can't tell for certain if someone is gay just by looking at them, so they wouldn't be targetted in the same way as a black man walking down the street.

knittingaddict · 03/06/2020 10:08

This is a time when the table should be clear of everything except this one issue.

Absolutely.

Tootletum · 03/06/2020 10:08

Everybody has rights and responsibilities. The former is being denied to black people in America. The latter apparently doesn't apply to travellers. So, no, I do not think it's hypocritical to point out that we should all behave ourselves, at the same time as pointing out we are all equal. This is why you can say looting is wrong, but doesn't make police killings less wrong.

PeskyEdith · 03/06/2020 10:10

@SiaPR - You're the one having problems understanding. And you might want to lay off the personal attacks.

TabbyMumz · 03/06/2020 10:10

"ChoosingHimthe protests in America aren’t about slavery. They are about modern day racism in policing. Nothing to do with ancestors in the slightest."

A lot of people on here would disagree with you, whites have been blamed for issues that happened centuries ago. It would be like still hating Germans for the atrocities in the war.

SiaPR · 03/06/2020 10:11

There are lots of people calling people 'Paki' every day. That doesn't mean I'm going to start a thread on MN about it TODAY. I get what you are saying, but I really do not think you get what the OP is saying. It is not whataboutery, the OP is pointing out that there a plenty of racists who are virtue signalling, yet still being racist (it has been seen on this thread)

Floofboopsnootandbork · 03/06/2020 10:11

the very same race who actually abolished slavery
And also started it Hmm and still to continue to oppress black people every single day!

knittingaddict · 03/06/2020 10:11

Still trying to distract Tabby?

FTMF30 · 03/06/2020 10:13

@SiaPR I would never treat anyone 'less than' because of their race and I often speak out against racism. Just because I don't agree with the travelling community being seen as a race, it doesn't make me racist.

knittingaddict · 03/06/2020 10:20

*OP is saying. It is not whataboutery, the OP is pointing out that there a plenty of racists who are virtue signalling, yet still being racist (it has been seen on this thread)

SaiPR I wonder just how many people the op knows on FB etc that are doing this? 10, 100, 1? It's a minor irritation in the scheme of things. I would even say that it's irrelevant right now. Isn't it also yet another indication of our privileged lives, that a handful of possible hypocrites posting on instagram is what we want to discuss right now? Bigger fish to fry, surely.

Whenwillitstop1 · 03/06/2020 10:20

People should rightly be outraged and horrified by what happened and happens frequently in America. But I think what is annoying the op and quite frankly annoys me too is the hypocrisy. I live in an inner London borough and the area I live in is predominantly black. I have seen so many people I know or know of vaguely posting on Facebook, Instagram etc with their blacked out picture and quote about how racism needs to end etc. So many of these people live in predominantly white middle class areas, they are usually white women, know no black people, would actively cross the street to avoid a 'scary black man' in a hoodie etc. It pisses me off, it's all virtue signalling bullshit. So many of the right on Twitter 'activists' don't even know any black people and live in the Fucking Cotswolds with mummy and daddy.

knittingaddict · 03/06/2020 10:21

Sorry meant to highlight.

OP is saying. It is not whataboutery, the OP is pointing out that there a plenty of racists who are virtue signalling, yet still being racist (it has been seen on this thread)

missyoumuch · 03/06/2020 10:22

@TabbyMumz if you think the response to George Floyd’s murder is analogous to being upset with the Germans for the war, I’m sorry to say you are at best stupid and at worst...I won’t even go there.

George Floyd
Ahmaud Arbery
Breonna Taylor
Philando Castile
Trayvon Martin
Eric Garner

Were they all killed in 1945? Do you need help reading a calendar?

SiaPR · 03/06/2020 10:24

I wonder just how many people the op knows on FB etc that are doing this? well loads of fucking brands are doing just this. It is shocking. But we will remember.

Jangirl2018 · 03/06/2020 10:28

@TabbyMumz

If people are being nasty they can be called out for it. Just because there is racism and violence against people in the US, doesnt mean it's the fault of every single white person in the world

So why are you taking it so personally and making it about you and your hurt feelings? Where has anyone said it’s the fault of every single white person in the world? Also, the fact you think racism only exists in the UK says it all....

SimonJT · 03/06/2020 10:34

[quote FTMF30]@SiaPR I would never treat anyone 'less than' because of their race and I often speak out against racism. Just because I don't agree with the travelling community being seen as a race, it doesn't make me racist.[/quote]
Simply denying their existence is racist.

knittingaddict · 03/06/2020 10:35

I know that I am unconsciously racist. Those little thoughts that go through your head when you see someone black, the "othering" process that happens. It's not good. We live in multicultural, but fairly white city and I am very much the product of racist parents. It's hard to completely eradicate the hard wiring from birth.

That doesn't mean that I can't acknowledge my failings as a human being, but still want to do something about the much greater problems of active and prevalent racism. It's a simple concept that no one should be dying because of their skin colour.

knittingaddict · 03/06/2020 10:38

Brands are combating racism against black people, but being abusive to travellers? Which brands? I don't use FB.

TabbyMumz · 03/06/2020 10:39

"So many of these people live in predominantly white middle class areas, they are usually white women, know no black people, would actively cross the street to avoid a 'scary black man' in a hoodie etc. It pisses me off, it's all virtue signalling bullshit. So many of the right on Twitter 'activists' don't even know any black people and live in the Fucking Cotswolds with mummy and daddy."

That's nasty, just nasty. Damned if you do, dsmned if you dont. They are criticised if they dont get behind the cause and then criticised if they do. To me that's just pure nastiness. So what if they live in the Cotswolds with or without their parents.

Colom · 03/06/2020 10:49

I completely disagree that travellers are a race and think that ruling just gave travellers an excuse to continue tormenting people with their ridiculous ‘culture’.

Just because I don't agree with the travelling community being seen as a race, it doesn't make me racist.

You can "disagree" all you like but Irish travelers are genetically distinct to the settled population. Denying their right to be seen as such sounds pretty racist to me!

I understand what you're saying OP and it is tiresome. I blame Hollywood! There's a certain type of virtue signaling idiot who has romanticized notions of being "white saviours" to all the poor oppressed black people in America, yet will happily moan about "lawless travelers" or bitch about all the Eastern Europeans taking up space in their child's school.

SimonJT · 03/06/2020 10:52

@knittingaddict

I know that I am unconsciously racist. Those little thoughts that go through your head when you see someone black, the "othering" process that happens. It's not good. We live in multicultural, but fairly white city and I am very much the product of racist parents. It's hard to completely eradicate the hard wiring from birth.

That doesn't mean that I can't acknowledge my failings as a human being, but still want to do something about the much greater problems of active and prevalent racism. It's a simple concept that no one should be dying because of their skin colour.

Everyone has bias and it is a really important thing to discuss, it isn’t something thay can be completely removed, but it can be improved and one of those ways is through honesty.

I’m an Asian man, I’m usually bearded, I walk to work in London so despite wearing an expensive suit and being well dressed I’m aware due to unconscious bias (and the right wing press and government in the UK) the sight of a bearded, Asian man with a packback can ring certain alarm bells. More so when I’m on the tube for example.

As an Asian man the biggest threat to me is a white person, so I’m aware that if I was for example on a tube late at night and there was a carriage with a white woman or a group of white men I wouldn’t be comfortable choosing that carriage as I would be putting myself at risk.

Bias is a reallg important thing to recognise, we all have it, people who say “I don’t see colour, religion” etc are lying. People who say “well I don’t treat people different because they’re black” well you probably do, and actually sometimes due to the stigma that some groups face you need to treat them differently.

I think someone people think unconscious bias is racism, it isn’t and I think that stops people talking about it. Bias is caused by racism as society as a whole is racist, but the bias we all have is so deeply ingrained it becomes part of us. Where as racism is an active choice that we can turn off if we choose.

knittingaddict · 03/06/2020 11:02

Thank you Simon. That was a very helpful post.

SharonasCorona · 03/06/2020 11:04

I know that I am unconsciously racist. Those little thoughts that go through your head when you see someone black, the "othering" process that happens. It's not good. We live in multicultural, but fairly white city and I am very much the product of racist parents. It's hard to completely eradicate the hard wiring from birth.

Very true and I agree.