You're white. You haven't experienced racism

[PatricksRum]

I'm so sick of repeating myself today.
AIBU or is ignorance just bliss?

There was a time when people in northern ireland couldnt walk down the street without fear of being shot, blown up or maimed...were people lost loved ones, innocent people killed going about their everyday business...were friendships wernt "allowed" over the divide. Were mixed marriages were classed as treason, if you happened to be in the minority in an area you were subject to sectarian abuse. White people are the majority in northern ireland, do you still maintain the white people of northern ireland have not experienced the challenges you have, theres little difference between sectarianism and racisim.

RIP Stephon

I watched it last night Tonz, absolutely breathtaking.

Thanks for posting the pictures @NotNowPlzz

@Tonz

I read another thread and was asked to watch 13th available on Netflix which I did. Came out more educated. I highly recommend anybody who doesn't understand the difference of racial prejudice to the racism black people encounter every step of life to watch it. You will learn a lot. It is not the same not by a long way. Some will change their view and become an ally of black lives matter. It hit me hard

Tonz I would agree - 13th is an absolutely excellent and shocking documentary on Netflix. Deeply shameful stuff, and sad to say even the Clintons don't come out of it with any credit.

WhoAteAllTheWotsits

But the fact that it’s been brought it in itself is what is so troubling - the OP was stating how dragged down she felt by everything,

And she has every right to do that.

and the statement that white people haven’t experienced racism does not really need answering does it?

Apparently it does as some people believe that white people can't experience racism.

At the moment? Is that really something that needs to be discussed?!

The OP opened up the floor for opinions, as much as you may not like them. People are allowed to have them.

If it doesn't need answering then don't ask the question

Black lives matter, and at the moment it is black lives that are being extinguished by white people.

No argument here

And not just murdered, they are being extinguished by poverty, deprivation, by lack of opportunity

Again no argument here.

White people have never and will never experience the same level of racism and hatred that black people have.

Already answered that, but never have never will claim it. (although at least one group of white people comes close)

End of.

Such a poor ending to a good post.

@CandyLeBonBon

Oh thank you! I would also like to add that if I had ever become caught up in dealings with unscrupulous police I would have been very unlikely to have been killed, because of the consequences of ending a white life. Other kinds of attacks yes, but even in a black majority country, far away from my usual support system there is a whole might of force that would have come down if I'd been killed. As a minority 5 foot nothing female my skin and the system behind it still gave me some protection. More than George Floyd could ever have.

@SuckingDieselFella interesting how I just mentioned murder victims central to this conversation and you ignored them while choosing to talk about white people

[quote AvranaKernsBestSpider]@SuckingDieselFella

I think you’ve got a bit confused.
The poster said:
“I find the "You're white. You haven't experienced racism." one of the most racist presumptions imaginable.“

And I challenged them by asking if that sentiment was more racist than the presumption “this persons life doesn’t matter because they’re black.”

You popped up to kindly tell me that their both racist presumptions. Well done! You’re correct! Except one is wildly more dangerous than the other. Have a think about why me saying that offends you so much.

So I did in fact read and respond to what you wrote. However, you didn’t answer the question I asked you in my last post.

Also, that @ temper, temper.[/quote]
Don't play the innocent. This is how your name comes up when your posts are quoted.

If you want to cause offence you need to be smarter. Calling someone you disagree with a KKK member is the response of a 13 year old.

@SuckingDieselFella

It should be implicit that support would be given in a thread like this, no? Support for what she is obviously feeling and going through?

The thread title was not the grand sum of the OP’s thoughts and feelings on this matter, clearly. But if you are going to be deliberately obtuse, and ONLY expect responses to her actual question, you will get the responses there have been on this thread.

[quote NotNowPlzz]@SuckingDieselFella interesting how I just mentioned murder victims central to this conversation and you ignored them while choosing to talk about white people[/quote]
It isn't interesting at all because I haven't seen these posts.

Unfortunately the core issue isn't central to this conversation because of how the OP has framed it. I keep telling you to look at the thread title. If you won't do this I don't know how to help.

@FrippEnos

WhoAteAllTheWotsits

But the fact that it’s been brought it in itself is what is so troubling - the OP was stating how dragged down she felt by everything,

And she has every right to do that.

and the statement that white people haven’t experienced racism does not really need answering does it?

Apparently it does as some people believe that white people can't experience racism.

At the moment? Is that really something that needs to be discussed?!

The OP opened up the floor for opinions, as much as you may not like them. People are allowed to have them.

If it doesn't need answering then don't ask the question

Black lives matter, and at the moment it is black lives that are being extinguished by white people.

No argument here

And not just murdered, they are being extinguished by poverty, deprivation, by lack of opportunity

Again no argument here.

White people have never and will never experience the same level of racism and hatred that black people have.

Already answered that, but never have never will claim it. (although at least one group of white people comes close)

End of.

Such a poor ending to a good post.

Ah well, I’m not writing an essay to be marked here, it’s just my thoughts! 🤣

@LydiaDusbyn

AvranaKernsBestSpider ALL absolute assumptions made about someone because of their race (as in the title of this thread) are by their very nature racist. Your point is valid to a point but all absolute assumptions are equally bad in the end.... still, if you can't argue above the level of bringing the KKK into it, God help you in this complex world, seriously.

I absolutely agree with you that all assumptions are equally bad (in the end) and I do apologise for the kkk dog - it was low and unnecessary.

My anger comes from the situation in the USA being as awful as it is, with some people clearly believing and acting on “black lives matter less”. Your comment about telling white people they haven’t experienced racism is one of the most racist presumptions imaginable when people are literally dying because of other people’s presumptions about their race struck me as a bit tone deaf for this thread.

“White people haven’t experienced racism” = annoys and upsets white people.
“Black lives matter less” = blacks people dying.

To me one is important than the other. Doesn’t excuse me being a knob though

I'm white and although privileged in my own country, I have definitely experienced racism in non-white countries.

It makes me realise how privileged I am in a mainly white country.

@SuckingDieselFella I invite you to take a look at your own post at the top of page 39

@SuckingDieselFella

The lengths you’ll go to to avoid answering a simple question

(Also I’ve been tagged plenty in this thread and it always comes up as @AvranaKernsBestSpider. Hope that helps.)

"What you are really saying is “how dare those black/Muslim/whatever people say those things to me! Don’t they know who they are?! And I’m white, how dare they be racist towards my superior skin colour!”

There’s your white privilege."
WhoAteAllTheWotsits did I ever compare my experience with that of a black person? absolutely not.
Read the title of this post.
And please don't presume what I'm REALLY saying because I'm white.
You don't know me or nothing of my background so who's judging someone on the colour of their skin now?

@Karmagoat are you going to get killed for it though? Black people are being murdered. Perhaps make that the focus of your outrage

[quote NotNowPlzz]@SuckingDieselFella I invite you to take a look at your own post at the top of page 39[/quote]
I invite you to read it.

I said
"Again this has become all about white feelings. GEORGE FLOYD WAS MURDERED. BREONNA TAYLOR WAS MURDERED. Innocent black people are being MURDERED, right now."

You said:
The thread title is "You're white. You haven't expressed racism."

You can't blame people for responding to what was posted.

You chose to ignore the black people dying part and decided to focus on white people's feelings

@Karmagoat

"What you are really saying is “how dare those black/Muslim/whatever people say those things to me! Don’t they know who they are?! And I’m white, how dare they be racist towards my superior skin colour!”

There’s your white privilege."
WhoAteAllTheWotsits did I ever compare my experience with that of a black person? absolutely not.
Read the title of this post.
And please don't presume what I'm REALLY saying because I'm white.
You don't know me or nothing of my background so who's judging someone on the colour of their skin now?

I’m not exactly sure what you said tbh, I was responding to someone else. Of course not all white people will mean what I said above, but a lot will. People don’t want to admit that but it’s true. Look up unconscious bias.

And I’m not judging white people on the colour of their skin - I’m judging them on their statements, lack of silence, lack of empathy, lack of ability to not make it about white people and their thoughts, feelings, experiences.

RIP George Floyd

@WhoAteAllTheWotsits And I’m not judging white people on the colour of their skin - I’m judging them on their statements, lack of silence, lack of empathy, lack of ability to not make it about white people and their thoughts, feelings, experiences.

Seconded.