To be horrified by the sudden interest in BLM

[Nellydean21]

Why are there so many threads by possibly white women asking for guidance on how not to be a racist? I am a white woman and have been incorporating anti racism into my job for three decades now. My job is teaching and writing. Is this really news , how the fuck is this so?

People will be quick to have views on BLM and how it’s silly but when it comes to animal welfare or the LGBTQ - everyone’s all ears and want to do their bit to help.

This is the reason why it’s such a big thing and why we need to raise awareness.

YANBU, I'm sick of being preached at by virtue signallers who couldn't have cared less about racism last week, and won't care any more than that this time next week
Totally agree, but also puzzled at what seems to be the new view that treating people the same regardless of their race is suddenly not enough?

I never look at people colour, race religion, sexual preference. I really don't because I don't care what these. I will however not like all of them, don't want to work with all of them, or be friends to all of them. Surely I'm entitled to decide who I like and not like respect or doesn't respect.

Yet it seems that if you are not prepared to fight for racial causes, agree with everything activists stand for or accept that all white people are privileged, you are racist.

So after 50 plus years of being non racist, It would seem I've suddenly become so! Oh well, won't change me, I'll still treat everyone who I come across the same regardless of their colour of their skin.

I think the op is getting a hard time. I find it frustrating that so many people are clearly ignorant about what goes on in the world and that it takes them having to witness something with their own eyes to suddenly be aware of something.
That's not to say it isn't wonderful that people are finally becoming aware. But it's a shame that some people up until now obviously don't keep up with things, read news or are aware of some of the awful things that happen.
I think OP meant they feel horrified that people are so unaware of things generally. That's how I read it anyway.

BAME people have a disadvantage in this country, compared to white people. Statistics back this up, black people are more likely to be stopped and searched, pulled over, less likely to get the job they applied for, ad infinitum. Therefore white people have an advantage because they don't have those things to contend with. That is white privilege, you can't not have white privilege, it has nothing to do with whether that person is racist or not.

It's the advantage that comes with having white skin.

That's not to say it isn't wonderful that people are finally becoming aware. But it's a shame that some people up until now obviously don't keep up with things, read news or are aware of some of the awful things that happen.

Is this true though? Are there any people protesting that didn't already know about racism? I haven't seen anyone saying that on the news or social media.

Racism isn't new. Look at the context here - They're protesting now because they're motivated by frustration and boredom. & I predict there will be major protests for other things soon too.

When mummy instagrammers are suddenly tagging their very white feeds with #blacklivesmatter and posting monologues about their own 'awakening' all at the same time, it does seem disingenuous. But I suppose it's better than completely ignoring it, like they were before.

Better to be a latecomer in realising the impact of racism than to be like WaitingforSeptember - putting “racists” in quotation marks and saying anti-racism is just a displacement activity for anger about the virus and economic inequality.

People are bored . There is nothing else on the news apart from Covid. I wonder if we were kit in lock down, if it would have taken off in the same way.

@dontdisturbmenow it's not really worked though has it? Just treating people "the same".
The point being made is that nothing much has changed. It's not enough to simply be nice.
If we witness something bad but don't do anything to try to change it, aren't we complicit?

@Toddlerteaplease maybe that is one of the good things to come out of lockdown?

I kind of agree on one hand it's good people are asking on the other hand my sm is full of people I know suddenly ranting about it , people that have suddenly jumped on the bandwagon who I honestly think are doing it to make themselves look better . They are copying and pasting things of others with no real understanding of what is being said
It's great more people are standing up to it but it has to be genuine and not just for Facebook likes
Also they can't just support it for 2 weeks it has to be forever

People were making as much or more of a big deal for Covid 19 which was killing less people than the amount of black lives that were taken in a day.

I’m not sure why people finally opening their eyes and their minds are a bad thing ?

Instead of asking what the point is; educate yourself and think about what you can do to make a difference and to make things better

But it's a shame that some people up until now obviously don't keep up with things, read news or are aware of some of the awful things that happen
I think the opposite. Medias are baised, only care to ignite sensationalism, are rarely a full account of events.

I think that if people stopped treating the social media as a cult or religion, we as a society would become much less prejudist and judgemental.

I have always been fully aware of discrimination in the police force in the US. It doesn't mean that I now want to scream about it. A few months back, a large number of posts were about plastic in the ocean killing wild life. Long gone now, people have moved on from that cause now that's it's not in the media any longer. It will be the same with this sadly.

If we witness something bad but don't do anything to try to change it, aren't we complicit?

Part of believing that everyone deserves respect and equality is calling someone out if they said or did something racist (or sexist, homophobic, transphobic, etc). Everyone I know already does this and don't appreciate being called "complicit racists" just because we're not taking part in these protests.

@stay123

Well I know a lot of Europeans who come here also...are you saying they come because of racism?? What an ignorant comment to make

People come to the UK and US for a chance at a better life. Not to avoid racism. It’s still very much alive in these countries. It’s just a better life than back home.

More than half the people who are affected by the BLM movement are people who were born and bred here. So what exactly do you mean when you say they wouldn’t come here if it was that bad ?? Where on earth are they expected to go when being born and raised here ? Why should they be expected to leave anyway ? Why can’t ignorant, stupid closed minded people like you wake up and educate yourself on racism and WHY we have the BLM movement.

It’s people like you who give some people a bad name and it’s for idiots like you that NEED to educate yourself on why BLM is a thing.

If we witness something bad but don't do anything to try to change it, aren't we complicit?
I haven't witnessed anything bad. I wasn't there and I refuse to consider social media truth. It rarely is.

If I witness something bad as in see it or hear it, I will definitely act, regardless of the person race, age, sex etc... It's the act that defines my reaction.

Protesting in large group accomplished nothing. With seen it for political causes. It's just make people feel good about themselves for a short time. It doesn't change their behaviours long term, encourages others to do so even less.

Give it a month or so, another sensational media news to act outrage about and people will get back to their normal habits.

@Stay123

I can also assure you that WHITE ON WHIGE crime is also a thing and VERY prevalent. It’s usually newslined and covered up with ‘mental health/ depression/ drugs’ or something minor so you will look like the victim.

When it’s black on black; it’s always exaggerated to be worst than it is and half the time the only black news that is newsworthy is something negative to tarnish black people and other ethnic minorities.

As you’ve been told more than once - I’ll repeat it again; educate yourself before making closed minded statements and backhanded comments.

Your the kind of person who says racially insensitive things than has the cheek to finish it off with ‘oh but I’m not racist’ or ‘I can’t be racism because my neighbour is black’

Petty and pathetic and the exact reason this world wants CHANGE

@IndecentFeminist

Cause most people are just pootling along. They don't feel actively racist, and don't come across people who are. They have black friends or co-workers and enjoy their company and as such don't think it applies to them. Then something as horrific and 'in your face' happens as this, and they wake up a little. It's no bad thing.

Absolutely this. I have spent a long time thinking it is ok just not to be racist. I am now aware that my silence is an issue.

People can call it jumping on the bandwagon or virtue signalling but I don’t care. I am using the current situation to better educate myself and hoping that some of my SM posts will make other people think about how they see these things.

It's like all the protest about Avery and false imprisonment, the treatment of poorly educated people, those with learning disability.

So much outrage across the world about interviewing techniques etc... It was all over the place when Netflix showed the documentary. That was a year or so ago. How many people who protested then are still actively doing so? Very few. Did it change anything? Nope.

@TatianaBis

My congratulations over her 30 years of being anti-racist was meant more tongue in cheek than serious. Doesn't come across v well.

Its horrific because two weeks ago people who've never thought about racism before are suddenly all over the internet about their views.
That is not horrific. What triggered it was horrific.

Am I supposed to take the suddenly outraged as seriously as people who've spent their whole lives activity opposing racism ?
Why not? They witnessed systemic racism literally crush the life out of a black man. Their outrage is real, valid and completely normal.

I am a white woman and have been incorporating anti racism into my job for three decades now.
Then you should recognise the fruits of your labour, in the people spreading the anti-racism message. Instead you seem to be pissed off that this is happening. Having incorporated anti racism into 30 years work OP, are you familiar with White Saviours?

So, if we don;t get involved with BLM that is wrong.

and if we do get involved that is also wrong?

So I am wondering....those of us who are white, should we just stay out of it? Maybe it is not our place to fight? I have been happy to suport BLM up to now but am wondering am I doing more harm than good?

@Toddlerteaplease

People are bored . There is nothing else on the news apart from Covid. I wonder if we were kit in lock down, if it would have taken off in the same way.

Good point. I think this is something that those who are annoyed with the SM support for BLM are missing: Many of us before lockdown did not have the time nor energy to contribute much to the cause. Doesn't mean we did not care.

No, we should not just stay out of it. This is important to everyone. BLM needs all the support it can get right now in order to get closer to its aims. Anti-racism could do with your help imstillbreathingbarely.

But not everyone can or will get involved and that's their choice and that's ok. What I am finding disgusting at the moment is the concerted effort of some people to miss what has happened to people and what is happening now.