To think that people who 'want to switch off' from BLM are the ones who have chips on their shoulders?

[Moomin8]

I use a cloth nappy group on FB. A few days ago someone accidentally (I think, I didn't see it) made an offensive remark.

The next day one of the admins, very sensibly set up a thread for people to post educational resources relating to the BLM movement which encourage us all to think about how we can be a part of the solution rather than the problem. The issue of course, is that a lot of people don't even know that they are contributing to systemic racism.

That was fine until someone posted a comment saying this wasn't nappy related and they just wanted a space for nappies etc. After that it turned into a bit of a bun fight and got quite nasty.

There were only a few people who seemed to have this view but it left me wondering, why would someone complain about something positive that we could all learn from. Cloth nappy communities include people from BAME backgrounds (obviously) and why would you not want to take action against something that could hurt other people?

Realise not transit

I have just skimmed an article about the BumGenius. They named it, someone pointed out that it may be deemed inappropriate, they changed it. They didn't activity name it to be offensive, a rainforest print was named Kipling as in the Jungle Book.

Anyway constantly being told what to think is incredibly frustrating, I avoid my FB as much as possible because I am constantly told what to think and whatever that is it probably isn't enough anyway.

I disagree! And I thought you were ignoring me?!

^to Ygrittersnow

*You sound really passionate, as many people are right now. It’s also important to keep things in perspective, take a step back and play the long game when fighting for change.
**
*I’ve noticed people ( including myself) being reactionary at the present moment, and that leads to disagreement rather than discussion. People get frustrated when others don’t view the world they way they do, and lash out. That doesn’t challenge racism, it becomes too personal.

Yes you are 100% right. And I'm trying to bear this in mind and figure out how not to be reactionary which is kind of why I started this thread.

Just don't read it
I wish I could just not read racist comments or ignore the daily racism in real life.

it’s not the role of admins and members on a group like this to attempt to provide training on Equality for members.
If a problem is not identified, how can it be rectified? Shouldn't those who have a voice speak out when necessary?

people may be turned off by the amount of coverage the BLM movement has generated.
Wow. Shut up, we're bored already, next!

@Ygrittesnow

It's rather ironic that you should post this because I have actually seen numerous examples of people who seem to have a problem with the BLM with a tone just like yours - calling people ludicrous, mocking and jeering with an unnecessarily rude and personal tone.

I wonder what it is that triggers this in people?

@Cadent and @YgritteSnow

Why are you both making assumptions about each other?

You are proscribing values /opinions to each other based on some comments when you don’t know what each other’s intentions are.

I’m saddened to see that some people think content promoting racial equity is “political.”

I guess for some people their whole lives are political as they can’t opt out of their own race.

I think the comment and poster should have been removed. No need for a new topic completely unrelated to cloth nappies (whatever it may be).

In one of my groups there was a bit of a to do about an image used which then got out of control. I stayed away for a while as that is not why I joined. After a few admin posts it all went back to the topic (which is a positive message topic).

Just ban the person who made the racist comment. I am unsure how someone could make a racist comment accidentally about cloth nappies anyway.

I fully support the BLM campaign but can imagine this in a group totally unrelated could be a bit othering tbh. It shouldn't be about race, it should be about leaky bums!

if someone makes an offensive comment, then ban them and remove the comment. No need to "educate" the rest of the group because one person made a comment that offended you.

Although I 100% support the BLM and I am educating myself about it I think YABU.
I’m struggling a bit with my mental health at the moment and once I start thinking about BLM it starts me off of a spiral of negative thoughts and thinking about all of the injustices in the world and I don’t want those burdens on my mind all the time.
I suppose that’s selfish and I’m probably the one being unreasonable but I can’t deal with all the negativity.

@Moomin8 I suppose it could be a lack of self awareness.

We all have blind spots that we are unaware of, or are only becoming aware of. I for example, do have a tendency to try to be helpful and can be unintentionally condescending!

Working on it

i am a member of a local history group on facebook. whenever someone tries to hijack the group with posts about politics or other issues they are deleted and the group is told why. Its for local history only. Its patronising nonsense to claim to be "educating" people who you dont know on something they have not asked to be "educated" about. Try to be more tolerant

I disagree! And I thought you were ignoring me?!

Same, as you did say you were and had been for a while... 🤷🏼‍♀️

The thing is, and whilst I can understand that people need escapism in their lives. And these cloth nappy groups are for some people a hobby....

How can you ensure that you are being supportive of members of the group, for whom racism is a daily problem if you don't acknowledge their struggles and ask them for help on what to read etc? How can you make a group inclusive if you have your fingers in your ears and refuse to appear receptive to change?

Did the offensive comment come before or after the BLM training?

You confirm in the rules of the group that offensive comments will not be tolerated and ban people who break this rule.

The BLM campaign IS political. It has as some of its aims the destruction of the Western concept of the nuclear family, an end to capitalism and the promotion of 'queer' politics - I quote from the BLM site: "We foster a queer‐affirming network. When we gather, we do so with the intention of freeing ourselves from the tight grip of heteronormative thinking, or rather, the belief that all in the world are heterosexual (unless s/he or they disclose otherwise)."

I think there's a huge different between campaigning for an end to racism and ensuring that people of colour have equal opportunities, and setting out to dismantle the Western World and its economy and family structures.

In any event, no-one is going to react well to being told to 'check their privilege' or 'educate themselves'. It will simply widen the gulf between people.

I don't think politics belongs on a nappy forum.

BLM political movement is very different to blm anti racist
If I was in a nappy, craft, gardening, whatever group I would expect politics to be kept out of it.
YABU

ask them for help on what to read etc

What?! Why would POC on a nappy group want to be asked by other nappy fans about what to read? Do the white members of the group not have working google?

Did the offensive comment come before or after the BLM training?

Before. I did not see what the comment was it was deleted but apparently it had been an innocent mistake.

Racism is not just overt and that is the problem.

All it was was a thread saying 'please post educational resources about the BLM movement' it was never supposed to be a debate.

I have checked my privilege and educated myself

When I am on a page about cloth nappies, I want to to discuss cloth nappies

Though I can understand how the right-on good people on that thread almost wet their pants at the opportunity of educating the poor misguided masses. Some people get very excited when someone makes a racist comments, as it allows them to show how superior they are (and in a position of “educating” others..)

It’s tedious, and actually does not help the fight against racism, IMO