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Original poster

Questions for white people: what is the problem with "taking the knee"

999 replies

Flayn · 12/07/2021 17:39

  1. What is the problem with taking the knee
  2. How would you prefer athletes protest racism

I am a regular poster, under a changed name and speak 2nd language English - I know the passive aggressiveness some posters adopt for this topic.

OP posts:
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6
Allington · 13/07/2021 20:40

Sadly pointing out racism is considered worse than being racist...

Quaggars · 13/07/2021 20:55

@Allington

Sadly pointing out racism is considered worse than being racist...
I have definitely found this to be true If you question or point out anything racist that someone has said in RL, some take great offence at being thought of as racist. All the "I'm not racist as my friend or my family member is black!" stuff as well - um, OK, but how does knowing someone black mean you automatically can't be racist and how very dare you imply otherwise?! Doesn't mean you might not have deep seated prejudices you might not even be aware of.
Allington · 13/07/2021 21:01

Of course. I am a result of my own background, tempered by my experiences and attempts to challenge myself. Feel free to challenge me! But not deny what I have seen and heard with my eyes and ears because it makes you uncomfortable

3Lions · 13/07/2021 21:09
  1. What is the problem with taking the knee there is no problem. Apart from the racism.
  1. How would you prefer athletes protest racism* I am glad they are doing it. I'm happy for them to protest however they see fit.

Questions for you OP:

  1. Why do you think all white people have a problem with knees being taken?
  1. You know the white football players took the knee too right? *
3Lions · 13/07/2021 21:10

@WaterOffADucksCrack

As a black woman I really object to all members of a race being tarred with certain brushes.
Agreed!
Tibtom · 13/07/2021 21:11

@Piggywaspushed

I see the government have managed to get us to believe them. White working class boys under perform because of the disadvantages of poverty, not skin colour or discrimination. And, once more : black Caribbean boys, travellers of both sexes, and Bangladeshi boys perform worse.
But this is true of ethnic minorities too. For example for many health outcomes race is a proxy for proverty.
Piggywaspushed · 13/07/2021 21:14

Not necessarily going to dispute that but poverty is not the only factor there.

Quaggars · 13/07/2021 21:16

Question for you 3Lions

When you say 1. Why do you think all white people have a problem with knees being taken?

Where are you getting that the OP said that all white people have a problem with knees being taken, when they clearly didn't say that at all?
They clearly asked a question to white people in the OP, yes.
You've gone and added the extra all all by yourself.

bhy123 · 13/07/2021 21:20

While having a family member of a different ethnicity doesn't mean you can't be racist, it is however helpful to see things through different eyes. Surely that's a positive thing?

I've learnt a lot from chatting to my sister in law who came to the UK from Pakistan when she was 13. Not an issue of racism but she has spoken about how her passport was altered to show her age as 18 when she entered the U.K. She married, had her first child here at 13 and went on to have 3 children in the U.K. by 16. Despite having lived in the U.K. for over 30 years, she cannot read or write in English as she hasn't been given that opportunity here for various reasons. It has made it really hard for her to find well-paid employment.

Isn't having that personal insight from a friend or relative encouraging us to fight for basic rights for everyone living here and helping to combat racism in whatever form?

Shelddd · 13/07/2021 21:25

@bhy123

While having a family member of a different ethnicity doesn't mean you can't be racist, it is however helpful to see things through different eyes. Surely that's a positive thing?

I've learnt a lot from chatting to my sister in law who came to the UK from Pakistan when she was 13. Not an issue of racism but she has spoken about how her passport was altered to show her age as 18 when she entered the U.K. She married, had her first child here at 13 and went on to have 3 children in the U.K. by 16. Despite having lived in the U.K. for over 30 years, she cannot read or write in English as she hasn't been given that opportunity here for various reasons. It has made it really hard for her to find well-paid employment.

Isn't having that personal insight from a friend or relative encouraging us to fight for basic rights for everyone living here and helping to combat racism in whatever form?

The UK altered it or Pakistan altered it? I fail to see how this makes white people in UK racist.

It's crazy you can write whatever inflammatory thing you want against white British people and it's okay.

bhy123 · 13/07/2021 21:42

Shelddd

It doesn't (I'm white not that it's particularly relevant in this context).

I'm simply saying that seeing life through someone of a different ethnicity to yourself can help combat racism in my opinion. It was in answer to the posters questioning why people have written about having family members of different ethnicities with the implication that we see it as somehow giving us a "not racist" card.

In answer to your specific question, her passport age was altered in order to come to the U.K. I'm not assigning blame to anyone as it's a multi-faceted issue but to say that I feel angry that she's had a tough life trying to make ends meet because she hasn't had the basic education we've had the benefit of. And that she slipped through the net in terms of the authorities not realising that she was actually 13 when she was pregnant. I shared this only to make the point that I've learnt a lot from speaking to her about her life experiences which surely helps in the fight against racism in all its forms.

3Lions · 13/07/2021 22:00

@Quaggars

Question for you 3Lions

When you say 1. Why do you think all white people have a problem with knees being taken?

Where are you getting that the OP said that all white people have a problem with knees being taken, when they clearly didn't say that at all?
They clearly asked a question to white people in the OP, yes.
You've gone and added the extra all all by yourself.

Questions for white people:
  1. What is the problem with taking the knee
  2. How would you prefer athletes protest racism
*

If a question starts with "for white people" how are we to assume it means "some white people" ?*

Orangecinnamon21 · 13/07/2021 22:04

Blimey that's a reach... how is she being inflammatory?

Quaggars · 13/07/2021 22:06

If a question starts with "for white people" how are we to assume it means "some white people" ?

Because if it doesn't apply to you, then it doesn't apply to you, does it?
It's a fact a hell of a lot of white people have a problem with taking the knee.
So OP was saying to those, why do you have such a problem with it?
As I don't have a problem with it, I didn't take it as applying to me even though I'm white and just sat back and read why others might have a problem to try and get their perspective.

CovoidOfAllHumanity · 13/07/2021 22:30

A lot of people just answered 'no problem' which is a legitimate answer. That's my answer but I don't feel victimised or criticised by the question being asked to white people.

tennisballboy · 13/07/2021 22:49

No Problem - I support the ethos.

Chanjer · 13/07/2021 23:03

If you walk into a room and ask for opinions you don't anticipate everyone in the room to have the same one

Quaggars · 13/07/2021 23:09

A lot of people just answered 'no problem' which is a legitimate answer. That's my answer but I don't feel victimised or criticised by the question being asked to white people.

Exactly

TiddyAndFletch · 13/07/2021 23:57

If there's an assumption that all or most white people have a problem with taking the knee, I'm keen to counteract that, as I'm sure others are.

Nightlystroll · 14/07/2021 00:15

Is this really such a big deal?
Some white people would take the knee.
Some white people wouldn't take the knee.
Some white people don't care if others take the knee.
Some white people do care if others take the knee.

What does it matter?

Kpo58 · 14/07/2021 00:26
  1. What is the problem with taking the knee
I don't see how showing submission is a way of protesting against racism.
  1. How would you prefer athletes protest racism.
That is a difficult question to answer. Maybe have clearer guidelines so that people can understand what cannot be said as it is racist. I think that some older people struggle that things that weren't considered racist when they were young is now unacceptable and they don't know the correct words to use.
Saoirse82 · 14/07/2021 01:03

I fully support athletes taking the knee. I wholly support the BLM movement and consider my self someone with left wing political views.

Quaggars · 14/07/2021 01:36

@Saoirse82

I fully support athletes taking the knee. I wholly support the BLM movement and consider my self someone with left wing political views.
Same
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