Racist Threads

[PhilippaGeorgiou]

Wasn't sure where to post this, but I thought AIBU would be ok. I am not running this as a poll, because I don't care about anyones opinions on the matter. And if anyone wants to respond with more racism, don't bother because I won't be engaging for even a second.

Right at the moment this site is not being overrun by racists because MNHQ has determined that there are no racists on the site and it's abuse to tell anyone they are a racist (even when they are). However, there are multiple threads expressing racism every single day, all rehearsing the same old misinformation and bogus narratives. Not one of those posters want to engage - they become abusive and offensive if anyone produces remotely evidenced facts. Their "facts" are the only truthful facts. Everyone else is a "woman hating woke leftist". Which is apparently not abus, according to MNHQ. MNHQ have made is abundantly clear that they will not moderate misinformation, and are blithely happy to allow most abuse to stand.

Here's the thing - there's pretty much nobody on those threads that is genuinely interested in having a discussion or debating information. There is nobody jumping on those threads saying that they don't really understand the different views and positions and would like to know more. Unsurprising, anyone who actually wants to explore the issue, the absolute last place to look to do that would be yet another toxic thread here. Probably the only good thing is that it really is highly unlikely anyone with a real curiousity about the subject would look to form opinions based on the toxic formula of MN.

The only thing that these threads are good for is clicks and ££££'s in the bank for Justine and the site.

So anti-racists - I suggest that we all stop answering these threads altogether. I know it is hard to see the racism stand (although apparently not for the owners of the site or the moderators) unchallenged, but every single challange does nothing but feed the flames and earn money for MN. You all know that the people who are not racists will spend 20% of their posts posting misinformation and 80% posting goady barbs and personal insults, just to keep the threads going. It will be incredibly boring for them if they only have each other to talk to. The threads will die without oxygen. And MN makes no money out of clicks that haven't happened. It's a win all around.

And if you want to do something proactive, instead of engaging with people who aren't going to listen, why not raise your concerns about the racism with the advertisers? They are being associated with it by their presence, and are clearly far more likely to influence the owners of the site than the people posting on it.

There's a difference in someone engaging in debate in a genuine way, and someone who just wants to create a platform where they can dictate an echo chamber for their own beliefs. There was a board recently where the op continued to post misinformation and refused to engage with anyone who disagreed so the narrative went in a circle which basically just wasted the time and was draining for anyone who was trying to engage with the op or other posters in a constructive and open minded way. That quickly becomes really negative and tbh I think that's exactly the dynamic such posters are trying to create.

Agree, I'm always baffled when people do something bad and then say 'that's not who I am'.

It clearly is, they did it.

Being racist isn’t having an opinion.

It’s an absolute nightmare that using Mumsnet is compulsory and there’s no way to not look at things you don’t agree with.

Similarly, not being able to quietly accept or ignore either differing or offensive views held by other people is a real ballache. Compulsory vexation at opposing opinions is horrid.

☕?

🕊️?

🐈?

Btw I know for a fact that at least one MN link has been shared on at least one flag-raising platform recently, and I haven't been deliberately checking so I'm sure there are more. So the sudden lurch to the right we're noticing may not reflect the views of the usual MN posters.

I really like this idea.

👏

I personally would like to understand your definition of ‘racism’

unfortunately these people do exist and firmly believe that Facebook is there Bible and Tommy Robinson is their God and refuse to believe anything that hasn't bin written on Facebook if we put on Facebook that all you had to do to stop the boats was jump off a cliff I believe we would solve the problem pretty quickly lol

Yes, me too.

Post yours and let's see if we agree.

This.

Is it racist to be concerned about the affects mass immigration has on the economy and culture of the UK?

People have seen their quality of life go down, this has coincided with an increase in immigration. There has been an increase in GDP, but a decrease in GDP per capita.

There has been a lot of things coming out about rape and sexual abuse, that the authorities have ignored, in part out of fear of being labelled racist.

There are a lot of people who feel that the culture of the UK is changing for the worse, they want to hold on to what makes it a great place to live.

A lot of the people who voice their fears have been called racist, some of them are racist, most probably aren't. It doesn't help that there is a class element, working class areas are hit harder by the changes, because of the cheaper housing, working class jobs are affected more. The working class people who complain are then written off as ignorant, stupid, racist, uneducated etc by people who live in middle class areas, who have middle class jobs, who don't walk the same streets or see the same things.

I particularly enjoy the flag ones. Because OBVIOUSLY the flag wavers are simply supporting the Women's Rugby...despite the average current flag putter-upper clearly being the type of dickhead who hates the thought of women doing 'blokes' sports mate, get em in the kitchen'
They're just patriotic. Bollocks
It's pathetic and nasty and ignorant.

@PhilippaGeorgiou , you're not wrong. I'm yet to meet one who wishes to have a conversation. I learnt the term sea-lioning in the last week. Apparently you're trolling if you want to understand their viewpoints 🤷🏾‍♀️.

Yes, definitely. if Netanyahu can purchase millions pounds of propaganda ads on YouTube, then any group can pay a few grand to human bots to post on Mumsnet.

I'll bite.

As a starting point I would say it is expressing hatred towards other people and/or discriminating against them based on the grounds of their colour, race, or ethnic or national origins.

You are doing more good than you realise, believe it or not! I was hauled over the coals on another thread, for saying that due to my upbringing in the '70s, I felt uncomfortable referring to black people as "black", because back then it was a really rude term to use. I was reminded in no uncertain terms that it's 2025 now 😄 it did make me think and I realise that poster was right. I think that to a lot of people, racism means actual racial hatred and antagonism, rather than casual racism. A lot of people are well-meaning, but a bit ignorant! I do think it would be really good to hear from people from other ethnicities though, as they are the ones who have to live with the effects of racism and discrimination. What do they think? I have the privilege of working with people from all over the world and opinions vary!

This has been a successful widespread response to other disrespectful attacks to groups who don't have protected characteristics.

My thought too. Life is more comfortable in an echo chamber.

If I say I don't care about any of that but don't want people coming into the UK through unofficial channels - is that racist?

My view is I welcome anyone coming here who has applied and gone through the due process of checks.

I welcome people with skills and education that can be employed.
I welcome those who can work in the NHS or Care Homes with the necessary attitudes and command of English.

I do not believe the vast majority of those smuggled in are valid claimants for Asylum. I think most are economic migrants and should not be able to.just "break in".

If that makes me racist I'm OK with that.

I think it's becoming a problem in a lot of online forums.

The increase in racist or discriminatory threads and comments on UK sub-Reddits has been very noticeable recently.

A lot of the time you don't even have to read too far down for someone to start making discriminatory remarks, even if the original post has not got anything to do with the ethnicity of any particular person or group.

It's the times we live in I guess. Reform are doing very well in the opinion polls and a lot of people are feeling more emboldened in their comments as a result.

I like🕊

I wouldn't even waste time engaging with them. There's no point.

This is definitely becoming a trend. I've come across many political ads for the Israeli government on YouTube and bafflingly, lots of recommended Facebook pages which when I probe closer, are run by 'media' companies in China.