Why can Black people do such and such but others can't?

[SlidingInto2022sDMs]

Heads up! This is Black mumsnetters, in case you 'find this on Active'.

So I can't be the only one who's noticed that some people find a way to do this at any given opportunity. I've seen people write BS like these many times:

Why do we say Black Lives matter but other groups' lives...?

Why is racism against Black people completely unacceptable but racism against others aren't?

Why do we protect Black people against hatred but when it comes to others...?

I don't know about others but I find this a covert way of being racist towards Black people. This "Why is Black..." nonsense is usually launched by people who aren't exactly supportive of Black people and is brought up when the conversation has little or nothing to do with Black people.

Like, can we live? Can't we support others without throwing Black people under the bus? Why are we always brought up as the direct or indirect bad guys, as if we're receiving every favour that no one else is? We're fighting for (and winning some of) our rights and space against racist White people (and frankly every other group of people because everyone seems to hate the dark-skinned members of their group. Let alone Black people!) but somehow the smoke is usually directed at us and not the main perpetrators. What's that about?

Interestingly, some Black people can simultaneously be Black and part of other groups but it doesn't seem to register in some people's quest to weaponise 'Black people'.

All I hear/see when someone says or writes these stupid things is:
Why do we say Black Lives matter?
Why is racism against Black people completely unacceptable?
Why do we protect Black people against hatred?

If we aren't doing it for so and so, then we shouldn't be doing it for Black people. It's unfair!

This is what they should simply say and get it over with!🙄

Racist mfs!

I've noticed this, too. No matter the topic.

And the conversation is always punctuated with "well, that happened to a black person, they'd be uproar.."

This is in response to other marginalised rights. It's really fucking tiring. And it also seems like a way of saying "why do we focus solely on black racism".

It's as if we are to feel guilty that other marginalised groups are not taken seriously when they face isms. Of course they should be and of course it's disgusting that they are not.

But you only have to go back, not many years, to realise that black racism was not taken seriously, it was actually entrenched in law.

So maybe it's a 'time' thing. But, whatever, the chances are that the same people who are abusing the other marginalised groups are probably the ones that are abusing us.

I deeply care about other groups suffering. And I don't have the answers as to why it's not taken seriously. Because it absolutely should be.

So, I hear ya!

Completely agree. I would love to live in their world. Where the mere hint of anti Black prejudice was stamped on and where Black people's experiences of discrimination were believed. I mean really. I know they don't believe it but it's such a poisonous reframing of reality.

And the conversation is always punctuated with "well, that happened to a black person, they'd be uproar.."

Yes this too! I'd be reading something and/or supporting a cause (sometimes, one that I'm also part of or connected to!) and some wise-ass lands with their "If it was about Black people, there'll be an uproar", "If you said the N-word, everyone and their mama will shut you down but when it comes to others..." predictable statement.

The tone is usually nasty towards Black people rather than the people being unfair to the group in question. Like, do you not want there to be an uproar? Do you want to say the n-word without someone calling you out (and let's be honest, not everyone would shut you down)? I mean what's your issue? Say it loud and proud and stop hiding behind support for another group!

@CaramelFlaneur Agree. The way some people frame it, you'd think we can't support other communities or talk about the issues they're facing without trying to act like racism against Black people has been (unfairly) completely eradicated and everyone is on board.

And it also seems like a way of saying "why do we focus solely on black racism".

It's as if we are to feel guilty that other marginalised groups are not taken seriously when they face isms. Of course they should be and of course it's disgusting that they are not.

Yes, like it's a competition and only one group can be at the forefront.

The whole 'what about X' is only a valid argument if someone is actually being hypocritical- like a black personality spewing anti racist stuff. Same with

It's usually said in bad faith though. People know exactly what 'black lives matter' stands for, they just want to be a dick and don't like black people

The whole 'what about X' is only a valid argument if someone is actually being hypocritical- like a black personality spewing anti racist stuff.

Yes I was going to say, the comparison would be valid if it were Black people as a group causing the problem in question. Then you'd be using Black people's situation to get Black people to see from that perspective. But that's not the case.

This is why...

But, whatever, the chances are that the same people who are abusing the other marginalised groups are probably the ones that are abusing us.

Easy - divide and conquer.

The British Empire amongst other European Empires where built on it.

Yes it gets annoying and so boring at the same time for me. Always the same, if it was black people, blah blah there would be uproar. Really, we had the PM and other members of the Government basically condoning the booing of football players taking the knee. Yet somehow people have it in their heads that there is a so called outrage when black people are discriminated against. I agree with you OP.

Slightly related to this as another example of some people weaponising 'Black people' anywhere.

I was reading a post on a website and people were supporting each other in the comment section. Two of the posters started talking about the wider world and the evils perpetrated by people and one of them mentioned racism as part of it. (So far, I agree). The other one agreed, then specifically mentioned Black Lives Matter as an example and said it brings about division in the world.

I sighed deeply and shook my head. This was a website and post that had nothing to do with race, politics or any social issues. It was a Spirituality, love and light type of environment and conversation. But somehow...SOMEHOW...a group of Black people was brought up as a problem among all the evil in the world.

This woman couldn't bring up wars, poverty, diseases, corrupt politicians and government leaders. No! BLM was the only example that came to her mind and she felt it was worth mentioning as the evil racism going on in the world.

Obviously, she didn't stop to think that the person likely meant racism against ethnic minorities including Black people (which he did when he started talking about his White dad's racism and ignored her) or that some commenters and readers could also be Black people.

Amazing!

Because white people are used to being front and centre of everything. Black lives matter. Well, what about white lives? (we're not the ones being murdered by police officers) Black family on a sainsbury's Christmas ad. Well, what about white families being represented? (we have been, every fucking year since Christmas ads began). Why can't I say the N word in a song but black people can? Because that word hasn't been used to dehumanise and suppress you for hundreds of years.

It's entitlement, and a refusal to step back out of the spotlight. Also a healthy dose of good old fashioned racism because how dare those black people get special treatment when they are not as equal as me.

Not all white people obviously. But if you grow up in a racist society and benefit from it, how can you not subconsciously absorb those beliefs? We are also incredibly fragile when we get called out on our racism.

I agree op.

I find myself rolling my eyes and clicking off of threads now as it irritates me so much and there is no point pointing it out as it causes indignation and unproductive arguments.

It's a shame as some of the discussions are really interesting and then up pops - 'well if that happened to a black person there'd be outrage...' Infuriating.

@roundtable

I agree op.

I find myself rolling my eyes and clicking off of threads now as it irritates me so much and there is no point pointing it out as it causes indignation and unproductive arguments.

It's a shame as some of the discussions are really interesting and then up pops - 'well if that happened to a black person there'd be outrage...' Infuriating.

This. I mean does the person typing such tripe really believe that. They must blind and dumb to go on like that. How many times have we seen in the news for example black people being unfairly treated by the police? Lives lost, teenagers traumatized by unfair stop and search, arrest. Were has there been an outrage.

After the tragic death of George Flloyd, I'll never forget a poster on Mumsnet, saying that, as a result of BLM, the police were now hassling the white teens in their neighbourhood, and how unfair that was.

Wow, just wow.

So it was okay when it was happening to other groups of people

The ignorance is fucking astounding!

Thanks everyone. I agree with you all. It's one of those things that you see and sometimes lose your cool, sometimes just think "Fuck it!" and go about your day because you'd go insane if you think about it for one more second. It really is annoying, to say the least. Hugs to everyone. I hear you.

Totally agree op and the other thing is that if their is an incident of racism within the government towards a black MP it isnt given much air time a large review and no protests etc. It is as if we just have to deal with it in silence. Sorry I digress

The other thing I hear a lot is why are you lot still talking about slavery it ended ages ago. The response to this is huge and multifaceted, but as far as I know black people have not recieved reparations and in the UK we do report on or celebrate/acknowledge the anniversary of the abolition of the slavery trade in the media loud and proud. I suppose to do this would that they would also have to report on the murders and torture at the hands of the slave owners.

If you consider just recently that that footballer denounced for his mishandling of his cat, and the uproar on social media about if it had been racism, he would have been more severely punished. The fact that people were comparing the mishandling of a cat with years and centuries of psychological, emotional, sexual and physiological torture exerted on an entire people is mind boggling. Today (a week later) the cat has long forgotten it and is being overfed on Whiskers cat food. Whereas in most countries around the world, black people live in more fragile conditions as a result of their history; Higher rates of miscarriage, more susceptible to diabetes, stop and searches, higher risk of poor mental health leading to imprisonment, higher likelihood of living life in foster care, lower rates of adoption, higher rates of school expulsion, the list goes on as a result of historical oppression. And yet black people are seen as the problem for the breakdown in society and the world. Why the white flight? Black people. Why the desperate pearl clutching need for a whiter than white name (see baby boards)? So no mistaking for being black. Why the dislike of some kiddy programs? The characters sound 'too black'. Why the Meghan hatred? She black. Why the need to move into absolute certain areas (you know the code words)? So not to end up in the poor white working class or black area of town.

Oh but as mentioned in sufficient US literature, white women need and needed black and LatinX women to look after their children in order for them to go out to work. Same in the uk, our mothers and grandmothers were Senior nurses and superintendents, and overseeing the births of whites women, and cleaning old white men's backsides (as my grandmother used to say) as they lay in beds. Yes, that was ok, as position of servitude. Keep with that and fall in line. Whereas our sons were being manhandled and mistreated by the police. And now many of want us to wade into the transgender debate. No. No way. My energy is being expended elsewhere, thriving and not just surviving.

My energy is being expended elsewhere, thriving and not just surviving.

I love this sentiment!

This

And thats why the expression
'Perfidious Albion' was coined, it describes this all and its reverberating influence felt even now

I see it as an obsession. Why do they feel the need to bring us into unrelated discussions?

We probably were the group they started with first