Global Anti- Blackness, China now Ukraine, it too much

[debbrianna]

It's soul destroying to watch other black people suffer in the middle of a pandemic or war where it has nothing to do with race. The videos from China was horrible. Now we are seeing the same from Ukraine. Why? We are people too. The chances of this war spread to the UK is not far off and that scares me.
We all see colour and it's annoying when people claim they don't. Evidence from around the world shows hate. I hope the black resident of Ukraine and black students trying to leave find away out. I joke they survive too. They should have the same right as everyone else who wants to leave.

By the way, don't come at me that this is not the time. It is and I am tired. We are humans too.

I'm still reading up on their links. One of the most informative newpaper articles I've read in a while. Thanks for posting it.

This is purely anecdotal, but my friend (a graduate medical student studying in Kyiv) was turned back at the border and all his colleagues were allowed safe passage.

They are all from Portugal and he's the only one who also happens to be black.

To deny the existence of racism in Eastern Europe is desingenous at best or just willfully ignorant.

How horrible to see all your colleagues leave you behind like that! While you are othered but hold the same passport.
Is your friend still in Ukraine @IBelieveInAThingCalledScience? Are you in touch with him? So frightening.

@TheBlackDarner

How horrible to see all your colleagues leave you behind like that! While you are othered but hold the same passport. Is your friend still in Ukraine *@IBelieveInAThingCalledScience*? Are you in touch with him? So frightening.

He's safely back in Lisbon now. Thank you for asking.

I was left thinking how the hell do you get enough self-esteem to tell yourself that your value as a human being isn't subpar, when you go through something like that?

I'm not a POC and I just don't get how he's putting his life back together already instead of setting the world on fire. The anger and frustration must be crippling.

I'm so glad to hear that he is home safely.
As you say, it's the mental load of it all now. I hope that he thrives and is able to continue with his studies.

@IBelieveInAThingCalledScience

This is purely anecdotal, but my friend (a graduate medical student studying in Kyiv) was turned back at the border and all his colleagues were allowed safe passage.

They are all from Portugal and he's the only one who also happens to be black.

To deny the existence of racism in Eastern Europe is desingenous at best or just willfully ignorant.

How sad for your friend. It is not surprising the amount of people who are oh so sure that incidents of racism are being blown out of proportion, funny though, the people who are saying this do not have to run the gauntlet of racism themselves.

I am glad to read that he is now somewhere more safe.

www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/scots-landscapers-ukraine-rescue-mission-26398416

Has a link to the fund raising page for the Scottish guys who rescued the Irish girls and two Nigerians in The Guardian story - www.theguardian.com/world/2022/mar/07/hailed-as-heroes-scottish-gardeners-who-rescued-trio-from-ukraine

They will clearly rescue anyone who needs help.

More people give a shit about a dog than they do about black lives on MN.

I am increasingly finding MN to be too comfortably tolerant of racist views. It makes me question the ethnic makeup and diversity of MN HQ

@Maassi

Yea I’ve asked for this to be shared a few times, never got a response

I am curious about this too.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/ukraine-russia-black-refugees-b2030707.html

Just so awful. For everyone in Ukraine, but with extra, additional pain for PoC.
Still fuming that the conversation on this was shut down on MN whilst it was happening. Well it can’t be denied or hidden now.

@Maassi

More people give a shit about a dog than they do about black lives on MN.

Caring about animals does not mean you don't care about people. It is possible to do both.

@AppleButter

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/ukraine-russia-black-refugees-b2030707.html

Just so awful. For everyone in Ukraine, but with extra, additional pain for PoC.
Still fuming that the conversation on this was shut down on MN whilst it was happening. Well it can’t be denied or hidden now.

I feel the same way. All those posters who had the audacity to declare, that now is not the time to talk about racism. As if posters should just shut up, and suffer with their feelings in silence, while everyone else could declare how devastated and heartbroken they are about the invasion. I will not be quiet on here. There is no way that this treatment of poc should be allowed to go unseen, and unheard.

All those posters who had the audacity to declare, that now is not the time to talk about racism.

Because it doesn't affect them.

There have been plenty of posters who have openly admitted that they only care about Ukraine because the people look like them.

Just shows how completely narrow the group of people they are related to and know is.

Indeed it is possible to do both. The pp did not say that it was not.
MadForBurpees

The pp was looking at the high level of responses to a thread about a dog on the main board.Fine

Beside it were very few responses, at that time, to a thread regarding the thousands of black and brown students still in Ukraine, on the main board. Extremely disheartening.

But how about reading the room here on this thread? I'm sure you've done all you can to support these students get home, as you indicate. Dog lover also.

Strange times. I've taken the dog lover post in good faith. Not sure why one of theirs upthread was deleted

Am I barking?

@RedWingBoots

All those posters who had the audacity to declare, that now is not the time to talk about racism.

Because it doesn't affect them.

There have been plenty of posters who have openly admitted that they only care about Ukraine because the people look like them.

Just shows how completely narrow the group of people they are related to and know is.

That's right I agree. I understand that it does not affect them. I read lots of things on MN, that does not affect me. The difference is that I would never tell a poster that they should not be discussing something. Those, now is not the time to talk about racism posters, had no problem with displaying their privilege, arrogance and sense of entitlement. Unbelievable!

@MadForBurpees This board exists primarily for the use of Black Mumsnetters. Others are welcome to post but please be respectful.

Your whataboutery isn't respectful.

If people aren't posting on here in good faith, then can others please report their posts. I've given one clarification. I'm not engaging in someone being pedantic.

According to the Independent there are still 1,700 black and Asian students stranded in Sumy (alone) with no green corridor. Article is behind a paywall.
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/ukraine-students-stranded-in-sumy-b2030076.html

I fear for everyone in Ukraine, it's a descent into hell for everyone.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/ukraine-russia-black-refugees-b2030707.html

Congolese siblings Jeancy, Nahomy and Israel, who have been studying management and engineering in the capital city Kyiv, embarked on a journey towards the border on 22 February.

After days of walking and queuing in the freezing cold, the trio say they were discriminated against by border guards, split-up despite their brother being vulnerable with a disability, and subjected to verbal and physical attacks.

When I said we need to bring our brother with us [as we progressed through to the Polish border], that’s when they started beating and shouting at us to go back outside,” Jeancy, 24, told The Independent. “Immigration guards, both male and female, called us names like ngger and Black slut; they referred to my brother as a monkey*

One male guard beat me so savagely, and then my period came which only added to the humiliation I was going through. I was enduring the pain of the attacks but couldn’t cry. ‘Are you seriously attacking a woman? I asked the guard. People were trying to intervene and shouting at them to stop"