There are none so blind as those who will not see — especially the ones who work harder than ever at it these days. The following screed was passed on as a comment after a friend reposted the story about A White Woman, Racism, and a Poodle to social media.
The commenter apparently has embraced the idea that talking about race… is racism, and that white people are the ones now threatened by racism. I’m reposting his March of the Straw Men arguments below in boldface. I’ve taken the liberty of adding some additional commentary in italics.
Makes ya think!
(Actually no — this is about NOT thinking.)
I have often wondered about why Whites are racists, and no other race is......
(That’s a sign that you need to get out more, and get your news from other places besides FOX.)
I don’t have an issue with any other race and have gotten very tired of being called racist when I have done nothing to be called so.
(The key to your problem here is “I have done nothing.”)
Someone finally said it. How many are actually paying attention to this?
(Too many, and not enough, depending on where they’re coming from.)
There are African-Americans, Mexican-Americans, Asian-Americans, Arab-Americans, etc.
And then there are just Americans..
(Actually, all of those people are Americans. The hyphenated add-ons don’t change that — unless you’re a racist.)
You pass me on the street and sneer in my direction.
You call me 'White boy,' 'Cracker,' 'Honkey,' 'Whitey,' 'Caveman'... And that's OK..
(Actually no, that’s not okay, any more than using racial epithets targeting them would be. Maybe they’re trying to communicate to you using the kind of language they have to live with all the time.)
You say that whites commit a lot of violence against you....
So why are the ghettos the most dangerous places to live?
(Maybe because people there can’t afford to live anywhere else, there are no jobs, no money, and the police are like an occupying army. The schools suck and so do the social services.)
You have the United Negro College Fund. You have Martin Luther King Day.
You have Black History Month.
You have Cesar Chavez Day.
You have Yom Hashoah.
You have Ma'uled Al-Nabi.
You have the NAACP.
You have BET.…
(And you have everything else.)
If we had WET (White Entertainment Television), we'd be racists.
(Ever watch Classic Movie Channels or Nostalgia TV shows?)
If we had a White Pride Day, you would call us racists.
(You don’t need a day when it’s year-round.)
If we had White History Month, we'd be racists.
(See above.)
If we had any organization for only whites to 'advance' OUR lives, we'd be racists.
(See KKK. Also, Republican Party, NRA, Fox News, etc.)
We have a Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, a Black Chamber of Commerce, and then we just have the plain Chamber of Commerce.
Wonder who pays for that??
(Depends — who gets to be in charge, where is the real money coming from, and who gets most of it?)
A white woman could not be in the Miss Black American pageant, but any color can be in the Miss America pageant.
(In case you didn’t get the memo, one of the reasons for a Miss Black America Pageant was the Miss America Pageant barred people of color until 1940, and didn't get a black contestant until 1970. Americans now come in all colors so far as the Miss America pageant goes. Try to keep up.)
If we had a college fund that only gave white students scholarships... You know we'd be racists.
(Well duh! Now you’re getting it.)
There are over 60 openly proclaimed Black Colleges in the US .
(The word is “historically” — not proclaimed. And the history is “separate but equal” — which it wasn't.)
Yet if there were 'White colleges', that would be a racist college.
(To repeat: Well duh! Now you’re getting it. See that history stuff again.)
In the Million Man March, you believed that you were marching for your race and rights.
If we marched for our race and rights, you would call us racists.
(Depends on what you mean by rights. If you mean the right not to be murdered by police, the right to be able to get a job on qualifications and not skin color, the right to get paid the same as everyone else, the right to live where you want, and so on, that’s one thing.
If you’re talking about the right to deny those things to others based on their skin color, that’s racism. And it’s wrong for whatever other reason you might choose.)
You are proud to be black, brown, yellow and orange, and you're not afraid to announce it.
(Considering that people been made to feel ashamed about it, have had the crap beaten out of them, and been killed just for being it, being able to be openly proud about it feels like long overdue justice.)
But when we announce our white pride, you call us racists.
(If you’re proud for NOT being black, brown, yellow, and orange, well duh!)
You rob us, car jack us, and shoot at us.
(Yeah — it’s crime no matter who does it. So? Would you feel better if it was a white person doing it? — because they do too.)
But, when a white police officer shoots a black gang member or beats up a black drug dealer running from the law and posing a threat to society, you call him a racist.
(Funny how often when white cops kill black people, they always seem to be gang members and black drug dealers posing a threat to society. You’d almost think all blacks are gang members and drug dealers — like they have some kind of automatic enrollment. You’d almost think just being black was a threat to society… but that’s not racist is it? /s)
I am proud...... But you call me a racist.
(Depends on what are you proud of.)
Why is it that only whites can be racists??
(Depends. Who has the power to be racist and get away with it?)
There is nothing improper about this e-mail.
Let's see which of you are proud enough to send it on.
(I don’t think proud is exactly the right word. If you don’t like racist, how about bigoted? Ignorant?)
I sadly don't think many will.
(Imagine my tears over your sad.)
That's why we have LOST most of OUR RIGHTS in this country.
(I think you have confused “rights” with white privilege.)
We won't stand up for ourselves!
(Why not? No one is threatening you with tear gas, clubs, armored police, dogs, rubber bullets, helicopters, real bullets, and arrest, are they?)
BE PROUD TO BE WHITE!
(How about making being white something to be proud of — instead of just an entitlement? How about acknowledging that being white carries some heavy baggage?)
It's not a crime YET.... But getting very close!
(Stupidity is always a capital crime, and it’s closer than you think.)
Somebody went to a lot of work to assemble this list of grievances, to justify the unjustifiable and ramp up the division and paranoia. It would be interesting to track down the original source, because it’s just the kind of thing our foreign adversaries use to divide us — not that we need all that much help lately.
Yes, I’m aware of the argument that repeating this stuff just reinforces it. Ignoring it to death doesn’t see to be working though. I figure taking a little time and effort to look at this is needed to come up with an effective response. The person who passed on this stuff considers it so obvious, they don’t need to even think about it — which is the real problem. His argument is that racism isn’t exclusive to whites — when everyone is a racist, no one is a racist. How do we respond in a way that forces them to think?
And it’s not just about arguing with racists. It’s about all of those who watch, and listen, and what they see and hear. It’s about giving them something to think about.
We need better answers. If you have some, please share them in comments.