But to stereotype a sector of society as supremacist, endemically racist, and unable to be otherwise from the clearly criminal act of one man is not sensible, fair, or logical.
Lets give due process responding to one mans criminal act, and not fan the reactionary flames which threaten America right now. In some ways it feels as if the rage and outcry and riots are demanding redress from all of society for the criminal act of one man-and it appears that unseen forces are counterveiling their manipulations for a separate agenda. Keep your eye on the ball.
Kate, you said it all! That video shows very clearly what happened. There is no room for doubt: the cop was the prosecutor, the jury, the judge, and the “executor” all at the same time; no defense lawyer present in that “trial.” How could anyone one dare to deny it?
It is very concerning that some people have no sensitivity regarding such a horrible dehumanizing event. I don’t know (nobody knows yet) if there was racism involved; and, it actually doesn’t matter - what matters is that there was a horrendous crime being committed, a murder of a human being.
As I said elsewhere, in a case like this, there is no reason for a costly trial. The big witness is a video, one that any reasonable person with a minimum of human sensitivity should understand and see what was happening. With such a powerful witness, what else do the lawyers want to discuss??? Sorry but this time they may not make much money on this trial because they won’t be able to prolong it much with their usual money-making-BS.
The defendant basically declared that he was guilty when he showed the world an obscene scene of killing another human being, live on camera. Racism or not, he deliberately killed a human being for absolutely no reason. He showed his culpability; how can anyone defend him after watching that video??? What part of the video don’t they understand???
What in my post triggers you to be all in defense mode right now? I was not “stereotyping” you, I just commented on a specific case. If the cop turns out to be racist, why do you feel that is stereotyping a whole sector of society? And would a racist “sector of society” in your country be so non-thinkable? Is there really not even the slightest possibility that a whole sector of society is in fact racist? Are all the experiences of Black people just fantasy?
Furthermore, I personally don’t feel responsible in my posts for the current reactions on the streets in the US. But I do think that this killing of a black person in the US (not the first one) has a lot to do with it. Let’s not twist cause and effect.
In addition, the investigation of George Floyd’s murder has to be independent from the violent reactions to it. The current violent reactions don’t decrease the guilt of the dehumanizing act of taking George’s life. And of course, the current violent actions have to be investigated as well, but that is another topic.
It seems that there is something going on beneath the surface that is hard to grasp. They must have connected it to things that are not obvious. I feel like I miss something important. This topic cannot even be discussed here, on a Christian forum. That scares me. On the other hand, I’m glad, that you as a psychological professional don’t understand all the underlying mechanisms either. That relieves me lay person.
LOL Kate-don’t personalize anything out here on the web, so no, I’m not triggered.
I’m speaking of the general public angst (and Jasons predilection for) calling all these things as justification for charging all non-whites as white supremacist (and white fragile if disagreed)-yet the actual risk of a black man dying at the hands of a white man (let alone a criminal white racist cop) is magnitudes lower than the same man dying at the hands of his fellow black man-yet this statistical fact is willfully ignored, denied, minimized (and anyone who brings it up, painted as aknuckle-dragging troglodyte).
Its a no-win negative sum game for both, and I am pushing against that-NOT you (or any other person)
Non-whites began slavery in distant tribal lands-and for a time far previous generations bought slaves. Then we came to a horrific turning point. White blood fought and bought freedom.
Racism came to America to die. But it’s being resurrected as we speak.
An explanation: I personalized your statements because they were in a post addressed to me, not a general one commenting the article. My fault.
I don’t understand the last part:
When racism came to America, an exaltation happened, not death. Whole American countries were dependent on racism, whole economies were dependent on racism. Whole societies structured their groups according to racism. Then indeed the Civil War came and a change. But still, segregation everywhere. Not eating, sitting, studying etc. with Blacks meant that they were seen somehow as less human or dangerous or unclean. I don’t know the underlying mindset behind this dehumanizing thinking. It changed (to which degree you have to investigate) and you even had a Black president. But it was never completely gone. This is what I observe from a far distant country. Am I so wrong?
I agree with one of your points, though, labelling all Whites as supremacist doesn’t accomplish anything, and reconciliation becomes difficult. An honest investigation of white privilege is maybe the better first step. At the end, reconciliation (which involves justice) is the goal, or isn’t it? (I don’t know if I use words that are loaded with certain meaning in this discourse. If so, have mercy. I didn’t read academic studies about it.)
Thank you for the video. It’s interesting to see the similarities to religion. An ideological religion with positive and negative effects. You are arguing against this ideological religious thinking. I see.
In my opinion, extremes (like this ideological religion) should not end anti racist investigations or anti racist efforts. It makes them more difficult, but shouldn’t be a reason to stop them.
But, in fact, Christian Cooper did not say that “not everyone who engages in [a] racist act is necessarily ‘a racist.’”
Obviously, a racist is a white person who engages in racist acts; i.e., thought, speech, or action. In other words, by engaging in a racist act, a white person becomes a racist.
What Cooper said was what Amy Cooper does, going forward, as it pertains to the practice of racism, is up to her. As one of my mentors has often put it, so well, “Anything people do, people can stop doing.”
Thanks, Harry Allen, that’s a much better way of expressing my intent. Or, as Ibram X. Kendi puts it: “‘Racist’ and ‘antiracist’ are like peelable name tags that are placed and replaced based on what someone is doing or not doing, supporting or expressing in each moment. These are not permanent tattoos. No one becomes a racist or antiracist. We can only strive to be one or the other… Like fighting an addiction, being an antiracist requires persistent self-awareness, constant self-criticism, and regular self-examination.” (How to Be an Anti-Racist, p. 23)
Thanks for reminding us that tribalism (a more accurate term) exists everywhere and more severe in some places. That is no excuse for what has happened in the US. There is no such thing as separate races. I we lined everyone up from light to dark, where would we draw the line between “races?”
The author is right we are all related to each other as in a family. To mistreat (abuse, kill or steal) from any brother or sister is the greatest of sins.
My husband’s family escaped the killing of Jews in Poland, and I am sure other family members did not but were among the 6 million. Thankfully they came here.
I found this a well thought-out response to an emotional but well-understood venting of current events. You are both right. We need a rational conversation that most are not willing to have or listen to.
I don’t like the stereotyping of Black persons. They do not all live in “bad cultures.” There are a large percentage of successful and middle-class African-Americans like those who attend my church and live in my 55+ apartment complex. We are all friendly to one another and there for each other.
Like many white Americans I get angry if called a “racist” because I might disagree on some unrelated political point. I wouldn’t care if the whole country were black or brown. (Maybe intermarriage is the solution!) My background and experience deny such a label. The left is obsessed with dividing and labeling. And guess which party runs all these urban cities filled with poverty, homelessness, crime (yet have a significant number of millionaires behind closed gates indulging themselves and passing by the wounded everyday).
But there is a ghetto culture of broken families. Governments and systemic isolation are a major cause–poor schools, no jobs in these areas, not even grocery stores in walking distance (but bars), no health or ethics education or access to medical care nearby. The list is long. People trapped in such places lose hope and believe rumors, they turn to drugs and alcohol and crime.Gangs replace boredom. It’s the same with people living in Appalachia; poor whites there have turned to drugs in great numbers.
Considering the way things are developing here, it will be a nightmare for those families who “thankfully came here,” if they end up seeing “racial purity” ( Aryan Herrenvolk, Aryan master race) being implemented here at full speed. I hope the Slavs won’t be a target this time, otherwise I will be fried… (Czech).