Reparations and collectives

I feel confused about the concept of racism. Many have clear ideas on racism. Maybe I take too broad of a meaning when engaging some in internet comments.

Racism does have many meanings but only mine matters! I never said that but I hear it in myself and in others.

So, the Anti-Defamation League offers this definition:

Racism is the belief that a particular race is superior or inferior to another, that a person’s social and moral traits are predetermined by his or her inborn biological characteristics. Racial separatism is the belief, most of the time based on racism, that different races should remain segregated and apart from one another.

Kind of narrows it down some. Do you ever hear this version?

Racism was slavery.

No. I thought not and I feel good that you haven't heard that one. Racism isn't over even if slavery is less visible around the world. Or, to Americanize the discussion, even if American, Southern, plantation, Pre-Civil War, slavery disappeared more than 100 years ago.

Weeks ago, I heard about a 'collective.' As in, "I want my collective to rise up and dominate all others."

I let that slide past me knowing I couldn't know what the speaker meant.

IF, and that's a big if as usual, if the collective's membership excludes or includes based on race,...

Maybe I felt no need to ask. Maybe I assumed the Black speaker meant 'my race' over any other race. Maybe I waited to learn more since I miss some nuance in discussions.

I got some clarity today as the discussion had recently turned to reparations much to the surprise of many. I said reparations and the discussion of reparation harmed the speakers point of view. That 'reparations' is a word which triggers spin. As in, the Black race is sitting around waiting for something to be given to them.

Yeah, I walked into that with my eyes open. Take a look at the starting point, the following internet meme.



Did I miss something or should I be moving away from this individual's collective before it does dominate 'my collective' and impose reparations as a 'Final Solution' to 'racism?

Or wait a while longer hoping for clarity.

Racism in Retail

I can't verify Drury's story. But, I will tell a similar one from work this week.

If you don't know already, I have a part time retail delivery job. When I'm not delivering, I help out in the store.

I'm helping an elderly Black man at the cash registrar when a 'kid in a Rebel flag shirt' makes a stupid move. Dumb kid. Might have been 16 or might have been 26. Always wears this Rebel flag t-shirt with no sleeves.

So Flag kid should stand in line BEHIND my customer. He doesn't. He comes up and leans on my counter right at the elbow of my first customer. I didn't say anything but I tried really hard to make eye contact with my customer as if the kid wasn't there, ignoring the kid, and to show all my focus is on the right person at the right time.

Of course, my elderly man really wants away from the kid. Turns slightly away from the kid as the transaction is finished and leaves quickly.

So I say to the kid, "Do you know that you made that man feel uncomfortable?"

And the dumb ass reply was .... Fill in the blank using small words of less than 4 letters.

Racial Assault

Wow! I had a real moment of revelation today and it must be shared.

A Facebook friend posted from the AJC about the students in Klan hoods acting out at East Coweta High School.

Here's the picture.

I think the behavior is offensive. And, I said so. Then, things got interesting.

Let me quote.

"Not being the intended target Mike, it's easy for you to dismiss this as a simple insult. An insult is telling me you don't like my hairstyle or outfit. This my friend, is not just an insult. The klan is still alive and thriving throughout the south. I have no idea what these kids parents take them to on weekends. I have no idea what they have planned next. What I do know is that as a black woman in the south, I would feel threatened if I encountered someone dressed like this."

That wasn't enough.

"Agree: I see this outfit as equivalent to a T-shirt with the words "I will cut your throat and hang you from a tree if I can find a chance to do it without getting caught." Which is pretty much the entire point of the Klan hood, right?

So that's not a specific threat, unless you happen to be near this person and alone (in which case it's a pretty violent, gruesome threat)."

After some reflection, here's my reply to my friends.

I've thought about this several times today. I'd like to put the white man spin on it. Give me time to spell it out.

I know a young man of 35 with two little children. The man loves his wife and children. Those three people are the dearest things to him on the planet. Deep, deep down ... he knows ... in some way ... he's been blessed with more than he could possibly deserve. [That's the best I can do as far as sharing how I think the man feels about his very, very good life.]

IF a 'clown,' the word I used earlier, jumped out in front of his wife and children in a parking lot like this 'clown' did, my buddy would want some pay back. To him, this is an assault. Not a threat.

It is like pointing a gun at a person then running away.

That's how I will think of it from now on. It's how I will explain it to anyone and everyone. Should be a crime.

Racists promote fake video of Michael Brown beating elderly man

Post by Bob Kitsemetry.

Another fake out using video.

The above video was taken in Texas. It allegedly show Michael Brown beating an elderly man. The video shows a horror too common in our society. Not just a camera operator taking part in a crime, but a planned beating and robbery of a helpless man by a bunch of young men.

But, it isn't Michael Brown. And, the fair skinned caption writer got 13,000,000 people to watch it. That's 13 million people who did not know who was in the video and assumed it was Michael Brown of Ferguson.

Do young black men look so much alike that white people can be fooled by this crap? Mike Brown was 300 pounds and 6 foot four inches tall. The tallest person in the video is the victim, an elderly man. All the muggers appear to of average size. There's no giant in the group.

It was a caption created by a racist for a racist audience.

Break your preconceptions or live with your invisible chains.

More on the back story at Link.

Snopes debunks it.

Racism in Georgia Politics

I let myself respond to a long Facebook post about Obama which slid into racism with the first post.

Shortly after, this cartoon was posted.



Is that racist?

Yes. And, it doesn't matter who posted it, their gender, or their race.

The poster thinks black males have been enslaved by Democrats.

How could it be 'not' racist?

If the 'slaves' were women, Latino, Muslim, handicapped, disabled war Veterans, transgendered, Gay, Lesbian .... the list is long.

Republicans do not want certain people to have basic human rights.

Are you one of those certain people?

Lynching at Ol' Miss

Like it or knot.

Racism rules in the South. Wave the Battle Flag and cry Havoc!

Students at Ol' Miss University performed a ritual lynching of James Meredith, the first black student to attend the school.

Police on Sunday found a noose tied around the neck of the statue, along with an old Georgia flag with a Confederate battle emblem in its design, which has since been updated to exclude the emblem.

And a Georgia Flag?

I'm 58 years old and I've seen the KKK standing on street corners in the South. But remember I've only lived here since 1986.

I didn't live here in 1962. I bet white sheets were the rage.

Maybe the tie dye rage was a small rebellion which didn't take.

"Voting rights act? We don't need no federal protection for our darkies. We know how to handle them."

If that's not the mantra of Georgia, Let the leadership speak out. Repudiate vocally or validate privately.

Well, I'm listening.