this post was submitted on 29 Aug 2023
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[–] Tedesche 31 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I would suggest not starting with the premise that the problem is "White America." These folks don't speak for White people, not even remotely, and buying into that falsehood is exactly what they want.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 year ago (1 children)

The idea of a white America to begin with is inherently toxic, tbf. American whiteness is a construct made by ruling elites once they realized that the Irish and Italian immigrants were going to outnumber the British-Germanic descended citizenry.

[–] Not_Alec_Baldwin 1 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I mean, the United States is something like 75% white, so its mostly white. Right?

The problem is batshit crazy racists, violent gun-obsessed lunatics, and other combo mental health/social indoctrination problems.

And yes, by statistics those people are 75% likely to be white, too. And wouldn't you know it, stats for mass shootings show that's pretty accurate.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/476456/mass-shootings-in-the-us-by-shooter-s-race/

Maybe we all need to stop blaming race for everything. Maybe it's just America.

[–] Cryophilia 8 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)
  1. it's more like 60% white

  2. statistics regarding "mass shootings" are ALWAYS misleading because the definition of "mass shooting" is way more broad than most people realize. More than 1 victim = mass shooting. So if there's a gang shootout between 3 or more people, that's a mass shooting. Someone shoots their cheating spouse and the person they cheated with? Mass shooting. It's very rarely the kind of planned terroristic thing people associate the term with.

I think your overall point is still valid but I wanted to clear those things up.

[–] Not_Alec_Baldwin 0 points 1 year ago

Good details, thanks for adding.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

You're missing the point.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Shallow understanding from people of goodwill is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will.

I'm not going to say it any better than MLK, so I'll just leave the link here.

White America is the problem. Sure, moderate white Americans are so much less terrible than outright racists, but a complacent majority that is happy to reap the benefits of an unjust system, simply because it is the comfortable path, is one of the major reasons why it's so hard to make movement against those racists.

[–] Tedesche 13 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Labeling an entire group of people “the problem,” based on a superficial demographic trait is prejudiced and unhelpful. You often alienate the very people you want help from. Rather than using a superficial trait that has nothing inherently to do with the problem, target the problem itself: the problematic ideology.

I don’t care to debate this, tbh. If you really think white people are the problem you’re just being racist too, and I have no patience for that.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago

You're absolutely right, I'm sorry. Let me try that again without mentioning race, in a discussion about race inequality.

~~White America is~~ People who benefit from an injust system are the problem. Sure, moderate ~~white Americans~~ people who benefit from an injust system are so much less terrible than outright racists, but a complacent majority that is happy to reap the benefits of an unjust system, simply because it is the comfortable path, is one of the major reasons why it's so hard to make movement against those racists.

Now, let me check my notes on who benefits from an injust system of racism in America...

[–] Cryophilia -3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I think using that MLK quote should be considered a form of Godwin's Law at this point

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Can you do me a favor and scroll back to the top of the thread and remember how the conversation started? Invoking Godwin's here about MLK isn't really the point you think it is.

[–] Cryophilia 2 points 1 year ago

Invoking the same MLK quote that's been making the rounds recently isn't the win you think it is.