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LovingA2andMI

(7,006 posts)
Wed Dec 17, 2014, 06:46 PM Dec 2014

Explaining “I Can’t Breathe” to White People

"I Can’t Breathe” is about more than police brutality. It is about the basic unfairness many African Americans experience every day in America through no fault of their own. Let that sink in for just a moment.

Through no fault of their own, African American shoppers (even Barack Obama) are suspected of being shop lifters and are stalked by store owners or store security. Though no fault of their own, African America drivers are often targeted by police and pulled over and harassed without probable cause. Through no fault of their own, African Americans who want to rent an apartment in a nice neighborhood with good schools are told that there are no apartments available.

Or, that the apartments have just been rented. Through no fault of their own, the average African American child who acts out in school is given a more punitive punishment than the average white child who acts out in school. Through no fault of their own, African Americans who are completely qualified for a particular job are told untruthfully by employers that they are not qualified. If you had to live in this reality, wouldn’t you feel like, “I Can’t Breathe.”

Read more: http://www.reachoutjobsearch.com/2014/12/oped-explaining-i-cant-breathe-to-white.html#ixzz3MCCe4Xd3
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44 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Explaining “I Can’t Breathe” to White People (Original Post) LovingA2andMI Dec 2014 OP
Well said. brer cat Dec 2014 #1
Thank you! LovingA2andMI Dec 2014 #2
SOME white people Skittles Dec 2014 #3
It was a White Person..... LovingA2andMI Dec 2014 #4
so he should say SOME white people Skittles Dec 2014 #5
No, he should write what he wrote.... LovingA2andMI Dec 2014 #6
OMG Skittles Dec 2014 #7
Bye-Bye LovingA2andMI Dec 2014 #8
And the other party is exercising their free speech joeglow3 Dec 2014 #41
Agreed. It's fails to acknowledge whathehell Dec 2014 #29
Message auto-removed Name removed Dec 2014 #9
there's already a hashtag in your honor... foo_bar Dec 2014 #23
That's nice.. whathehell Dec 2014 #30
some background: foo_bar Dec 2014 #43
I understand what you are saying whathehell Dec 2014 #44
Very well said vankuria Dec 2014 #10
Thank you! LovingA2andMI Dec 2014 #11
"old" white woman checking in ... K and R etherealtruth Dec 2014 #12
Thank You! LovingA2andMI Dec 2014 #13
Message auto-removed Name removed Dec 2014 #14
the sub-forum here is called African-American steve2470 Dec 2014 #15
bye bye lg uppityperson Dec 2014 #16
This message was self-deleted by its author 1000words Dec 2014 #17
No kidding. WorseBeforeBetter Dec 2014 #18
These "Let me teach white people" titles... MellowDem Dec 2014 #19
Well stated. The title is meant to be provocative. And it works to get almost everyone's attention. marble falls Dec 2014 #20
The Answer to your Question.... LovingA2andMI Dec 2014 #21
Well That Should Be A Quite Persuasive Retort ProfessorGAC Dec 2014 #22
So what? MellowDem Dec 2014 #24
Also nothing in your "Criticism" (Like Anyone Cares) LovingA2andMI Dec 2014 #28
Are you here for discussion? MellowDem Dec 2014 #38
I didn't really need LWolf Dec 2014 #25
Message auto-removed Name removed Dec 2014 #26
I'm white and I don't need it explained BootinUp Dec 2014 #27
Thank you MIRT BumRushDaShow Dec 2014 #31
WOW!! Just WOW.... LovingA2andMI Dec 2014 #34
The benefit of the doubt. DirkGently Dec 2014 #32
Message auto-removed Name removed Dec 2014 #35
Yes. I wasn't choked or shot or arrested or executed. DirkGently Dec 2014 #37
Message auto-removed Name removed Dec 2014 #40
Message auto-removed Name removed Dec 2014 #33
Message auto-removed Name removed Dec 2014 #36
ttt Blue_Tires Dec 2014 #39
I thought it was "#blacklivesmatter" that needed explaining MuttLikeMe Dec 2014 #42

LovingA2andMI

(7,006 posts)
6. No, he should write what he wrote....
Thu Dec 18, 2014, 03:47 AM
Dec 2014

You did not write the article and with such, you have no right to form your opinion for the writer thoughts should have been. The Writer practiced what is called Free Speech along with the Free expression of such thoughts.

Meanwhile, the article (and its' writer) stands as a factual opinion based piece.

 

joeglow3

(6,228 posts)
41. And the other party is exercising their free speech
Mon Dec 22, 2014, 03:11 PM
Dec 2014

It is ironic when one is discussing the stereotypical grouping of an entire race of people by stereotypically grouping an entire race of people. Maybe that is what they were going for.

whathehell

(28,969 posts)
29. Agreed. It's fails to acknowledge
Mon Dec 22, 2014, 01:24 PM
Dec 2014

all the white people who certainly do "get it" and have shown that by

marching in large numbers in the protests all over the country,

beginning with Ferguson.

Response to LovingA2andMI (Reply #4)

whathehell

(28,969 posts)
30. That's nice..
Mon Dec 22, 2014, 01:29 PM
Dec 2014

Is it like "Not all Black people"?

Stereotyping is Stereotyping. e.g. It's always wrong.

foo_bar

(4,193 posts)
43. some background:
Mon Dec 22, 2014, 04:41 PM
Dec 2014
Each of these posts is by a Black (/Latino) writer, with teachers as (at least) part of the intended audience, and each calls out racism in schools. (And sexism—for which I have an equivalent goal for my male colleagues—it shouldn’t be hard to reread this post replacing race with gender wherever it appears.)

When white people read this writing, there is an instinctive reaction that begins and ends with Not all white people. That is the defensive response I hope we can do away with.

Here’s the problem with that response: Racism is not about white people’s understanding of the nuances and varieties of white people. It is about the lived experience of people of color.

https://christopherdanielson.wordpress.com/2014/06/10/not-all-white-people/

It’s practically a Law Of The Internet that when a Person of Color says something about racism, at least one white person will barge into the conversation to assure everyone that ‘not all white people are like that.’ Bonus points if they go on to explain that making negative generalizations about white people is ‘racist’ (spoiler: it’s not).

http://flowerhorne.com/2013/12/20/not-all-white-people-and-derailing-conversations/

I'm not sure I agree 100% (at least with the 'spoiler'; it might be an issue of semantics, but I think racism/sexism are what they are even when they don't substantially impact their targets' fortunes, although it's goofy to draw a false equivalence ("misandry!&quot just to invalidate the very real effects of institutionalized -isms), but I still find it helpful to read things that I might not agree with initially (such as your post. stereotyping *isn't* stereotyping, or rather you seem to be stereotyping stereotypes as though they're all equally pernicious and destructive, which sort of recalls Colbert's color-blindness schtick (well, I guess I'm white, but it's not like I have any way of knowing!) ... but maybe you're suggesting that stereotypes are just "bad" regardless of their consequences to society, which I half agree with, I don't like making judgments from a position of ignorance (or willful ignorance) but we all do it, constantly, from the day we're born, so I think it's worthwhile to examine the effects of collective human stupidity on the categories of people likely to be killed or denied rights as a result of that stupidity.)

whathehell

(28,969 posts)
44. I understand what you are saying
Mon Dec 22, 2014, 06:56 PM
Dec 2014

and I've seen that business of some white people, as you put it, barging into discussions of racism with the bit about "not all white people are like that", and it certainly CAN signify
defensiveness, but not always -- You kind of have to a 'feel' for the post, and perhaps even more likely, the website, because in literal terms, it IS true -- ALL White, or Black, or Asian or Whatever people are NOT 'like that' whatever the negative "that" signifies, because the fact is, people of all races ARE individuals and it can be hard to remember that as all of us have a tendency to generalize.

As for the 'spoiler' that Minorities 'can't' be racist", that's just not true, and I'll tell you why:

The reason generally given for this supposed "impossibility" is that white people in this country are the majority and Racism is "institutionalized"...It's what might be called "the macro", or "sociological" view and on a certain level, it does have truth to it..The only
problem with it is that people, whatever their relationship to the majority,
don't LIVE in sociological abstractions -- They live as Individuals, one to one, so on an INDIVIDUAL basis, and that is generally how we live and interact with each other, anyone can be racist, showing it by mistreating a person of another race badly,
and yes, it's happened to me, and more than once. I've also spoken to quite a few people of color about this and most have agreed with me.

First, I have to explain that I worked my way through college doing 'temp' jobs.
It took me seven years and that put me in MANY different workplaces, many more than the average person.

I've been in a number of situations, some of them employment, where I was the "minority" in that group and been treated badly, simply because I was the only white person, or the only one at a particular level. As a younger woman, I remember walking around a schoolyard minding my own business, where some black guys were playing hoops and being called a "white bitch", for no reason at all -- Racism AND sexism, bingo!

On the other hand, I've been in OTHER situations, mainly workplace, where I was one of few, if any, white people, and was treated great, with genuine fondness and friendship. It's individuals.

*These examples, btw, do NOT even come close to representing all of my relationships or interactions with people of color -- I've had a number of relationships, personal and professional, I'm just trying to keep from writing a book!

Response to LovingA2andMI (Original post)

Response to LovingA2andMI (Original post)

MellowDem

(5,018 posts)
19. These "Let me teach white people" titles...
Fri Dec 19, 2014, 06:48 PM
Dec 2014

Always come across as arrogant and small minded, which is a shame, because the articles are usually more nuanced and I almost always agree with what is written.

But the way the title is worded seems to make the issue seem more narrow and dogmatic. It also presumes that if whites understand this, then things will get better. What about Asians, Hispanics, other black people? There are plenty who don't "get it", and narrowing it to only whites seems to betray a certain naivety or ignorance about the country, or a certain fealty to "white people" as the ultimate arbiters.

If the intended audience are people that disagree with you, why would you use the term "white people" in the title? It's a presumption and a bit narrow for the complicated world today IMHO.

LovingA2andMI

(7,006 posts)
21. The Answer to your Question....
Mon Dec 22, 2014, 11:08 AM
Dec 2014

The Guest Blogger who wrote this article, is WHITE! So, did you have any other questions?........Next......

LovingA2andMI

(7,006 posts)
28. Also nothing in your "Criticism" (Like Anyone Cares)
Mon Dec 22, 2014, 01:16 PM
Dec 2014

Will change or alter this post, who wrote it or the facts it had had thousands of views with numerous positive comments -- on our social media platforms. So, yea.....

MellowDem

(5,018 posts)
38. Are you here for discussion?
Mon Dec 22, 2014, 02:03 PM
Dec 2014

Or to be an Internet bully?

If you disagree with my opinion, offer your own and say why.

Response to LovingA2andMI (Original post)

BootinUp

(46,928 posts)
27. I'm white and I don't need it explained
Mon Dec 22, 2014, 01:12 PM
Dec 2014

further, I would say there are lots like me and more all the time. I will still read the article though.

BumRushDaShow

(127,312 posts)
31. Thank you MIRT
Mon Dec 22, 2014, 01:31 PM
Dec 2014

There was a live one in here although I expect it reflects a good number of DUers.

That's just life. African Americans aren't the only ones who experience it, it's just that they apparently think they are special snowflakes who deserve to be shielded from the reality of the world more than anyone else.

LovingA2andMI

(7,006 posts)
34. WOW!! Just WOW....
Mon Dec 22, 2014, 01:41 PM
Dec 2014

Amazing..... and insulting (not you, the quote). Thanks for catching this quote for all to see....

DirkGently

(12,151 posts)
32. The benefit of the doubt.
Mon Dec 22, 2014, 01:34 PM
Dec 2014

You barely notice it, when you receive it. When it's taken away, it's a shock to members of any empowered group. I once -- ONCE -- was targeted and tailed by store security. Some rack of discounted T-shirts I apparently perused for too long. A rather obvious, albeit street-clothed employee, parked himself a couple of feet away and scrutinized my every move until I left. It made me feel angry and embarrassed, and also vaguely more willing to actually do something inappropriate. For one second, someone suspected me of ill intent or bad character for no reason. I can try to imagine having that happen over and over again, but there is no way to feel the full impact without living it.

Response to DirkGently (Reply #32)

DirkGently

(12,151 posts)
37. Yes. I wasn't choked or shot or arrested or executed.
Mon Dec 22, 2014, 01:57 PM
Dec 2014

But I am able to understand that non-whites in America are routinely harassed or beaten or denied work or paid less or wrongly convicted, or wrongly sentenced to death. And that this is an actual, serious wrong that hurts everyone.

Are you?

Response to DirkGently (Reply #37)

Response to LovingA2andMI (Original post)

Response to LovingA2andMI (Original post)

MuttLikeMe

(279 posts)
42. I thought it was "#blacklivesmatter" that needed explaining
Mon Dec 22, 2014, 04:14 PM
Dec 2014

some white folks go APESHIT over that before going into twitter rants about "ALL LIVES MATTER" smh

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