# Attention white people: ITS BLACK HISTORY MONTH. Think. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 3, 2016, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036 "2016-02-03T06:55:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/201 "2016-02-04T18:30:59Z")
Here, for your discussion, is a particularly egregious example of claims of racism against someone who had zero intent. The word he used wasn’t the least bit racist, it merely sounded like a racist term. Obviously this should be dealt with differently than someone who used the actual term. And it’s an example of how hilariously wrong some people can be about perceiving racism that isn’t there. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/local/longterm/williams/williams020499.htm](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/local/longterm/williams/williams020499.htm) ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/202 "2016-02-04T18:36:28Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > Here, for your discussion, is a particularly egregious example of claims of racism against someone who had zero intent. The word he used wasn’t the least bit racist, it merely sounded like a racist term. Obviously this should be dealt with differently than someone who used the actual term. And it’s an example of how hilariously wrong some people can be about perceiving racism that isn’t there. > > [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/local/longterm/williams/williams020499.htm](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/local/longterm/williams/williams020499.htm) Some overreaction led to decent discussion and a reasonable outcome. Hell, even the guy who was fired (and then rehired) said he learned something positive. High fives all around! ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/203 "2016-02-04T18:39:39Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > Obviously this should be dealt with differently than someone who used the actual term. _And it was_. It was rectified, quickly, and the story is \*only \*used now by people trying to make some sort of bullshit point about “PC run amuck.” So what’s your point? That sometimes people are too easily offended? No shit. That sometimes people fly off the handle for arguably silly reasons? No shit. That some people, after experiencing the results of hundreds of years of racism and racial discrimination, have a hair-trigger about it? No. Shit. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/204 "2016-02-04T18:41:20Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Some overreaction led to decent discussion and a reasonable outcome. Hell, even the guy who was fired (and then rehired) said he learned something positive. High fives all around! It’s kind of sad that you are dismissive of the original outcome, which was for someone to be fired over it. It took a month of “discussion” for him to get his job back. But yeah, in the long run, it worked out. It’s an example of how sometimes white people are right and blacks are dead wrong and accusations of racism are bullshit and discussion, not hasty, cowardly action, is required. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/205 "2016-02-04T18:42:32Z")
> [@andros](#): > > _And it was_. It was rectified, quickly, and the story is \*only \*used now by people trying to make some sort of bullshit point about “PC run amuck.” > > So what’s your point? That sometimes people are too easily offended? No shit. That sometimes people fly off the handle for arguably silly reasons? No shit. That some people, after experiencing the results of hundreds of years of racism and racial discrimination, have a hair-trigger about it? No. Shit. Welcome to the thread, andros. Glad you’ve come here to set us all straight. ---
**Author:** ![Airbeck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/airbeck/32/6574_2.png) [@Airbeck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airbeck)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/206 "2016-02-04T18:47:23Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > It’s an example of how sometimes white people are right and blacks are dead wrong and accusations of racism are bullshit and discussion, not hasty, cowardly action, is required. When do you expect this discussion could have transpired in this case though? The T-Shirts were already out on the seats for the game that night. When and how are you envisioning this discussion taking place? A decision was made in the time they had to make it and they decided to go with discretion rather than simply telling their star player that he’s wrong about thinking this could be considered racially insensitive. You keep hammering on discussion, but can you let us know how you see that happening in this particular case, in the time they had? And who would be involved in this discussion in your mind? ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/207 "2016-02-04T18:52:42Z")
> [@Airbeck](#): > > When do you expect this discussion could have transpired in this case though? The T-Shirts were already out on the seats for the game that night. When and how are you envisioning this discussion taking place? A decision was made in the time they had to make it and they decided to go with discretion rather than simply telling their star player that he’s wrong about thinking this could be considered racially insensitive. You keep hammering on discussion, but can you let us know how you see that happening in this particular case, in the time they had? And who would be involved in this discussion in your mind? I was referring to a discussion with iiandi on this thread about a specific issue, not the t-shirts. Read the thread please. ---
**Author:** ![Airbeck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/airbeck/32/6574_2.png) [@Airbeck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airbeck)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/208 "2016-02-04T19:02:03Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > I was referring to a discussion with iiandi on this thread about a specific issue, not the t-shirts. Read the thread please. Yes I’ve read the entire thread. Thanks for the condescension though, much appreciated. This thread is about the T-Shirt incident though. If your repeated refrain about discussion being the way to handle these things, and not taking immediate action, is not relevant to the thread topic and the incident being discussed, then why do you keep bringing it up? It would seem that my question is more on topic than your recent replies then maybe? If you don’t want to address my question, that’s fine, but pretending its about me not reading the thread is, well, disappointing I guess is the word I’ll go with. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/209 "2016-02-04T19:10:50Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > It’s kind of sad that you are dismissive of the original outcome, which was for someone to be fired over it. It took a month of “discussion” for him to get his job back. But yeah, in the long run, it worked out. It’s an example of how sometimes white people are right and blacks are dead wrong and accusations of racism are bullshit and discussion, not hasty, cowardly action, is required. How was I dismissive? It was an overreaction that was later corrected. You know who was dead right in that case? Julian Bond, from the NAACP. Discussion fixed this situation, and it was discussion largely led by black folks. The overreaction was definitely hasty, but unless you think the Mayor was lying (and maybe he was), it wasn’t cowardly – he may have misunderstood the meaning and origin of the word “niggardly” (as so many at the time seemed to, which lead to the kerfuffle in the first place). What’s the point of trying to find an example of a white person who happened to be right, or a black person who happened to be wrong, about anti-black racism? It doesn’t contradict anything I’ve said, and just comes off as defensive (and a “defense of defensiveness”, so to speak) to me. It sounds like the “accusations of racism are as bad as racism” thing, which is bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/210 "2016-02-04T19:15:42Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Some overreaction led to decent discussion and a reasonable outcome. Hell, even the guy who was fired (and then rehired) said he learned something positive. High fives all around! Good thing the ignorant language police solved that cosmic injustice. ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/211 "2016-02-04T19:17:11Z")
> [@andros](#): > > No one has claimed this. > [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Who thinks the Chinese Year of the Monkey is racist? This guy? > [@russian\_heel](#): > > It was\*\* these racists,\*\* not ME, that connected these ugly symbols with black people, and therefore that is why my **racist radar detector goes off when I see a monkey tee-shirt being given out during Black History Month** at a basketball game featuring mostly black players: I see the connection other people have made. > [@russian\_heel](#): > > A friggin’ MONKEY on a tee-shirt for a almost all black basketball team, ON the first (or second, does it matter) day of Black History Month? Of course, it took a black Sacramento Kings player to point out just how this might be POSSIBLY taken the wrong way, because Im sure no white player or staff member thought twice of it. > > I know, I know, throughout middle America theres **millions of racist white trash** or old people screaming “FOR GODS SAKES, YOU cant say ANYTHING any more!!!” (my bold) Do you think \*\*russian heel \*\*agrees with my two statements - 1.) Thinking the Chinese Year of the Monkey is racist is ludicrous. 2.) Thinking the Chinese New Year or the monkey symbols associated with it has anything whatsoever to do with Black History Month is ludicrous. > [@iiandyiiii](#): > > And why do so many conservative Dopers think they can read my mind? Does the ink on National Review, or the Washington Times, or whatever, cause false beliefs in psychic ability? I don’t think I can read your mind - but based on your posts I think I can make a guess as to what your position is regarding specific items. Like this one. You could correct my assumption if you’d like. Do you agree, disagree, or express no opinion, or something else? No need to be coy with questions, make a statement, like I did. I think you disagree with my assertions #1 and #2 above. Am I right? > [@andros](#): > > You have useful and relevant points to make. Why undermine them with hyperbole and mischaracterization? Thanks. Sometimes it makes the point more efficiently. ---
**Author:** ![FuriousGeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecae2f/32.png) [@FuriousGeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FuriousGeorge)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/212 "2016-02-04T19:21:18Z")
Is there a point where common sense comes in when looking for or finding offense? Or is it just a snap decision? Yup, I’m offended, get rid of it? Does DeMarcus Cousins have any place to reflect and think that a multimillion dollar corporation with an extremely large following by the African American community would not try to intentionally provoke it’s fanbase? Or does DeMarcus Cousins just point, shout racist and demand their immediate disposal while wearing his Givenchy sweatshirt Did the conversation already maybe happen internally with the Kings? The team’s marketers… of various genders and ethnicities… took a look and said, “Yeah it’s a monkey, but its clearly aimed at the Chinese New Year’s Year of the Monkey. Anyone looking to be offended by this is really looking to be offended.” Here comes DeMarcus Cousins. The marketers roll their eyes, say “Oh for fuck’s sake.” and get rid of the t-shirts. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/213 "2016-02-04T19:27:47Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > Welcome to the thread, andros. Glad you’ve come here to set us all straight. Yeah, ain’t you just a fucking peach. Your “point” about the “niggardly” kerfuffle is stupid. Own it. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/214 "2016-02-04T19:31:20Z")
> [@Bone](#): > > Do you think \*\*russian heel \*\*agrees with my two statements - 1.) Thinking the Chinese Year of the Monkey is racist is ludicrous. 2.) Thinking the Chinese New Year or the monkey symbols associated with it has anything whatsoever to do with Black History Month is ludicrous I don’t know; I can’t read minds any more than you can. But it’s clear from what he’s said–and what you quoted–that he never claimed that “the Chinese Year of the Monkey is racist,” nor that Chinese New Year has anything to do with BHM except the timing. . ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/215 "2016-02-04T20:05:14Z")
> [@Airbeck](#): > > Yes I’ve read the entire thread. Thanks for the condescension though, much appreciated. I found your post to me very condescending too. > [@](#): > > This thread is about the T-Shirt incident though. I know. But my comments were not specifically about it. > [@](#): > > If your repeated refrain about discussion being the way to handle these things, and not taking immediate action, is not relevant to the thread topic and the incident being discussed, then why do you keep bringing it up? Because I can. If you think it’s a hijack, complain to a mod. > [@](#): > > It would seem that my question is more on topic than your recent replies then maybe? You’re right, it would be more relevant. Doesn’t make your comments appropriate. > [@](#): > > If you don’t want to address my question, that’s fine, but pretending its about me not reading the thread is, well, disappointing I guess is the word I’ll go with. It’s about you not reading the thread. I’m sorry you’re disappointed. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/216 "2016-02-04T20:06:22Z")
> [@andros](#): > > Yeah, ain’t you just a fucking peach. > > Your “point” about the “niggardly” kerfuffle is stupid. Own it. My point is fine. If you don’t get the point, I’ll explain it to you if you want. Or not. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/217 "2016-02-04T20:10:48Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > How was I dismissive? It was an overreaction that was later corrected. Yes, but in similar cases it may not be corrected. That’s the point - it wasn’t just an overreaction, it was absolutely absurd, and the fact that it happened in the first place is disturbing enough, even if someone eventually fixed it. > [@](#): > > You know who was dead right in that case? Julian Bond, from the NAACP. Discussion fixed this situation, and it was discussion largely led by black folks. The overreaction was definitely hasty, but unless you think the Mayor was lying (and maybe he was), it wasn’t cowardly – he may have misunderstood the meaning and origin of the word “niggardly” (as so many at the time seemed to, which lead to the kerfuffle in the first place). I think the mayor heard “racism” and fired someone. He didn’t care what the word meant. It was cowardly. > [@](#): > > What’s the point of trying to find an example of a white person who happened to be right, or a black person who happened to be wrong, about anti-black racism? It doesn’t contradict anything I’ve said, and just comes off as defensive (and a “defense of defensiveness”, so to speak) to me. It sounds like the “accusations of racism are as bad as racism” thing, which is bullshit. It does contradict things you’ve said though. If not, I withdraw that claim. FALSE accusations of racism are as bad as racism, you mean? Yeah, that’s actually true. I don’t give a shit if I sound defensive. Accusations of racism (true or false) are also defensive. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/218 "2016-02-04T20:13:22Z")
> [@FuriousGeorge](#): > > Is there a point where common sense comes in when looking for or finding offense? Or is it just a snap decision? Yup, I’m offended, get rid of it? Does DeMarcus Cousins have any place to reflect and think that a multimillion dollar corporation with an extremely large following by the African American community would not try to intentionally provoke it’s fanbase? Or does DeMarcus Cousins just point, shout racist and demand their immediate disposal while wearing his Givenchy sweatshirt > > Did the conversation already maybe happen internally with the Kings? The team’s marketers… of various genders and ethnicities… took a look and said, “Yeah it’s a monkey, but its clearly aimed at the Chinese New Year’s Year of the Monkey. Anyone looking to be offended by this is really looking to be offended.” Here comes DeMarcus Cousins. The marketers roll their eyes, say “Oh for fuck’s sake.” and get rid of the t-shirts. Use reason and weaken the main tool in identity warfare politics? Plus reason, common sense, and logic are constructs of the white male patriarchy’s system of oppression. ---
**Author:** ![Airbeck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/airbeck/32/6574_2.png) [@Airbeck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airbeck)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/219 "2016-02-04T20:14:24Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > I found your post to me very condescending too. I asked a simple question about what you have been arguing in this thread. I’m not sure why you felt condescended to by that? However two wrongs don’t make a right. I didn’t accuse you of anything as you did me. > [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > I know. But my comments were not specifically about it. Excuse me for asking a question about your arguments that was relevant to the thread topic. What a horrible offense, that. > [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > Because I can. If you think it’s a hijack, complain to a mod. I know you can, but that doesn’t mean you have to be a dick when someone asks you a question relevant to your posts and the thread topic. > [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > You’re right, it would be more relevant. Doesn’t make your comments appropriate. Inappropriate? What the hell was inappropriate about my question? Wow, in a thread related to jumping to unnecessary offense, no less. I would love to see your explanation of how my question was not appropriate. Please elaborate on this idea. > [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > It’s about you not reading the thread. I’m sorry you’re disappointed. I’ve read every post in this thread, I’ve been following it the entire time. Again, you don’t have to be a dick because you don’t want to answer a simple question. Just say that you don’t have an answer, or prefer not to say. You are the one being inappropriate here. I’m disappointed because I thought you wanted to have a real discussion here, and clearly you do not. ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/220 "2016-02-04T20:18:11Z")
> [@Airbeck](#): > > I asked a simple question about what you have been arguing in this thread. I’m not sure why you felt condescended to by that? However two wrongs don’t make a right. I didn’t accuse you of anything as you did me. My apologies - I mixed you up with andros. The “A” name threw me. Sorry for any offense. Back to square one. Our conversation had diverged. My comments didn’t necessarily reflect on the OP. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036.md?page=12)