There’s a larger debate to be had, namely the ethics of social media policing, but I don’t want to have that debate. Instead, let’s look at a specific incident where something was uncovered.
Eater.com is a popular food and restaurant website owned by Vox Media. They recently placed one of their editors, Nick Solares, on leave for a week “after former associates of Solares began sending reporters (including several at Gawker) links and photos documenting his past life as a skinhead,” according to Gawker.
Solares apologized for his racist skinhead past and also explained that he has been out of the movement for some time.
The Gawker article, however, shows a photo from 2012 where Solares is seen smiling in a group of old acquaintances including someone who spent time in Skrewdriver, probably the most notorious racist skinhead band ever.
Solares explains but also doesn’t really explain the photo.
Regardless, as the Gawker piece intones, “people who write and report for a living have engaged in a fractious debate over the degree to which a person’s private activities or beliefs, including their past political views, should bear on other parts of his or her life.”
Can he point to other things he has posted or written over the years that would show a change in attitude? Organizations he has belonged to over the last few years, maybe-what are his patterns of behavior?
I would reverse Czarcasm’s question. Can anyone point to actual racist comments he has posted in the last ten years?
I mean, I have met and associated with any number of people who are racist over the years. I met some at work; I met some at other community events; I met some because our kids were involved in the same schools or clubs. I do not encourage their behavior. I did not allow them to push their messages of hatred on my kids. I made it clear that their particular brand of hateful nonsense was not welcome in my presence. But I also found that when I could keep the conversation away from race, they were often otherwise nice people. I do not choose to invite them into my home, but if I was in a social situation–a bar, a party at someone else’s house, a community picnic–I would not make real efforts to avoid being photographed with them. I would even engage in social interaction as long as they did not engage in racist polemics. I can think of a couple of guys with whom I worked many years ago who I would be delighted to see, again.
If Jesus could hang out with prostitutes, tax collectors, and lepers. I see no reason why a person has an obligation to never be seen with a racist.
Being photographed with an old associate when there is no other evidence of current racist beliefs seems a silly way to judge a person. I suppose that we could make all racists wear a scarlet R for all their lives, but I would not wish to live in a society that embraced such an action.
What’s the purpose of socially/professionally shunning a reformed racist? I mean, one who never makes racist dog whistles. One who never makes racist comments, and when called on them claims it was an obvious joke. One who never says “I’m not a racist, but…”.
The purpose of fighting racists isn’t to punish racists, it’s to stop racism, right? So if people stop being racists, that’s a good thing. Yeah, lots of people don’t actually stop being racists. But just getting them to stop saying racist things, even if they still think them, is a positive step.
Of course you don’t have to believe someone who was acting all racist 5 minutes ago and now says they get it. That doesn’t happen. But 30 years ago? If they’re still a crypto-racist, where’s the cryto-racist track record? If the track record doesn’t exist, then maybe they’re over it. And even if they’re only pretending to be over it, that’s good enough for me as long as they keep up the pretense.
I generally agree with tomndebb, and would only condemn him if he actually said or did something racist recently. Admitting that oneself was a racist, and getting over it, is a very positive thing and something to be proud of, and simply getting photographed with an old friend who is still a racist isn’t a racist action, in my opinion.
Imagine he wasn’t a former skinhead, and that instead of merely singing bigoted songs for bigots, he’d killed a man. After thirty years wouldn’t these same people be arguing that he’d served his time and had been rehabilitated, and so deserved the chance to earn a living instead of being pushed back into a life of crime?
The name that popped into my head when I saw this thread is Robert Byrd, the former senator from West Virginia. In his youth he was a member of the KKK. Later in his life, however, he not only disavowed his racist past, but supported legislation that helped minorities. He earned a 100% rating from the NAACP. It was his actions that demonstrated that he was no longer racist, not just his words.
I think it would be a crazy thing for me to say “Stop being racist, though I will continue to judge you as a racist even if you do.”
I want people to stop being racist, and I want people who have had racist thoughts or beliefs or actions to be able to say, “Hey, I’ve had this belief, but now I don’t and this is what I’ve learned.” I think it’s the best possible outcome to be able to point to ex-racists and show that it’s possible to change.
So, if someone disavows it now, that’s good enough for me unless and until there’s something we can point to to show the disavowal was BS.
Which is easily explained by the disparity in sentencing. If you murder someone, you will spend many many years in jail, or possibly even wind up on death row.
I forget. What’s the sentence for being a racist again?
A murderer points to his imprisonment (time served); what can this ‘former’ skinhead point to as proof of atonement?
IMO a more apt question would be: what’s the statute of limitations on being a prominent neo-nazi? Well, that’s up to Vox Media (and each of his future employers) to decide.
I think it is reasonable to be skeptical of a person who says “I’ve changed!” without something serious to back it up. Hanging out with racists in 2012 (when it’s 2016) makes me skeptical, even if he hadn’t seen this guy for a while… being skeptical doesn’t mean the guy needs to be fired, but it does mean that I’m skeptical.
I think it is reasonable, also, to be skeptical of (some) murderers when they insist that “serving their time” means they should be considered on an equal footing with non-murderers.
It’s patently ridiculous to say that murderers are forgiven easier than racists.
Now, if someone had been involved in racist violence in their past, I’m not sure but I think that I would be strongly inclined to suggest that saying “I’m not racist anymore” would not be enough.
I would say as far as the media is concerned if the past racist turned into a Democrat then the past is forgiven within a year or so. If said person turns to out to be a conservative or Republican then never. Guilty till death.
He doesn’t need to ‘atone’ for anything. He held racist views in his youth. Now he doesn’t. My God, if we were all held strictly to account for the dumb beliefs we held in youth which of us would 'scape whipping, so to speak.
It’s good that his views have changed, something to be celebrated. If his actions confirm his words so much the better. If they don’t, then is the time to pour on the vitriol.
Can you actually point to any persons or situation where this actually occurred?
Or is this a case of a Right Wing poster deciding what “the media” would do when “the media” has never actually done it?