Nope, I didn’t miss it, except that you slightly misquoted it. The writer recommended that if white people can afford to downsize, they should give up their home to a poor family from a disadvantaged group. What’s “bigoted” about that?
All of those suggestions—and note that they’re just suggestions for voluntary behavior—are just pointing out ways in which white people as a group have inherited benefits reaped from oppression and discrimination against non-white people. The author thinks it would be a good thing if more white people made the voluntary individual choice to even out that historical injustice somewhat by making some financial sacrifices to benefit non-white people.
I’m not saying that everyone has to agree with her, and I certainly think it would be discriminatory to mandate any kind of legal requirement that every white person who owns a house has to turn it over to a black family or whatever. But that’s not what’s being advocated here.
In fact, I’m kind of stunned that anybody could be so affronted and resentful about a simple suggestion in favor of a voluntary act. Have you really never before encountered any kind of general exhortation that you should voluntarily sacrifice something because it would be more moral and just to others? Not to sound like a Chick tract here, but have you ever heard of a guy called Jesus, for example?
[QUOTE=Reddy Mercury]
Do you really think the author has any love for white people? If I own a house, and I worked to earn it, why should I give it to someone just because I have white skin and they don’t? Why should I just give away something I worked for, period?
[/quote]
Hey, I don’t care what you personally decide to give away or not give away, and I doubt the author of that article does, either. She’s just saying what she thinks would be a good thing overall for counteracting the historical accumulation of unfair advantage that being white gets you, on average, in this society.
[QUOTE=Reddy Mercury]
Let me ask, and please try to be honest: Would you accept the forced redistribution of land from white landowners to non-whites? Be honest, please.
[/quote]
Forced, on an individual level, on the basis of race? No, as I said, I wouldn’t. (Though I’m open to the possibility that tax-funded financial reparations to descendants of slaves might be a constructive policy, but that’s another matter.)
But once again, the article in question has nothing to do with “forced redistribution”, so why are you so upset about that?
[QUOTE=Reddy Mercury]
In my experience, such condemnations of Israel are only a stone’s throw from anti-Semitism. I support Israel 110%. I should ask you to submit a query to my Jewish friends (who first showed me the article) about how they feel. They themselves labelled it anti-Semitism; and I am inclined to agree with them.
[/quote]
Speaking as a person of Jewish descent myself, I don’t think Jews are the only people allowed to have a valid opinion on what counts as anti-Semitism. To me, criticism of the policies of the Israeli government is not automatically anti-Semitic, just as, say, criticism of the policies of the Chinese government is not automatically racist or anti-Asian.
[QUOTE=Reddy Mercury]
What of the recent interruption by BLM of the LGBT moment of silence? Is that also excusable?
[/quote]
I don’t approve of BLM Montreal’s (which, you may not be aware, is not by any means all of BLM as an organization or a movement) protest tactics about the Montreal Pride Parade, no. But that’s got nothing to do with the issue of bigotry.
After all, you started this argument about BLM with various weird accusations of bigotry on the part of the organization. You do understand that BLM Montreal’s protest wasn’t about being anti-gay, right? On the contrary, they were protesting what they saw as the “whitewashing” of the Pride parade and saying that LGBTQ people of color were being unfairly marginalized.
I may not support their choice of protest tactics, but again, that’s got nothing to do with bigotry.
[QUOTE=Reddy Mercury]
When I cease being considered the enemy for existing, I will consider being an ally.
[/quote]
Being told the truth about inherent racial unfairness in our society, and having it mildly suggested to you that the long-term beneficiaries of that unfairness as a group should consider making some voluntary individual sacrifices to help balance out past injustices, is not “being considered the enemy for existing”.
Your complaining about the perceived aggression and affront of simply being expected to understand, and perhaps even care about, a few fundamental facts about race and society in America, comes across as massively snowflakey.
[QUOTE=Reddy Mercury]
Until then, it doesn’t concern me. I will let the Nazis, the Neo-Confederates, and BLM duke it out; it’s not my problem.
[/quote]
Like I said, very convenient. What a tragedy that the struggle against racism should be deprived of an ally with such strong and selfless passion for justice, though. Sad.
[QUOTE=Reddy Mercury]
My concerns are with living my life, and with my family and my friends.
[/quote]
The thing is, some people feel that as moral human beings, we also have an obligation to be concerned about justice and fairness even for people who aren’t our families or our friends. If you care only about your friends, what’s praiseworthy about that? (Whoops there I go again! Don’t know what’s got into me, lifelong atheist, honest. :))
[QUOTE=Reddy Mercury]
People who hate me aren’t my friends.
[/QUOTE]
There, there, it is perfectly possible for people to hate your resentful oversensitivity and complacency and self-pity without actually hating you.
