I think it’s more complex than what you’ve laid out here.
As I said before, is Huey going to promote cross-cultural dialogue? Probably not.
Is Huey approachable? Probably not.
Is Huey going to make us comfortable? Probably not.
Would I - and I acknowledge that I’m a bit of a prick myself - have much in common with Huey? Would I feel comfortable befriending him in real life? Probably not.
There’s a lot that’s “wrong” with a guy like Huey. But I still argue that he has a place here. I think the one line he can’t cross is advocating illegal, violent behavior, and I haven’t seen him do that. But if it’s just “Fuck white people”, well, honestly, considering all the shit that my ancestors and even my contemporaries have done to screw people with brown skin…that’s a small price to pay.
There’s value in holding up the mirror. There’s value in making white people uncomfortable. I welcome it. I’m alright with Huey. And this is not trolling; I’m being sincere.
Listen, I’ve been the “safe” white guy that other racist-as-fuck Southern frat boy white guys talked to when they thought they were in safe company. Whatever “racism” Huey has espoused…has not a fucking thing on what I’ve heard. I grew up in Dixie. Most of you all don’t know shit.
You completely missed Huey’s point. You really are living in a completely different universe than most black people or other people of color. You are reacting because you are reading the language of an angry black man, and you feel threatened. The natural reaction of a white man when they feel threatened is to discredit the language.
“This isn’t the language of reason.”
“This isn’t the language of political pragmatism.”
“This isn’t the language of diplomacy.”
Maybe it’s not.
What if the victims of racism aren’t interested in diplomacy? Must they be? Who says so? Who dictates that people who inherit a 300+ year legacy of racial slavery and apartheid must conform to certain behavioral norms? No offense, but who the fuck are you to explain to a black man how they must feel about the racism they’ve sustained?
Who the fuck are you to, on the one hand, refuse to acknowledge the racial identity of Huey Freeman, yet on the other turn around and accused him of being a “troll”?
See, that right there says a lot! Huey is probably not Black, because…well, I just don’t think a “normal” black man would behave in that manner. And besides, it’s the internet, and how can I really know he’s black. And yet you continue and accost him for “racist” language. If he’s a troll, why do you care about the racist and sexist insults?!
I think what you’re really doing is “white-splaining” to a black man about how he should feel about living in a racist-as-fuck society. Don’t be surprised if he tells you to suck his black snake.
I know you didn’t say it. I know your language doesn’t imply it.
Doesn’t matter because that’s still your perspective. I don’t expect you to acknowledge it, and perhaps you’re not even aware. You don’t actually have to be defensive about it, but the fact that you are suggests something to me, which is that you don’t get it. I don’t mean that you’re a racist or that you’re a bad person. In fact, that’s the thing with a lot of bias: good people - all people - have biases. We’re conditioned to believe that if we have bias, then we’re bad, so we avoid acknowledging bias. It’s better to acknowledge bias and a lack of perspective to begin with.
There is no post where I was said “Somalians don’t have empathy”. That’s your narrative plucked from the ether. So, to be clear: your racism is on you. It’s cute for white folks to abdicate responsibility of their racism. “Oh! Somalians are only unempathetic because this person of color said it’s OK” despite the fact that I never said that. Your ignorant, uneducated ass sounds like Grand Dragon Shodan who be like “It’s OK to call blacks niggers because Chris Rock say so” despite the fact that Chris Rock disavowed joke and pulled it from his set. All I say is that just be glad you’re white. If you were a person of color, your ignorant ass would be washing dishes somewhere. Best believe that.
Before I respond: I find it very unprofessional for staff to participate in these threads due to the differential in power. If you’re going to come in these folders, you should shed your staff title (or preferably stay above the fray) but, yeah, I guess the staff here don’t strain to be objective or professional. This is cool because man is incapable of being completely objective, so I’m appreciative that ya’ll don’t even try to pretend to be unbiased. But, with all due respect, instead of attacking guests, I’d suggest you focus your time in understanding your own biases. For example, you’ve accused me of being “anti-white” but you’ve single-handedly nurtured and turned the seeds of racism here into towering redwoods. By your silence and inaction, you (and others) have chased away women and ran people of color away by willfully allowing your folders to be filled with anti-black sentiment, animus toward people of color, and misogyny against women. It is clear that questioning the intelligence of people of color doesn’t fall into the “don’t be a jerk” rule because white supremacy in the Age of Trump isn’t frowned upon here, but fostered, uplifted, and encouraged. The current threads about the N word, the timely rehashing of the Henry Louis Gates Jr. case confirms, yet again, my suspicion that your projection is misplaced and you’re an agent for whiteness. And, let me tell you, you’re doing an excellent job, my friend; racism, bigotry, and misogyny has never flourished more than under your leadership. This is evidenced by both women and minorities pulling back on their posting, declining thread counts, decreased engagement by guests and members, the lack of diversity among staff, and the inability to attract and retain talented members with diverse viewpoints.
Well, if we go by the racists’ one drop rule, most black people are overwhelmingly white.
Seriously, any racist is arguing about whether tabby and tuxedo cats should be allowed to fuck. Regard them with that seriousness until they raise a hand.