White Fragility Digest #7: 20 May 2018

[MrScorpio]

Hobby Lobby Employees Call Police on Black Customer Who Looked ‘Somewhat Like’ a Crime Suspect

By Tanasia Kenney -May 19, 2018

Link to tweet

An Alabama man says he was racially profiled at a Hobby Lobby store in Trussville this week after an employee called the cops on him while he tried to make a return.

Brian Spurlock said the incident unfolded Tuesday, when he went to return his girlfriend’s recently-purchased vinyl machine, which he claimed was broken. Despite having a receipt for the item, a store manager refused to refund Spurlock his money because the item was already opened.

“I said, ‘Is there somebody else I can talk to that can assist me with this?’ She said ‘yeah wait,'” Spurlock told local station ABC 33|40. The manager then asked for his ID and said she was calling corporate. Minutes later, the police showed up instead.

Apparently, employees mistook the Alabama man for a suspect they say had written bad checks and was returning stolen items to the store. The cops arrived and asked Spurlock for his ID but he balked, asking why they needed to see it. That’s when officers informed him he’d be charged with trespass if he didn’t hand it over.

http://atlantablackstar.com/2018/05/19/hobby-lobby-employees-call-police-black-customer-looked-somewhat-like-crime-suspect/

"White people in North America live in a social environment that protects and insulates them from race-based stress. This insulated environment of racial protection builds white expectations for racial comfort while at the same time lowering the ability to tolerate racial stress, leading to what I refer to as White Fragility. White Fragility is a state in which even a minimum amount of racial stress becomes intolerable, triggering a range of defensive moves. These moves include the outward display of emotions such as anger, fear, and guilt, and behaviors such as argumentation, silence, and leaving the stress-inducing situation. These behaviors, in turn, function to reinstate white racial equilibrium."

Robin DiAngelo, Ph.D

The Digest will be posted as needed...

White Fragility Digest Archive:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100210609305

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100210612268

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100210616002

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100210620209

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100210623832

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100210627625

[MrScorpio]

1. White Tears Are Funny As Memes But Potentially Deadly For Black Folks

Three prime examples of people of color minding their own business, and why white fragility can be deadly.

By Ricardo A. Hazell May 16, 2018, 12:03 PM EST

Link to tweet

As the world turns, so too does white fragility gain more and more media coverage every day. Last week, a woman who was later identified as a Stanford professor decided to harass a black man as he prepared a cookout at a public park. She has since become the favorite meme subject of Black social media in particular.

Though these sorts of incidents have been part of the American cultural lexicon for decades if not centuries, there are still many who are shocked and amazed at the level of petty hatred and vitriol aimed at people of color due to the whiny concerns of some white folks.

Yesterday, Raw Story reported that a St. Louis police lieutenant identified as Jerry Foster took to social media to cry silly little white tears of privilege when he noticed white people doing manual labor at an "authentic" Mexican restaurant.

https://www.theshadowleague.com/story/white-tears-are-funny-as-memes-but-potentially-deadly-for-black-folks

[Solly Mack]

2. K&R

[MrScorpio]

3. Comedian Gets Blasted for Saying 'Straight White Male' Is 'This Century's N-word'

Link to tweet

By Kiersten Willis -May 20, 2018

Comedian Josh Denny drew the ire of a Jordan Peele-affiliated filmmaker Friday when he claimed that the phrase “straight white male” is just as potent of a slur as the n-word.

“’Straight White Male’ has become this century’s N-Word,” Denny tweeted May 18. “It’s used to offend and diminish the recipient based on assumption and bias. No difference in the usage."

Link to tweet

Not long after the post went up, Matthew A. Cherry posted screenshots of the “Ginormous Food” host’s tweet. Cherry also posted screenshots of tone-deaf jokes dating back to 2012 and 2014 regarding things like baseball team names and Instagram.

Link to tweet

http://atlantablackstar.com/2018/05/20/comedian-gets-blasted-saying-straight-white-male-centurys-n-word/

[MrScorpio]

4. White Evangelicals Are The Most Fragile Of All White People

Link to tweet

Brandi Miller
Columnist

I once attended a missions conference run by a predominately white evangelical organization where, for one night, black styles of worship, preaching and spirituality were the focus. The worship team wore Black Lives Matter shirts and the preacher exhorted the thousands present to repent of the ways that evangelicalism is in bed with white supremacy.

The black attendees reflected on how we had never felt so seen, empowered or cared for in an evangelical space. But shortly after, several white male colleagues began to publicly question on social media whether there was space for them as conservative white evangelicals in the organization.

An hour-and-a-half of honoring and caring for black people sent them spiraling into their feels. They operated from the assumption that calling out white racism was persecution or created disunity in the body of Christ. This is white fragility.

When situations arise where race and privilege are questioned and criticized, often times white people free fall into fear, anger, silence, denial or guilt. These emotions, while understandable and not bad in their own right, typically derail and recenter race conversations around the feelings of the privileged white person instead of on the lived oppressive reality of people of color.

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/opinion-miller-white-fragility_us_5aef28ece4b0c4f19323b132

[ProudLib72]

8. How about this: If they want to claim tax exempt status

All churches are mandated to set aside at least 25% of their services for black styles of worship and BLM.

If it breaks up the white nationalist breeding grounds, all the better.

[ismnotwasm]

5. K&R

[19catsandcounting]

6. Questions:

When whites display, fragility, crying, racial bullying, over sensitivity, etc.. this is to be identified as a problem that whites have and must collectively fix.

Would it not be better to treat people as individuals instead of assigning class guilt and smearing entire groups based on biological traits with negative connotations?

White does not equal racial crybullying, so why is white being attached to fragility and tears? I don’t think people of color like it very much when their race is equated with bad things, vilifying whites for being white isn’t right nor is it an effective way to fight racism and create harmony.

[MrScorpio]

7. Individuals belong to groups and each group has its own dynamic

Here's some information for you that should be instructive:

https://goodmenproject.com/ethics-values/white-people-freak-theyre-called-race-hesaid/

[19catsandcounting]

10. Thank you, that was informative

But it didn’t answer my questions, the only answer to my questions from that was that questioning white fragility is a form of white fragility.

So if individuals belong to group dynamics, than you would be ok with identifying negative group dynamics in other races and smearing them with racial stereotypes?

I suspect not, but the only justification for this hypocrisy I’ve seen is that whites are oppressors, and thus racial attacks against whites is good and revolutionary. People of color however are victims, and racial attacks against them are intolerable and any who fight against such attacks are the most virtuous.

Where have I gone wrong in seeing this hypocrisy? Or is there an alternate justification?

[MrScorpio]

12. The problem is more of white supremacy than it is white people, who all benefit from it

Perhaps you can show examples of where white people are being oppressed because they're white.

[19catsandcounting]

23. Oppression of whites is off subject

It is nasty and racist to equate someone’s race with smears. Associating being white with fragile racist crybullies is wrong, foolish and hypocritical.

[MrScorpio]

27. In spite of a penchant for not being able to deal with race based stress, i.e., white fragility

"Whiteness" confers a power advantage to the group of people who are identified as white, a power dynamic that's not conferred to non-whites.

Are you saying that these observations are "smears?"

[19catsandcounting]

29. Those observations are not smears

Calling whites fragile racist crybullies is a smear.

[MrScorpio]

32. Perhaps you could give us a name for people who do engage in white fragility

Since the term "crybullies" seems too harsh for their delicate sensibilities.

[EffieBlack]

43. There already is a name for it

But apparently, we're not allowed to say it.

Actually, the word itself isn't the problem at all. The problem is the fact that anyone, especially black people, is uppity enough to criticize or mock white fragility, much less come up with a name for it.

[MrScorpio]

70. I don't know about you...

But I don't intend to disregard the blatant fact that white fragility is inherent in white people.

Being white in America has an entirely different connotation than not being white in this country.

[gollygee]

88. No one at any time said white people are inherently fragile.

There is a phenomenon where white people can be fragile about issues of race. That is not bigotry. It's social science.

[Maeve]

89. Seriously--

Each thread of MrScorpio's WF Digest carries a quote explaining the term (written be a white lady, of all people!) But not everyone seems to read that far....

And this old white lady is glad for the exposure to the concept--I know so MANY who fit the description!

[gollygee]

37. Is somebody at DU calling white people who aren't fragile racist crybullies

(or did you mean crybabies?) that? I've only seen fragile racist crybabies called fragile racist crybabies. I haven't seen all white people called that.

[gollygee]

73. No it isn't. nt

[EffieBlack]

78. No, it isn't

Referring to what some white people do - especially when it's described specifically as something that only certain white people do - doesn't "associate all whites with them by designating it as white behavior."

But I see what you tried to do there . . .

[FSogol]

62. LOL, haven't white people suffered enough?

[FSogol]

71. LOL, I don't see whites being run out of town, shot en masse by cops, pulled over for no reason,

being denied employment, charged more for loans and housing, or hung from telephone poles. Having your fee-fees hurt by snarky comments is not equivalent to any of that stuff. Get some perspective, dude. Snowflakes indeed!

[marble falls]

80. Things a little slow at the Cave? I have a feeling you'll be having more time to spend there soon.

[marble falls]

91. Good answer. The poor snpwflake thinks a couple of years of snark are the equivelent of of the....

500 years of the black experience in America. Poor guy, no sense of proportion.

[EffieBlack]

79. No.

When the people on whom whites have inflicted so much suffering good-naturedly poke fun at those white people who have found new ways to inflict suffering on them, it's not a "racial attack" on all white people and yes, it's ok.

[whathehell]

61. You're being sarcastic, right?

It's harrd to tell anymore..

[whathehell]

30. ALL females are oppressed, regardless of color

I often say that my "white" privilege is substantially reduced by my lack of Male Privilege, that being something all men, regardless of color, benefit from as well.

[gollygee]

33. You can certainly have one kind of privilege but lack another

Like I have white privilege, and I don't have male privilege, however I feel like being married to a white man makes me to some extent get some of his male privilege as well. It's certainly a complicated thing - it isn't like having one kind of privilege means you are privileged in all ways. And then I also feel like for people who lack more than one kind of privilege - like say women of color - there's some kind of multiplying effect. Those kinds of oppression together seem to be greater than the two individually - the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

[MrScorpio]

38. Privilege in itself isn't monolithic, as you know...

It's dynamic based on certain circumstances... I believe that I wrote on the nature of privileges before:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10027140197

[whathehell]

42. Correct, but it's often spoken of on DU as of it was.

Last edited Mon May 21, 2018, 08:30 AM - Edit history (1)

and behaving as if one has a "pass" to insult, bait or ridicule others here because of their supposed "privilege" is neither fair not workable. I
As black male, you are no more responsible for your Male privilege than I, as a white female, am responsible for my White privilege.

I don't think the whole concept of "privilege", as it pertains to race or gender, is very helpful, actually, especially when these different groups are trying to work together for a common cause...T
Terms like "White Privilege""and Male Privilege" are just different words for Collective Guilt, and I don't believe in Collective Guilt, especially in regard to Conditions of Birth I disbelieve in them, not only because no person is responsible for their race or gender, but also because they can't give it away, or even share it -- The best they can do is use whatever status or power accrues from their birth condition, and work for justice for them and all of us..

[EffieBlack]

44. But black women are far more oppressed than white women

White women enjoy a privilege that I will never have.

[Tarc]

19. A reply to your "Where have I gone wrong?" query

You went wrong when you came to the Democratic Underground regurgitating alt right talking points.

"Whataboutism" is not welcome here.

[19catsandcounting]

24. Perhaps I'm not as familiar with the alt right as you

Didn’t know they were anti racist socialists. What alt right talking point have I used? What is whataboutism and why isn’t it tolerable? Oh and what is your problem with me?

[Tarc]

49. 1/10. It must be Sunday

[marble falls]

81. Don't be so modest, I'm sure you have hands on experiance.

[Fla Dem]

64. Did you mean Underground?

[Tarc]

66. yes, thanks

I had a line in the first draft pointing him to freeperland, but didn't erase it entirely, it seems

[Demit]

9. What biological traits do you feel are being given negative connotations?

That is so interesting, that you are classifying a group of people by biological traits. What would those be?

[19catsandcounting]

11. Race and sex

Are the two most common that get used to separate and group people apart.

We can take an example from this very post, whites (biological category)=fragile racial crybullies (negative connotation).

[BumRushDaShow]

18. "whites (biological category)"

"White" isn't a "biological" category when your definition happens to attribute such to "race". And the reason is that there are "blacks" who look "white". And in the convoluted, white supremacist-manufactured system of "race" in the U.S., there are "whites" who look "black", like this man, who is Egyptian, and who was classified as "white" when he immigrated here because he was "North African" -



He even sued the federal government to be reclassified but his case was dismissed -

Egyptian Immigrant Wants to be Reclassified as Black

Mostafa Hefny feels he's been black his whole life. The U.S. government doesn't agree.

By Aylin Zafar @azafar Sept. 07, 2012

Anyone who’s ever filled out a census document or taken the SATs is familiar with that odd moment when you have to bubble in your racial classification. For many, the choices are confusing, limiting, and problematic. In the end, each person bubbles in what they best feel represents their identity. But when Mostafa Hefny immigrated to the United States from Egypt in 1978, he didn’t get a say in that decision.

“The government [interviewer] said, ‘You are now white,” Hefny told CBS Detroit.

<...>

“I have been awarded, inadvertently, the negative effects of being black such as racial profiling, stereotypes and disenfranchisement due to my Negroid features. However, the legal demand of my racial classification of ‘white’ prevents me from receiving benefits established for black people, “ he told CBS. Hefny says he’s lost out on university teaching positions because they were positions designed for a minority and he did not qualify.

<...>

“White” is defined as “a person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa” — which is why the U.S. government classifies Hefny as such. However, the desgination for “Black or African American” applies to “a person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.” According to CBS, Hefny says that he is descended from the Nubians, the ancient group of Egyptians from the northern part of Sudan and southern part of Egypt.

http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/09/07/egyptian-immigrant-wants-to-be-reclassified-as-black/

[19catsandcounting]

21. Irrelevant

White is a poorly defined social construct that has biological underpinnings and is immediately identifiable for most individuals. Since trans racialism isn’t acceptable, I can not change that I am white, it is an immutable characteristic.

That is the point, categories of people identified by their immutable characteristics being lumped with negative connotations. Whether you recognize genetic reality or not is irrelevant to the question.

[Demit]

28. You correctly note that whiteness is a social construct. Thus the "characteristics" of being white

are very mutable, as Italians and Poles and other ethnic groups in this country found out.

If the concept of whiteness can change in one direction, it could very well change back. Why not? You may not want to change that you are white, but others could. That's the whole idea of the social construct. Regardless of what you consider your "genetic identity" to be, lol.

[19catsandcounting]

35. Wonderful

I can go around saying I’m not white until I’m blue in the face and it won’t change anything, I’ll still be white. Being white isn’t a choice, it isn’t a belief system. It’s my immutable identity and it is wrong to attack myself and every other white person for being white. Whites have tried to change their race and they are laughed at and vilified.

[gollygee]

46. I'm not sure I understand the last part - are you talking about Rachel Doelzal? nt

[Demit]

54. What makes you white? You still haven't defined it.

You are so sure you are. Tell me why you are white.

[ismnotwasm]

55. We also participate *in* whiteness as a dominant social standard

For white persons to be anti-racist we have to fight against continuing to support this standard. It’s hard. It’s worth it.

[EffieBlack]

45. It's a social construct created by and perpetuated by whites

So I always find the "it's just a construct that doesn't mean anything" argument - which usually ONLY comes up when people of color hold racial dynamics up to the light- somewhat amusing.

Like how so many white folk abandoned the "one-drop" rule created by whites and perpetuated to this day in every aspect of our society long enough to claim that I don't understand why President Obama identifies as black because, after all, he IS half white!"

[Garrett78]

58. It is just a construct, but it certainly has meant a great deal.

It's important to point out that race is a social/political construct and not biological. As I wrote just recently, addressing racism requires, paradoxically, raising awareness about the true nature of what is known as "race." In other words, racism is very real, even though race is not (in the sense that it's not biological). Race is an invention (a fairly recent one) that has, by design, had horribly detrimental effects.

[BumRushDaShow]

47. Uh no

You torpedoed your whole argument by trying to make "race" something that was "biological".

The problem here is that there are no "immutable characteristics" as you claim. However there are manufactured "criteria" that ebb and flow at the whim of the white supremacist power structure.

So a man who looks like this -



should be considered "white" by your definition. Yet since it was revealed that one of his ancestors was "black", his status as a "white" was thus fleeting, and he was then mutated by the powers-to-be (and the U.S. Supreme Court), into a "black", subject to segregation. There was nothing "biological" that could have happened between the time when nothing was known about his ancestor and the time when something was revealed about his ancestor, for that sudden "switch" occur.

[Demit]

34. You still haven't enumerated what "biological traits" white people have that black people don't.

Height? Eye color? Left-handedness? Can wiggle their ears?

What biological traits clearly identify white people?

[Garrett78]

57. Race isn't biological. And there's no such thing as "reverse racism."

See here: https://www.democraticunderground.com/100210627498

Robin DiAngelo defines racism as "an act or a dynamic that is backed by the weight of history, legal authority and institutional control."

Asa Hilliard, former professor at Georgia State University, wrote, "Racism is an all-encompassing system that works on multiple levels and results in an unequal distribution of resources between white people and people of color - overall - with whites as the beneficiaries of that distribution."

As Tim Wise has said, it's not about guilt but about responsibility. All persons of conscience should be advocating for The Platform of The Movement For Black Lives. And advocating for what the United Nations' Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent called for: reparations (in a variety of forms).

Nobody is saying every white person is fragile or racist. But every white person is the recipient of undue privilege due to "the weight of history, legal authority and institutional control." All persons of conscience have a responsibility to combat that, which is a monumental undertaking.

Some speak of "putting the past behind us" (in reference to slavery, Jim Crow, etc.), but as James Baldwin said, "we carry our history with us." Those injustices "of the past" continue to impact the present. For instance, redlining prevented access to housing (or at least housing that would appreciate in value). Persons of color weren't allowed access to good-paying jobs or institutes of higher education. Those are just a few examples in a long, long string of examples (including persons of color essentially being robbed of being able to utilize the GI Bill or Social Security when it initially came into being). And anyone with critical thinking skills can understand how those things would continue to impact the present day wealth gap, for instance.

[Iggo]

15. "Would it not be better...?"

Why, yes it would!

Let me know when minority people in America can start taking advantage of this brand new way the majority wants things to happen.

Because believe me, it starts with the majority or it doesn't start at all.

[19catsandcounting]

25. I am not some representative of whites

That can change everyone. It doesn’t start with the majority it starts with individuals deciding to correct their own racism and prejudice and then that of the people around them. Two wrongs don’t make a right and will improve nothing. People being racist isn’t an excuse for making racial attacks, I am asking the people on this thread verbally attacking whites and those that are ok with it to STOP.

[gollygee]

31. A very helpful thing at DU

is that if a thread is making you uncomfortable, there is an option at the bottom of the OP to "trash this thread." Then you don't have to see it anymore.

[gollygee]

84. If you're interpreting this as racism and it's causing you pain and suffering

you could ease that by ignoring the thread.

[LSFL]

51. Impressive post count and membership length you have there

It is good to know that there is someone out there speaking up for my poor little oppressed lily white ass.

[Cha]

60. Oh man we got

it bad. thingy

[EffieBlack]

56. You joined DU just this morning and most of your first 20 or so posts are complain that white people

are being subjected to "racial attacks."

Interesting.

[Iggo]

63. "Verbally attacking whites." Jesus ficking christ.

Here's your hug.

[salin]

13. Another K & R

Education comes in many forms - this is an important one for many of us at DU.

[Iggo]

14. But, but, but whatabout....

...yeah, I got nothing.

[leftofcool]

16. Somebody actually alerted this post.

I guess they think that racism is okay.

[moriah]

17. Careful, commenting about ridiculous jury service...

... got me my only hide ever.

[marble falls]

90. That guy was alerted on a lot today. Only one hide.

[Top-Hat]

20. White people are only insulated from racial stress -- if they don't read.

Last edited Sun May 20, 2018, 07:47 PM - Edit history (1)

[link:http://yourblackworld.net/2017/10/23/leading-cause-homicides-according-research-leading-cause-death-black-africans/|

[MrScorpio]

26. I take it that this is a "black on black. crime" assertion.

You are aware that "black on black crime" doesn't actually exist, right?

[whathehell]

41. Not that relevant, as the fact that white criminals usually attack whites and blacks usually black

speaks only to proximity, not inclination.
Criminals are not very PC. If, for instance, one happens to meet a person of another race while in a murderous mood, they will not say "I can't kill him, he's white!..or, " I can't kill her, she's black"..They will rob, rape, or kill whoever is available.

[salin]

36. Who ever wrote the title to that article, mischaracterized what was written in the story.

Odd that.

[TrogL]

22. It's about time these people were charged with interfering in a police investigation

I live in a relatively rough part of town. I’ve asked a passing police car to check on people wandering in the alleys and been told to mind my own business and stop wasting their time. But nicely, of course.

[Cracklin Charlie]

39. You should put a word that starts with T

Between White and Fragility, so that the acronym of the condition would be WTF.

Where does the fragility come from? Lots of them see and interact with black people at least fairly often. I think it really comes from something they fear about themselves.

[MrScorpio]

40. Good point...

You know Dr. DiAngelo is coming out with a new book pretty soon that's entitled, "White Fragility."

I'm going to grab a copy once it's available. I'm sure that your observation will be addressed in it.

[oberliner]

48. Here is the statement from the police department

“On May, 15, 2018 our dispatch office received a call from Hobby Lobby concerning someone in their store that they believed had written bad checks and made fraudulent returns to their store. Hobby Lobby was going trespass the person and wanted an officer there at the store. When our officer arrived he spoke to an employee of Hobby Lobby and they explained the situation to him. Our officer spoke to the person and asked for his Identification. The person asked why and once the officer explained it to him he gave the officer a Alabama Identification Card. The officer ran the Id and it came back expired. Hobby Lobby did have a picture of the person that was writing bad checks and making fraudulent returns and it looked somewhat like the person in the store but it did not appear to be him. The officer gave the person’s Id back to him and asked him if he had a driver’s license since he was driving and the person stated that he had a Georgia Drivers License but did not have it on his person. The officer advised him not to drive his vehicle out of the parking lot without a valid license and the person called someone to come and pick him up.”

http://www.trussvilletribune.com/2018/05/16/racism-allegations-made-against-trussville-hobby-lobby/

[MrScorpio]

50. Let me get this straight...

They called the cops on him BEFORE they identified him as a bad check writer, when he was only there to return a broken item that his girlfriend bought?

That doesn't sound fishy to you at all?

[oberliner]

52. It definitely sounds fishy to me

Do you think the police did anything wrong here or just the store employees?

[MrScorpio]

53. Oh, definitely the store employees

They were clearly triggered by the man's blackness.

By as an aside, The White Fragility Digest is not about the police, per se. I pretty much expect them to fuck up some times and get it right in other times.

That cop was just being an ass, in this case. But he should have never been called in the first place.

[Cha]

59. My heart goes out to these

Black Americans who get the police called on them by paranoid people of white.. for being Black.

It's way past old.. this epidemic in the USA.

[Fla Dem]

65. I have no idea where the concept of "White Fragility" comes from.

As an older "White" woman, I never have felt any trepidation or fragility because of my racial biology.

The few times I've been stopped for going over the speed limit and was approached by the cops, maybe my only fear was how much the ticket would be. I've never feared that the cop would pull a gun on me and the situation would escalate.

When I walk into a store, I never even think that someone might be following me because of my skin color to make sure I don't steal something.

When I go to a restaurant, I never worry I will be refused service because I'm White.

I don't walk down the street worried that some racist will call me an ugly name as I pass by.

These are just a few of the myriad of activities that go on in life everyday that I never have to stress over because I am "White". I can't even imagine being in a Black person's shoes have to go through life always on guard.

If "you" have White Fragility, get over your damn self. (Don't mean Mr. Scorpio, just White people in general.)