Sat Jan 3, 2015, 09:18 PM

sheshe2 (76,087 posts)

Silence Makes White People Racist

Everything old is new again.

Past Present and Future

When I reflect on this past week, I realize that it’s been a vicious cycle of grief, frustration, anger, and numbness. My grief — the collective grief of the black community — is because an innocent black child was stolen from this earth. However, beyond that, our grief is because the outcome of the verdict is proof that black lives are not of value to this country nor its justice system, something we’ve known to be true for many, many years now.

snip

In my experience this past week, the haunting silence came from people that I expected more from: white folks who are frequently outspoken about injustice in both their private and public life, and especially those who were exceptionally vocal during DOMA’s repeal. Most of the responses that I witnessed and heard regarding the verdict came only when the silence was questioned or named as white privilege and supremacy. Very, very rarely were the responses remorseful–or even thoughtful. They came in the form of verbal attacks and explicit defensiveness, instead of compassion, personal assessment, and seeking to understand the overarching narrative of anti-blackness in this country. Ultimately, avoiding the issue all together took greater precedent over accountability.

On a national scale, responses from well-known, predominantly white liberal and progressive organizations were minimal at best. While the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) signed onto a letter led by the National Black Justice Coalition and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force calling for justice for Trayvon Martin, they did not release any formal press release or statement regarding the verdict. The organization People for the American Way and Center for American Progress both neglected to release any statement as well. However, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) did manage to speak and released a statement on July 15th opening with “We have great faith in America’s jury system and do not question the verdict in the Zimmerman case.” It is no surprise that according to the The Washington Post/ABC News poll, nearly 1 in 3 white Democrats approve of the Zimmerman verdict.

The truth is many white liberals in this country have come to believe a lie. A lie that says just because they are “liberal” or can quote W.E.B. DuBois or have one friend who’s black it means they are no longer racist, and a lie that says that selective and partial justice is an option. Racism–either by silence or with words–is always evil. Far too many white liberals are racist by silence. It’s impossible to be committed to working towards the self-determination and liberation of black people if one is silent in the face of injustice. Silence isn’t passive; it’s an active choice. It is a choice that is deadly and that speaks volumes. Silence is what kills black boys that look like Trayvon Martin.

snip

If white liberals choose to not accept the invitation, then they must know that their silence will speak for them. To pass up on this invitation, to live cowardly, is to say something shameful about the very things they claim to be compelled by. It is to say that whiteness and white privilege should be preserved and protected at all costs, even at the cost of another person’s humanity.

http://www.xojane.com/issues/silence-makes-white-people-racist

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314 replies	Author	Time	Post
Silence Makes White People Racist (Original post)	sheshe2	Jan 2015	OP
I really don't know what to say	dumbcat	Jan 2015	#1
Some people just can't recognize that it needn't be racist to judge that	Vattel	Jan 2015	#2
It is racism.	bravenak	Jan 2015	#3
It is racism	handmade34	Jan 2015	#6
Bottom line: You don't know whether Martin attacked Zimmerman.	Vattel	Jan 2015	#10
Bottom line.	bravenak	Jan 2015	#15
You should be ashamed for your lack of critical thinking.	Vattel	Jan 2015	#22
I own critical thinking. That's why i'm nice and friendly.	bravenak	Jan 2015	#28
Yes, unfairly accusing me of disgusting behavior that I should be ashamed of is nice and friendly.	Vattel	Jan 2015	#42
I accused you of nothing.	bravenak	Jan 2015	#43
You said, "It is racism that you are defending. And it is disgusting and you should be ashamed."	Vattel	Jan 2015	#45
It is racism you are defending.	bravenak	Jan 2015	#47
Lol, okay. So what I was making up, according to you,	Vattel	Jan 2015	#52
Exactly.	bravenak	Jan 2015	#53
You're carrying water for an open racist who stalked and murdered a young man	Scootaloo	Jan 2015	#140
At least unlike you I don't pretend to know things that I don't know.	Vattel	Jan 2015	#212
Post removed	Post removed	Jan 2015	#241
Post removed	Post removed	Jan 2015	#246
So should you	Kalidurga	Jan 2015	#201
I do acknowledge that.	Vattel	Jan 2015	#211
You should be ashamed---murder one was clearly called for, and should have been charged.	msanthrope	Jan 2015	#223
You should be ashamed	Feral Child	Jan 2015	#303
You weren't there. Yet	840high	Jan 2015	#124
Thank you for your support.	bravenak	Jan 2015	#125
The only thing I am sure of is that I don't know whether Martin attacked Zimmerman.	Vattel	Jan 2015	#210
No argument from me.	840high	Jan 2015	#224
I try to look at each of this awful cases without judgment	cwydro	Jan 2015	#240
He is still pretending to be a cop.	bravenak	Jan 2015	#245
Back in 2001	cwydro	Jan 2015	#250
Wow! That must have been hard to deal with.	bravenak	Jan 2015	#251
I wish I could do it agan.	cwydro	Jan 2015	#254
If it ever happens again, you probably will report.	bravenak	Jan 2015	#259
Do you realize ...	dawg	Jan 2015	#262
That's sweet.	cwydro	Jan 2015	#265
Trayvon Martin had the right to self defense	Bjorn Against	Jan 2015	#16
Apparently you know nothing about the self-defense justification in the law.	Vattel	Jan 2015	#17
So what evidence do you have to prove Trayvon guilty beyond a reasonable doubt?	Bjorn Against	Jan 2015	#26
Trayvon wasn't on trial. Zimmerman was. There was	Flatulo	Jan 2015	#71
And the fact that a person can take away another's right to a fair trial is a grave injustice	Bjorn Against	Jan 2015	#74
THIS!!	tosh	Jan 2015	#91
With all due respect, you have no understanding of the concept of self-defense,	branford	Jan 2015	#156
The system is racist and always has been.	bravenak	Jan 2015	#157
The system as designed is not racist.	branford	Jan 2015	#167
The system is racist and was designed as such.	bravenak	Jan 2015	#169
Smug.	Feral Child	Jan 2015	#186
No, you are the one that doesn't understand the law	Bjorn Against	Jan 2015	#161
How can an explanation make someone a racist?	Rye Bread Pizza	Jan 2015	#163
The system works for whites.	bravenak	Jan 2015	#171
So explaining how the system works is racist? n/t	Rye Bread Pizza	Jan 2015	#175
Ignoring the racism inherent in the system is racist.	bravenak	Jan 2015	#176
And blaming the messenger for the message is silly. n/t	Rye Bread Pizza	Jan 2015	#178
I blame the messenger for an asinine message.	bravenak	Jan 2015	#179
You are still confusing understanding with approval.	Rye Bread Pizza	Jan 2015	#182
He does approve of the system.	bravenak	Jan 2015	#183
Well said! n/t	Spazito	Jan 2015	#222
You do realize, that based upon your understanding of the law,	Live and Learn	Jan 2015	#298
Is it self defense to stalk someone, as the armed Zimmerman did Trayvon?	Hekate	Jan 2015	#73
How about stalked? What Zimmerman was doing was very close to stalking. Follows him in a car	jwirr	Jan 2015	#96
There is no crime of "very close to stalking,"	branford	Jan 2015	#147
It WAS unsurprising.	bravenak	Jan 2015	#148
Absolutely Bravenak	Bjorn Against	Jan 2015	#154
Exactly.	bravenak	Jan 2015	#155
We are a nation of laws.	branford	Jan 2015	#162
Black people live under a racist system.	bravenak	Jan 2015	#164
"You don't have to live black."	JustAnotherGen	Jan 2015	#220
Arrogant as hell!	bravenak	Jan 2015	#236
We are a nation of racist laws	Bjorn Against	Jan 2015	#170
A nation of laws that favor one race. We do not advocate for equal justice. I think it was JFK who	jwirr	Jan 2015	#230
They gloat	Feral Child	Jan 2015	#188
They sure do love to gloat about it.	bravenak	Jan 2015	#189
Of course.	Feral Child	Jan 2015	#216
I recognize the truth in you last paragraph but states like Fla make laws that can be interpreted	jwirr	Jan 2015	#226
The whole incident started when Trayvon Martin was walking home from the 7-11	gollygee	Jan 2015	#19
Absolutely. All we need to do is take a look at the trivial actions that are seen as having a death	jwirr	Jan 2015	#234
Care to comment on Eric Garner or Michael Brown.....................................................	sheshe2	Jan 2015	#27
The killers of Garner should have been indicted. The level of violence was absurd.	Vattel	Jan 2015	#40
The racist system of laws that we all lived under have determined their deaths to be justifiable...	MrScorpio	Jan 2015	#257
You wanna know who was lying?	brush	Jan 2015	#104
Zimmerman got OUT OF HIS CAR	cwydro	Jan 2015	#276
Vattel to earth!	sheshe2	Jan 2015	#294
If Trayvon Martin had been white, GZ would be on death row in FL right now.	notadmblnd	Jan 2015	#227
Yes, he sure would!	bravenak	Jan 2015	#231
I will say it straight out, Zimmerman defenders are a bunch of racist shitstains	Bjorn Against	Jan 2015	#8
Your little emotional outburst is not the same as offering evidence.	Vattel	Jan 2015	#14
Well you have offered no evidence to prove Trayvon guilty	Bjorn Against	Jan 2015	#20
I don't know whether Martin attacked Zimmerman. The evidence is inconclusive.	Vattel	Jan 2015	#25
So does inconclusive evidence warrant the death penalty?	Bjorn Against	Jan 2015	#31
Now you are just not making any sense. I am done with this conversation.	Vattel	Jan 2015	#33
Is it really that complicated of a question?	Bjorn Against	Jan 2015	#38
That's the problem with making it legal for people like Zimmerman to carry guns,	Nye Bevan	Jan 2015	#60
The problem is people think a gunner's right to kill outweighs every last one of the victim's rights	Bjorn Against	Jan 2015	#63
"only a racist would believe it is acceptable to shoot down unarmed black people"	Nye Bevan	Jan 2015	#64
I wish.	Feral Child	Jan 2015	#190
And you have offered no evidence that Trayvon's death or the trial outcome involved race. nt	MadDAsHell	Jan 2015	#81
Bullshit, there is centuries of racism that provide plenty of evidence	Bjorn Against	Jan 2015	#85
Dear CrazyAsHell	Feral Child	Jan 2015	#191
Best post of the day!	bravenak	Jan 2015	#195
Thanks, bravenak.	Feral Child	Jan 2015	#207
Yep. Most of them are.	bravenak	Jan 2015	#235
Great post and so true!!!!	rbrnmw	Jan 2015	#208
Thanks, rbrnmw!	Feral Child	Jan 2015	#214
lol	rbrnmw	Jan 2015	#215
+1 an entire shit load.	Enthusiast	Jan 2015	#279
Do you think Zimmerman would've followed a white kid?	Union Scribe	Jan 2015	#209
"It was about race"	MadDAsHell	Jan 2015	#218
"there are a lot of good people in this world" WTF?	Union Scribe	Jan 2015	#221
If Trayvon was white, he would still be alive.	Enthusiast	Jan 2015	#278
very true	rbrnmw	Jan 2015	#300
did you miss the jurors obvious racism? So much for the "system	bettyellen	Jan 2015	#29
When a seemingly credible witness stated that Trayvon Martin was on top of Zimmerman,	Nye Bevan	Jan 2015	#36
It takes a racist mindset to ignore the fact that an innocent teen	bettyellen	Jan 2015	#39
I think we all, including the jurors, realize that Zimmerman's behavior was despicable.	Nye Bevan	Jan 2015	#41
Nope, some jurors thought GZ had his heart in the right place when he profiled TM for being a	bettyellen	Jan 2015	#44
Again, I am not defending Zimmerman's behavior.	Nye Bevan	Jan 2015	#49
You refuse to acknowledge the racism in both the trial and the jury room....	bettyellen	Jan 2015	#70
OK, if after all that you still believe I am "making excuses for systematic racism",	Nye Bevan	Jan 2015	#79
White silence to the facts, bettyellen.	sheshe2	Jan 2015	#83
Sorry but no	rbrnmw	Jan 2015	#301
Zimmerman was guilty of murder.	Enthusiast	Jan 2015	#280
Do you think the witness Jonathan Good was lying?	Nye Bevan	Jan 2015	#282
Yes. Jonathan Good was clearly a liar and a racist.	Enthusiast	Jan 2015	#286
What evidence is there that Jonathan Good is a racist	Nye Bevan	Jan 2015	#290
I'm not on trail. I go by my impressions.	Enthusiast	Jan 2015	#297
I would have seen it differenrly	gwheezie	Jan 2015	#58
Question? You as a white man I presume?	sheshe2	Jan 2015	#78
I would run away as fast as I could, zig-zagging to make me a harder target to hit (nt)	Nye Bevan	Jan 2015	#82
And if you never had that chance to run?	sheshe2	Jan 2015	#84
If for some reason I couldn't run, I would probably put my hands up and beg for mercy. (nt)	Nye Bevan	Jan 2015	#88
Well as a white person that probably would work out well for you.	sheshe2	Jan 2015	#98
I was actually already aware that there are racist cops out there,	Nye Bevan	Jan 2015	#130
Thank you nye for saying that. I truly thank you.	sheshe2	Jan 2015	#136
They relish the fact that the jurors were racist.	Feral Child	Jan 2015	#192
neither is yours	Kalidurga	Jan 2015	#202
Post removed	Post removed	Jan 2015	#238
I agree 100%	brush	Jan 2015	#118
I don't want to click on that link, but I know you are correct	Bjorn Against	Jan 2015	#121
EXACTLY! nt	brush	Jan 2015	#127
+1! I agree with you that Zimmerman defenders are a bunch of racist shitstains.	Enthusiast	Jan 2015	#275
I don't like your name-calling,	cwydro	Jan 2015	#277
This is not just about Zimmerman.	sheshe2	Jan 2015	#11
How in hell can you say DU is silent?	cwydro	Jan 2015	#274
Of course there are threads, cwydro.	sheshe2	Jan 2015	#281
Sorry if I missed your point.	cwydro	Jan 2015	#283
Are you actually saying that the zimmerman verdict was correct?	brush	Jan 2015	#89
It is possible to hold the view that Zimmerman is a despicable racist,	Nye Bevan	Jan 2015	#95
There is a big difference between this case and the OJ case	Bjorn Against	Jan 2015	#101
Zimmerman did not testify in his trial.	Nye Bevan	Jan 2015	#107
I am not saying he did testify, but his defense was still based on "he had it coming"	Bjorn Against	Jan 2015	#114
Is it also possible to believe	Feral Child	Jan 2015	#193
The prosecutor was forced to try an unwinnable case.	Nye Bevan	Jan 2015	#233
Just my opinion,	Feral Child	Jan 2015	#268
Spot on, but don't expect that to go down well here. N.T.	Donald Ian Rankin	Jan 2015	#217
Changing the subject, I see.	riqster	Jan 2015	#229
Very good job, sheshe	Hutzpa	Jan 2015	#4
5 things...	handmade34	Jan 2015	#5
How does one do #4?	oberliner	Jan 2015	#13
Stop pretending racism is not racism.	bravenak	Jan 2015	#23
Education.	Behind the Aegis	Jan 2015	#184
"You boys stop talking while I am teaching"	oberliner	Jan 2015	#213
Calling black men boy stems from slavery and Jim Crow.	bravenak	Jan 2015	#239
What if the teacher also calls the white students boys?	oberliner	Jan 2015	#242
Doesn't matter.	bravenak	Jan 2015	#243
Fascinating	oberliner	Jan 2015	#244
No problem.	bravenak	Jan 2015	#247
This.	sheshe2	Jan 2015	#314
Post removed	Post removed	Jan 2015	#7
Like you cared before.	bravenak	Jan 2015	#9
Jury results	oneshooter	Jan 2015	#90
Thank you.	bravenak	Jan 2015	#94
Oh, she. Don't you know that racism will go away the SECOND that people just stop talking about it?	Number23	Jan 2015	#12
When there are no more poor white people.	gollygee	Jan 2015	#30
Yes! Get with the program, damnit!	Number23	Jan 2015	#37
I see it now! Trickle down social justice! There it is!	freshwest	Jan 2015	#166
Trickle down justice!! That is a BEYOND perfect summation of too many here	Number23	Jan 2015	#180
I was going to respond, but then I remembered	PowerToThePeople	Jan 2015	#204
"the race card" ??	gollygee	Jan 2015	#205
gollygee	PowerToThePeople	Jan 2015	#206
You know what I see here 23?	sheshe2	Jan 2015	#56
If "DU is not reality," why do you invest so much time at this site?	SMC22307	Jan 2015	#141
You only seem to show up to mock.	bravenak	Jan 2015	#144
Times like this~	sheshe2	Jan 2015	#145
As President of the Sheshe2 Fan Club, I have to say that your question is out of line.	Major Hogwash	Jan 2015	#149
Thank you Mr President!	sheshe2	Jan 2015	#160
It's mindblowing to me how they find their way here.	Major Hogwash	Jan 2015	#165
Such behavior is not the best way to make friends.	freshwest	Jan 2015	#172
I agree, it's not the best way to make friends. So, I don't see the reasoning behind it.	Major Hogwash	Jan 2015	#181
A 6th sense draws them.	sheshe2	Jan 2015	#174
It may not be our business, but it is to our benefit.	riqster	Jan 2015	#232
Thank you rigster.	sheshe2	Jan 2015	#284
"White voices dominate Bay Area protests of racial inequality"	Nye Bevan	Jan 2015	#18
"don't dominate" doesn't mean "remain silent"	gollygee	Jan 2015	#24
Sometimes it seems like a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation.	Nye Bevan	Jan 2015	#32
I don't see why it's so complicated	gollygee	Jan 2015	#34
Why is it "taking over"? How often do whites outnumber blacks at a klan march? Always.	7962	Jan 2015	#59
It can be accomplished	ChazII	Jan 2015	#86
I think turning out in force is good as long as it's for the right reasons.	bravenak	Jan 2015	#35
Wonder if any of the deniers	JustAnotherGen	Jan 2015	#55
I want to be like you.	bravenak	Jan 2015	#66
+1. That's my take as well,	KMOD	Jan 2015	#103
It really shouldn't be that hard to understand.	bravenak	Jan 2015	#116
Agreed!	KMOD	Jan 2015	#120
That is exactly what it is	AgingAmerican	Jan 2015	#46
Do you actually speak out on the issue?	KMOD	Jan 2015	#129
Sorry to disappoint	AgingAmerican	Jan 2015	#142
I'm simply asking for your thoughts on the Eric Garner video	KMOD	Jan 2015	#151
The person you mention	AgingAmerican	Jan 2015	#143
The person I mention seems very reasonable to me,	KMOD	Jan 2015	#152
Bullshit!	sheshe2	Jan 2015	#173
Why do you confuse domination with participation? Seems like a very easy thing to understand.	bettyellen	Jan 2015	#48
The issue is that by their very nature, protests of this sort are hard to micro-manage,	Nye Bevan	Jan 2015	#50
Attending and supporting is one thing.	bravenak	Jan 2015	#51
Do you honestly think people are trying to micro-manage how many of each race attend a protest?	Bjorn Against	Jan 2015	#54
"They want everyone who will support them regardless of their skin color".	Nye Bevan	Jan 2015	#61
The ones I have been to have been majority white	Bjorn Against	Jan 2015	#67
Nope. No one said anything about the numbers supporting- just the urge to speak for POC as	bettyellen	Jan 2015	#68
For too many white people, to "support" is to dominate	YoungDemCA	Jan 2015	#109
If you "listen and do not talk", you are silent. And "silence makes white people racist",	Nye Bevan	Jan 2015	#122
Who said the only options are to lead or stay silent?	bettyellen	Jan 2015	#187
The trick is to listen before you talk and	Jamastiene	Jan 2015	#272
Bravo! Well said, thank you Jamastiene.	sheshe2	Jan 2015	#285
the odd thing is there are more white people	treestar	Jan 2015	#258
There are groups that are largely white that put themselves in front	Starry Messenger	Jan 2015	#203
K&R	Tsiyu	Jan 2015	#21
Kick!	sheshe2	Jan 2015	#57
K&R	DeSwiss	Jan 2015	#62
Trayvon Martin was targeted and pursued by predator Zimmerman. He was an innocent child & the loss	appalachiablue	Jan 2015	#65
End white silence. White silence is why racism continues..	mountain grammy	Jan 2015	#69
Great post	gwheezie	Jan 2015	#110
Very well said.	YoungDemCA	Jan 2015	#111
Thanks, grammy.	Number23	Jan 2015	#123
KnR for the necessity of speaking out	Hekate	Jan 2015	#72
Why criticize people who don't agree with your assumptions?	JEFF9K	Jan 2015	#75
Are you here to discuss the issue or to discuss SheShe?	bravenak	Jan 2015	#76
So should people stay silent and not speak out when they feel wronged?	Bjorn Against	Jan 2015	#80
Extremely questionable reasoning, logic, and assumptions ...	JEFF9K	Jan 2015	#97
Which is why it is essential that we criticize the racists who lack reasoning and logic.	Bjorn Against	Jan 2015	#102
Excuse me?	sheshe2	Jan 2015	#92
You are kind of assuming that you are smarter than everyone else ...	JEFF9K	Jan 2015	#99
I think you are projecting.	Bjorn Against	Jan 2015	#105
Me too.	bravenak	Jan 2015	#106
That makes ZERO sense.	JEFF9K	Jan 2015	#113
I did not expect you would be able to understand, I think others can see it however.	Bjorn Against	Jan 2015	#116
Because you're not listening.	Feral Child	Jan 2015	#305
Yikes! Great come back~	sheshe2	Jan 2015	#128
Yes, it does.	ismnotwasm	Jan 2015	#77
so glad i left the lily white burbs. i couldnt stand the small minds.	mopinko	Jan 2015	#87
This!	sheshe2	Jan 2015	#100
no prob she.	mopinko	Jan 2015	#108
mo~	sheshe2	Jan 2015	#131
Thank goodness cool heads prevail here sometimes...(Jury results)	ScreamingMeemie	Jan 2015	#146
I wonder if the wrong headed	JustAnotherGen	Jan 2015	#249
oy vey.	mopinko	Jan 2015	#306
Here's what bothers me about this....	Adrahil	Jan 2015	#302
srsly? that has never happened to me.	mopinko	Jan 2015	#307
Yup. But like I said...	Adrahil	Jan 2015	#310
I have hope because of the new leaders rising from these protests	gwheezie	Jan 2015	#93
Apparently a damned if you do and damned if you dont situation	davidn3600	Jan 2015	#112
Silence doesn't make people racist,	elleng	Jan 2015	#115
Unfortunately, a lot of the work of the 60s/70s racial and social justice movements has been undone	YoungDemCA	Jan 2015	#133
Yes.	elleng	Jan 2015	#138
thanks for this thread sheshe2	rbrnmw	Jan 2015	#119
Yet we knew they would rdrnmw.	sheshe2	Jan 2015	#287
yes they always do	rbrnmw	Jan 2015	#299
STAND YOUR GROUND IS NOTHING MORE THAN LEGALIZED LYNCHING	juxtaposed	Jan 2015	#126
"Stand your ground" was not invoked in the Zimmerman case (nt)	Nye Bevan	Jan 2015	#132
NO SHIT DO U FEEL IT SHOULD HAVE	juxtaposed	Jan 2015	#134
It was invoked in the jury instructions	Bjorn Against	Jan 2015	#135
....	YoungDemCA	Jan 2015	#137
Post removed	Post removed	Jan 2015	#139
Thanks for the article.	F4lconF16	Jan 2015	#150
Please Be Careful...	WillyT	Jan 2015	#153
Why do I need to be carefulk WillyT?	sheshe2	Jan 2015	#313
How is your OP, in and of itself, not racist?	flvegan	Jan 2015	#158
Well saifd and very important.	Kath1	Jan 2015	#159
Thanks so very much for this OP.	chervilant	Jan 2015	#168
Damn Skippy! nt	MrScorpio	Jan 2015	#177
...	sheshe2	Jan 2015	#288
to be silent in the face of injustice is to be an accomplice (think Nazi Germany)	napkinz	Jan 2015	#185
Mahalo for these vital truths from xojane, she.. exactly what Martin Luther King was saying all	Cha	Jan 2015	#194
Bigotry disguises itself in SO many ways, some get an easier pass.	Behind the Aegis	Jan 2015	#196
Thanks, BtA.. I had just changed it when I reread it before.. clicking on your post.	Cha	Jan 2015	#197
It happens! LOL!	Behind the Aegis	Jan 2015	#198
Yes, Indeed!	Cha	Jan 2015	#199
One might think it would not be controversial on DU, Cha.	sheshe2	Jan 2015	#289
While the liberal organizations and unfortunately	mmonk	Jan 2015	#200
Arriving late to the conversation.. a thought to those posters feeling darned if they do or don't...	salin	Jan 2015	#219
Awesome post.	bravenak	Jan 2015	#260
thanks...	salin	Jan 2015	#271
Excellent OP!	Spazito	Jan 2015	#225
K&R and bookmarking to return later. n/t	OneGrassRoot	Jan 2015	#228
I agree with this in part, but have a question	whatchamacallit	Jan 2015	#237
What part of the OP do you agree with?	Spazito	Jan 2015	#248
I agree that silence in the face of any social injustice could be regarded as tacit complicity	whatchamacallit	Jan 2015	#252
In order to equate those killed in war to what the topic of the OP is...	Spazito	Jan 2015	#255
The OP makes the claim that white silence to injustice suffered by people of color is de facto racism	whatchamacallit	Jan 2015	#256
I disagree, it is not germane at all...	Spazito	Jan 2015	#261
How is the OP's singling out	whatchamacallit	Jan 2015	#263
Well, it might be best, then, to start your own OP on your issue...	Spazito	Jan 2015	#264
Maybe I should	whatchamacallit	Jan 2015	#266
A good start would have been to stick to the issue addressed by the OP instead...	Spazito	Jan 2015	#267
+100 n/t	JustAnotherGen	Jan 2015	#270
Please answer this Op.	sheshe2	Jan 2015	#291
Answer it?	whatchamacallit	Jan 2015	#292
So your silence is your answer?	sheshe2	Jan 2015	#293
I'm not silent about this	whatchamacallit	Jan 2015	#295
Seriously?	JustAnotherGen	Jan 2015	#253
So much worthy of fleshing out here...	OneGrassRoot	Jan 2015	#269
Thought provoking	gwheezie	Jan 2015	#273
Take note which two groups (not just white, BTW) DID respond.	Behind the Aegis	Jan 2015	#296
thank you bta for the full script from adl.	sheshe2	Jan 2015	#308
Please see my Post #303	Feral Child	Jan 2015	#304
I read that!	sheshe2	Jan 2015	#309
WOW!	Feral Child	Jan 2015	#312
Bookmarked for later.	Petrushka	Jan 2015	#311

Response to sheshe2 (Original post)

Sat Jan 3, 2015, 09:22 PM

dumbcat (2,074 posts)

1. I really don't know what to say

to that. Or if I did, would I be allowed to say it? :: confused ::

Silence Makes White People Racist

1. I really don't know what to say

2. Some people just can't recognize that it needn't be racist to judge that

3. It is racism.

6. It is racism

10. Bottom line: You don't know whether Martin attacked Zimmerman.

15. Bottom line.

22. You should be ashamed for your lack of critical thinking.

28. I own critical thinking. That's why i'm nice and friendly.

42. Yes, unfairly accusing me of disgusting behavior that I should be ashamed of is nice and friendly.

43. I accused you of nothing.

45. You said, "It is racism that you are defending. And it is disgusting and you should be ashamed."

47. It is racism you are defending.

52. Lol, okay. So what I was making up, according to you,

53. Exactly.

140. You're carrying water for an open racist who stalked and murdered a young man

212. At least unlike you I don't pretend to know things that I don't know.

201. So should you

211. I do acknowledge that.

223. You should be ashamed---murder one was clearly called for, and should have been charged.

303. *You* should be ashamed

124. You weren't there. Yet

125. Thank you for your support.

210. The only thing I am sure of is that I don't know whether Martin attacked Zimmerman.

224. No argument from me.

240. I try to look at each of this awful cases without judgment

245. He is still pretending to be a cop.

250. Back in 2001

251. Wow! That must have been hard to deal with.

254. I wish I could do it agan.

259. If it ever happens again, you probably will report.

262. Do you realize ...

265. That's sweet.

16. Trayvon Martin had the right to self defense

17. Apparently you know nothing about the self-defense justification in the law.

26. So what evidence do you have to prove Trayvon guilty beyond a reasonable doubt?

71. Trayvon wasn't on trial. Zimmerman was. There was

74. And the fact that a person can take away another's right to a fair trial is a grave injustice

91. THIS!!

156. With all due respect, you have no understanding of the concept of self-defense,

157. The system is racist and always has been.

167. The system as designed is not racist.

169. The system is racist and was designed as such.

186. Smug.

161. No, you are the one that doesn't understand the law

163. How can an explanation make someone a racist?

171. The system works for whites.

175. So explaining how the system works is racist? n/t

176. Ignoring the racism inherent in the system is racist.

178. And blaming the messenger for the message is silly. n/t

179. I blame the messenger for an asinine message.

182. You are still confusing understanding with approval.

183. He does approve of the system.

222. Well said! n/t

298. You do realize, that based upon your understanding of the law,

73. Is it self defense to stalk someone, as the armed Zimmerman did Trayvon?

96. How about stalked? What Zimmerman was doing was very close to stalking. Follows him in a car

147. There is no crime of "very close to stalking,"

148. It WAS unsurprising.

154. Absolutely Bravenak

155. Exactly.

162. We are a nation of laws.

164. Black people live under a racist system.

220. "You don't have to live black."

236. Arrogant as hell!

170. We are a nation of racist laws

230. A nation of laws that favor one race. We do not advocate for equal justice. I think it was JFK who

188. They gloat

189. They sure do love to gloat about it.

216. Of course.

226. I recognize the truth in you last paragraph but states like Fla make laws that can be interpreted

19. The whole incident started when Trayvon Martin was walking home from the 7-11

234. Absolutely. All we need to do is take a look at the trivial actions that are seen as having a death

27. Care to comment on Eric Garner or Michael Brown.....................................................

40. The killers of Garner should have been indicted. The level of violence was absurd.

257. The racist system of laws that we all lived under have determined their deaths to be justifiable...

104. You wanna know who was lying?

276. Zimmerman got OUT OF HIS CAR

294. Vattel to earth!

227. If Trayvon Martin had been white, GZ would be on death row in FL right now.

303. You should be ashamed

192. They relish the fact that the jurors were racist.