General Discussion

Syrinx

(14,804 posts)

1. I think Zimmerman should be locked up

Wed Apr 11, 2012, 05:52 AM

Apr 2012

But this writer lost me at "Dear White folks."

"White America can walk to the store without fear of being hunted down"

Depends on the neighborhood. I made the mistake of walking in a majority black neighborhood, and I considered myself lucky to escape. I was assaulted because I was white. I wasn't shot and killed, but I was pistol-whipped and threatened with being shot. And I was robbed.

Stereotypes. Are "Sydney" and "Bobby" any less offensive than Ashante or Kareem?

Aren't there a whole lot more black people killed by other black people, than by white people in the US?

Race isn't the main, underlying issue. The pervasiveness of guns, and our exceedingly violent popular culture is much more to blame.

I'm on Trayvon Martin's side. I think George Zimmerman should pay the price for his actions. But the author surrendered his credibility when he began with "Dear white folks."

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Dear White Folks - great piece in Ebony [View all] malaise Apr 2012 OP

I think Zimmerman should be locked up Syrinx Apr 2012 #1

I think you miss the point zentrum Apr 2012 #27

Very well said, and underscored by me. nt Mira Apr 2012 #29

Well said and applies to too many of the responses to this article independentpiney Apr 2012 #35

Well said!!! One has to be in the other persons shoes to really understand their RKP5637 Apr 2012 #44

+1 uponit7771 Apr 2012 #79

YES marshall gaines Apr 2012 #94

excellent response, zentrum Carolina Apr 2012 #99

I wish I could mark this as a favorite. Jazzgirl Apr 2012 #112

Excellent post malaise Apr 2012 #172

Sad but very true, unfortunately. AverageJoe90 Apr 2012 #195

Post removed Post removed Apr 2012 #41

Exactly. zentrum Apr 2012 #51

I don't want to trivialize what happened to you Marrah_G Apr 2012 #60

"I made the mistake of walking in a majority black neighborhood..." ieoeja Apr 2012 #78

This is an excellent response! nt independentpiney Apr 2012 #82

"...I made the mistake of walking in a majority black neighborhood, .." Why was this a "mistake"? uponit7771 Apr 2012 #80

Bravo! I doubt it even happened and that the poster who coalition_unwilling Apr 2012 #163

Good question Dorian Gray Apr 2012 #200

A lot more black people killed by blacks brush Apr 2012 #91

A lot more black people killed by blacks brush Apr 2012 #92

because they want to divert away from what happened here olderlib Apr 2012 #185

It's not the pervasiveness of guns, either. Atypical Liberal Apr 2012 #104

that "black on black" mess is just a red herring SemperEadem Apr 2012 #111

Some bad abuse of math in that article... Ka hrnt Apr 2012 #127

ya,... sure... if you say so SemperEadem Apr 2012 #155

Thanks for the article. Interesting stuff, indeed. AverageJoe90 Apr 2012 #197

And no one EVER gets robbed in white neighborhoods, right? Erose999 Apr 2012 #170

ugh. the author loses me by lumping ALL white people together cali Apr 2012 #2

+1 Daniel537 Apr 2012 #4

Thank you sarge43 Apr 2012 #8

thank you for putting that so well. cali Apr 2012 #13

true. As soon as you say. "you CAN'T understand" BlancheSplanchnik Apr 2012 #117

+1000 +++ n/t RKP5637 Apr 2012 #46

Well said! nt Raine Apr 2012 #109

Well said. Ka hrnt Apr 2012 #128

I can understand perfectly what he is saying..... secondwind Apr 2012 #20

It's also pintobean Apr 2012 #43

Don't be over-sensitive. You should pay closer attention to what he actually said. kwassa Apr 2012 #174

Ebomy..... Or Ebony? Nt xchrom Apr 2012 #3

Typo malaise Apr 2012 #5

The white privileged class is NOT necessarily ALL white people. fasttense Apr 2012 #6

Good points that need repeating (perhaps in an OP?). Thanks -n/t coalition_unwilling Apr 2012 #166

All whites have privilege, regardless of income. kwassa Apr 2012 #171

The Expression "We are All Trayvon Martin" On the Road Apr 2012 #7

That's how I take this article too. obxhead Apr 2012 #30

Yes makes it kind of hard to know what to do Raine Apr 2012 #108

Thank you for this. I'm going to pass it around. nt Sarah Ibarruri Apr 2012 #9

"It is time to stop denying racism and defending White privilege, distracting and deflecting with retread Apr 2012 #10

oh bullshit. Not agreeing with this ill thought out screed does not cali Apr 2012 #15

So you don't deny that you benefit from being white ? independentpiney Apr 2012 #76

"The lady doth protest too much, methinks" retread Apr 2012 #159

I have imagined all that and more lunatica Apr 2012 #11

good post. well made point. cali Apr 2012 #17

None of that compares to the horror of being Clarence Thomas. Nye Bevan Apr 2012 #33

Department of Critical Culture, Gender and Race Studies at Washington State University. stonecutter357 Apr 2012 #12

I would say in his defense treestar Apr 2012 #47

I was robbed and pistol whipped... meaculpa2011 Apr 2012 #14

I'm so sorry. AverageJoe90 Apr 2012 #196

I don't think he backed off. meaculpa2011 Apr 2012 #202

Thanks for sharing this wellstone dem Apr 2012 #16

Great post. secondwind Apr 2012 #23

The author seems to just want to shame white people because they won't be profiled Daniel537 Apr 2012 #18

Believe me a lot of white people are very ignorant about how bad it is. mucifer Apr 2012 #19

There's plenty of people ignorant about many things in the world Daniel537 Apr 2012 #26

I am a white woman and I did not get the same feeling from the article. mucifer Apr 2012 #28

I woke up only recently myself. nt AverageJoe90 Apr 2012 #198

Acknowledging a problem, an inequity is the first step in long term change. Marrah_G Apr 2012 #39

Sorry but ETHNIC white people are always suspicious of the power structure. slampoet Apr 2012 #21

I cannot believe the responses to this post! When did we secondwind Apr 2012 #22

David Leonard is white n/t malaise Apr 2012 #25

oh for pity's sake. It's just flat wrong to lump any group of people into one stereotype. cali Apr 2012 #31

Why do you feel ashamed of us? lunatica Apr 2012 #32

Actually the article seems to be about what white people cannot feel ... GOTV Apr 2012 #85

Dear David Leonard mactime Apr 2012 #24

Bringing up that 2007 murder is a kneejerk racist reaction independentpiney Apr 2012 #50

Just pointing out the lopsidedness mactime Apr 2012 #54

I think you made his point instead independentpiney Apr 2012 #55

I did not know the point was to list examples of white victimhood mactime Apr 2012 #58

So you dredged up a 5 yr old example of 'white victimhood' independentpiney Apr 2012 #63

Wow did not expect this kind of vitriol mactime Apr 2012 #75

Poor you, you can stop backpedaling independentpiney Apr 2012 #77

I am having some trouble with my memory hfojvt Apr 2012 #34

Playing the "race denial" card on DU Generic Other Apr 2012 #36

Time to pay the piper FrodosPet Apr 2012 #52

Martin luther king would be proud. Muskypundit Apr 2012 #100

Which posts in this thread make either of the first two claims you alledge? GOTV Apr 2012 #86

since mine is post #36, the posts I refer to must have been earlier Generic Other Apr 2012 #90

Yes, if they existed they would have been posted earlier, but since you listed no examples ... GOTV Apr 2012 #105

uh huh Generic Other Apr 2012 #113

Simple to list one. Can't do it? GOTV Apr 2012 #160

I am not interested in being badgered by race baiters Generic Other Apr 2012 #161

Backtracking apology accepted GOTV Apr 2012 #165

The Great White Hope Generic Other Apr 2012 #167

Nice post malaise Apr 2012 #153

Thanks Malaise for posting the thread Generic Other Apr 2012 #162

As a parent, the part of the Trayvon story that hurts and angers me most Greybnk48 Apr 2012 #37

And they had his cell phone malaise Apr 2012 #56

This "I am not Trayvon Martin" meme is just a way for certain white people to pose as "enlightened" aikoaiko Apr 2012 #38

unfortunately the people that need to read this Enrique Apr 2012 #40

But at least some of them will read it here independentpiney Apr 2012 #70

It's Still Easier To Be White Than A Person Of Color In This Country DemocratSinceBirth Apr 2012 #42

Reperations NOW! FrodosPet Apr 2012 #45

Dear Black Folks Aerows Apr 2012 #48

That's my dream malaise Apr 2012 #106

Not very well put, but I agree with parts FightForChange Apr 2012 #49

What a shame... 99Forever Apr 2012 #53

The Argument Is It's Invisible DemocratSinceBirth Apr 2012 #57

you probably cash some in everyday without realising it nt independentpiney Apr 2012 #59

+1000 nt abelenkpe Apr 2012 #98

You misunderstand what the term means Marrah_G Apr 2012 #61

well said, and helpful, Marrah_G. thank you. nt nofurylike Apr 2012 #140

If you have never been arrested for being White, then you are already cashing in your privilege. ieoeja Apr 2012 #62

Well said malaise Apr 2012 #71

Did I defend .. 99Forever Apr 2012 #83

If you actually think that Blacks wouldn't be treated even worse under the same circumstances, then ieoeja Apr 2012 #88

If you want to... 99Forever Apr 2012 #89

Where to cash in? lumberjack_jeff Apr 2012 #67

Okay, I agree. Now what? lumberjack_jeff Apr 2012 #64

I think it's funny that the author references "The Brady Bunch" and gets CINDY wrong. Really. nt LaydeeBug Apr 2012 #65

LOL. The Brady Bunch references jumped out at me too. RZM Apr 2012 #66

Thisis a good and valuable article. Anyone who thinks it is possible to live in another's skin annabanana Apr 2012 #68

uh no. you can be empathetic. BIG Difference. cali Apr 2012 #102

this cannot be clearer Baitball Blogger Apr 2012 #69

Some valid points poorly done. JNelson6563 Apr 2012 #72

Its a crying ass shame madokie Apr 2012 #73

+1. nt bemildred Apr 2012 #74

k&r Starry Messenger Apr 2012 #81

the focus should be on zimmerman noiretextatique Apr 2012 #84

Honestly I can't imagine except in my nightmares. Uncle Joe Apr 2012 #87

When I was a young girl I remember reading a classic book called malaise Apr 2012 #116

I haven't read "Black Like Me" yet. Uncle Joe Apr 2012 #119

I just told a co-worker/friend about this book. Uncle Joe Apr 2012 #177

He had to leave the South malaise Apr 2012 #187

EXCELLENT marshall gaines Apr 2012 #93

Once again as a white autistic aspieextrodinare Apr 2012 #95

say what? How could your come and kill you tomorrow and not be punished for it? cali Apr 2012 #103

It isn't illegal to kill an autistic like me aspieextrodinare Apr 2012 #132

the point is, if you were also black, you would be more threatened than you are. nofurylike Apr 2012 #143

I have several friends who are both black and on the spectrum aspieextrodinare Apr 2012 #173

as atrocious as that horror is, as indecent as those facts are, things are even more nofurylike Apr 2012 #178

what do you mean non-literal speech? maddezmom Apr 2012 #186

You misunderstand what privilege means Marrah_G Apr 2012 #154

you say it so succintly! i had just posted almost the same, but you put it so directly! nofurylike Apr 2012 #179

You're welcome Marrah_G Apr 2012 #180

So there would be a 96% chance of me never finding meaningful employment aspieextrodinare Apr 2012 #183

K&R DeSwiss Apr 2012 #96

This message was self-deleted by its author americaninohio Apr 2012 #97

oh goody. a live one. cali Apr 2012 #101

I'm half a white folk Tveil Apr 2012 #107

I'm half a white folk too Generic Other Apr 2012 #121

Well said malaise Apr 2012 #146

When you address any racial group as some universal group think mob, you sound racist. Kurska Apr 2012 #110

"it is never okay to lump together the thoughts feelings and experiences of an entire people" Generic Other Apr 2012 #122

This is racist. nt Liquorice Apr 2012 #114

I am not black but that doesn't mean I don't feel your outrage because I do. You should be able southernyankeebelle Apr 2012 #115

I think poor white people also get a rotten deal but they can disappear malaise Apr 2012 #118

so true. I hate racists. I just wasn't raised that way. Of course I come from a lower middle southernyankeebelle Apr 2012 #120

We weren't allowed to go to slumber parties but there were no issues about race malaise Apr 2012 #123

with all due respect Skittles Apr 2012 #124

Peter? Jan? Bobby? Are all white people the Brady Bunch? Crunchy Frog Apr 2012 #125

As a 59 year old WASP, I think I'm going to subscribe. ellie_belly Apr 2012 #126

This article is bull. How does this guy presume to walk in another's shoes... Honeycombe8 Apr 2012 #129

"White America is never suspicious." napoleon_in_rags Apr 2012 #130

But you answered your own question malaise Apr 2012 #145

It's harder for middle class black youth, but not true they have no chance.... Honeycombe8 Apr 2012 #190

Money just feels like the deepest issue to me. napoleon_in_rags Apr 2012 #191

You can get a pass whenever you want it. Black people don't have that option. kwassa Apr 2012 #192

There are white people in the ghetto, when you look at the bid idea of what it is. napoleon_in_rags Apr 2012 #194

I agree with you about the poverty kwassa Apr 2012 #204

Post removed Post removed Apr 2012 #131

We'll file this thread as Exhibit #3869 for why racism cannot be discussed on DU. Number23 Apr 2012 #133

I'll file your post under cali Apr 2012 #134

You do whatever you feel you need to do. Number23 Apr 2012 #138

* nofurylike Apr 2012 #136

This thread did nothing but prove StrongBlackMan's point, didn't it? Number23 Apr 2012 #139

yes. i am shaking my head, and all over, from reading it. nofurylike Apr 2012 #141

Trayvon's parents mimi85 Apr 2012 #135

It's so odd that these "new posters" have been violently attacked by Blacks... Walk away Apr 2012 #137

Amazing isn't it malaise Apr 2012 #144

you found words i was searching for, thank you so much, Walk away. nt nofurylike Apr 2012 #147

Ha-ha. Methinks you are on the cusp of a great coalition_unwilling Apr 2012 #164

thank you for posting that, malaise. it would, of course, receive fierce resistance, but nofurylike Apr 2012 #142

Cool malaise Apr 2012 #148

* nofurylike Apr 2012 #156

stupid will almost always get pushback from me. cali Apr 2012 #150

aren't you on a fierce roll, cali? why has this gotten to you so badly? nofurylike Apr 2012 #157

I can't understand, but I can empathize. I can care. Scuba Apr 2012 #149

If you are white and you can't see this point, then you are proving it. 6000eliot Apr 2012 #151

Exactly...Folks are blind HipChick Apr 2012 #152

(light coming on)YES!!!! excellent!! in such clear words, thank you so very much, 6000eliot!!! nofurylike Apr 2012 #158

His point is built on a straw man. aikoaiko Apr 2012 #169

His point is that you can't possibly have the same life experience as Trayvon kwassa Apr 2012 #176

exactly nt olderlib Apr 2012 #182

Another crappy article that misses its audience completely... MellowDem Apr 2012 #168

What does "We're all Martin" mean to you? kwassa Apr 2012 #175

it bugs me when whites say 'we're all Martin' olderlib Apr 2012 #184

Great article! olderlib Apr 2012 #181

I don't get it either malaise Apr 2012 #188

thanks! nt olderlib Apr 2012 #189

Fail. Too much 'white people' grouped together here. Zax2me Apr 2012 #193

If I understand this piece correctly, NashvilleLefty Apr 2012 #199

That simple malaise Apr 2012 #201

Wait, Zimmerman is white?! #mindblown. nt Snake Alchemist Apr 2012 #203