How are we doing? Post your criticism here.

[Janszoon]

then they should feel at home here then because there isn't even remote hostility towards blacks here and never has been unless we count your lack of respect for their ability to spot racism which is typical of northern liberals who seem to think black people need their protection under all circumstances like a mother that makes her children carry umbrellas on sunny days

I'm unclear why you're trying to make this personal.

[jadis]

I'm saying there's a certain amount of casual racism here and people do not push back against it. I was reluctant to even bring it up, because I knew dismissive sarcasm would likely be the response.

Or it may be that your perception of what amounts to "casual racism" is colored by your uncritical internalization of the latest HR manuals on "how to be a goody good anti-racist" with their implicit imperative to self-police at all times lest you cause social tension at the water cooler.

[Toy Revolver]

Or it may be that your perception of what amounts to "casual racism" is colored by your uncritical internalization of the latest HR manuals on "how to be a goody good anti-racist" with their implicit imperative to self-police at all times lest you cause social tension at the water cooler.

white liberals are worse than catholics with their unbending belief in the supremacy of their orthodoxy

it's really incredible

[jimmy jazz]

It would probably be helpful if examples of the alleged casual racism were posted, or if not then post them the next time you see them so the admin can be very clear on what crosses a line and what doesn't. I can't remember seeing any casual racism.

[jadis]

It would probably be helpful if examples of the alleged casual racism were posted, or if not then post them the next time you see them so the admin can be very clear on what crosses a line and what doesn't. I can't remember seeing any casual racism.

Or we can be more relaxed about the whole thing without drawing lines and compiling protocols and all that tedious stuff. We're here to have fun on the internet. 

[jimmy jazz]

Or we can be more relaxed about the whole thing without drawing lines and compiling protocols and all that tedious stuff. We're here to have fun on the internet. 

That's fine I just think this discussion is pointless if we don't know specifically what we're talking about.

[Lexi Darling]

white liberals are worse than catholics with their unbending belief in the supremacy of their orthodoxy

it's really incredible

"White liberals" are an awfully wide demographic to insinuate have an "orthodoxy" and "unbending beliefs". I'm not even sure what beliefs you are referring to, the belief that saying racist things is bad?

Or it may be that your perception of what amounts to "casual racism" is colored by your uncritical internalization of the latest HR manuals on "how to be a goody good anti-racist" with their implicit imperative to self-police at all times lest you cause social tension at the water cooler.

It's pretty insulting to insinuate that people's reasons for speaking out against racism are because they want to be "goody good".

[jadis]

That's fine I just think this discussion is pointless if we don't know specifically what we're talking about.

Once we begin to think in terms of what could possibly be construed as offensive to someone we'll always find some microaggression or a word with a
"problematic" connotation or whatever is the latest sensitivity buzzword coined by any of the thousands Robin Diangelos out there. The only way out is to not play this game and drive your inner HR supervisor the fuck away.

[Toy Revolver]

"White liberals" are an awfully wide demographic to insinuate have an "orthodoxy" and "unbending beliefs". I'm not even sure what beliefs you are referring to, the belief that saying racist things is bad?

it's actually a very narrow demographic intellectually and politically

it's the belief that they feel they can unequivocally define what actually is racist is the problem

even your statement there implies if they say it's racist then it's racist

most of them have never even lived as a minority overseas or even in a majority non-white neighborhood so getting their lectures on race gets really tiresome but it's their complete confidence that no alternative or exceptions ever apply to their rules is disturbing

like jadis says it's as if they're checking a manual

[Lexi Darling]

I understand what you're saying, but I don't know that many people who fall under the category of "white liberal" who feel that they define what is racist. Most of them I know tend to listen to minorities. I think you're making a lot of generalizations.

[Janszoon]

Or it may be that your perception of what amounts to "casual racism" is colored by your uncritical internalization of the latest HR manuals on "how to be a goody good anti-racist" with their implicit imperative to self-police at all times lest you cause social tension at the water cooler.

That's really bizarre accusation.

[Toy Revolver]

Robin Diangelos

she grew up in san jose which is under 5% black then she went to college in seattle now she's the expert



really wild that she thinks she has something to teach us

i mean unbelievable

that's exactly what i'm talking about - fuck her

[Toy Revolver]

I understand what you're saying, but I don't know that many people who fall under the category of "white liberal" who feel that they define what is racist. Most of them I know tend to listen to minorities. I think you're making a lot of generalizations.

the "listen to minorities" is a classic rule unless it's candace owens or ben carson or ye

they listen to minorities who follow the orthodoxy and bow their heads like the blacks are roman catholics living in the vatican and they're just little indonesians catholics

[Lexi Darling]

I just don't know how productive a discussion like this can be if you continue to make these generalizations. And I still don't know what you mean by the "orthodoxy", like the orthodoxy of trying one's best to be polite and considerate?

I'm trying to see your point of view here, but I think you're reading too much into what, for me, amounts to general consideration for others' feelings.

[jadis]

It's pretty insulting to insinuate that people's reasons for speaking out against racism are because they want to be "goody good".

It's a matter of power and knowledge: I'm better than your mayo ass, I'm more aware of my privilege, I know the buzzwords, you're the hick.

Power is an interesting thing though. It's not just about how you position yourself within a discourse to get one over others, but how a discourse positions you and shapes who you are. The anti-racist warriors on Twitter who spout a mixture of activist slogans and HR speak are obviously passionately sincere and completely identify with the role. That's who they are, that's the shape they've been molded into by the social pressures and word viruses they were exposed to. 

We're all shaped by social pressures and word viruses. Molded by the discourse. Once you realize it you can maybe opt out of some of the more banal ones.