You know, I never realized that some people I know are racist until Facebook came along.
and then ... wow. Of course, I found out that my boss was racist when he spewed some really offensive shit within my earshot. But I found out that one of my SISTERS was racist through Facebook (she's been blocked), and I've since found out that several acquaintances, if not overtly racist, are racist-adjacent, thanks to stuff they or their Facebook friends have posted.
Just yesterday, this showed up on my Facebook feed, posted by a "friend":
I spent a good part of yesterday afternoon trying to explain why this a good chunk of this is incorrect, starting with the fact that the statistics are misrepresented. More white people are killed by cops because there are more white people, PERIOD; black people are disproportionately killed by police; this is indeed, at least partially, a "race problem". And every time I'd link to another fact discrediting another element of the post, "friends" of my "friend" would just jump in with yet more bullshit, which I would then research to disprove (and I will tell you what, about TWO SECONDS of googling was able to disprove the crap that was being presented as "facts"). It was EXHAUSTING. But the idea that it was the MEDIA somehow causing the problem of renegade cops shooting unarmed civilians who are complying with their orders? yeah, no, THAT'S NOT WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE, people. And of COURSE there are situations where force is justified and necessary and blah blah blah, but I'm sorry, when you start spewing about an "entitled welfare state breeding thugs", oh, we are gonna tangle.
And I'm tired. I'm tired of having to threaten to quit my job to get my boss to quit spewing offensive crap. I'm tired of mixing it up with people on Facebook when they spout bullshit (oh yes I do! I will not let racist bullshit slide), and then blocking them when they won't stop. I'm tired of finding out that people who I thought were kinda interesting and maybe worth spending some time with are, in fact, not.
But I'm not nearly as tired of that as I am sure that some black people are tired of getting shot by cops because they're black.
sorry, I'm pretty sure that made no sense grammatically, but I hope you can see what I'm trying to say. There are any number of places on line where the point I'm trying to make is being expressed much more eloquently.
So I'll keep fighting, keep speaking up in my little sphere of influence, whether or not it makes any difference. (and believe me, I know that little old me is not likely to change anybody's mind, or even make them THINK before they blurt out a bunch of crap.) Because it's the right thing to do. And I'm tired. Having the courage of one's convictions is easy when you hang out with people who think as you do. But when racism comes knocking at my door? I can't just ignore it.
7 comments:
*sigh* is right
The only thing I use FB for is playing games when I am bored. I rarely look at the posts unless there is a wedding or baby involved. I have no idea what these people talk about. My biggest worry are the ones in foreign languages that I really have no clue what they are talking about.
My take, most people are asshats on social media and they would never say it to your face, your boss excluded. That is why you find out creepy things. And people like to generalize.
Honestly, one of the things I'm feeling right now is disappointment. It's like, "Really? I thought you were a cool person, and now you've gone and spewed this crap?" And it's also a case of, what has been seen can't be unseen. Yeesh.
Ignorance is one thing; willful stupidity is another. We apparently no longer care about critical thinking. When the Reagan administration allowed the media in any given market to be owned by a single entity, and then amalgamated to control TV - radio - and newspapers, we lost the fourth estate. I'm a baby boomer and we are the worst generation ever - we've bankrupted our infrastructure, schools, media and more. We've allowed the rich to control the country, outsource jobs and then blame the resultant decline in the middle class on "lazy people unwilling to work."
A job used to provide a livelihood - now the majority of service jobs don't and never will. I remember when any worker in a department store knew all of the inventory and helped the customer.
I live well because of some hard work on my part but also society's support - good public schools, safe streets, regulation of businesses such as weights and measures, fair labeling and price competition not collusion. When we try to run government as a business, we all lose. Government is for the greater good of its citizens to create a better society for us all, not just the rich and powerful who now seem to believe, "I got mine, you go get yours." As Stonekettle says, "If you want a better society, be better citizens." I'm really trying, but I'm tired, too.
PS: My husband lost his job after my small donation, but we're back on our feet - and he's running for a political office :-). Money where mouth is! I hope to be in a position to help your extraordinarily good cause again soon.
Kris
I wish blog posts and comments had "Like" buttons. I'd set up some dummy ids just so I could like ya'll multiple times.
KJL, I'm sorry about your husband losing his job! and I'd love to know what office he's running for - wow!
and ~~Silk, I'm glad you "Like" my stuff. :)
oh, and Kris, I deeply appreciate the help you gave before, but please don't feel you have to!
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