As I went through the day yesterday I began to notice it was a day like several other days. Yes, it was sunny and modestly cool. It was another Friday that seemed like it was never going to arrive as the climax to another long work week. Traffic was an extraordinary pain in the ass, which is often characteristic of Fridays.
Also, it was another day highlighted by a horrific event at the hands of a white nationalist/rightwing extremist.
And, like every other such day my Facebook news feed and Twitter timelines were silent. The "good" folks and moral majority who seem to post frequently about the left , the media and the "attacks" on religion and faith were quiet as church mice. I mean not a peep.
A white nationalist walked into two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand killing 49 innocent people and wounding many more all while livestreaming the horrible massacre and nary a damn word was uttered or typed from the decent folk. No "What a horrible tragedy" or "Pray for New Zealand" or not even a cursory half-hearted "Thoughts and prayers".
It was very reminiscent of Charlottesville. As the events unfolded the night before and throughout the day I didn't see or hear anyone denouncing the white nationalist rally. The only comments I was told and saw expressed concern that the Robert E Lee statue was being removed and the apologist party line of "They're (the protestors) just protesting the removal of history." Of course, there was no adequate defense for, if that was the case, why were they chanting "Jew will not replace us", "Blood and soil", "White Lives Matter" and "White pride".
The atrocious day ended with a white nationalist driving his car into a crowd of anti-protestors killing 33 year old Heather Heyer. Yet, not even that sparked a comment denouncing the hate rally let and alone Heather Heyer's murder.
Just a few months ago two elderly African-Americans were shot in cold blood at a Kroger's grocery store in Louisville, Kentucky. One of them was shot directly in front of his 12 year old grandson. The shooter, a white supremacist, shot the two seniors after first attempting to break into a black church to shoot everyone inside.
Not a word was said. Facebook and Twitter were pretty quiet that day as well.
Then, there was the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting. A white nationalist fueled by anti-immigrant rhetoric from the right including the President decided to shoot and kill 11 people while they were in the synagogue praying. He specifically cited rhetoric from the President and Fox News whom propagated a bullshit conspiracy that liberal billionaire, George Soros, and other Jews were funding caravans filled with Central and South American refugees as the reason for his evil unspeakable attack.
Again, not a fucking word or post was put forth. However, interestingly enough, the same bullshit conspiracy theories about Soros and other Jews funding the caravans had littered my Facebook news feed and Twitter feed for weeks including the morning of the mass murder. Yet, I barely saw even an insincere espousal of condolences.
I could share so many more examples, but my blood pressure is high enough from the anger, disgust and disappointment I feel.
So many of these people clutch their pearls and act as if they are deeply offended anytime someone implies they are bigoted/racist or apologists for bigotry/racism. They become incensed saying, "How dare you!"
But, I'm saying, "How dare YOU!" How hard is it to condemn ostensible evil and hatred? How hard is it to repudiate racism?
The silence forces people to wonder. Do you not think these acts are evil? Do you not repudiate racism because you are racist yourself?
Save the indignation! Spare me your pearl clutching! And, squash the what-aboutism and false equivalencies you're about to spew forth! I'm not the one, damnit!
These are beyond fair questions. And, they're questions that only arise because of the silence.
See, here is the problem you don't see or don't wanna see.
You can't squawk on social media and in person all day about every insulting thing some dope on the left says; you can't immediately pick up your phone and start typing whenever an radical Islamic extremist commits terrorism; you can't bitch about every time Black Lives Matter blocks traffic during protest; and you can't post with some inane sense of validation whenever an undocumented immigrant commits a violent crime, but when a white nationalist shoots innocent people of color, shoots Muslims or espouses virulent bigotry go radio silent. All of a sudden you can step away from social media. Uh-huh! That ain't workin!
It is immensely telling when certain people can rant incessantly about Jussie Smollett demanding he spend the rest of his life in jail but don't say a damn word about a white nationalist killing 49 people.
What Smollett did was reprehensible and I think he should be put in jail for it. But, can we have some fucking perspective here? He set up a fake hate crime to force his employer to give him more money. The ill-conceived idiotic scheme aside it was a crime, by the way, nobody was jailed for except the people who actually had involvement in the hoax.
On the other hand, this asshat in New Zealand murdered 49 people in cold blood. He spewed vitriolic and toxic rhetoric. He is totally unremorseful.
Yet, many folks seem to be way more upset about Smollett than the New Zealand mosque murderer! Yeah, that is going to make me side-eye you!
I am sure I know what part of the problem is here. In several of these situations the President has been implicitly connected. And, God forbid the President be criticized in any manner. Well, you know what, his rhetoric certainly has not helped matters. The same can be said for Fox News.
Instead of becoming defense what about some introspection. How about looking at the rhetoric and seeing if it goes too far.
This dude in New Zealand specifically said in his manifesto rightwing rhetoric in the United States helped shape his ideology. He cited the President has a symbol of white pride. He said Candace Owens is the greatest influence on his radicalization. And, yes, it's possible he was being facetious regarding Stacey Dash's handmaiden but I suggest researching Candace's comments on Islam. I tend to think, unfortunately, he was being sincere.
Regardless, the same rhetoric that fills my respective timelines each day is the same garbage that helped radicalized this dude. That is fact. Don't take my word for it. Read his own words.
People love to say they are not racist, bigoted, homophobic, Islamaphobic or xenophobic. It is easy to say but when it is time to cash the check yo mouf has written things become a bit more complex.
Don't tell me you disavow white nationalism but bend over backwards to be apologists for it. LET ME BE CLEAR! Do not come at me with the "mental illness" crap! Hell no! Whenever the perpetrator is black or brown they are a thug or terrorist. But, when it's a white dude perpetrating the atrocities it's, "He must be mentally ill." Get. The. Fuck. Out. Of. Here.
This dude carefully planned and orchestrated this attack. He took out time to write a 74 page manifesto. He's a coldblooded killer! STOP IT!
What happened yesterday has me angry. But, what incenses me more is the silence from the folks who love to act as if they are the moral majority and the Godly ones. Well, start acting like it.
Racism and virulent hate isn't hard to denounce. Is it? If people can fill their social media feeds with shitting all over Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, progressive taxes, climate change, women's reproductive rights and Colin Kaepeenick surely they could squeeze in a post or two repudiating a white supremacist and extending sympathy toward those who are victims of his hate.
Whether you don't think it is nor want it to be the silence is revealing and complicit.
Fact.
Also, it was another day highlighted by a horrific event at the hands of a white nationalist/rightwing extremist.
And, like every other such day my Facebook news feed and Twitter timelines were silent. The "good" folks and moral majority who seem to post frequently about the left , the media and the "attacks" on religion and faith were quiet as church mice. I mean not a peep.
A white nationalist walked into two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand killing 49 innocent people and wounding many more all while livestreaming the horrible massacre and nary a damn word was uttered or typed from the decent folk. No "What a horrible tragedy" or "Pray for New Zealand" or not even a cursory half-hearted "Thoughts and prayers".
It was very reminiscent of Charlottesville. As the events unfolded the night before and throughout the day I didn't see or hear anyone denouncing the white nationalist rally. The only comments I was told and saw expressed concern that the Robert E Lee statue was being removed and the apologist party line of "They're (the protestors) just protesting the removal of history." Of course, there was no adequate defense for, if that was the case, why were they chanting "Jew will not replace us", "Blood and soil", "White Lives Matter" and "White pride".
The atrocious day ended with a white nationalist driving his car into a crowd of anti-protestors killing 33 year old Heather Heyer. Yet, not even that sparked a comment denouncing the hate rally let and alone Heather Heyer's murder.
Just a few months ago two elderly African-Americans were shot in cold blood at a Kroger's grocery store in Louisville, Kentucky. One of them was shot directly in front of his 12 year old grandson. The shooter, a white supremacist, shot the two seniors after first attempting to break into a black church to shoot everyone inside.
Not a word was said. Facebook and Twitter were pretty quiet that day as well.
Then, there was the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting. A white nationalist fueled by anti-immigrant rhetoric from the right including the President decided to shoot and kill 11 people while they were in the synagogue praying. He specifically cited rhetoric from the President and Fox News whom propagated a bullshit conspiracy that liberal billionaire, George Soros, and other Jews were funding caravans filled with Central and South American refugees as the reason for his evil unspeakable attack.
Again, not a fucking word or post was put forth. However, interestingly enough, the same bullshit conspiracy theories about Soros and other Jews funding the caravans had littered my Facebook news feed and Twitter feed for weeks including the morning of the mass murder. Yet, I barely saw even an insincere espousal of condolences.
I could share so many more examples, but my blood pressure is high enough from the anger, disgust and disappointment I feel.
So many of these people clutch their pearls and act as if they are deeply offended anytime someone implies they are bigoted/racist or apologists for bigotry/racism. They become incensed saying, "How dare you!"
But, I'm saying, "How dare YOU!" How hard is it to condemn ostensible evil and hatred? How hard is it to repudiate racism?
The silence forces people to wonder. Do you not think these acts are evil? Do you not repudiate racism because you are racist yourself?
Save the indignation! Spare me your pearl clutching! And, squash the what-aboutism and false equivalencies you're about to spew forth! I'm not the one, damnit!
These are beyond fair questions. And, they're questions that only arise because of the silence.
See, here is the problem you don't see or don't wanna see.
You can't squawk on social media and in person all day about every insulting thing some dope on the left says; you can't immediately pick up your phone and start typing whenever an radical Islamic extremist commits terrorism; you can't bitch about every time Black Lives Matter blocks traffic during protest; and you can't post with some inane sense of validation whenever an undocumented immigrant commits a violent crime, but when a white nationalist shoots innocent people of color, shoots Muslims or espouses virulent bigotry go radio silent. All of a sudden you can step away from social media. Uh-huh! That ain't workin!
It is immensely telling when certain people can rant incessantly about Jussie Smollett demanding he spend the rest of his life in jail but don't say a damn word about a white nationalist killing 49 people.
What Smollett did was reprehensible and I think he should be put in jail for it. But, can we have some fucking perspective here? He set up a fake hate crime to force his employer to give him more money. The ill-conceived idiotic scheme aside it was a crime, by the way, nobody was jailed for except the people who actually had involvement in the hoax.
On the other hand, this asshat in New Zealand murdered 49 people in cold blood. He spewed vitriolic and toxic rhetoric. He is totally unremorseful.
Yet, many folks seem to be way more upset about Smollett than the New Zealand mosque murderer! Yeah, that is going to make me side-eye you!
I am sure I know what part of the problem is here. In several of these situations the President has been implicitly connected. And, God forbid the President be criticized in any manner. Well, you know what, his rhetoric certainly has not helped matters. The same can be said for Fox News.
Instead of becoming defense what about some introspection. How about looking at the rhetoric and seeing if it goes too far.
This dude in New Zealand specifically said in his manifesto rightwing rhetoric in the United States helped shape his ideology. He cited the President has a symbol of white pride. He said Candace Owens is the greatest influence on his radicalization. And, yes, it's possible he was being facetious regarding Stacey Dash's handmaiden but I suggest researching Candace's comments on Islam. I tend to think, unfortunately, he was being sincere.
Regardless, the same rhetoric that fills my respective timelines each day is the same garbage that helped radicalized this dude. That is fact. Don't take my word for it. Read his own words.
People love to say they are not racist, bigoted, homophobic, Islamaphobic or xenophobic. It is easy to say but when it is time to cash the check yo mouf has written things become a bit more complex.
Don't tell me you disavow white nationalism but bend over backwards to be apologists for it. LET ME BE CLEAR! Do not come at me with the "mental illness" crap! Hell no! Whenever the perpetrator is black or brown they are a thug or terrorist. But, when it's a white dude perpetrating the atrocities it's, "He must be mentally ill." Get. The. Fuck. Out. Of. Here.
This dude carefully planned and orchestrated this attack. He took out time to write a 74 page manifesto. He's a coldblooded killer! STOP IT!
What happened yesterday has me angry. But, what incenses me more is the silence from the folks who love to act as if they are the moral majority and the Godly ones. Well, start acting like it.
Racism and virulent hate isn't hard to denounce. Is it? If people can fill their social media feeds with shitting all over Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, progressive taxes, climate change, women's reproductive rights and Colin Kaepeenick surely they could squeeze in a post or two repudiating a white supremacist and extending sympathy toward those who are victims of his hate.
Whether you don't think it is nor want it to be the silence is revealing and complicit.
Fact.
