Split Racism
The Introduction
Once upon a time, I watched a video of XXXtentacion, a Late weird-faced American Rapper . In that video, he talked about a split side to racism: Afro-American Racism, to be precise. He was talking about a side to racism, people rarely identify or consider wrong even though it happens all the time.
The Story
Imagine two friends: A white and a Black American. They were both caught in compromising situations that depict crime . Truth is they know nothing about it. They got arrested and pinned to the ground with the chest to the pavement the way American Police do . They are angry. They feel humiliated. They didn't know they were in the wrong neighbourhood: a neighbourhood with the wrong kind of criminals, the kind that gets thrown to Alcatraz. So the police treated them like one. Who likes to be treated like a criminal while obeying the law.
The two americans start talking back at the police.
THe White Says: What have we done? I have done nothing wrong.
The Black Says: You fucking racist, I have done nothing wrong.
Analysis of the Story:
Who is the racist here,The black Guy, the White Guy or the Police Man (assuming he is white) . Maybe the Policeman is racist, that is not easy to cocnlude upon. The premise of the arrest is that the neighbourhood is filled with criminals, anyone found there needs to be treated like one before they overpower the police man. For the White guy,he has no problems, he is clearly not a racist. None of his actions or words depict racism Then, the black guy, like most people might say is being wrong and maybe felt insecured but clearly not a racist.
The Split Side:
This is where I give the split side of the racism I am talking about. If a white policeman pins a black man to the ground and the black guy pulls out the "You are racist " card, then is he not racist for assuming every white man (or policeman) is a racist. That is split racism, when you are the type of person that easily pulls out that "I am a victim of racism" card through accusation , is that not racist. Are you not falsely taking adavantage of the public sentiment against racism for yourself?
What do you think when you see any white man? What comes to your mind? If what comes to your mind is that they are racist without gettting to know them first , then you are split racist. That is my opinion.
.. * to be continued*
Image Source: agameforgoodchristians.com
Interesting theory. Racism in any form is bad. The question though is, is the black man wrong for thinking any white policeman is racist? Or would a black policeman be considered a racist for doing same to a black man?
I saw a video some months back of a white man cursing out a black female police officer with offensive words. The woman completely ignored him and didn't break sweat.
I feel that people should start taking cognizance of individual actions and attitudes rather than generalising opinions based on the colour of some one's skin.
Then again I have never lived outside my country. I have had Indian neighbours and we all lived cordially. I know of the discrimination based on status, ethnicity, religion, gender, but of race, I cannot speak much.
I feel though that the world has come to a place where outdated notions should be shelved and the opportunity for togetherness be fostered. #bigwaves
@akintunde, thank you for using the naijapidgin tag.
We encourage and support minnows.
Join us on discord: https://discord.gg/5SR8CH4 for more fun and to submit your posts for curation.
You like what we are doing and would like to support us? Delegate SP to us Or Join our trail here: https://steemauto.com/dash.php?i=15&id=1&user=naijapidgin
Your logic is completely flawed. Consider the following:
The White American cannot be racist to a White police officer. They are of the same race.
This is a hypothetical situation with no context. In real life, if a police man pins someone to the ground, black white or otherwise in America, nobody screams racist straight away. The accusations usually follows a perceived injustice.
Calling someone a racist does not make you racist. It means you're levelling false accusations. The world 'racist' has a specific meaning which is linked to an institutionalised power structure... not just name calling.
(probably the most important one) It is not illegal, and there is nothing wrong with being or living in a high crime area. The police does not have the right to treat you any differently depending on where you live.
I suggest researching more about the word 'racism' and what it truly means.
Yes. I agree that racism is not just "I don't like you because of your skin color or ethnic group". That's just discrimination. Racism is systemic and yes it is a power structure that embodies the idea of ethnic "supremacy". Laws, economics, etc.
That definition in the snapshot is so shallow and does not mention anything regarding power structures or hierarchy which would actually be the right definition.
As for as I am concerned, racism is more complex than following a black-white stereotype. So a white can call another racist if they consider each other of different sects or tribes, that sounds more like tribalism but they all the same to me.
I don't have to read about racism as I am stating racism as any form of stereotypic judgement in this case.
The story could be clearly flawed with the high crime Neighbourhood clause I added but the story is not completely flawed.
Calling a white man a racist without a pre-knowledge of who they are sounds like a stereotypic judgement which fits the definition of racism I am citing.
The story is flawed but not completely flawed.
Correct.
The are not the same. What you've described in that sentence are have their own names: sectarianism and tribalism. Both distinct and different from racism. Racism demands that you're of different races by definition.
You really do, as you don't seem to understand the meaning of the word. Incorrectly calling someone a racist by assuming they are racist based on the fact that they're white is not being racist, it's levelling false accusations. Being racist is a different thing, and using it to describe name calling trivialises it's impact. Racism is not a generic term, it has a specific and defined meaning. That's all I'm saying.
The accusations the black man levelled were on the basis that the policeman is white
Even if I want to follow the definition of racism, I am still in line.
More so, words get their definitions from usage. Words evolve over time. So racism doesn't necessarily have to be so rigidly defined.
Thanks for using eSteem!
Your post has been voted as a part of eSteem encouragement program. Keep up the good work! Install Android, iOS Mobile app or Windows, Mac, Linux Surfer app, if you haven't already!
Learn more: https://esteem.app
Join our discord: https://discord.gg/8eHupPq