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It's all window dressing

It's all window dressing | DEAR MORONS; KNOCKING OVER STATUES AND RENAMING SCHOOLS DOES NOTHING TO CREATE RACIAL EQUITY | image tagged in robert e lee | made w/ Imgflip meme maker
1,635 views 64 upvotes Made by MsIngaToof 4 years ago in politics
Robert E Lee memeCaption this Meme
55 Comments
4 ups, 4y,
1 reply
They say the things in the top panel aren't effective. How about the bottom panel? | Tearing down statues, renaming buildings Meaningful police reform, reinvestment, reparations, raising awareness and discussion of racism | image tagged in memes,drake hotline bling,racial harmony,confederate statues,statues,racism | made w/ Imgflip meme maker
You don't like those things, okay

Are there any other proposals going around right now for promoting racial equity?
8 ups, 4y,
2 replies
In my opinion, the entire discussion has to evolve. First, we need to end the use of white/black dichotomous terms. They're left over from the Atlantic slave trade, and isn't that what everyone is against? Black Lives do Matter, but naming your organization that sends a connotation of exclusion regardless of what is intended. BLM needs to evolve as well, and define and promote what their vision of healthy relationships between people of different skin colors is. I heard/read somebody on here say that the term white privilege is a problem. I think they're right. It's blaming and prejudicial, and puts light skinned people on the defensive because they are being blamed for something they have no direct control of. That makes the term an obstacle to unity. If there is to be an Us v. Them, it needs to be a diverse and united Us versus Racists of all skin tones. And if they are going to knock over statues, what about the Union racists? Some of their generals were racist, too. But to answer your question, I don't see anyhting that is happening right now that is promoting racial equity, especially around me. Removing statues is just sayung, "there, I did something."
4 ups, 4y,
5 replies
White privilege explained. It's not an attack on you because of your skin color. It's just a thing. | image tagged in white privilege explained,white privilege,white people,racism,racist,skin | made w/ Imgflip meme maker
Have an upvote for honesty and willingness to engage.

Statues are symbols, but they're potent ones. I think Confederate statues should come down; they have an awful history, erected decades after the Civil War at the height of Jim Crow and the KKK. General Lee didn't even want Civil War memorials: he urged reconciliation and for Southerners to raise their sons as Americans. We don't need statues of Adolf Hitler to remember WWII, and the Confederacy is basically the closest thing to Nazis we've had in our history.

Other statues, like Christopher Columbus (which came down in my city within the past couple weeks) I'm not as clear on. And indeed: some of the wrong statues are being removed. Apparently an abolitionist statue of Civil War Col. Hans Christian Heg was taken down by an angry mob in Madison, WI. https://www.chicagotribune.com/midwest/ct-nw-wisconsin-statues-protests-20200625-4cva3ch7gzhq3ald3hvbtzowea-story.html

Yesterday, I read the concept of white privilege put exactly this way, and I thought I'd meme it. It makes inherent sense to me. Everyone faces obstacles in life; there are certainly some blacks who are more financially privileged or connected than most whites. But I see "white privilege" as simply shorthand for talking about the subset of problems that don't or aren't likely to affect whites as much as blacks or other races. It doesn't explain everything about society, but it explains some things. I guess it makes some people emotional to hear they're privileged simply on account of their skin, but it's true.

tl;dr: It's hard to talk about racism without talking about race. That can be uncomfortable but maybe we need to sit with our discomfort for awhile.
6 ups, 4y,
1 reply
White privilege is just a way to blame people for something they have no control over.
4 ups, 4y
"Too long, didn't read:" I'm confused about this. What didn't you read?
4 ups, 4y
There is no denying that America has evolved to benefit the predominant culture or race. That makes it exactly like every other country in the world. Difference is we have a system to address injustices and tearing down George Washington and Thomas Jefferson statues aren’t it. History is what it is and belongs to posterity not some SJW creep and his mob.
2 ups, 4y,
1 reply
I have to disagree with you about white privilege. There may be some isolated cases where a white person received preferential treatment because of their race but it is not the broad brush privilege people make it out to be. In most cases, when someone claims a white person was treated better than they were, they ignore other circumstances involved that have nothing to do with race but they automatically attribute it to race and race only.
3 ups, 4y,
1 reply
I do NOT disagree with you! 😁 I am willing to accept that it is possible that the system has an unintentional bias built into it, but the only way to find any evidence of this is in aggregate, i.e. large scale studies of industries or large organizations. There is no way to prove any kind of race based privilege in an individual case. Further, and more to your point, in the experiences that I have had with employers, those committees, workgroups and organizations claiming implicit bias, institutionalized racism and white privilege are quick to rule out (without providing much evidence) other circumstances and factors. Most notable among these are socio-economic class and subcultural values. For example, many of the deaths of African-Americans in police custody are from lower class families. This doesn't doesn't their death, but it does help to realize that race and class together are factors.

And how many deaths have occurred because someone was resisting arrest?
3 ups, 4y
You also need to consider the fact that lower class families are more likely to be involved in criminal activity. Middle and upper class families are less likely because they don’t feel the need to shoplift, sell drugs, pass counterfeit bills, etc. Thats the main reason there are more blacks in police custody. The question is, why are there more black lower class families? Some say it’s because they aren’t given a chance to get out of that class. Having lived with people in this demographic, I’d say it has more to do with culture, dependence on welfare and government/media telling them that they don’t have a chance so why even try.
2 ups, 4y,
3 replies
You do know not all Confeds fought for slavery right? Many of them fought for State's rights because back then it wasn't unheard of to have greater alliegance to your state than country. Not a whole lot of the soldiers even owned slaves. And there were racists fighting for the Union.
4 ups, 4y,
1 reply
Robert E. Lee's Whole argument for siding with the South/CSA was his Loyalty to the State of Virginia... (FFS He was Married to George Washington's Granddaughter {the family Tree is a bit of a knot} )
1 up, 4y
Exactly. He did believe in the Union, but he couldn't fight against what was basically his family.
3 ups, 4y,
1 reply
less than 1% of the south pop owned slaves
1 up, 4y
3 ups, 4y,
1 reply
There were indeed racist Union soldiers and commanders.
1 up, 4y,
1 reply
Everybody does bad stuff. Doesn't mean we should try to erase their memory from history.
1 up, 4y,
1 reply
I can live with as long as it isn't one sided.
2 ups, 4y,
1 reply
You can live with what? Sorry if my confusion is for nothing. Not sure I understand what you're saying.
2 ups, 4y,
2 replies
If we are going to leave all the statues in place (both sides) because everyone does bad stuff and we should not try to erase their memory from history, I can live with that.

If we are going to take down all the statues (both sides) because everyone does bad stuff I can live with that.

But leaving up one side's statues because we *think* they support what we support, while taking down the statues of the other side because we think they don't support what we support, is wrong. Especially, when we are ignoring Union war crimes, as Msingtoof pointed out.
2 ups, 4y,
1 reply
Ah okay. Upvoted. I think I would prefer leaving them all up, as they can show an example to us, both with the good and bad. And seeing the statues reminds us of history. Sort of like that "doomed to repeat past mistakes" quote. Still respect your opinion though.
1 up, 4y
Oh, I certainly agree! They should be left up, "lest we forget." But if the mob insists, I expect - no, insist, that they not be allowed to overlook the faults in their "heroes."
2 ups, 4y
2 ups, 4y
as a white man who resides in a city with a black governor, black mayor, black attorney general. And reports to a job managed by a black supervisor.... I totally disagree with the white privilege theory.
[deleted]
1 up, 4y
Ya! I was thinking these very things, but wouldn't have been able to say it so eloquently!
4 ups, 4y,
2 replies
This is a small taste of what liberals would really do if they had greater control. Except it would be violence towards you instead of statues and indoctrination camps instead of renaming schools. If you don't believe me, look up "Democide." -- 262 million killed by their own government in the twentieth century. And by far most were left-leaning governments.
[deleted]
0 ups, 4y
Just check how Lenin, Trotsky and Mao were financialy backed by western powers in order to create an enemy...The west helped these sociopaths get into power.
3 ups, 4y,
2 replies
Oh the humanity. Why don’t you explain how discontinuing the public celebration of famous racists throughout history doesn’t create racial equity?
3 ups, 4y,
2 replies
As I read it, it sounds like he's saying that that these actions are not changing the problems that created the outrage in the first place. Someone asshole cop kills George Floyd, so I get a new big screen TV. Some asshole cop kills George Floyd and so we're going to change how police treat African Americans by knicking over a statue we don't like.

Did I mention that Derek Chauvin is an asshole?
3 ups, 4y
A Democrat Asshole
3 ups, 4y
Chauvin is the biggest asshole ever!
2 ups, 4y,
1 reply
It's just a cosmetic feel good change. "I have to treat you different because there's a statue of Robert E. Lee in Richmond" said no one ever. It's just a way to pretend something is being done to make things more equal. Not to mention the fact that no one has touched Sherman or Sheridan.
0 ups, 4y
The people tearing down the statues aren’t pretending. It’s not the end all cure by any means. But taking down symbols of racism is a start.
3 ups, 4y,
1 reply
Statues, goods stolen from looting and rioting, those are just the first steps...the next steps are to take your money and redistribute it among the people who are incapable of producing anything worth more value than what a minimum wage job will pay. These loser protesters/looters/rioters want revenge, and they want your hard-earned money/property. Make no mistake, they will try this in the suburbs. I just hope that the people in the suburbs defend themselves. And if that does happen, there will be dead ANTIFA and other rioting/looting groups in the suburb streets and in the yards of those they target for revenge.
2 ups, 4y,
1 reply
XD
1 up, 4y
Yes!
2 ups, 4y
Upvote!
1 up, 4y
[deleted]
0 ups, 4y,
1 reply
Traitors don't deserve statues. And if you think that knocking down a statue is rewriting history just think what the united daughters of the confederacy did
2 ups, 4y,
1 reply
Then why are there statues and monuments for Sheridan and Sherman?
[deleted]
0 ups, 4y,
2 replies
Because these were northern officers fighting against the traitors that wanted to destroy the US
1 up, 4y,
1 reply
Those northern officers have been accused of war crimes and were just as racist as the men they were fighting against. They targetted civilians, and considering that the north viewed their actions as quelling a rebellion, they were targeting US civilians. Nice.
[deleted]
0 ups, 4y,
1 reply
Targeting US civilians...in a civil war. How surprising??? Doesn't take away the fact they fought for unity.
2 ups, 4y,
1 reply
Targetting civilians is a war crime, no matter what the purpose is.
[deleted]
0 ups, 4y
True but don't forget civil(ians) war is always the cruelest type of war
1 up, 4y,
1 reply
The Confederacy didn't want to be a part of the US. I have never seen anything to suggest that they wanted to destroy it.
[deleted]
0 ups, 4y,
2 replies
Well I didn't mean destroy people or goods but destroy the concept of "United" states
2 ups, 4y,
2 replies
and yet "Certain people" wish to Abolish the Electoral College...

the end result of which (due to the Imbalance of Power ) would in fact be the End of the 'United" States
[deleted]
1 up, 4y
As you *see*
[deleted]
0 ups, 4y,
1 reply
Mitch McConnell is in favor of the electoral college. Let's see how his state is doing:
40th in job opportunity
45th in education
43rd in healthcare
Stats provided by the republican Lincoln project.
As you having republicans in charge means very little...
1 up, 4y,
1 reply
and what exactly does that have to do with the proverbial "Price of Rice in China"?
[deleted]
0 ups, 4y,
2 replies
Bush in 2000 and Drump in 2016 won thx to the electoral college. They're not very interested in the poor nor the average American. It's already proven that the country does better under democratic leadership.
Guess you could say the republicans are digging their own grave.
2 ups, 4y
Obama had eight years to end the electoral college -- and didn't. No one is interested in ending the electoral college until their candidate loses. And the only thing that is proven about Democrat leadership is that Democrats do better.
1 up, 4y,
1 reply
Bush Won because the Supreme Court stopped Gore from Cherry Picking which Counties to Recount

and again... you are NOT addressing my original Comment
[deleted]
0 ups, 4y
Which is?
2 ups, 4y
Again, they seceded because they no longer wished to be a part of it. Show me evidence that they wanted to destroy the US. Oh wait, you can't because you deleted.
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DEAR MORONS; KNOCKING OVER STATUES AND RENAMING SCHOOLS DOES NOTHING TO CREATE RACIAL EQUITY