Here's the video that shows why Mizzou's president had to go

Haha this is one of those “Render unto Caesar” moments, isn’t it? Where there appears to be no answer that won’t get me into trouble? Okay, I’ll play:

Proud.

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Well hey, that’s not up to me. As @Mindysan33 said, I would encourage unleashing that tongue. It sounds like you’d do good things with it. :wink:

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Oh dear.

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Reminds of this, what the hell…

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You know, not everyone in this world is out playing mind games to trip others up. while we tend to roll on the snarky side here, we also tend to be rather serious on these social issues, because many of us actually care and want a world that’s free of racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, and whatever other form of bigotry you’d care to say.

That’s not what @milliefink is doing here - she isn’t trying to trip you up and make you look foolish. She’s repeatedly expressed serious interest in the construction of whiteness and what that means to people.

So a follow up - why does being a white male make you proud?

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Oh I do when I think there will be results these days. More so now than when I was a young idiot. God how much shit I did not know about the world when I a teen. How much shit I still don’t know at 47 but at least I understand that there is a whole lot more to know now.

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I’ve always said if I got time travel, I’d only use it for going to shows… I have to amend that. I’d use it to go hug and protect that child and smack the shit out of that woman. I mean, then the mob would descend and I’d likely be dead, but I don’t care, because past Elizabeth Eckford needed a hug right then. And that woman needed a fucking smack.

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Tough love is still love!

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Just don’t stick those cold hands up the back of my shirt to warm them up. :slight_smile:

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Yes, it is a non-violent protest, but it isn’t peaceful. It is specifically a breach of the peace. In this case, it is the physical denial of other citizen’s rights. Reverse it for a moment. If a bunch of Klansmen were preventing black students from going to school, would it be a “peaceful” protest? Pretty sure we settled that one in the 50s.

Thanks for the civil response: as you said, the snark here rolls on a regular basis and is often dogpiled onto folks not considered “regulars”, or people who have uber-alternative points of view to those most often accepted hereabouts. And the problem with answering questions here poses a Socratic issue as well: my every word is just potential ammo for the next attack from others. While milliefink perhaps wasn’t trying to “trip me up or make me look foolish”, her “Oh Dear” says at least as much about her as my “Proud” does of me. In answer to your question though: why am I proud to be what I am? White, male (and yes, even Christian)? Because it lets me be a (hopefully?) positive example and to do my best to contribute and to make things better for everyone, to do good, “boots on the ground”-wise, right here in my own skin, every day. Not all of us white males are stupid, racist, prejudiced, hateful creeps. I can’t fix stupid on the parts of others, and certainly not in places where I’m not even around. But I can do my best to be the best person I can be, and to try to heal and dialogue with others every day, where I live. That’s why I’m proud. Everyone should be proud of who they are, right? That brings up the question though: is “white, male” who I am, or what I am? Either way, If anyone can tell me why I should be the opposite, personally ashamed of what or who I am, as a white male, I’m willing to listen. But I doubt I’ll agree.

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Thanks for the honest answer.

Why do you think all those qualities you’re proud to be associated with (positive example to others, being the best person you can, etc) are related to your whiteness? Or do you think that? Many individuals exemplify these qualities - some are white and identify as such, many aren’t.

No one is telling you to be ashamed. It’s more getting some white people to acknowledge that the way our society is set up gives them benefits that people who are not identified as white, male, and often Christian, have historically not been given. Only you can know (at least here) what you’ve done in this world and whether you should be ashamed of your actions. But you should also know that many things have been done, in the name of whiteness, in the name of maleness, which have oppressed and hurt others. Dismissing that is hurtful and counter-productive.

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I know, right? Next thing you know, those people will move up to using microphones and stuff. The nerve!

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They just let those guys have the mic to keep this guy off of it:

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And if I look at the sun long enough, it seems like I can see aliens!

Relevant as ever:

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Hmm, permitted and planned rally/“spontaneous” street rally - exactly the same thing.

Malcolm X will be relevant forever!

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Their civil action was possibly a “breach of the peace”, although that legal term of art has little to do with ‘peace’ as it’s commonly used in plain English. It was also entirely nonviolent, which is the truth that those of you so focused on the term peace seemingly want to obscure.

If you would, cite the parts of the video in which they prevented others students from attending school. I saw 2 incidents in which they interacted significantly with other citizens: the first, which the protesters intended, was in blocking the university president’s motorcade. I’m sorry, but he is the highest authority on that campus and a public servant. While riding in a university vehicle, on campus, he is “on the job” and a representative of state government. Not some poor, infringed upon private citizen. The second was in their encounter with a belligerent drunk (@ ~5.3’, slurring his words, with an open container in his hand). The drunk’s behavior and language made it real clear he was looking to pick a fight, and trumping up a false narrative of infringement in order to do so.

I have no problem with letting Klansmen march where they please on public property. This issue was settled – not in the 1950s – but in Skokie, IL, in the very early 1980s. Klansmen have an unalienable right to march on public thoroughfares. Which is what the black students were doing.

This is still, like it or not, a somewhat free country. Even for young blacks. Intentionally belligerent public drunks are actually far further down the ‘rights’ strata, almost as far down as public officials are while on the job.

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Hmm, moaning about protesters using megaphones…

(source)

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