Which is why it is so important to understand that Trump didn’t cause racism. It was already in place. He simply exposed it to the light of day.
The recent Trudeau scandal did the same, albeit with a dash of white supremacy hypocrisy instead of blatant bigotry.
9 Likes
I distinctly remember the black and white minstrel show being on TV up to the late 70’s and you could buy marmalade with golliwogs on it up to 2002. The trajectory has been similar to that over cultural appropriation and offensive stereotype constumes; even 20 yrs ago awareness was considerably less than it is now.
When the extremists on both sides of the political spectrum are foaming at the mouth, you know the moderate take is the rational one. I think the mayor of Calgary nailed it, echoing pretty much what I have been saying all along.
It seems the doctrinaire among us have replaced the spiritual and psychological notions of universal human fallibility (original sin etc), which allows for forgiveness, with an ideology based on universal guilt, which condemns the person (or group of persons) , not the action. It is highly unfortunate that this school of thought becoming increasingly taught in universities today. It represents a dangerous totalitarian mindset that must be resisted.
2 Likes
Obviously. When flat earthers argue with people who say the earth is a sphere that is in orbit with the sun - it’s the people who argue that the earth is a cube that is orbited by the sun who are correct.
11 Likes
I think you misunderstand social justice. People do condemn the action, but they are allowed to be pissed off and disappointed with the individuals. They aren’t under any obligation to forgive, but also nobody is saying that forgiveness is forbidden. Nobody is taking Trudeau to the guillotine for dressing up as “Aladdin.” People are just expressing shock and sadness about his actions. Do you think such expressions are ruining his life? Nobody is ruining his life over this.
Your remark about universities is a classic right-wing, anti-intellectual talking point. The truth is that there are many schools of thought taught at universities. Students aren’t forced into social justice advocacy—it just appeals to a great many young people who can see that the world is fucked up, and want to do something about it.
People are often afraid of things they’ve never experienced—have you recently sat in on any university classes that deal with matters of oppression? I suggest you do: it might change your mind about social justice, and perhaps you’ll stop telling people to fear the people who want to improve the state of affairs, rather than defend the status quo. The people you should be fear-mongering about are the right-wingers.
* Edited to strikeout the encouragement of fear-mongering about a specific group. I shouldn’t have said that. Don’t fear monger!
13 Likes
That’s part of the way the game is played. There was a story about Dubya having a DUI in his past that came out like three days before the 2000 election. If 2016 looks close, there will be something about Trump, something that swing voters might not like, which suddenly comes to light. Timing is not a sign that a story is true or that it is false.
I missed the pix of Hillary in blackface. Can someone point me to a link?
2 Likes
Well stated, with one caveat:
Fear-mongering of any sort is counterproductive.
Being conscious, aware, and willing to make the necessary changes required to ensure that the fragile society we live in doesn’t self destruct is a more viable course to take, albeit not an easy one…
14 Likes
I can personally forgive a politician for doing something offensive, while still thinking that it shows a lack of judgment which would preclude me from voting for him.
5 Likes
Calling your misperception of social justice “totalitarian” trivializes totalitarianism, which the world is actually threatened by.
Consider this—which scenario is closer to totalitarianism: A white woman in the US calling the cops on a black man because she doubts any black men live in her apartment building (or has any other legitimate reason for being there), thus putting that man’s life at risk, or social justice advocates on the internet complaining about that woman putting that man’s life at risk?
Which of these scenarios is closer to totalitarianism: Expressing disappointment in Trudeau’s actions, or telling people that they should stop expressing that disappointment?
Btw, it would be very kind of you if you ceased telling us to stop expressing our disappointment in Trudeau’s actions.
12 Likes
Anyone who thought it was right that the Papa John’s guy had to resign because he once used that “n” word on a phone call should demand no less of Trudeau.
Yes, you’re right. I was wrong to say that.
I hope that the admission of my mistake will be taken as an example by others in this thread…
12 Likes
‘Fighting fire with fire’ just burns the whole world down.
(And of course that’s exactly what some folks want, just so they can “watch.”)
The rest of all your comments in this thread have been spot on.
Too bad the message seems to be falling on willfully deaf ears.
Also, because I urgently need a small respite:
12 Likes
There aren’t any that I know of. Trudeau is also an imperfect leader, who has made policy and leadership errors, like Hillary, but when you compare them to Trump, or Sheer, they are “the lesser of two evils”.
A high school pic of Trudeau ignorantly wearing black makeup will affect visible minorities, immigrants and refugees in Canada far less than Sheer’s policy, which will make everyday life for them much harder, if not impossible in Canada. As I’ve mentioned, the intentional actions on Trudeau’s part have been fairly positive for immigrants and refugees. He’s done more for them than any prime minister since WW1.
What we’re doing is exaggerating this thing he did in high school instead of reporting on the devastating policy the conservatives want to push through because that’s what the corporate agenda is pushing through its media outlets, and it makes for better clickbait.
2 Likes
Mod Note: If you do not want to participate in this discussion, do not post here. Mocking those who do wish to post in this topic, or posting off-topic replies will get you a vacation from the BBS.
5 Likes
You’re deliberately eliminating nuance between the positions “Trudeau is evil” and “Trudeau is a hero” in order to score rhetorical points. That’s uncool. We can both be disappointed in his past behavior (which continued well beyond high school into adulthood) and recognize the difference between that bad behavior and the outright bigotry and white supremacy of the Berniers and Scheers. Their scary positions and actions do not magically make Trudeau’s behavior acceptable in contrast. He doesn’t get a pass just because they are worse.
The people who Trudeau’s hurt with his past behavior have every right to call for his resignation. They have every right not to vote for him. Or they can vote for him with the election this close while agitating within the party for better leadership.
10 Likes
A little disingenuous. He was a thirty year old teacher, not a fifteen year old student.
“Ignorantly” is uncorroborated. Neither of us knows the state of his mind. I can only say anecdotally that I am just a few years older than Trudeau and when I was fifteen, I had a pretty good idea that wearing blackface was not acceptable.
If it causes Trudeau to lose the support of enough swing voters, then what he did will turn out to have been the reason those minorities suffer. Besides, I thought that one of the advantages of a parliamentary system is that you don’t need to choose the lesser of two evils?
4 Likes
Why did you feel the need to post an explicitly racist image here. You really need to take this down, as it’s highly offensive.
10 Likes
