There’s a recurring complaint from centrists that, yes, yes, of course, racism is bad, but if you make too big a fuss about it, it’s only going to spark resentment from whites and undermine the cause.
I have a friend who is a capital L-Liberal. At a Beto rally here in Texas a few years ago, I said "there are no Black people here." She replied, predictably, "I don't look at things like that. I don't track things like that." She later acknowledged that I was right, there were maybe 4 or 5 Black people at a rally of several hundred. Interestingly, I did some genealogy for her, just because she was interested, and it didn't take very long at all to find the slave rolls associated with her family. She still doesn't "want to talk about things like that."
In every part of life, any grownup has to come to grips with the idea that the past doesn't cease to exist just because you don't think about it. We all have amends to make--to family members, to friends, to co-workers. Every single one of us makes mistakes and slights or offends someone, some time. We all have to learn to take responsibility and examine our behavior. It's OUR discomfort that's the problem, but it's so much easier to say Don't upset the applecart! You'll just make everybody else uncomfortable! Don't upset everybody. Learn to be happy with what you've got.
Would that be all centrists? I'll offer this opinion, as a Black centrist, not enough of a fuss is being made. I'll also state that many white ppl I know feel the same as do I, though many, many more are uncomfortable talking about race. If we cannot talk about race, we're sunk. Honestly, the discussions about race become uncomfortable for many. So what? The more extensive the conversation, the more lightbulbs illuminate. Discomfort wanes and the real work begins. Ask me how I know.
Unfortunately, we -- as a nation -- are on a slippery slope of denying historical facts because some folks are sensitive. Boo hoo! And I just don't know what to write after that ... LOL!
While the demonstrations and marches didn't change public perceptions about their efficacy, did they change public perceptions of the righteousness of the cause? Did more people think that congressional action on civil rights was warranted after demonstrations than before?
I have a friend who is a capital L-Liberal. At a Beto rally here in Texas a few years ago, I said "there are no Black people here." She replied, predictably, "I don't look at things like that. I don't track things like that." She later acknowledged that I was right, there were maybe 4 or 5 Black people at a rally of several hundred. Interestingly, I did some genealogy for her, just because she was interested, and it didn't take very long at all to find the slave rolls associated with her family. She still doesn't "want to talk about things like that."
In every part of life, any grownup has to come to grips with the idea that the past doesn't cease to exist just because you don't think about it. We all have amends to make--to family members, to friends, to co-workers. Every single one of us makes mistakes and slights or offends someone, some time. We all have to learn to take responsibility and examine our behavior. It's OUR discomfort that's the problem, but it's so much easier to say Don't upset the applecart! You'll just make everybody else uncomfortable! Don't upset everybody. Learn to be happy with what you've got.
Would that be all centrists? I'll offer this opinion, as a Black centrist, not enough of a fuss is being made. I'll also state that many white ppl I know feel the same as do I, though many, many more are uncomfortable talking about race. If we cannot talk about race, we're sunk. Honestly, the discussions about race become uncomfortable for many. So what? The more extensive the conversation, the more lightbulbs illuminate. Discomfort wanes and the real work begins. Ask me how I know.
Unfortunately, we -- as a nation -- are on a slippery slope of denying historical facts because some folks are sensitive. Boo hoo! And I just don't know what to write after that ... LOL!
While the demonstrations and marches didn't change public perceptions about their efficacy, did they change public perceptions of the righteousness of the cause? Did more people think that congressional action on civil rights was warranted after demonstrations than before?
The current iteration of the "white moderate": Conor Friedersdorf. https://twitter.com/tzimmer_history/status/1680743625209135104?s=20