Does black thought matter?

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Gob
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Does black thought matter?

Post by Gob »

When I first moved to the UK from Ghana with my family in my early teens, the country that welcomed me was one where multiculturalism flourished and neighbours were warm and unassuming.

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Your achievements were not prefaced by the colour of your skin or your place on the totem pole of identity politics.

People from ethnic and racial minorities were not constantly looking over their shoulders and assuming that every social interaction was laced with disdain or racism. It was a Britain where confidence trumped victimhood.

But, much to my dismay, the tone has shifted entirely, and worryingly, over the past five years.

Now I, a 24-year-old black woman of West African heritage, am expected to be mortally offended if someone dares assume that my dark skin might signal heritage not native to the British Isles.

I am expected to voice loudly my approval of white liberals who inform me of my inherent oppression as a ‘woman of colour’.

Amid the demonstrations and tumult of recent weeks, I have grown increasingly concerned about the methods and the wider far-Left political agenda of the Black Lives Matter movement here in the UK.

I have been horrified to watch this ridiculous campaign of tearing down statues and relics of British heritage escalate. It is a campaign that has yet to make any progress in tangibly helping me as a black person. And in recent weeks I have been increasingly vocal on Twitter about my concerns. But in doing so I have become targeted by a wave of vile online abuse.

Earlier this month I tweeted: ‘Are Brits still allowed to be proud of their culture and heritage or is that racist now?’ I also said I was ‘fairly sick of all the protests’. Last week, I made clear that I do not support BLM, adding: ‘Never have. Never will. I don’t need to put a black square online or tie myself to that organisation to prove that I care about black people.’

Some of the comments on social media I have received following these tweets have been truly shocking. I have been targeted by a campaign of abuse, hate and false information aimed at tarnishing the reputation of a black woman. I wake up every day to horrible messages. Most of this abuse was seemingly coming from black supporters of Black Lives Matter, including a significant amount from African-Americans, although I have also been abused by white liberals. Some of the trolls have circulated a fake image, which they falsely suggest is me. It shows a black woman on her knees posing as the seemingly subservient cartoon dog Scooby-Doo and flanked by four white women. I have had racist language used against me that is as bad as the ‘N’ word.

I have had people tell me they hope I am barren.

What I have received this last week online has given me a glimpse into the darkest part of the human soul – the part that can muster up the most awful hatred. This will not, however, stop me from questioning the motives of this movement.

The slogan of this campaign is indisputable. Of course black lives matter. They matter in the same way that everyone’s life, by virtue of being human, matters. Every individual, of whatever skin colour, should have the right to pursue happiness and live free from prejudice. And where racial discrimination and injustice exists in this country, it should be stamped out.

But a simple glance at the ‘Who We Are’ section on its online fundraising page demonstrates that this organisation is about much more than ‘black lives’. The group’s GoFundMe page explains that it intends to be ‘guided by a commitment to dismantle imperialism, capitalism, white supremacy, patriarchy and the state structures that disproportionately harm black people in Britain and around the world’.

What on earth does ‘defending black lives’ have to do with dismantling capitalism – a system that has lifted millions of people out of absolute poverty in just this century alone? How would the tearing down of wealth creation benefit black lives? I regard myself as a conservative (but not a Tory) and cannot sign up to the destruction of capitalism. In fact, I find such views abhorrent. Does that mean there is no place for me in this anti-racism movement?

There are also growing questions surrounding this organisation’s funding. BLM UK has raised over a million pounds in recent weeks and one can only assume that is a figure that is going to increase following the public show of support from Premier League football teams.

The group, however, appears determined to spend the money on a string of Marxist initiatives, which according to its GoFundMe page, includes ‘developing and delivering training, police monitoring and strategies for the abolition of police’.

But how can you defend black people, or indeed anyone for that matter, if you are endorsing an agenda that seeks to abolish the police? How will soaring crime help black communities? If we abolish the police, what do we replace it with?

The group also says it will organise in ‘the Black radical tradition’ in a bid to secure ‘Black liberation’. But what on earth is the ‘black radical tradition’ and wouldn’t resources be better dedicated to free the Sub-Saharan Africans who are still enslaved in many North African and Middle Eastern regions of the world?

As someone who studied for a degree in Bristol for four years, I was stunned by the virtue signalling that drove protesters to tear down the statue of Edward Colston. Many of those in the mob, I must add, were white individuals who are likely descendants of direct beneficiaries of the slave trade. Oh, the irony!

I would like to know from the, largely anonymous, leaders of the BLM UK campaign whether they are protesting in solidarity with the US movement or because of the actions of our own mainly unarmed police force, whose ‘policing by consent’ model is envied around the world. Are the protesters shouting ‘don’t shoot’ at British police officers aware that the batons our officers routinely carry are incapable of doubling up as a deadly firearm?

The deeply unpleasant experience of being targeted online has shown me how toxic this debate is becoming. Why are people who claim to care for black people so uptight and defensive when someone says there is an agenda that is destructive to black people that is being ushered in on the back of this movement?

We need to wake up and see that people are trying to divide this country and are using minority groups to do it. First it was statues, then it was a potential ban on Swing Low, Sweet Chariot being sung at rugby matches. When will this end? This small faction of Left-wing activists will never stop trying to tear this country apart and shaming every aspect of British heritage. It is incumbent on us all to fight this through education, a fierce defence of free speech, and to call out the hypocrisy of individuals and organisations attempting to weaponise minority groups to their political ends.

My parents taught me the value of hard work, honesty, humility and standing up for the truth. I was taught to judge individuals on the content of their character, and I will never surrender to race baiters who try to bully me into submission. I will never be silent. And neither should you.
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”

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Scooter
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Re: Does black thought matter?

Post by Scooter »

And yet one more "I'm a black person who doesn't believe that BLM has any legitimate grievances, therefore all you white people are free to dismiss them" article, like the one about Muhammed Ali's son. Perhaps someone should create an anthology.
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Gob
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Re: Does black thought matter?

Post by Gob »

Well I didn't see the part where she claimed she "doesn't believe that BLM has any legitimate grievances", now where she said white people were ok to dismiss them.
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”

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MajGenl.Meade
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Re: Does black thought matter?

Post by MajGenl.Meade »

Right. She says this:
The slogan of this campaign is indisputable. Of course black lives matter. They matter in the same way that everyone’s life, by virtue of being human, matters. Every individual, of whatever skin colour, should have the right to pursue happiness and live free from prejudice. And where racial discrimination and injustice exists in this country, it should be stamped out.
So to allege her position is that BLM has "no legitimate grievances" is false.

Further, this:
‘guided by a commitment to dismantle imperialism, capitalism, white supremacy, patriarchy and the state structures that disproportionately harm black people in Britain and around the world’
is the real danger signal. BLM is a meaningful slogan with power to arouse people everywhere to support iniatives to make it true (that black lives really do matter for once, instead of being secondary to other lives). But there is an organization in the UK that has appropriated the tag and puts itself forward as being the authoritative voice for equality. In fact, its ultimate goals are not equality but socialist/Marxist state domination. They are to BLM as Trump is to Republican.

As usual, when a black voice is raised, there's some white dude ready to pull all the levers of bigotry
For Christianity, by identifying truth with faith, must teach-and, properly understood, does teach-that any interference with the truth is immoral. A Christian with faith has nothing to fear from the facts

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BoSoxGal
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Re: Does black thought matter?

Post by BoSoxGal »

Just another liar who claims defund the police means to abolish them, when the evidence to the contrary is EVERYWHERE.
For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.
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Re: Does black thought matter?

Post by MajGenl.Meade »

BoSoxGal wrote:
Sun Jun 21, 2020 4:25 pm
Just another liar who claims defund the police means to abolish them, when the evidence to the contrary is EVERYWHERE.
Set aside your US assumptions and read what's there - not what you think is there. The woman is not talking about defunding the police US style. She is in England and she is addressing the UK BLM which she quotes:
The group, however, appears determined to spend the money on a string of Marxist initiatives, which according to its GoFundMe page, includes ‘developing and delivering training, police monitoring and strategies for the abolition of police’.
Talk about adding to "a campaign of abuse, hate and false information aimed at tarnishing the reputation of a black woman"
For Christianity, by identifying truth with faith, must teach-and, properly understood, does teach-that any interference with the truth is immoral. A Christian with faith has nothing to fear from the facts

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Joe Guy
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Re: Does black thought matter?

Post by Joe Guy »

Gob, you left out the name of the author of the article.

Her name is Jemima Butterworth Ben-Uncle.

rubato
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Re: Does black thought matter?

Post by rubato »

Revisionist crap watered with a flood of invented beliefs and attitudes ascribed to others. A form of "argument" common in the right wing.

Hysterical Horseshit.

Liberal beliefs and expectations are largely what they were 10 years ago.

The "defund the police" idea has been expressed stupidly and counter-productively. What they mean is to remove some funding and some responsibilities from the police. Without specifics it is impossible to say if this is a good idea. And it detracts from the more important message that the police need to be accountable for the use of force and need to be led less as paramilitary forces.

yrs,
rubato

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TPFKA@W
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Re: Does black thought matter?

Post by TPFKA@W »

Black people the world around are of one mind and one party of thought. If they stray from the one acceptable way of thinking they must be swarmed upon until they are educated to right thinking. I know you missed that memo Gob.

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Scooter
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Re: Does black thought matter?

Post by Scooter »

No one is saying that. But it's typical to trot out the odd contrarian viewpoint as if that serves to negate the concerns shared by a broad consensus. It's like when debates over same-sex marriage were going on, and conservatives would trot out the odd gay person to say he didn't believe that same-sex couples needed legal marriage, as if that should have decided the issue. It's used to give an excuse to the majority to ignore the oppression of the minority.
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Guinevere
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Re: Does black thought matter?

Post by Guinevere »

Scooter wrote:
Mon Jun 22, 2020 2:27 am
No one is saying that. But it's typical to trot out the odd contrarian viewpoint as if that serves to negate the concerns shared by a broad consensus. It's like when debates over same-sex marriage were going on, and conservatives would trot out the odd gay person to say he didn't believe that same-sex couples needed legal marriage, as if that should have decided the issue. It's used to give an excuse to the majority to ignore the oppression of the minority.
Exactly.
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TPFKA@W
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Re: Does black thought matter?

Post by TPFKA@W »

Scooter wrote:
Mon Jun 22, 2020 2:27 am
No one is saying that. But it's typical to trot out the odd contrarian viewpoint as if that serves to negate the concerns shared by a broad consensus. It's like when debates over same-sex marriage were going on, and conservatives would trot out the odd gay person to say he didn't believe that same-sex couples needed legal marriage, as if that should have decided the issue. It's used to give an excuse to the majority to ignore the oppression of the minority.
Nope. You straight up give the impression that you have zero respect or regard for any way of thought that does not mirror your own. If there is a deviation from your "right way" you instantly tell people they have their head up their ass, that they need to give a quarter turn on that stick up their ass, ( how can there be room for both?) etc etc. It really gets old listening to the narrow mindedness of the "open minded". It really has become ridiculous. So how about you get your head out of your ass and think up some creative insults to slam at me instead of your head/stick schitk.

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Re: Does black thought matter?

Post by Scooter »

You're absolutely right, I don't have any respect or regard for racists or those who apologize for them or those who try to find ways to rationalize not doing anything to oppose them. Call me crazy that way.
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Gob
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Re: Does black thought matter?

Post by Gob »

Scooter wrote:
Mon Jun 22, 2020 5:22 am
You're absolutely right, I don't have any respect or regard for racists or those who apologize for them or those who try to find ways to rationalize not doing anything to oppose them. Call me crazy that way.
Are you saying this woman is a racist for not going along with the assumptions of BLM? (Most of whom, in the UK, are white.)
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”

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Re: Does black thought matter?

Post by liberty »

Yea, the British should be weighted down with guilt. After all, they ended slavery early and then went on to use their navy to suppress the transatlantic slave trade. And, so what if they had slavery at one time.

Slavery was practiced by almost every culture on earth civilized and primitive form the being of time. And by the way, civilized does not mean humane culture; some of the most brutal cultures were civilizations. The most primitive cultures practiced at least female slavery. They would kill male captives but keep some of the women. I refer you to the Comanche empire..
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TPFKA@W
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Re: Does black thought matter?

Post by TPFKA@W »

Gob wrote:
Mon Jun 22, 2020 10:03 am
Scooter wrote:
Mon Jun 22, 2020 5:22 am
You're absolutely right, I don't have any respect or regard for racists or those who apologize for them or those who try to find ways to rationalize not doing anything to oppose them. Call me crazy that way.
Are you saying this woman is a racist for not going along with the assumptions of BLM? (Most of whom, in the UK, are white.)
Yep. If it is not along HIS party line there is zero attempt at understanding or respecting why someone might think outside HIS box. It does not matter that it isn't racist, and it isn't. Pathetic isn't it?

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Scooter
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Re: Does black thought matter?

Post by Scooter »

Gob wrote:
Mon Jun 22, 2020 10:03 am
Are you saying this woman is a racist for not going along with the assumptions of BLM?
She seems intelligent enough to know that a black person who comes out against BLM is going to have a much better shot at getting her opinions published and is going to get a lot more attention than being one more black person among millions who comes out in support of BLM. And she is also intelligent enough to know how she is going to be used by white people who have no interest in seeing things change. You have certainly proven her right on both counts.
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TPFKA@W
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Re: Does black thought matter?

Post by TPFKA@W »

We could also believe her to be intelligent enough to have her words taken at face value without adding derogatory crap about some random white man using her. Like it or not, her opinion has merit and value as it is.

Believe it or not there are as many opinions on the planet as there are assholes. I don't agree with most of them but I give people the benefit of my respect for their differences. You represent liberals whose only function is to scurry about aggressively screeching "racist" or "asshole" at people who do not agree with them. I do not see anything racist in agreeing with a young woman who does not agree with what BLM has as an agenda. One can you know, agree with various aspects, like black lives having equal value, without agreeing as a whole. But screech and scurry on if it makes you feel self-righteous.

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Post by MajGenl.Meade »

TPFKA@W wrote:
Mon Jun 22, 2020 8:01 pm
You represent liberals whose only function is to scurry about aggressively screeching "racist" or "asshole" at people who do not agree with them.
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For Christianity, by identifying truth with faith, must teach-and, properly understood, does teach-that any interference with the truth is immoral. A Christian with faith has nothing to fear from the facts

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Gob
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Re: Does black thought matter?

Post by Gob »

Scooter wrote:
Mon Jun 22, 2020 6:16 pm
She seems intelligent enough to know that a black person who comes out against BLM is going to have a much better shot at getting her opinions published and is going to get a lot more attention than being one more black person among millions who comes out in support of BLM. And she is also intelligent enough to know how she is going to be used by white people who have no interest in seeing things change. You have certainly proven her right on both counts.
So, you've decided, on no evidence, that she only wrote these things to improve her chance of it getting published, and she did this in order to support no change. Possibly the most patronising thing I've read here. You could at least have the courage to call her an "Aunt Tom" or something.
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”

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