"I don't see color. I was raised to treat everyone equal, Jane Elliott doesn't know what saying"

[NYCButterfinger]

Is what a older white male said on my local News 12 NJ this morning.

He said that Biden and Trump shouldn't talk race, because it is uncomfortable.

He said he was a member of the NAACP until a few decades ago, he says he has no "bias", and said that Elliott is using race as a shield for money.

What do you think?

[ananda]

1. Aunt Crabby calls bullshit!

!!!

[redstatebluegirl]

2. Anyone who says they don't see color is suspect.

Humans are human, we always see "color" it is how we react to the differences that determine how racist we are. If someone in one of my diversity classes told me they didn't see color they would have some homework to do.

[NYCButterfinger]

3. Some people see everyone as the HUMAN race.

I think that is what he was saying.

He is a wealthy Somerset County businessman who hired Black people in the 1970s and 1980s when it was unpopular, but he says that "critical race theory" is a problem.

He doesn't like critical race theory.

[AleksS]

4. Then he needs to get his eyes checked--

Color is pretty easy to see. If he can’t see it, he probably has a disorder and should have his vision checked.

And because color is so obvious, and because some people are treated differently because of it, it’s all the more important to talk—and more importantly, work—to combat racism.

[NYCButterfinger]

7. He joined the NAACP in 1961 because of civil rights

He said that he did not see color, but humanity.

He said Black people are his equal and he damn right made sure that he gave Black people opportunities.

He's just not into critical race theory, etc.

But he is a Biden supporter, I think, he said.

[AleksS]

8. I know what he meant, and it is extremely dumb.

I was just mocking it, as it deserves.

It’s “all lives matter” before there was “all lives matter.”

It’s bullshit, and an excuse to not deal with an uncomfortable subject. Racism exists. Whether or not he’s a racist. Hiding from it by saying “I don’t see color,” or “I have black friends,” is at BEST not helping, and at worst, hurting the folks suffering from racism today.

[NYCButterfinger]

9. He walked over glass to give Black people opportunities in ruby red NJ in the 1980s

He said

[cwydro]

10. Well, you certainly seem to believe him.

No doubt there are others.

What’s his name?

[NYCButterfinger]

11. I don't care what he thinks, he just spoke on the News NJ radio this morning

I am just saying a lot of people think like him

He says that racism is on the way out, it's not increasing because LeBron and others are successful than can ever be

I don't know his name, he wanted to be anonymous for fear of retribution

He is a big Somerset County, NJ donor. He's a millionaire.

He donated to Obama, Corzine, Booker, Christie

To Bob Franks in 2000

[Spider Jerusalem]

13. He's a fucking dipshit

"some black people are successful therefore racism isn't a problem" is literally something only a complete fucking moron could believe.

[Spider Jerusalem]

16. He is a racist asshole with a bad case of White Man's Burden syndrome it sounds like (n/t)

[NYCButterfinger]

19. He's not a racist. Dedicated his whole life to the NJ NAACP as a member.

Says he is dismayed about today's society.

[Spider Jerusalem]

23. That doesn't make him not a racist.

[Squinch]

43. Our friend appears to have gone out for pizza.

[cwydro]

14. You bring up LeBron a lot.

Well, shouldn’t be too hard to find this guy. Somerset County, millionaire. Large donor to those you mentioned.

[NYCButterfinger]

18. I am just listening to what he said. He wants his name to be anonymous. He spoke for 15 minutes

He's a moderate Independent now.

Was a Democrat, left the party after Hillary lost.

He runs a software business company.

It was on NJ 101.5 or something like that

[cwydro]

20. 101.5. Thanks!

[NYCButterfinger]

22. 101.5 is one of the best suburban talk in the nation

They have everyone on---GOP, Dems, Indy, etc

[lunatica]

17. It looks like some people here think the man was speaking literally

I think it’s pretty obvious he was speaking figuratively. Knowing his background as you’ve been posting here I would believe he is NOT a racist.

[cyclonefence]

5. Pretty sure he's aware of color

but believes he ignores it.

A. I doubt that this is true

B. If he truly ignores skin color, then he is unaware of the racism around him, and there's nothing commendable in that.

[haele]

6. BS. Color of skin is always the first thing anyone sees when looking at others.

It's how one reacts to skin color - or for that matter, the other two primary discriminators when meeting people, gender, or beauty - when they see it that is the actual measure of any bias one has.

Anyone who says they were raised not to see color was either blindfolded, blind or severely isolated as a child.

In my experience, anyone who says "I don't see color" is overcompensating for their own biases and is usually an judgemental a-hole anyway.

I always see color. I'm also extremely aware of what status in society that skin color imposes on that person.
So my go-to statement for dealing with anyone, no matter the skin color is always "I was raised to treat everyone with respect".

Haele

[Spider Jerusalem]

12. I think he sounds like a racist using lame justifications to claim he isn't one

"don't talk about race because it's uncomfortable" is not something anyone who actually gave a shit about racial discrimination would say.

[NYCButterfinger]

21. He says that the NBA, etc. needs to work with white suburban communities to fix

the problem.

He says it is a societal problem.

He says that America cannot focus on one racial group at the expense of white middle class---he says that is where you get racial resentment that is happening now

[Spider Jerusalem]

24. That is a racist argument that only morons make

"the expense of the white middle class" my left bollock. Sounds dangerously close to "white men are the real oppressed class in America today".

[NYCButterfinger]

26. He says it feels like white people owe black people something

He says he doesn't owe black people anything. He wants understanding..

[Spider Jerusalem]

27. I would say AMERICA owes black people something.

I also say this person is an idiot because he seems to be incapable of understanding racism as systemic oppression, not just individual action.

[NYCButterfinger]

28. He said America is heading towards divorce

He said the white middle class shouldn't pay more in income tax to fund these programs

[Spider Jerusalem]

30. You are expending a fuckton of energy explaining this one old racist dude.

[Squinch]

31. You should make a website of all your many discussion question in which you make a

point of passing along all the many interesting arguments you hear from the many, many right wingers you cross paths with.

These many threads of yours and your many posts conveying these opinions are just so interesting.

[NYCButterfinger]

33. New Jersey is really a swing state---but the Dems run better politics than the GOP

Chris Christie is the only hope the NJ GOP has had.

They haven't won anything since 2013.

[Squinch]

34. The eagle flies at midnight...

[Solly Mack]

25. To deny seeing color is to deny that person's experience.

A black person's experience of America hasn't been the same as a white person's experience of America. To pretend otherwise to pretend racism doesn't exist. It means pretending you don't know the damage racism has caused.

Said older white male from the OP very well may not have any bias but his not having any in no way changes how black people are perceived by others or are treated by others. Simply saying, for example, that he's always treated people fairly doesn't change racism at large.

If talking about race is uncomfortable then I submit it needs to be talked about more, not less. If there is discomfort, it's there for a reason. That said - white people have to be prepared to hear that what they think about race could be all wrong. How they see things is probably not how they truly are for people of color. They have to be prepared to listen - listen - and not constantly defend their own actions as being not racist. Because racism still exist, even if a white person isn't themselves a racist.

All critical race theory states is - in simple terms - a system set up by white people, its laws, its norms, its beliefs will favor those who put those laws, norms, and beliefs into place. The dominant cultural - white, (Christian, male) - will try and force others to either adhere to how they say everyone should behave, what they believe, what rights they should have etc.. or they will create social tiers (to include laws and separate/special rights) to keep those seen as undesirable/different/the other down.

White supremacy breeds white privilege. How could it not? If you believe that being white makes you better, and if whites control the cultural, legal, and social structures of a society, then favor/privilege will always go to those with white skin.

Someone waking up to the damage of racism doesn't change centuries of racism. Doesn't wipe out how racism permeates all aspect of a society - its laws, its customs, its norms, its institutions, etc..

It takes conscious effort to change that. That requires talking about it.

[ismnotwasm]

29. When everyone has the same experience despite skin color

Then I’ll talk about “not seeing color”… which is one of the most bullshit arguments ever

[Squinch]

32. I'm kind of getting a Diabeticman vibe here. Anyone else? Is there a door buzzard in the house?

[Mariana]

36. Long since, Squinch. nt.

[Squinch]

38. LOL! The troll has left the building!

[cwydro]

42. Ah, just saw this.

Advanced search gives one some interesting info.

Been watching this candy bar lol.

[Piasladic]

44. This weekend I kept waiting

for his account to be flagged. Glad to see the backside of that one.

[Squinch]

45. I think he thought he was really slick.

[cwydro]

40. Yes, yes indeed.

Thank you.

[ismnotwasm]

41. Ha!

😂 😂 😂

[tenderfoot]

35. "What do you think?"

I think you're trolling.

[maxsolomon]

37. He should go to Anti-Racism training and then see what he thinks.

I've been, to 2 different sessions, and I now know just enough to know that I've been steeping in Racism my whole life, despite good intentions and growing up around a lot of Black people.

[Sgent]

39. I was raised like this by my parents

I even dated (briefly) someone who was black in my younger years while still thinking this way.

It wasn't honestly until Obama ran that I finally started to understand why what I was taught was well meaning, but wrong. I heard someone give the response to this that we can't just be not racist, we have to actively be anti-racist. I got the concept of individual racism -- and I nor my parents were individually racist -- I wasn't the one telling racist stories at the campfire, or refusing to allow black members of my fraternity. I had black friends at birthday parties -- and my parents actually took flack from neighbors for it (although I didn't know it at the time).

However, I never got the concept of institutional racism and systemic racism until the last decade or so -- even after being a member for a while of DU. It didn't fully sink in for me until Mitch Landrieu started taking down the confederate statues in New Orleans that had been erected by the Daughters of the Confederacy to drive home the lost cause narrative.

People can learn but you have to give them a chance.