Black People Riot Over Injustice; White People Riot Over Pumpkins and Football

[KamaAina]

http://www.theroot.com/blogs/the_grapevine/2014/10/black_people_riot_over_injustice_white_people_riot_over_pumpkins_and_football.html

It's amazing that more than two months after Michael Brown was shot and killed in Ferguson, Mo., no arrests have been made and no trial has been set. That hasn't stopped the protests and outcries of injustice, but there are those on social media who can't understand why people are still protesting in Ferguson. Typically those people have been white conservatives who want to sweep the police-brutality issues that plague black communities under the rug.

When Brown was killed, there were riots. Those riots were no different from riots back in the day when black people got fed up with the injustice handed to them by the same people who were supposed to protect them.

When black people riot, it's because of injustice—and that isn't condoning the rioting that leaves black communities in shambles.

But let's look at events this past weekend in two white communities. Yes, there were riots. No, they were not rioting about injustice. I'm quite sure that some of those who rioted don't even care about the death of black men at the hands of police.

[NaturalHigh]

1. Gee, that's not a racist title at all.

[randys1]

2. It is just a statement of fact, unless you know something I dont about these two issues

[NaturalHigh]

4. Have a pleasant evening Randy. eom.

[bigwillq]

7. So you don't think any black person

has ever rioted when their football team when the Super Bowl?

[randys1]

8. Could you hold the record for missing the point, I think you do...

[strawberries]

36. the pumpkin riot

had black folks there too. When walmart closed their doors over the protesters white people where there too.

1. White people riot over pumpkins
2. walmart closes its doors to black protesters

Blacks and whites hang out together, protest together. we have blended.

[NCTraveler]

47. Where is the fact in that absolute statement?

It couldn't be more blatantly false. Where in the world do you see facts? You do see that it is clearly an all encompassing statement.

[randys1]

49. Endless examples, white privilege clouds people's vision. I cant even believe we are talking about

it as if it is debatable.

[NCTraveler]

50. I get white privilege.

Understanding white privilege doesn't change the flaws in your comment. Calling something a fact means something to some. The absolute statement you called a fact is not a fact and cannot be explained as one by throwing something else out to see if it sticks.

You can yell white privilege from the rooftops, still doesn't make the statement you claim to be a fact an actual fact. It simply isn't.

[randys1]

51. So white people dont tend to fuss over stuff that isnt life and death while minorities do?

I dont know how to even have this conversation...seriously

It is like arguing about is rain wet.

[KamaAina]

3. The Root is an African American webzine.

[NaturalHigh]

6. Yes, I know.

[dlwickham]

11. so that means the site can't post racist ariticles?

[KamaAina]

29. There are some things that they can say and we can't

including, in certain contexts, the N-word.

[NaturalHigh]

30. In what bizarro world does that even make sense?

So their articles can't be racist?

Sorry...not falling for the old double standard.

[dlwickham]

31. I guess there are good riots and bad riots?

[KamaAina]

38. No, justified ones and unjustified ones

cf. Rodney King.

[dlwickham]

40. I bet the families of the 53 people who died would disagree

just saying

[noiretextatique]

12. what's racist about it?

i would add that white people used to riot because white women claimed black men looked at them funny. that's what started the tulsa riots.

[NaturalHigh]

20. Just so you know...

I've never rioted.

[noiretextatique]

32. neither did i...and your point?

can you deal with history or current reality without taking it personally? or does your ego need to be massaged constantly?

[NaturalHigh]

39. I have a degree in history.

Yes, I can deal with it. Thanks kindly for asking, though.

[JustAnotherGen]

22. Good point

http://www.tulsahistory.org/learn/online-exhibits/the-tulsa-race-riot/

Her story kept changing too. Added the link as I don't think many DUers know about it, Rosewood, Paducah, or Waco. Rather what they know about the last two pales in comparison to thereal horrors there.

[MrScorpio]

16. White Privilege and the 'Pumpkin Fest' Riot of 2014

White supremacy structures how the news media frames and reports events in the United States (and elsewhere). There are so many examples of this fact that the difficulty is not one of finding them, rather, the challenge involves which examples of white racial framing to discuss and detail.

Saturday's riot by white college students at Keene State College's annual Pumpkinfest is a priceless example of white privilege and white racism as a type of social practice and habit.

It was high comedy. Twitter had great fun with mocking and calling out the foolishness of the white pumpkin rioters.

It was also deadly serious. Fires were set, cars destroyed, bottles and other dangerous objects were thrown at random people, and the police were attacked by the white students at Keene's pumpkin festival.

In a stark and clear manner, white privilege and white supremacy color how the obnoxious and violent behavior of the white rioters at Pumpkinfest is described by the media.

Black folks who are protesting with righteous rage and anger in response to the killing of Michael Brown in Ferguson have been called "thugs", "animals", and cited by the Right-wing media as examples of the "bad culture" and "cultural pathologies" supposedly common to the African-American community.

Privileged white college students who riot at a pumpkin festival are "spirited partiers", "unruly", or "rowdy".

http://www.alternet.org/speakeasy/chaunceydevega/white-privilege-and-pumpkin-fest-riot-2014

[NaturalHigh]

21. I've read the story. Thank you.

[randys1]

5. It is called white privilege, understand that most white americans actually think they dont have

privilege

I know, insane

[Fred Sanders]

9. One of the main privileges of white privilege is not understanding or recognizing white privilege.

[noiretextatique]

15. it is the MAIN privilege of privilege

already on display in this thread, and i bet there will be more. FUCK what the article actually describes, let's just get pissy about the title because it does not assuage our egos so sadly typical.

[appalachiablue]

23. Exactly 100%. The essence of it.

[randys1]

44. Exactly, you are saying in so few words what I stumble and fumble around trying to say all the time

I am at this moment in a discussion with someone who doesnt think he enjoys white privilege (all american whites enjoy white privilege even if only by default, myself included) who doesnt understand why so many BLAX would be angry that a cop shot and killed a BLACK kid from 25 feet away while the kid was BOTH surrendering and falling to the ground with several bullets ALREADY in him.

He is a reasonable person too, and he isnt alone.



We got a problem, big one.

[Android3.14]

10. Troll bait

Thanks OP, for contributing to the discussion.

[noiretextatique]

13. did you bother to read the article?

or did you go straight to poutrage?

[etherealtruth]

18. What?

The OP and the linked article point out the racism that permeate American society.

i am hoping that you made this comment without reading the article

[Starry Messenger]

24. Well, the hit dogs yelp...as they say.

[bravenak]

52. So you showed up.

That's strange.

[seveneyes]

14. Black and White is not a contrast

Until one can see the gray between them.

[linuxman]

17. Yeah, sure.

Lord knows Black people have never rioted over something frivolous and asinine.

No white people in the streets in Ferguson either, no siree.

More race-baiting crap.

[noiretextatique]

33. almost every single riot in black areas started

because of police brutality.

[JustAnotherGen]

19. Recursion posted yesterday

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=5689157

[GusBob]

25. stonewall. chicago convention 1968. kent state.

Union and labour riots. Draft riots.
History is so historical.

[NaturalHigh]

26. I think I might have heard about those.

[linuxman]

27. Ah yes,

The infamous Stonewall football riots.

I'm pretty sure Kent state was over a closed Starbucks or something like that.

[NaturalHigh]

28. I think you got it backwards.

Bob Stoops began his coaching career at Kent State. He said they often got together and burned a few things before the season started.

[noiretextatique]

35. any comment about the two examples in the article?

hmmmm?

[linuxman]

37. Sure.

I just graduated from WVU this year, as a matter of fact. The rioting that the school is know for is not by any stretch of the imagination a color-coded affair. We have many black, middle eastern, and south-east Asian students in the school. When street parties and riots occur, they seem to be pretty much in line with the schools demographics. I would know. I lived on Grant ave. To make it about white people in an effort to marginalize them as socially lackadaisical and shallow is silly.

The pumpkin festival? It was fucked up and disgraceful. Seeing as to how it occurred in a town that is 95% white, in a state that is just over 94% white, I can't say I'm surprised at the racial breakdown. That said, using it in an attempt to paint white people as a group that riots only out of frivolity and personal selfishness while not demonstrating in public over more serious social issues is pretty fucked up as well.

The article is shit.

[AverageJoe90]

43. I see your point, I think.

But, to her credit, at least she didn't trot out and play the "all white people are automatically privileged" card.

[noiretextatique]

34. it wasn't only white people involved in those incidents

how about the example of the great pumpkin riot of 2014?

[NCTraveler]

48. Goal posts moving. Love it. nt.

[hughee99]

41. If people riot when they experience injustice, and white people don't experience it,

why would they riot because of it?

[AverageJoe90]

42. Good point.

I'm not convinced that was actually the point, TBH, but it doesn't really help to fight prejudiced language with prejudiced language, regardless of the intent.

[Taitertots]

45. I'm white. When did I riot over pumpkins?

Or is your OP using the actions of a tiny minority to describe large groups of people.

[KamaAina]

46. Other white people did, last weekend in New Hampshire.

All black people do not riot; neither do all white people.