almostfamousmike:

nobody can just sit down and talk about something sensitive without it turning into a fucking bomb? Example is this Trayvan case. It was picked up almost immediately as a racial based crime. Black Panthers, Jessie Jackson, and Al Sharpton all joined forces with the black community and turned…

Some things:

 1. Do you really think that the ‘race card’ exists? Come on, now:

The “race card” is a concept that has been used to silence people of color who attempt to speak out when they feel that race has been used unfairly in determining how people are treated. It is one of the most dangerous weapons in the White privilege toolbox, for it implies that a non-POC would know better when something is truly racist than someone who is constantly subjected to racism.  … The race card concept implies that the true racial power in this country lies in the hands of minorities, and that as soon as we “cry racism,” we will then be allowed to get away with anything or to unjustly persecute innocent White people. This is so infrequently the case. We holler “race” because so often it IS about race. (Jamilah Lemieux @ Clutch Magazine) 

Honestly, the race card does not exist. I don’t know if I can ever stress this enough. Whatever privilege or perks or benefits you think people of colour get just by being people of colour are literally NON-EXISTENT. We do not have any sort of ~*magical life advantage*~ bestowed on us at birth once the world can see that we are, in fact, people of colour. I don’t get free coffee or anything just because I’m a brown woman! Surprising, right? This is not what I signed up for at all!

Non-PoC, on the other hand, get a few perks when it comes to racism. They have the privilege of ignoring racism when it’s convenient for them. They are able to say ”This isn’t an issue of race” when, you know, it might actually be an issue of race. They have the privilege to tell PoC that they are over-reacting and ‘playing the race card’. They have the privilege of not turning these issues into “fucking bombs”, whatever the fuck that fucking means, because THESE ISSUES DO NOT DIRECTLY AFFECT THEM. It is easy to dismiss racism (even blatant racism) when IT DOES NOT SEEM TO HAVE AN IMPACT ON YOUR LIFE OR YOUR SAFETY. THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM.

2. WHY DO PEOPLE INSIST ON TURNING THE DEATH OF A SEVENTEEN YEAR OLD BOY INTO A PISSING CONTEST? I am sick and tired of people bringing up murder cases, comparing them to Trayvon Martin’s murder, and saying stuff like “WHERE IS THE MEDIA OUTRAGE??????” If the man that shot that woman was arrested, tried, and convicted, there is no media outrage because justice was served. That is not what has happening in the Trayvon Martin case. Trayvon was shot on February 26, 2012. George Zimmerman was recently arrested. IN APRIL. IT TOOK THEM UNTIL APRIL TO ARREST HIM. It took public OUTRAGE, petitions, rallies, et cetera, et cetera, for Zimmerman to be arrested. THE POLICE ACCEPTED HIS STORY THAT HE SHOT TRAYVON IN SELF DEFENSE DESPITE WITNESS TESTIMONIES THAT SAID OTHERWISE. Please tell me you are getting this. Please. 

3. You say that “We’re all human, we all bleed the same blood.” I hate that shit. Saying stuff like that completely erases the issue of race. It’s akin to telling someone that they’re over-reacting or that they’re playing the race card. No! Calm down! There’s only one race: the human race! We all bleed red! We are all equal! I don’t see race! Being colourblind is not the way to end racism. Ignoring race in issues that are, in fact, about race, LIKE THE MURDER OF TRAYVON MARTIN, hinders rather than helps. Stop it. 

4. I wrote two exams today and I’m running on two hours of sleep, and I know the likelihood of you ignoring this post or claiming something like “OH YOU ARE SO RACIST!!!1111” or just responding to everything I’ve said with that fucking Morgan Freeman quote is very high, so I’m going to stop typing and go entertain myself with something that does not make me want to set the Internet on fire. Pictures of kittens. Modern Family. A good old fashioned book. I don’t know.