CITATION
Rasheed, Muhammad. "Condolences from a True Believer." Cartoon. The Official Website of Cartoonist M. Rasheed 10 Jan 2019. Pen & ink w/Adobe Photoshop color.
Richard Josephson - What is the brutal truth about Stan Lee?
Muhammad Rasheed -
As cool as I may think it is that Stan Lee formally addressed and condemned racism in his Stan’s Soap Box column, I think the message itself is regular old, garden variety white supremacist propaganda. It actually doesn’t help Black Americans at all to indoctrinate them with the message that they shouldn’t fight back against barbaric, greed-fueled oppression by any means necessary so that they may attain true freedom.
The following two items are worth noting:
Jordan Lubus - I think you’re misinterpreting the message. He’s saying racism is a much trickier problem to deal with than most comic villains, as it’s not a single, physical entity that you can physically harm. It’s an ideology, which is a lot more difficult to suppress.
Muhammad Rasheed - No, it's an accurate interpretation because it corresponds with the general societal message pretending to fight against racism. Any REAL solutions are shot down, rhetoric about not wanting change too fast is tossed up in the air like confetti, while the meaning of racism itself is being hidden in propaganda rhetoric from it's true economic plunder actions.
Gabriel Mateescu - I….don’t think that’s what Stan Lee meant when he said that.
Muhammad Rasheed - Based on what? Liberals are usually pretty rabid about their commitment to “Non-violence no matter what!” when it comes to lecturing Black people and how they should deal with racism. It’s pretty consistent messaging.
Gabriel Mateescu - I can understand how violence could be used in a place like the secession era United States.
But the only ones who keep making racist protests nowadays are a bunch of loonies. And the law doesn’t forbid that. How would violence against these guys be any help?
Brian Langford - I think you parsed the statement incorrectly. Note that he said bigotry and racism. Now if he’d said bigots and racists you’d be correct - without getting into the quagmire of whether violence is ever justified and to what extent - it’s unarguable that punching and shooting bigots and racists is certainly one way of fighting back against them. But you can’t defeat bigotry or racism as concepts by punching and shooting them - that takes something else.
Muhammad Rasheed - The concept of "racism" is economic. The marketing arm of racism propagandizes that whites are inherently superior to Black people. If we remove the economic root cause of racism -- the systemic level plunder of the Black community to sustain the white racist aristocracy -- then the marketing arm part of the economic concept would also fall with it without the need of applying any extra tools.
William Timonen - Unless youre actually of the opinion that we should create some kind of ”racist-detector” and then kill everyone of them with a zapp-gun. You would have to agree that the problem is a little bit more complex than just shooting at it.
Muhammad Rasheed - Racists have always been hyper-aggressive and extremely violent. They're the ones who invented the 'domestic terror' model as we know it. We already have the "racist-detector" technology, since it simply involves watching them subjugate and exploit Black people to feed and sustain the white racist aristocracy.
William Timonen - You have an extremely, EXTREMELY, frankly hilariously narrow definition of racism if you think thats the case.
Muhammad Rasheed - lol You have an extremely, EXTREMELY, frankly sad uninformed definition of racism, that serves only to protect white supremacy. Take a bow.
Brandon Edwards - He never said not to defend yourself he said racism can't be stopped by violence, which is true.
Muhammad Rasheed - You've proven my point and destroyed your own point with your "which is true" part.
Racism is an economic system that enriches white people at the expense of Black people. It would absolutely be stopped if Blacks refused to allow it to be inflicted upon them any longer by using the same violence that causes it. If racism proved to be more expensive than profitable due to a zero tolerance counter-violence policy, then it would stop.
Brandon Edwards - Thats not true in the slightest. You're assuming that white people only use violence to discriminate or be racist and that the best way to solve that would be to fight fire with fire. First of all violence like the lynching, whipinng and harassment done by whites to blacks is only part of it, and a very small part compared to the entirety. The part of racism that is really harming blacks is the lack of a good education and the laws against them spanning from before the Civil Rights movement, jail sentences being much longer than whites, and the war on drugs which was simply started to target people against Nixxon (litteraly the worst president ever). None of those things could have or will be solved by violence. There have been moments where blacks have tried to go against the whites during slavery. For example in birth of a Nation where slaves stole guns and fought back against the slave owners. That didn't work because whites had more guns. See the problem with your argument is that you're assuming that the only reoson that blacks didn't fight back was because they were told by whites that the only way to end the oppression is with peace,but that's not true at all. Through acts of civil disobedience wich by definition means the act of breaking laws in the name of peaceful protest blacks like Rosa Parks, the Greens Borrow Four and Martin Luther King showed how unfair and unrighteous their racist behaviors are. If they would have used violence then they would have only been proving the racist point.
However I do see where you're coming from. Malcolm X was a firm believer in the fact that blacks should have the right to defend themselves. But ultimately that wouldn't have done much to end the violence in the long run.
(if I made any mistakes writing this I'm sorry. I'm typing this on my phone)
Muhammad Rasheed - Not so. Stan really did think he was saying the right thing, but that's only because society is broken. A twisted, distorted version of MLK's non-violent protest tactic has the people indoctrinated into thinking that physical violence against evil is ALWAYS wrong, and Stan's parroting of similar rhetoric isn't as helpful as it sounds to an uncritical ear.
Mark Stewart - So you think the virtuous thing for Stan Lee to do would be to tell his audience (who are mainly children) that real life villains can be dealt with in the same way comic villains are? That is the only point he's trying to make, you're saying he should inspire violence as a virtue?
Muhammad Rasheed - Violence is a virtue when your active enemy is inflicting violence upon you.
Comic book superheroes use violence against villains that refuse to listen to reason in favor of their dedication to self-serving schemes that leave innocent victims in their wake. Violence is of course the last resort after sincere communication efforts have failed, but it is absolutely in the tool kit of societal progress.
Mark wrote: "(who are mainly children)"
Societal change is always driven by the fired-up energy of youth. You just pointed out another negative about Stan's Soap Box quote. He was definitely part of the indoctrination machine that brainwashed a generation into protecting anti-Black systemic racism.
Oliver Fachiri - I think he was more advocating for the “non-violence” approach, than white supremacy.
Muhammad Rasheed - Insisting to Black people that 'non-violence' is the only way to stop violent barbarians is definitely a white supremacist position.
Oliver Fachiri - No it's not, was gandhi racist for insisting on non violence? Violence only begets violence.
Muhammad Rasheed - Gandhi's non-violent protest tactic had nothing to do with the fact that he unapologetically held traditional anti-Black racist views.
Muhammad Rasheed - The quote "violence only begets violence" means you want the victims of violence to lie down and take the genocidal abuse and let the oppressor have their way with them. This is no less than a pro-slavery, pro-white supremacist message. Please discard it.
Oliver Fachiri - No it's not. Anyone with a brain knows that you have every right to defend yourself. But you should never start physical violence. If I attacked someone everytime I felt like it alot of people would be dead, including me.
Muhammad Rasheed - This is a strawman. No one, especially not me, said anything about "attacking someone everytime we felt like it." The context has always been in defense against barbaric racists.
The white supremacists from as far back as the exploring colonialists of Europe have always been the aggressors in racist conflict, remember.
Oliver Fachiri - I'd like to see where you got that information. But you clear just want to hate.
Muhammad Rasheed - Where I got what information? Are you talking about the documented history of the rise of Western European power? It's literally mandatory learning in every single USA and European public school and institution of higher learning.
Was this a real question?
Muhammad Rasheed - I don't have to hate in order to defend myself from violence using violence, Oliver. That's an odd comment.
Oliver Fachiri - You're talking about a man who is against bigotry stating the violence won't end it. And he's right, hatred, bigotry, racism, can't be punched away. Somehow you're finding hatred and white supremacy in that.
Muhammad Rasheed - "You should never fight the violence back because if you do the violence won't stop," is what you just said to me.
"Let people punch you in the face, because if you punch them back, the punching won't stop."
Does that make sense to YOU? Because it doesn't to me. I'M against bigotry, and I would never say that to someone with a straight face (for a variety of reasons).
George Young - I don’t think he meant for people to not defend themselves or to not have a fighting spirit, just that violence by itself is not going to win a war of opinions.
Muhammad Rasheed - My argument is that racism is not just a “war of opinions,” but is a literal war against Black people, designed to continue to subjugate, exploit and plunder their wealth to maintain the 400 yr old white racist aristocracy. Because of this fact, any talk expressing that racism is only individual-level bigotry and small-minded opinions is actual war propaganda designed to confuse the victims as to who the true enemies are.
Michael Rasinski - So I read this and am fairly confused.
So you think we should have another civil war? It didn’t work the first time.
You do know that physical violence on either side will make the problem worse and draw people to both sides of the arguement for better or worse. You can’t kill an ideology with fists, war, genocide, or otherwise. Nazis will always be around, along with racists, white supremacists, feminists, etc. Part of being an American is excepting what you cannot change, people mainly, and having the patience to wait for each thing to fade while you ignore it, but it will never go away.
Violence is sometimes the best option, but not in this case. I suppose I’m more curious as to how you think we should solve the problem, and exactly why Stan Lee’s quote helped prove your point.
Muhammad Rasheed - Michael wrote: "So I read this and am fairly confused.”
I don’t believe you are. It seems like you just don’t want me to fight back against racism.
Michael wrote: "So you think we should have another civil war? It didn’t work the first time.”
Of course it did. The confederacy didn’t split the country and/or spread their chattel slave institution to Central and South America as was their goal, and I am currently freed from those old chains. Why do you think it didn’t work? What were the goals of the warring sides as you see them?
Michael wrote: "You do know that physical violence on either side will make the problem worse…”
It is worse, Michael. My ethnic group is being subjugated, exploited and plundered to feed the white racist aristocracy and that’s bottom of the barrel. If I don’t fight it will get even worse still, as even now schemes are in place to return us to chattel. Your position rejects logic and reason.
Michael wrote: "…and draw people to both sides of the arguement for better or worse.”
They are already there.
Michael wrote: "You can’t kill an ideology with fists, war, genocide, or otherwise.”
The ideology is the propaganda arm of the very physical systemic racist plunder of Black people. If I stop THAT with my fist, the ideology will fall and at least be significantly weakened and vulnerable to be shown for what it is.
Michael wrote: "Nazis will always be around, along with racists, white supremacists, feminists, etc.”
Our responsibility as good people is to check them to prevent them from gaining power over us, and to fight them to make them release power when they do. It is 100% unacceptable to allow evil to rule over us.
Michael wrote: "Part of being an American is excepting what you cannot change…”
Who are you to lecture me thus? It’s offensive to tell me that I need to just allow a barbaric beast to inflict his racism upon me at will without fighting back. It is not a righteous position to advise it, nor to accept it. Please stand down.
Michael wrote: "Violence is sometimes the best option, but not in this case.”
You are 100% wrong. Violence is the only option when the other side refuses to stop his oppression, enslavement, exploitation, etc., because he values his lust for material gain over his humanity. It’s been several centuries now and chance after chance after chance he has opted for the low road of evil against the Black American people for no other reason than because it makes him richer.
Michael wrote: "I suppose I’m more curious as to how you think we should solve the problem…”
I’m curious as to whom you are including within this “we.”
Michael wrote: "…and exactly why Stan Lee’s quote helped prove your point.”
Stan’s wrote was your own position, and my answer responded to it, revealing the nature of the “brutal truth.”
Michael Rasinski - So you propose that violence and rioting is the best way to bring about a change?
That may remove any loopholes of law that allow for legal racism, but at what cost?
You have to be willing for your movement to be hijacked and rewritten by its members, many of which you have not approved. Many terrorist groups were born of good causes gone extreme. If you do achieve your victory you will have lost, if you don’t, you will lose. Either way, you’ve organized a large group of colored people who use violence to get there way which is going to have lots of non-racist people rethinking their views and racists enjoying an opportunity to spread their view. It will definitely end badly and won’t solve anything in the long run.
If you want a group of people to change, you must change first. Using a little history in the US with the various immigrants who were mistreated I’d say the best way to destroy racism is to make it seem foolish rather than bad.
The Japanese became Americans and are now generally excepted and even encouraged in some places. They served in the army, got jobs as artists and businessmen, they became part of the culture because they wanted to be part of it more than anything, for their next generation and generations to come. Many Japanese cultural ideas have been adopted by America and life goes on. They aren’t that different statistically and value education so despite their looks they are accepted.
Then we get down to the cold hard statistics of colored people in America. They score 75% of what European Americans score on average and are less likely to graduate both high school and college. Fixing this problem would probably be the best way to close the gap between whites and blacks, not violence. I’m not racist, nor can I say I’m the say as a majority of the colored people I’ve met. I have a few friends who grew up like me and are like me despite their skin color, but most colored people are drastically different from me and seem reluctant to chat with me because I’m white. Racism works both ways and it’s hard to remain non-racist when fighting racism as your generally fighting a certain skin color.
It’s a funny thing really, America. I could complain about the racism against my people, the Germans. We were treated pretty badly for a long time and had most of our culture stripped from us because of America, but after that we became American and came to realize that we didn’t lose our culture, it just became part of the melting pot of America’s culture.
So what’s the point I’m making? Unless your people drop every part of their culture society can’t accept like mine did in WW1 then you’ll never be fully accepted. I can’t say why, and I can’t say whether that is a good or bad thing, but it’s how it is. Equality has a cost and sometimes it isn’t worth it, but you will never make gains against racism through violent rioting. You have to prove racists wrong and that’s the only way.
We had a riot over a shooting of a colored person not to long ago, or so it feels. The cop shot the man because he said he was armed and then proceeded to get his gun despite the cop specificoh telling him not to. I say that it was all legal because you always listen to the cop especially if you are armed. The community was outraged, businesses were looted and burned, daily life was ground to a halt for nearly the entire town. Behold, Black Live Matter. This is how I found out about the group, and again when they stopped traffic at the state fair by blocking the roads. It may not be what they are, but it’s what they were, a problem, not a solution. That’s how the media showed it, that’s how I saw it, and it’s how America will see it because that group is selfish. They made it racist, and maybe it was, but what if the white people who suffer similar fates? We shrug and let the court decide it.
If you truly believe that there are many racists the you know that how you act upon it will directly affect your race, your race will be held accountable for your actions. Violence will be met with violence, protests with prostests, pain with pain, anger with anger.
Change is caused by change. You have to change your race before you will get a change of views because people of color are statistically worse people than whites and though I never hold that against a person of color, I’ve seen it first hand as students wash out of school, commit crimes, and act unlike they are part of society. Reform will be met with reform and compassion will be met with compassion. Just know the world is watching, and they don’t favor you looking good.
Still not sure how to refer to American Africans and those meshed in to that group without sounding racist, just know that I’m not. I judge a person on how they look, but not their skin color. How you hold yourself says it all almost always. You’re certainly thorough in your writing and intelligent, but it’s still plagued with ignorance of consequence. Your best intentions can lead to the worst actions and that’s what the media will show.
Not sure why I’m arguing, but it’s probably because I’m known to enjoy it. I don’t know why, maybe I think I’m doing something good? Fighting ignorance or at least causing someone to think twice is my reward.
Muhammad Rasheed - Michael wrote: "So you propose that violence and rioting is the best way to bring about a change?"
No. Your interpretation of my position is offensive. I instead propose that the Black American ethnic group stop allowing racist bullies and barbarians to impose systemic racism upon them without fighting back. I suggest they use the economic boycott tool to pressure whites into meeting their demands, and if the whites should unreasonably refuse in favor of enthusiastically continuing to exploit/plunder our communities to feed their wealth hoards, then to righteously use our Right to Bear Arms to defend ourselves from attack. This is my actual position as opposed to the caricature you invented to make fun of me.
Michael wrote: "You have to be willing for your movement to be hijacked and rewritten by its members, many of which you have not approved.”
Let the record show that this has already been done (see: Niagara Movement versus NAACP; de-segregation versus integration), and hence why I sit in the position I am in today despite over a century of civil rights activism from dedicated Black leadership.
Michael wrote: "Many terrorist groups were born of good causes gone extreme.”
Nonsense. White supremacist terrorist groups were invented by triggered poor whites who resented the socio-economic rise of the newly-freed Black community they resented. Today, Western intelligence agencies manufacture terrorist groups to destabilize a targeted nation so that their corporate clients don’t have to pay market prices for the victim’s resources.
Michael wrote: "If you do achieve your victory you will have lost, if you don’t, you will lose.”
You’re telling me that to finally achieve full freedom as an American citizen is a losing position and that I am actually better off as the exploited foot stool of the greed-fueled white race.
Michael wrote: "If you want a group of people to change, you must change first.”
That’s exactly what I’m saying. Instead of allowing the white racist aristocracy to intimidate the Black community with their terror propaganda, they should use the economic boycott to pressure them into meeting their demands, and bear arms to defend against typical savage white aggression as needed.
Michael wrote: "Using a little history in the US with the various immigrants who were mistreated I’d say the best way to destroy racism is to make it seem foolish rather than bad.”
Racism isn’t what you are trying to spin it to be. If only it were that simple, but we live in the real world where the White Supremacist Ideology is the foundational philosophy of Western Civilization, and it certainly encompasses more than just being “mistreated.” Racism is an economic system and it always has been.
Michael wrote: "So what’s the point I’m making?”
It seems to be classic pro-racism against Black people from the mindset of the previous generation.
Michael wrote: "Not sure why I’m arguing, but it’s probably because I’m known to enjoy it. I don’t know why, maybe I think I’m doing something good?”
I personally found not a single shred of good in your post, Michael. As gathered from the content of the rest of your comments (that I could barely stomach my way through), you seem to represent the managerial class mouthpiece of the very figure I’m fighting against to achieve my freedoms and long-denied justice.
Michael Rasinski - Didn’t seem like you considered my proposal to educate the colored masses in order to close the gap. Partially the result of your own bit of bias in race of which you cannot deny. Perhaps my peaceful proposal offers a shred of good? Unless you think education isn’t that important in which that is your own belief.
You don’t know that your plan will work, or even make things better. The public may view you as a problem rather than using your rights. Your going to have a really hard time getting any white business to give in to your demands when you are so blatantly racist and quick to charge others of racism as you’ve judged me incorrectly for disagreeing with violence.
Getting your entire race to boycott white businesses may cause problems more problems than it solves as currently white workers are more valuable than colored workers statistically. Have you ever seen a film called Hidden Figures? It’s a great film that shows how the strategy of colored peoples to integrate themselves into society whether they like it or not. They made themselves very valuable workers, more valuable than the white workers. This resulted in employers respecting them along with their employees.
I can guarantee you that if you exercise your “right to bear arms” against the government, you will be viewed as a problem and the movement will fail. Your movement needs to be appealing to the average American, and right now the average American is white. So if you start a movement against the very masses you need to change what you want it seems a tad implausible.
Closing the education gap between white and colored peoples is the best way to allow for equal rights. I don’t make fun of you as this is not a joking matter. Especially when you were implying violence to be the best option and your proposed movement will cause violence. You need to make sure you’re in the right when violence occurs.
You obviously have extreme opinions as I too have many. You’re obviously passionate about your opinions as well, but passion is the harbinger of all love and hate in this world. You need to decide what your is and whether others would agree with you. I cannot change your mind, and I do not wish to derail your ideas. I simply do not see how you could organize such a widespread boycotting and even if you did, I fear it wouldn’t have the result you want.
I’m basing the results of my proposal off of history with the industrial revolution and how the times between slavery to where we are now.
How would you have me refer to colored peoples without sounding racist?
Muhammad Rasheed - Michael wrote: "Didn’t seem like you considered my proposal to educate the colored masses in order to close the gap.”
No. After slavery was formerly abolished and Reconstruction began, there was a huge effort to “educate the colored masses” that kindled resentment in the white community because it worked, causing them to lash out in domestic terrorist violence. The problem isn’t with my people.
Michael wrote: "Partially the result of your own bit of bias in race of which you cannot deny.”
The light-skinned European ethnic tribes have been abusing and exploiting my people continuously for the last 500 yrs for the love of money, and you interpret my wish to finally be free of you to be “bias,” huh? Curious.
Michael wrote: "Perhaps my peaceful proposal offers a shred of good?”
It didn’t sound ‘good’ at all, Michael. It sounded patronizingly dismissive of the real problem, devoid of knowledge of historic facts, and severely one-sided from the point-of-view of my traditional oppressor.
Michael wrote: "Unless you think education isn’t that important in which that is your own belief.”
lol It’s certainly important, but it has nothing to do with what you want me to think about it.
Michael wrote: "You don’t know that your plan will work, or even make things better.”
Only Allah is certain of the unseen future; I made no such claims. I am willing to try though because freedom is worth the effort. Within our white racist aristocracy, in which the society you’ve erected by exploiting me tilts in your favor by default, I can reasonably expect the type of pushback you’re providing as you are a member of that white aristocracy and are thus, protective of the system. Your effort to present yourself as rationally objective and fair is betrayed both by the language you use and your very position.
Michael wrote: "The public may view you as a problem rather than using your rights.”
So? At the moment, I am only in the role of editorial cartoonist. My job is only to honestly express my research analysis through my art. The public is fickle about art under normal circumstances, so it is all one to me.
Michael wrote: "Your going to have a really hard time getting any white business to give in to your demands…”
They’ll give in when the Black Economic Boycott negatively impacts their cashflow, since money is 99% of all they care about in life.
Michael wrote: "…when you are so blatantly racist…”
The light-skinned European ethnic tribes have been abusing and exploiting my people continuously for the last 500 yrs for the love of money, and you interpret my wish to finally be free of you to be “racist,” huh? Curious.
Michael wrote: "…and quick to charge others of racism…”
I only make such a charge when I see people performing and/or supporting racism. Please make note.
Michael wrote: "…as you’ve judged me incorrectly for disagreeing with violence.”
I only advocate violence in self-defense, but you don’t believe I should fight back when racist, demonic savages use violence against my people because they are racist, demonic savages. How else would I interpret your curious version of a non-violence stance that scolds only ME?
Michael wrote: "Getting your entire race to boycott white businesses…”
Would be awesome. May it be Allah’s Will.
Michael wrote: "…may cause problems more problems than it solves…”
lol In what way? The point of the economic boycott is to pressure you into meeting my demands. Meet my demands and then there will be no more problems. The fake problems you conjure because you won’t get to exploit me anymore won’t count because they are fake.
Michael wrote: "…as currently white workers are more valuable than colored workers statistically.”
I hate it when people say stuff like that, especially when they actually expect me to take them seriously. Please stop.
Michael wrote: "Have you ever seen a film called Hidden Figures? It’s a great film…”
It had some decently okay moments sprinkled throughout, but I am not likely to watch it again. It made a far better impression on you than it did me, but between the two of us, I’m the only one well-researched in the history of Western Civilization’s racism problem. Hollywood more often than not gets on my nerves when it decides to [shallowly] address the race issue. You should watch Ava DuVernay’s 13th documentary instead. It actually deserves the “great” label in full.
Michael wrote: "…that shows how the strategy of colored peoples to integrate themselves into society whether they like it or not.”
The last 50 yrs of the toxic ‘Assimilation Integrationist Token’ era has caused more problems than it solved, to paraphrase you. It turns out the only ‘problem’ the integration scheme tried to solve was how to destroy the Black family and make whites wealthier at their expense.
Michael wrote: "They made themselves very valuable workers…”
You sound like a 19th century cotton plantation overseer and it’s infuriating and offensive.
Michael wrote: "This resulted in employers respecting them along with their employees.”
Exploitation doesn’t equal respect, Michael. It’s literally the opposite of that.
Michael wrote: "I can guarantee you that if you exercise your ‘right to bear arms’ against the government…”
I’m curious why you decided to put the Right to Bear Arms in quotes like that. Do you believe it means something different and ominous when a Black person says it? I’m an American citizen and I have the right to bear arms against domestic threats against my person, family and property. Does that bother you? Perhaps you think white people have a monopoly over that fundamental American right?
Anyway, I didn’t say “against the government,” but against furious whites who would attack Black people because racism was over, just as they attacked Black people because slavery was over. The problem isn’t with me, it’s with you.
Michael wrote: "…you will be viewed as a problem and the movement will fail. Your movement needs to be appealing to the average American, and right now the average American is white. So if you start a movement against the very masses you need to change what you want it seems a tad implausible.”
Literally none of this made any sense. It sounds like babbling, double-talk confidence man speak from a con-man who isn’t very good at it.
Michael wrote: "Closing the education gap between white and colored peoples is the best way to allow for equal rights.”
That’s one of the tools, but the problem is that white people have proven not to want equality between the races.
Michael wrote: "I don’t make fun of you as this is not a joking matter. Especially when you were implying violence to be the best option…”
I actually said that violence in self-defense is an option when the opposing side refuses to listen to reason and attacks us with violence.
Michael wrote: "…and your proposed movement will cause violence.”
All you have to do is not get triggered and allow your barbaric emotions to take over at the thought of Black people being free of systemic racism. If you don’t get violent then there will be no need for me to be violent. Capisce?
Michael wrote: "You need to make sure you’re in the right when violence occurs.”
Freedom from savage, greed-fueled white racist tyranny is right, Michael. Trust me. lol
Michael wrote: "You obviously have extreme opinions as I too have many.”
I don’t think my opinions on this matter are extreme at all. All I want is for anti-Black systemic racism to end and for my people to fight back when attacked. That’s baseline reasonable.
Michael wrote: "You’re obviously passionate about your opinions as well, but passion is the harbinger of all love and hate in this world.”
TRANSLATION: “You need to stop feeling when savage racist evil is inflicted upon you. Just go with it.”
Michael wrote: "You need to decide what your is and whether others would agree with you.”
For now I just need to release my art in the world. That’s all.
Michael wrote: "I cannot change your mind, and I do not wish to derail your ideas. I simply do not see how you could organize such a widespread boycotting…”
I’m confused as to why you would think what you can see or not should be a concern of mine. Who are you again?
Michael wrote: "…and even if you did, I fear it wouldn’t have the result you want.”
It actually sounds like you fear the end of the white supremacist era during your own lifetime. That’s the only possible take away from the content of these long posts of yours.
Michael wrote: "I’m basing the results of my proposal off of history…”
No. You’re basing it off of the marketing-propaganda that whites invented to justify to themselves why it’s okay to treat Black people the way they do. None of what you tell yourselves has any connection at all to the facts of the historical record. Not even a little bit. I advise you not to take this comment from me lightly. As an exercise, re-read everything you’ve written to me thus far from that lens to perhaps get an accurate picture of how I see you right now.
Michael wrote: "How would you have me refer to colored peoples without sounding racist?”
lol That has little to do with why you sound racist to me, but I’ll play along. Please use ‘Black American/Black people/Black community’ during our discourse. Thank you.
Michael Rasinski - If you think your cause morally correct then why am I the one being attacked? Not once have I insulted Black Americans or even tried to justify why things are how they are. That’s because I don’t see racism as a plausible cause for anything, I want equality for all, but I just don’t think America is capable of it, at least not in my lifetime.
You seem to have grouped me into what you think is a majority of white Americans. Aristoc savages. My people were slaves too back in the WW2. The masses of German soldiers that were worked to death in Russia suffered a fate worse than most Black American slaves did in the confederacy. Do I blame Russia? No, I blame the people who allowed it to happen which partly includes the Allies and the Soviets. German people suffered segregation, enslavement, rape, and death in large scales. I have no hate anymore because nobody is alive to take responsibility for it and I refuse to blame another for their father’s actions. All I have is their memory and sorrow that a thing ever happened.
You cannot use things that happened before now when nobody is alive to blame anymore. I inherited all my ancestors sins and you inherited all your ancestors hate and that is wrong. You are far more racist than most people I know including myself. Take my words out of context, laugh at the brute of a white male I am, and blame me for being born, but do not call yourself righteous while doing it.
I’m growing past the exploration phase of arguement because I now know where you stand. You think my race is the problem and a race war is not a way to end racism. I see things statistically as I do not harbor bias toward any race which is why I always come off is cold in my writing. I do not wish to refer to you personally as you seem to have taken all of my writing very personally.
Can you say with all honesty that you are free of racism toward whites? I cannot honestly say I’m completely free of racism. I’ll never hold your skin color or culture against a person, but I do find them harder to approach in public. I feel racism is a simple and crippling symptom of our past that is hard to get past.
It’s ironic that you wish to end racism with your views, a dream soured by hate from a past that everyone would like to forget. I do not fear the end of my time, I embrace it. The next generation is sure to be better than my own and I will do what I can to ensure it. I fear that the next generation may be worse, that the next move of our country may not have the intended outcome, that good shall allow evil to sprout in place of another evil.
I don’t trust myself to know what I cannot know so I do not support these thoughts. You can take insult to anything I as you please, but the statistics do not care what people think of them. I still believe education would have the most profound effect with little consequence, thus improving the relationships between all Americans.
All Americans could benefit from such a thing. Maybe the family unit is to blame? Parenting courses on both sides could also help the gap close. Racism will never die no matter how much either of us want it to, all we can do is make it so blatantly wrong that it would seem idiotic to be racist. The best way we can do this is through the next generation. That would involve the grudge of slavery being dropped and people everywhere accepting differences rather than overlooking them.
This will not be achieved if we start taking sides of which you’ve already assigned me to one, incorrectly at that. Unity is acceptance not because we are forced to, but because we want to. Currently neither side is willing to force the other or willing to accept each other. Racism goes both ways, the only way not to find yourself on one end is not to participate. I refuse to remain idle, and I will be punished for it.
A movement needs a way to start. I would prefer it started in an appealing way for all people and maybe the boycotting would be its climax. I had to ask a few of my Black America friends what they thought of our interaction and most do not side with you. Javin, like most of my friends, is content with his life. I suppose Minnesota is less racist than most places, but it does show that your view lacks appeal as I’ve stated before.
I’m all for equality, but when I’m reaching for equality many have demanded better than equality, and I don’t agree with that. It’s just trading places, not solving the problem.
With change comes uncertainty, and certainty in change opens the door to assured suffering. I worry that what is done will not result in what we want. I worry that people will suffer. I worry because I care and I won’t stop caring so I guess I’ll never stop worrying. Never let fear stop you from doing the right thing, but never let pride keep you from doing it right.
But in the end, what is right? You decide, I won’t decide for you, but society will not be so forgiving.
Muhammad Rasheed - Michael wrote: "I’m growing past the exploration phase of arguement because I now know where you stand."
There are many points in this latest post of yours that prove that not to be the case. Allow me to help: Racism is a diabolical economic system that exploits a group along racial phenotype to enrich another group along racial phenotype. Since the beginning of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, it has ALWAYS been about profit, and it continues in that function in slave institutions like the for-profit prison system. This is what I am protesting against... actions. Not feelings and impotent 'skin color prejudice.'
Michael Rasinski - If it had been about profit then slavery would have ended long before the civil war as it was actually very unprofitable to have to house, feed, and keep an eye on your slaves rather than pay a worker. So I think that you missed that part.
Maybe you’d like to remain unbiased when fighting racism as you’ve failed to appear so. You could start by not insulting my race as an entirety and throwing me in with them. Then, you could go a step further and stop bringing up slavery as nobody who owned an Black American slave is now very dead and I don’t care to take their mistakes to my grave.
If it’s all about profit then you are again wrong as keeping a person prisoner isn’t profitable to the public, only the law system. Maybe you could include that in your points on the movement, nobody likes paying extra taxes.
And despite what your against, claiming to be free from “skin color prejudice”, you are not. I’ve done no actions and yet I’ve been thrown onto the ever growing pile of “white aristocratic savages”. It’s hard to take you serious when you use such phrases in reference to what you seem to think is a majority of white people.
If you are truly not racist, then you’ve failed to appear so. The age old saying comes to mind of “practice what you preach”.
Your goals are lofty if not noble, but absolutely impossible with how little you value other people’s lives (people who aren’t like you). Practicality will get you further and will draw more people to the cause. Tell them why it’s wrong, what it’s doing, and what they can do against it. Don’t tell them what to do and then make them the enemy if they disagree.
Muhammad Rasheed - This post proves that you aren't read up on the topic at all, Michael. The West literally amassed its great wealth from the chattel slave institution. Literally. It was a billion percent profitable in every way. In fact, the slave holding Southern states were trying to expand further south and seize more land when president Lincoln told them "No." That's what started the Civil War.
Michael wrote: "I’ve done no actions and yet I’ve been thrown onto the ever growing pile..."
The actions you've displayed are these here lengthy posts supporting the anti-Black racist system I'm protesting against.
Michael Rasinski - And where did I support it?
Actions and words are different in my mind, though not speaking or to speak is one.
I’m simply stating the obvious, being the voice of reason, you will not get people to follow you as you are nor your movement as it stands. Change requires change, and you must change your views before anyone else will change theirs. Not of right and wrong, but if who and why. Slave trade was quite profitable, but owning them as workers was less so.
How attractive is your cause and views to others? I feel a less aggressive, slow build up would draw more people.
And you have justified my statements about you being racist, in fact you haven’t even responded to it. I am against all racism as many people you want to help you are, and that’s why I wouldn’t support your movement with you at its head.
Your an odd fellow, you stand against and for racism at the same time.
I have hopes and dreams, but I live on Earth and expect it to respond as such. I know that whatever I stand against involves some form of hypocrisy, I’m not free from sin, and neither are you.
Muhammad Rasheed - Michael wrote: “And where did I support it?”
Your entire opposing position in this thread supports the side I’m protesting against. I want anti-Black systemic racism to end using economic boycotts and you want to convince me that we should allow white people to continue to plunder our communities so white people can continue to get rich at our expense. The real challenge is in where are you NOT supporting racism?
Michael wrote: “Actions and words are different in my mind, though not speaking or to speak is one.”
Your actions here demonstrate you writing lengthy posts designed to convince me to allow whites to continue to exploit Black people unopposed.
Michael wrote: “I’m simply stating the obvious…”
It’s pretty obvious that you want anti-Black systemic racism to continue.
Michael wrote: “…being the voice of reason…”
And you think it is perfectly reasonable that white people be allowed to exploit Black people at will so they can make more money while creating chronic impoverished conditions in their victims’ communities.
Michael wrote: “…you will not get people to follow you…”
Right now my job is to create/distribute cartoons. That’s my lane. Your unsolicited advice/opinions about it fail to move me.
Michael wrote: “…as you are nor your movement as it stands.”
I can’t interpret this part. What?
Michael wrote: “Change requires change…”
Exactly. The withdrawal of Black spending power from all white-owned businesses will be that very change. I’m glad we finally agree. Thanks, Mike.
Michael wrote: “…and you must change your views…”
What has happened exactly to require me to change my views? End anti-Black systemic racism and payout Reparatory Justice and I promise to change my views over to the next items in the Black Empowerment checklist.
Michael wrote: “…before anyone else will change theirs.”
We’ll see. Racism exists because of the white peoples’ over-the-top insatiable greed, and the Black Economic Boycott tool has indeed worked before, for that very reason. Trust me, they’ll change alright, since all they care about in life is the love of money.
Michael wrote: “Not of right and wrong, but if who and why.”
I don’t know you at all, Michael, so whether you are actually in such meetings or not I cannot confirm or deny. But the facts of the historical record reveal that such “secret society” gatherings have indeed taken place to the detriment of the Black peoples, with the most recent of the high-profile ones involving J. Edgar Hoover’s COINTELPRO initiative. Assassinations and deliberate infiltration and sabotage of Black people and their organizations are the fruit of such gatherings and they are unfortunately very real despite the tone of your comment.
Michael wrote: “If you want somebody to be your friend, be polite.”
I’ve been over-polite for these pass 50 yrs. The ‘assimilated integrationist token’ era was a scam that made my communities worse off.
Michael wrote: “If want somebody to be your enemy, call them names and accuse them of crimes against humanity.”
Plundering my communities made your folk my enemy; calling you names and calling out your crimes in cartoon form is just the impotent response to it.
Michael wrote: “I took the liberty of finding the definition of racism.”
The dictionary definition reflects the popular usage among the populace’s conversation, not the actual origin of the concept in history and how it defines the exploitation of a people to feed the lifestyle of another. Read “Birth of a White Nation: The Invention of White People and Its Relevance Today” by Jacqueline Battalora so you’ll understand why your effort to downplay the term and divorce it from its economic roots in these arguments looks the way it does to me.
Michael wrote: “In other words, you seem to think that every white person openly supports and engages in white supremacy along with agreeing with all racist actions done by other Whites.”
This is a strawman effigy. Naturally white supremacy and its supporters are on a tiered system, with some room for individual enlightenment. It’s the system itself that is deliberately corrupt, and the general populace of whites assume things are the way they are naturally and believe that the victims of systemic racism who protest the wrong are just whining and “playing victim.”
Michael wrote: “Now why would I assume such things? Maybe it’s because you have referred to me as part of the savage, barbaric, white supremacist, capitalist dogs that make up a large portion of the White population.”
To be fair, you ARE in this thread for the sole purpose of trying to convince me to stop making this same group uncomfortable or else they won’t help me make them more uncomfortable. lol
Michael wrote: “You’ve done a wonderful job of drawing thick lines and then asking for unity.”
When you sue someone who has done you wrong to force the behavior to stop and have monetary damages paid, are you “asking them for unity?” lol I think you’re seeing this from an odd angle (or it’s part of your gaslighting tactic; I can’t tell).
Michael wrote: “Just because I disagree with you doesn’t make me immediately racist. […] With that last little paragraph I simply meant to say that…”
You disagree that I should pressure society for the end of anti-Black systemic racism, you want me to stop fighting the systemic racism that exploits my people, to put it aside and ignore it and just continue to let it happen, and you want me to generously interpret that opinion as NOT being racist towards Black people.
You want me to not fight to improve the conditions of my own people, because there are other people in the world with their own problems, and you believe this is a logical and reasonable position to attempt to hand me that you genuinely hope I take to heart.
Michael wrote: “Such a radical step out of the darkness could appear aggressive to a public who doesn’t want to acknowledge that there’s a problem. Aggression could go both ways and things could get worse rather than better.”
I hold the rudimentary freedoms I possess today due to the literal rivers of blood that flowed during the Civil War, Michael. White people refused to listen to reason back then because they were intoxicated by their lust for wealth. Honestly I don’t really expect anything less than another war to attain the full freedoms of my birthright. Your lengthy prose shouldn’t be directed towards ME, but to your barbaric fellows who believe that to live and taste all the fruits of civilization is only meant for them.
Michael wrote: “That gives me the things I need to weigh whether or not your thoughts are justified.”
Ah. You need to mull it over as to whether my demands for full freedom as a human being are justified or not. Seems reasonable from someone who wants me NOT to consider him a racist, I guess.
Michael wrote: “I asked them to read both sides of the conversation and they agreed that both of us sound racist, but you sound significantly more so.”
I don’t hate white people, Michael, I just want my people to be free of your centuries long systemic racism. This desire doesn’t make me a racist. lol
Michael wrote: “It’s a test, an unbiased one…”
Sure.
Michael wrote: “…or at least mostly.”
Is it though?
Michael wrote: “Always interesting to see yourself through a different pair of eyes.”
I’m a professional cartoonist, Michael, and I’m almost 50 yrs old. :) I see myself through the eyes of others all the time. It’s why I can caricature myself, too.
Do you self-identify as a conservative or a liberal? Tell me.
Michael Rasinski - Ah, now here the problems arise. Reparations? For things I wasn’t alive to take part in or disagree with. I personally refuse to pay a single dollar to someone I, my father, or my father’s father never did anything to. Most people would agree with me and I can tell you right now without the least bit of compassion that you will not get reparations for your ancestors suffering.
Why is that? Certainly that makes me cruel and racist, but I think not. I don’t believe in inheriting my peoples problems, sins. Nor do I approve of inheriting great respect or good deeds. Nobody asked to be born and they shouldn’t be held accountable for existing.
You want money for your peoples suffering? Yeah, I bet Germany wants some compensation for their country having a literal wall cutting families and people in half whole forcing them to obey their new communist leaders. I’m sure all the slaves of WW2 want their pay for the things they endured. And I’m sure India wants Britain to pay for their cruel and long rule over their country. The fact is that it isn’t going to happen because (most) the people who did those things aren’t alive anymore.
My political standing is neither conservative nor liberal as I hate those labels put on a person to force them on to a team. I probably lean a little more on the side of liberal, but I’m the way I am regardless of what I want to be. By that I mean I have a hard time accepting people who act different on purpose. For instance, lots of people like to wave the gay pride flag and as much as I’m fine with people doing what they please behind closed doors, it’s hard to accept someone who stands out so much on purpose. I’m fine with equality, but I don’t like the idea of people thinking they’re better than me.
Maybe it’s just because I’m Minnesotan, but I haven’t encountered much racism here. There’s not a lot of respect for black history, but people are pretty accepting of American Africans. But you know who us “Minnesota nice” people really don’t like? The Muslims. I personally have no problem with them, but I can see why they are disliked. They are different from anything we are used to in America and they are viewed as the enemy thanks to the news showing Muslims doing nothing except suicide bombing. America is the absolute most racist place on earth. We grind other cultures into dust and force them to assimilate and if they look too different then not even being American is enough. I have no clue as to why Americans are this way, but it’s true throughout history and survives today.
Quick question, so Muhammad was the “savior” and all that, yet Islamic historians and Muhammad himself made great efforts to assure he wouldn’t be praised and only the one and only god Allah would receive praise. Despite that mindset, Muhammad is and extremely common name amongst Muslims which is praising Muhammad. Isn’t that against your religion?
I’m not against removing racism, but people are too proud, stubborn, and ignorant for your movement to succeed. You would need the masses to know why your doing what your doing rather than just doing it or you won’t get that chain reaction you’re hoping for. You’d need mass media campaigns to inform both black and white people of the problem before people would join the cause. Making them believe their is a problem would be trickier than organizing a mass boycott. Change requires change, you need to change their minds before you can change anything through action.
You haven’t cited anything more than a seriously screwed up police system that I actually see as a problem. This is partly because it also effects white people, but also because what you say is true. The police system needs some serious reworking and only protesting will get us there.
By citing outdated events you are victimizing yourself. If we measured all the pain white people have inflicted on each other versus the pain white people have inflicted on blacks throughout history then white people should be the ones complaining. Russia enjoyed a fair bit of white slavery, as did Sparta and Rome. A majority of wars were between whites.
And again, you throw me in with others you dislike and make assumptions about me while taking personal offense to my statements while claiming to be somewhat unbiased. I’ve never disagreed with the idea to stop racism, just the way your planning doing it. If anything I’d just be someone content with the world I’ve lived in all my life, not a white supremacist. I can’t justify my existence or why I’m happy with it, but I shouldn’t have to. I won’t condemn you for being born the way you are, why do you not do the same? If I were black would you take me more seriously?
Muhammad Rasheed - Michael wrote: “Ah, now here the problems arise. Reparations?”
I find it interesting that you’ve identified that the problem STARTS with the demand that anti-Black systemic racism ends and Reparatory Justice be paid to repair the damages. I would think it was reasonable to instead conclude that the problem began with the racism itself. No, huh?
Michael wrote: “For things I wasn’t alive to take part in or disagree with.”
The Reparations are to pay for damages caused by systemic racism that have extended pass the slave era up into the modern day. The “systemic” part was your first clue.
Michael wrote: “I personally refuse to pay a single dollar to…”
In the fiat debt financial system under the Federal Reserve System, I’m positive you won’t have to actually pay from out of your checking account personally. It’ll probably just be added to the over-all federal budget like a bunch of other crapola you don’t want to pay for. Relax. Just go with it.
Michael wrote: “I don’t believe in inheriting my peoples problems, sins.”
That’s very convenient. lol I’m also not surprised that you would respond in this way. When it goes down, you’ll probably be kind of upset then. You’ll be alright. I suggest you just keep calm and go with it. Adjust to your new normal like a champ.
Michael wrote: “Nobody asked to be born and they shouldn’t be held accountable for existing.”
Existing is a gift from the One God. We are held accountable for the actions we perform and for what we allow to happen under our watch without attempting to do anything about because we either profit from the wrong in some way, or because we are cowardly/lazy.
Michael wrote: “You want money for your peoples suffering?”
First, I want the racism to cease and then I want Reparations paid for the damages caused, in the 100% normal litigation closure process of the West.
Michael wrote: “Yeah, I bet Germany […] aren’t alive anymore."
TRANSLATION: *hand flapping motion/BlahBlahBlah*
Michael wrote: “My political standing is neither conservative nor liberal as I hate those labels put on a person to force them on to a team. I probably lean a little more on the side of liberal…”
Tell me which of the liberal/Democratic platform bullets hold your interest the most, please, that you consider yourself leaning in that liberal direction.
Michael wrote: “…but I’m the way I am regardless of what I want to be. By that I mean I have a hard time accepting people who act different on purpose.”
Objection; relevancy.
Michael wrote: “I’m fine with equality, but I don’t like the idea of people thinking they’re better than me.”
Based on the odd way you interpreted the feminist position in your last post, I can’t even pretend to know what you may be talking about here. Let me take a shot though from how it falls on me. The white racist aristocracy has deliberately held back the Black American ethnic group for 400 years. I am human, and as a human, the full potential of the species lays within my breast, so after slavery was abolished, I leaped at the chance to unleash that potential. During the eight years of Reconstruction, the literacy rate of the newly-freed Black American rose from 0% to 40% and they literally transitioned from slave to congressmen while the rest of the populace watched in awe. Our traditional rivals were frightened by this shocking rise up the socio-economic ladder by someone they had grown used to considering an inferior human specimen, and in a panic, spent the next 150 yrs not only stripping away the gains of Reconstruction for the Black peoples, but worked to break their very spirit so they would hopefully lose the drive to attempt to unleash that potential again.
I do not believe I am better than you as far as our innate human potential. In a true equal-for-equal scenario where I am no longer held back from my full potential in this society I built, you must recognize I have been deliberately wound up like a tightly-coiled spring ready to burst forth. Once racism is dismantled you very well may witness another enthusiastic eruption of that potential matching the awe-inspiring feats displayed during Reconstruction that may again give the illusion of being better than those we catch up to and then leave behind in our dust. I’m telling you this so you’ll understand what it really means and you won’t get all in your feelings about it. It’ll be alright. Just go with it.
Michael wrote: “Maybe it’s just because I’m Minnesotan, but…”
You see the world through a great mosaic lens of stereotypes. It’s amusing since you really don’t want me to consider you a racist, yet you haven’t noticed this trait within yourself to even attempt to try to work on it. I identify this as a weakness in you. You are fortunate this isn’t a high-stakes poker match. ;)
(though maybe it is)
Michael wrote: “I haven’t encountered much racism here.”
*snort*
Michael wrote: “There’s not a lot of respect for black history…”
*snort*
Michael wrote: “…but people are pretty accepting of American Africans.”
*snort*
Can you even hear YOURSELF??? hahahahaha smh
Michael wrote: “But you know who us ‘Minnesota nice’ people really don’t like?”
Honestly, who cares? But I’ll play. I’m guessing NOT the KKK, amirite?
Michael wrote: “The Muslims.”
*GASP!* Say it isn’t so, Mike!! O_O
Michael wrote: “I personally have no problem with them…”
What was the point of bringing this topic up again?
Michael wrote: “…but I can see why they are disliked.”
Let me guess… based on some uninformed, stereotypical stuff you aren’t equipped to confirm or deny primarily due to slipshod and lazy research skills?
Michael wrote: “They are different from anything we are used to in America and they are viewed as the enemy thanks to the news showing Muslims doing nothing except suicide bombing.”
Bingo. Actually I honestly can’t remember the last time there was a high-profile suicide bombing news item, but I guess it’s possible they’re all being filtered through mid-western television news. By the way, the suicide bombing tactic is not only un-Islamic due to suicide being an instant hellbound offense, but it was also trained into radicalized, wild-eyed Middle Eastern youths by terrorist intelligence groups starting in the early to mid-1980s. The practice is political and has nothing to do with the religion itself.
Michael wrote: “Quick question, so Muhammad was the ‘savior’ and all that…”
Muhammad (peace be upon him!) was the last of the prophet-messengers anointed to preach the revealed message of the One God of Abraham. “Savior” is Christian terminology. We save ourselves by agreeing to believe in God and obeying His commands; the prophets don’t save us.
Michael wrote: “…yet Islamic historians and Muhammad himself made great efforts to assure he wouldn’t be praised and only the one and only god Allah would receive praise.”
The prophet’s name means “worthy of praise” and since Allah Himself praises His servant’s behavior as an exemplary example of a Muslim that the body of believers should emulate, it’s pretty clear that you actually mean “worship” instead of “praise.”
Michael wrote: “Despite that mindset, Muhammad is and extremely common name amongst Muslims which is praising Muhammad. Isn’t that against your religion?”
Are you worshiping the archangel Michael with your name? Your query is on a similar level of seriousness. Muhammad was a human being with the name of a human being (he wasn’t the first “Muhammad,” just the first famous one) and any human can use the name with no fear of suddenly converting to paganism. lol
Michael wrote: “I’m not against removing racism, but…”
“But…?” Okaaaaay. But you DON’T want me to consider you a racist? Did you ever consider that you talk too much? Your lengthy prose demonstrates you have a lot of faith & pride in your personal powers, but it also reveals you don’t know enough, to be honest.
Michael wrote: “…people are too proud, stubborn, and ignorant for your movement to succeed.”
Change happens all the time and people have never stopped being proud, stubborn and ignorant. Remember my earlier comments about the Civil War? There are lots of tools on the table for necessary changes to take place. Should people refuse to listen to reason in preference to their lust for exploited wealth, then we may return to that 1861 scenario if it should come to that. No one wants war, but that’s what happens when unreasonable men make life unreasonable.
Michael wrote: “You would need the masses to know why your doing what your doing rather than just doing it or you won’t get that chain reaction you’re hoping for.”
They already know why, Mike. Notice how you keep deliberately and disingenuously ignoring the systemic racism that happened after the chattel slavery era in your efforts to confine all Reparations talk to whether your ancestors owned slaves or not? lol The people know EXACTLY what my grievances are, they just like to play stupid.
Michael wrote: “Change requires change…”
Nothing will get people’s attention faster than watching their sales plummet overnight. When they desperately query in red-faced confusion and hurt, I will state my demands. It’s not complicated and as I’ve said before, Black Economic Boycotts have worked in the past with the desired effect. They will work again.
Michael wrote: “You haven’t cited anything more than a seriously screwed up police system…”
Meanwhile, I’ve cited a few books and an award-winning documentary.
Michael wrote: “…that I actually see as a problem.”
Then you should read those books and watch that award-winning documentary so you will be more enlightened.
Michael wrote: “The police system needs some serious reworking and only protesting will get us there.”
We’ve been using an impotent, purposely castrated version of MLK’s old non-violent protesting tactic, without the critical sting of the economic boycott attachment for about 50 yrs now. Obviously that’s a false statement of yours. Protesting is worthless all by itself. You may toss that on top of the vast pile of stuff you don’t know anything about regarding this topic.
Michael wrote: “By citing outdated events you are victimizing yourself.”
By using the white supremacist buzzword “victimize” in this context, you unsurprisingly out yourself. Have a care.
Michael wrote: “If we measured all the pain white people have […] A majority of wars were between whites.”
How’s that “white” thing working out for you now though? What does what you have done to each other back before you figured out your diabolical White Supremacist Ideology have to do with the wrongs you are currently doing to me? Should I allow you to continue to unleash your lust-worshiping savagery upon me for no other reason than because you used to unleash it upon each other? I swear, your efforts to convince me I should give up the anti-racism activism fails more and more with each over-long post.
Michael wrote: “And again, you throw me in with others you dislike…”
You have a free platform that gives you the opportunity to paint yourself in a better light at any time you wish. Is it my fault you don’t want to use it? I’ve thrown you in with the group that matches the label you’ve given yourself, Mike. (“I’m not against removing racism, but…”) lol
Michael wrote: “...and make assumptions about me…”
I’ve made no assumptions. I’ve merely reflected what you’ve typed at me back at you. If my interpretations are inaccurate, then please note that you have an unlimited platform that enables you to type the correct interpretation of what you really meant. I suggest you throw fewer tantrums and get busy explaining yourself better. Right now, based on what you’ve typed alone, you look for all the world exactly like a racist.
Michael wrote: “…while taking personal offense to my statements while claiming to be somewhat unbiased.”
I don’t know what this means.
Michael wrote: “I’ve never disagreed with the idea to stop racism, just the way your planning doing it.”
Right. You agree with the theory of racism ending, you just don’t agree with it actually ending.
Michael wrote: “If anything I’d just be someone content with the world I’ve lived in all my life…”
…said the white guy who lives at ground zero of a white supremacist society.
Michael wrote: “I can’t justify my existence or why I’m happy with it, but I shouldn’t have to.”
See my response directly above.
Michael wrote: “I won’t condemn you for being born the way you are, why do you not do the same?”
I’m a Black man in a white supremacist society. That means I’m condemned to subjugation/exploitation by default unless I actively fight against it.
Michael wrote: “If I were black would you take me more seriously?”
It depends on if you still sounded exactly like this or not. I’m sure you’ve heard the prefix descriptor “self-hating-” before, yes?
Michael Rasinski - So you use outdated events that predate me and ask me to pay for them, then you turn around and disregard my people’s suffering?
How am I to respect your past as relevant if you won’t respect mine?
I’m an agnostic with optimistic nihilism as my view on life. I don’t care where we go after we die, because we may very well not go anywhere, and that means life is the only real thing that matters. Everything that isn’t alive shouldn’t be forgotten, but the hate and anger should be. Bury the hatchet and all that. You were born without any affiliation to the dark times of slavery. You did likely meet some people who didn’t treat you so well because of your skin. That’s wrong, but so is blaming an entire race for things they didn’t do, or even know is happening.
You want money for your peoples suffering? Get in line, there’s quite a few groups in front of you. The Indians, the Jews, the Slavic people, and a whole lot of slavery and abuse of races before that.
I never want someone to connect the dots back to my ancestors past thinking they just figured out who I am. They may have done bad things, or good things. They may have been abused, or abused others. It doesn’t matter. You were born without asking for it no matter what god you believe in, this is true. You can call it a gift or a curse, but I’ll call it life. I will not treat you special because your grandpa was president, or if you grandma was in the holocaust, or if one of your ancestors was a slave.
But let’s explore what you’ve given me. So you want to treat modern white people like the ones who enslaved your ancestors? Let’s turn that view around from a white persons perspective. So your saying we should treat modern blacks like the ones we enslaved? Both sides need to bury the hatchet or neither is going to get what they want.
My father is old, and blunt, but he often makes a fair point. He said something around “you know they wouldn’t be here if we hadn’t shipped them over here? If they disliked what we did so much then why don’t they just go back to Africa?” He’s a year younger than you, but he lives by a code similar to mine except he is more spiritual. His point was somewhat valid, and there isn’t really a reason that blacks couldn’t go back to Africa once they were freed and I’m sure some did. Now I’d disagree with his statement because anyone born here is no longer African, they are American. Free from the constraints or benefits of their parents existence. No good or bad deed of theirs will become yours. Am I wrong to think so?
Your a tad selfish if you don’t want me to call it victimizing. You only see your races problems and would do anything for that race regardless of what it would do to others. Racism is a two way street and you really don’t seem to like white people, or maybe it’s just me.
You want racism to end? Then you need to let the past be the past, or racists will never let it go. Deal with the problems at hand and use the power of knowledge to do so. Do not ask for what you will not give.
Us Minnesotans aren’t very racist because we let the past stay there. Should a certain race become a stereotype of a very small and radical group then most Americans will hop right on the band wagon. If they haven’t done anything wrong then we may ignore or even help them. And no, I haven’t encountered very much racism toward Black people in Minnesota.
P.S. I didn’t ask for my name and won’t use religion to justify it. It is true that naming people after angels is probably against Christianity because their god is jealous and all that. Doesn’t mean I dislike the name though.
Muhammad Rasheed - Michael wrote: "So you use outdated events that predate me…”
I actually use the entire systemic racism timeline from 1619 to the present. You just like to disingenuously pretend I’m only talking about slavery alone. This marks your third time doing it, I believe.
Michael wrote: "…and ask me to pay for them…”
Who else should but the ‘white race?’
Michael wrote: "…then you turn around and disregard my people’s suffering?"
You disregard my own peoples 400+ yrs of suffering inflicted upon them by the aggressions of the self-labeled ‘white race’ while you expect me to feel sorry for you in your gold-plated Whitopia propped up by the blood and plundered wealth of Black people. Life looks very different than what you project from your Whitopian hologram, Mike.
Michael wrote: “How am I to respect your past as relevant if you won’t respect mine?”
lol Because mine is real and yours is a fiction. It’s not hard.
Michael wrote: “…but the hate and anger should be. Bury the hatchet and…”
While the systemic racism is still going on AND while you are being transparently disingenuous about it? No, sir. End racism and pay me my Reparations. That’s it.
Michael wrote: “You want money for your peoples suffering?”
Yup. Get to it.
Michael wrote: “Get in line, there’s quite a few...”
Objection; relevancy. Not. My. Problem.
Focus, Mike. They can work their own issues in their own activism or whatever. Plus just the fact that YOU want to deflect from the issue at hand to talk about that claptrap means it’s not even real. #NoNewTricks
Michael wrote: “Am I wrong to think so?”
Of course. Both you and your dad are trying to squirm your way out of responsibility.
Michael wrote: “Your a tad selfish if you don’t want me to call it victimizing.”
You’re LITERALLY using an encoded white supremacist buzzword. You’ve outed yourself as a proud member of the alt-right. And now that you’ve let slip that your dad is my age, that formally closes this item out. #ISeeYouMike
Michael wrote: “You only see your races problems…”
It turns out that allowing others who think like you to convince me to take my eyes off of them are the very reason the same problems endure. Now it’s time to do what we should have done 150 yrs ago. #GetReady
Michael wrote: “P.S. I didn’t ask for my name and won’t use religion to justify it.”
Hey, please just let that one go. Your opinion of it is wrong and doesn’t even make sense. Stop.
Michael Rasinski - I’m against racism, but I’m American first. That means that I believe everyone deserves a second chance. Americans are free, free from their past, free to make their own future, the land of opportunities.
I see you trying to play the age card, congratulations, ya got me, I’m a college student getting my degree. Surely your above me now.
Let me tell a story of a man who got in a terrible car accident. This man was a wood cutter and construction worker. He worked two jobs to support his family. He also suffered from alcoholism, but provided for his family regardless. After another day of work and a stop at a bar he nearly died from a car accident. Both of his legs were terribly mangled and doctors told him he wouldn’t walk again. He received mail saying that he could live the rest of his life off of welfare for his disability and chronic alcoholism. He just couldn’t fathom why other people should pay for something they didn’t do. He could have lived the rest of his life free of labor, but he knew he wouldn’t respect himself if he did, even if others respected him.
He took the rest of his money and bought a pair of leg braces, and he started walking. The braces helped to keep his legs from ripping themselves apart as he walked, but it was extremely painful to do so. Then, he went to work as a machinist. Young man’s work, tough work. He still works there today.
Once, he received an opportunity to have his legs fixed through Obama Care, and again he refused. Again, he just couldn’t take money that wasn’t owed to him.
Another time, after a man had done a botched job on his roof, he had the opportunity to take hundreds of thousands of dollars from the man, but he refused. He made the man redo his roof correctly, but didn’t fine him beyond that. Other people had families just like him. It wasn’t his right to take what wasn’t his. He had payed for a roof and that’s all he wanted.
That man who showed integrity and continues to is my father. He is a great role model, maybe he could teach you something about responsibility.
But maybe you don’t like stories, so I’m going to be blunt.
Your selfish. You don’t respect other peoples cultures and then ask them to respect and provide money for yours that they may very well have never played a part in. My family came over after the times of slavery and have never lived in the southern half of the country. Yet you think I should pay? You don’t seem to think any other race had problems in history.
Your racist. You can’t try and sue an entire race because of what they’re race might have done 150 years ago and not call yourself so.
Your alone. I ran this question by my colleagues,”do you think you should be held directly accountable for your grandparents actions?” They all said no. All. Of. Them. Black, White, Muslim, Spanish, and French. Nobody will stand by your request for reparations for events we didn’t take part in or have a say in. Cry me a river, but don’t charge me for it.
Your a hypocrite. You want to end racism, yet you want to sue my race. This pure cause has been diluded by your greed, or list for revenge, or maybe a simple gap in ideology. The truth is there, supported by your own words.
Your immature. I’ve given you nothing but my opinion. I never told you to deal with it, and I never used it to insult your race. You used “lol”, and made faces, hashtags, and even managed to what equates to a snort. It’s odd to say this to someone of your age, but grow up. I take this topic very seriously, yet I can no longer take you seriously.
I don’t care about what color you are, my disdain for you goes above race. You will never get paid for things you didn’t do/endure and that’s how it should be. My father stands as an example of what you should be. You are free to think as you please as this is America, but it’d be unAmerican and racist to sue an entire race of people for something they didn’t do.
You don’t deserve special treatment or abuse. Not for your past, not for your skin color, not for your ancestors, not for your wealth, and not because you think you do. This is the reality of what you face. You can stand firmly in place with your own thoughts and never adapt them to society, but just know that you and your thoughts will be left behind as society continues to move forward and you live in the past.
Welcome to the 20th century, please leave past baggage behind and enjoy the ride.
Muhammad Rasheed - Michael wrote: "I’m against racism…”
Are you though? I only ask because nothing you’ve typed thus far proves that as a true statement.
Michael wrote: "…but I’m American first.”
The United States of America government was usurped by and operates under a white racist aristocracy as established under the old slave laws, so as a white person, you are a white man first.
Michael wrote: "That means that I believe everyone deserves a second chance.”
That means Zimmerman deserves to be declared innocent of race-based murder and Trayvon Martin deserved to die because he was Black.
Michael wrote: "Americans are free, free from their past, free to make their own future, the land of opportunities.”
In practice, that’s only true of white people. That’s why your Minnesota people don’t like Black history.
Michael wrote: "I see you trying to play the age card…”
“Youth” is part of the alt-right profile. *shrug* I didn’t make it up.
Michael wrote: "Let me tell a story…”
Ugh. Please don’t.
Michael wrote: "But maybe you don’t like stories, so I’m going to be blunt.”
lol I like good stories. Pro-racism propaganda stories aren’t my cup-of-tea.
Michael wrote: "Your selfish.”
I reject this. Especially coming from you.
Michael wrote: "You don’t respect other peoples cultures…”
Your culture is composed of conquering, raping, plundering the non-white peoples of the world and using the wealth to build a Whitopian pagan edifice where only the elite of the white racist aristocracy are allowed to be free, free from their past, free to make their own future, free to enjoy the land of opportunities and free to enjoy second chances. Why SHOULD I respect it? It’s evil.
Michael wrote: "…and then ask them to respect and provide money…”
I’m not asking for anything, but DEMANDING justice.
Michael wrote: "…for yours that they may very well have never played a part in.”
All white people are part of the white racist aristocracy by default.
Michael wrote: "My family came over after the times of slavery and have never lived in the southern half of the country. Yet you think I should pay?”
Objection; relevancy. The largest slave holding family is headquartered in Rhode Island. The more you type, the more you reveal you don’t know, and yet your rants are getting longer and longer. Funny, huh? ;)
Michael wrote: "You don’t seem to think any other race had problems in history.”
You don’t seem to think I deserve to fight for my people just because other people have their own problems. This serves only as an alt-right gaslight deflection technique in practice.
Michael wrote: "Your racist.”
You willfully don’t know what racist means, therefore it doesn’t mean anything to me when you say it.
Michael wrote: "You can’t try and sue an entire race…”
I’m also positive the lawsuit won’t name “[Plaintiff] versus the White race” as the defendant. hahahaha
Michael wrote: "Your alone. I ran this question by my colleagues…”
An alt-right members “colleagues,” huh? Why do you think this should mean anything to me, Mike? Please be reasonable.
Michael wrote: "Cry me a river, but don’t charge me for it.”
I’m actually planning to make a special request that all of YOUR family’s money/property specifically be transferred to MY account. #ICantWait #ThatsWhatYouGet
Michael wrote: "Your a hypocrite. You want to end racism, yet you want to sue my race.”
Paying Reparatory Justice is part of how the country’s old anti-Black systemic racism will end. It’s the only way. This is not hypocritical, it is merely justice. It doesn’t matter in the least whether you like it or not. Perhaps the sting of watching the Black race rise up out of the ashes of white supremacy will hurt enough to keep you lot from doing it again.
Michael wrote: "This pure cause has been diluded by your greed…”
The pure cause is no less than ending a diabolical economic system by repairing the economic damage using economic Reparatory Justice tools. Greed is the force that caused the anti-Black racism root cause in the first place.
Michael wrote: "…or list for revenge…”
Justice.
Michael wrote: "Your immature.”
lol
Michael wrote: "I’ve given you nothing but my opinion.”
Unfortunately this is true. At least I got some cartoons from it.
Michael wrote: "I never told you to deal with it, and I never used it to insult your race.”
Meanwhile, your entire position in the argument is that I shouldn’t do anything that will actually stop racism, and I should just suffer through it because other people in the world have problems, too. All of that is insulting to my race, by the way.
Michael wrote: "You used ‘lol,’ and made faces, hashtags…”
You may expect it to continue. It’s not like you’re providing any actual insights or challenges for me to ponder. You want me to stop fighting against racism and of course the only possible response is “lol.”
Michael wrote: "…and even managed to what equates to a snort.”
I literally typed the word “snort” to use as an onomatopoeia for exactly that purpose. lol
Michael wrote: "It’s odd to say this to someone of your age, but grow up.”
I’m protesting against the demonic anti-Black racism that has tortured and plundered my people for generations and you have come in the thread to tell me to stop.
Michael wrote: "I take this topic very seriously…”
And yet you literally know nothing about the topic and still falsely insist that the scope of Reparations is confined to the slave era. Curious. I don’t think “seriously” means what you think it means. lol
Michael wrote: "…yet I can no longer take you seriously.”
*snort*
Michael wrote: "I don’t care about what color you are, my disdain for you goes above race.”
Trust me, you’ll feel even worse once your family’s total material holdings are transferred over to my new Black Reparations estate. *rubs hands together*
Michael wrote: "…it’d be unAmerican and racist to sue an entire race of people…”
It’s un-American and racist to treat an entire race of people like dirt so you can plunder them of their wealth to feed your own “free in our second chances” white aristocracy. Just go with it and let the balancing happen. You’ll be alright. Eventually.
Michael wrote: "This is the reality of what you face.”
The reality that I face is that you have come into the thread to tell me to stop fighting against anti-Black systemic racism and you seem to expect me to take you seriously. *snort*
Michael wrote: "…as society continues to move forward and you live in the past.”
Ironic considering everything you think aligns to the ‘MAGA’ concept of past anti-Black evils glorified.
Michael wrote: "Welcome to the 20th century, please leave past baggage behind and enjoy the ride.”
Also ironic, considering we’re now in the 21st century. This is a perfect snapshot into the impression you’ve made on me during this entire thread discussion.
Are you done yet? Because you’re boring me now and you and your dad’s race opinions are trash.
Muhammad Rasheed -
"Bigotry and racism are among the deadliest social ills plaguing the world today. But, unlike a team of costumed supervillains, they can't be halted with a punch in the snoot, or a zap from a ray gun." ~Stan Lee (28 Dec 1922 - 12 Nov 2018)
As cool as I may think it is that Stan Lee formally addressed and condemned racism in his Stan’s Soap Box column, I think the message itself is regular old, garden variety white supremacist propaganda. It actually doesn’t help Black Americans at all to indoctrinate them with the message that they shouldn’t fight back against barbaric, greed-fueled oppression by any means necessary so that they may attain true freedom.
The following two items are worth noting:
- Black Americans owe the rudimentary freedoms they possess today to the rivers of blood spilled during the Civil War. That was OUR war.
- A commitment to a strict “Freedom or Fight-to-the-Death!” policy would render anti-Black systemic racism instantly unprofitable, and bring the diabolical White Supremacist Ideology to an end.
Jordan Lubus - I think you’re misinterpreting the message. He’s saying racism is a much trickier problem to deal with than most comic villains, as it’s not a single, physical entity that you can physically harm. It’s an ideology, which is a lot more difficult to suppress.
Muhammad Rasheed - No, it's an accurate interpretation because it corresponds with the general societal message pretending to fight against racism. Any REAL solutions are shot down, rhetoric about not wanting change too fast is tossed up in the air like confetti, while the meaning of racism itself is being hidden in propaganda rhetoric from it's true economic plunder actions.
Gabriel Mateescu - I….don’t think that’s what Stan Lee meant when he said that.
Muhammad Rasheed - Based on what? Liberals are usually pretty rabid about their commitment to “Non-violence no matter what!” when it comes to lecturing Black people and how they should deal with racism. It’s pretty consistent messaging.
Gabriel Mateescu - I can understand how violence could be used in a place like the secession era United States.
But the only ones who keep making racist protests nowadays are a bunch of loonies. And the law doesn’t forbid that. How would violence against these guys be any help?
Brian Langford - I think you parsed the statement incorrectly. Note that he said bigotry and racism. Now if he’d said bigots and racists you’d be correct - without getting into the quagmire of whether violence is ever justified and to what extent - it’s unarguable that punching and shooting bigots and racists is certainly one way of fighting back against them. But you can’t defeat bigotry or racism as concepts by punching and shooting them - that takes something else.
Muhammad Rasheed - The concept of "racism" is economic. The marketing arm of racism propagandizes that whites are inherently superior to Black people. If we remove the economic root cause of racism -- the systemic level plunder of the Black community to sustain the white racist aristocracy -- then the marketing arm part of the economic concept would also fall with it without the need of applying any extra tools.
William Timonen - Unless youre actually of the opinion that we should create some kind of ”racist-detector” and then kill everyone of them with a zapp-gun. You would have to agree that the problem is a little bit more complex than just shooting at it.
Muhammad Rasheed - Racists have always been hyper-aggressive and extremely violent. They're the ones who invented the 'domestic terror' model as we know it. We already have the "racist-detector" technology, since it simply involves watching them subjugate and exploit Black people to feed and sustain the white racist aristocracy.
William Timonen - You have an extremely, EXTREMELY, frankly hilariously narrow definition of racism if you think thats the case.
Muhammad Rasheed - lol You have an extremely, EXTREMELY, frankly sad uninformed definition of racism, that serves only to protect white supremacy. Take a bow.
Brandon Edwards - He never said not to defend yourself he said racism can't be stopped by violence, which is true.
Muhammad Rasheed - You've proven my point and destroyed your own point with your "which is true" part.
Racism is an economic system that enriches white people at the expense of Black people. It would absolutely be stopped if Blacks refused to allow it to be inflicted upon them any longer by using the same violence that causes it. If racism proved to be more expensive than profitable due to a zero tolerance counter-violence policy, then it would stop.
Brandon Edwards - Thats not true in the slightest. You're assuming that white people only use violence to discriminate or be racist and that the best way to solve that would be to fight fire with fire. First of all violence like the lynching, whipinng and harassment done by whites to blacks is only part of it, and a very small part compared to the entirety. The part of racism that is really harming blacks is the lack of a good education and the laws against them spanning from before the Civil Rights movement, jail sentences being much longer than whites, and the war on drugs which was simply started to target people against Nixxon (litteraly the worst president ever). None of those things could have or will be solved by violence. There have been moments where blacks have tried to go against the whites during slavery. For example in birth of a Nation where slaves stole guns and fought back against the slave owners. That didn't work because whites had more guns. See the problem with your argument is that you're assuming that the only reoson that blacks didn't fight back was because they were told by whites that the only way to end the oppression is with peace,but that's not true at all. Through acts of civil disobedience wich by definition means the act of breaking laws in the name of peaceful protest blacks like Rosa Parks, the Greens Borrow Four and Martin Luther King showed how unfair and unrighteous their racist behaviors are. If they would have used violence then they would have only been proving the racist point.
However I do see where you're coming from. Malcolm X was a firm believer in the fact that blacks should have the right to defend themselves. But ultimately that wouldn't have done much to end the violence in the long run.
(if I made any mistakes writing this I'm sorry. I'm typing this on my phone)
Muhammad Rasheed - Brandon wrote: "Thats not true in the slightest."
Meanwhile, every single bit of it is true.
Brandon wrote: "You're assuming that white people only use violence to discriminate or be racist..."
I'm not assuming anything. The formal term for the violence whites use to subjugate Black people is called "breaking." It was established during the slave era and it continues today with anti-Black police brutality.
Brandon wrote: "...and that the best way to solve that would be to fight fire with fire."
I'm not assuming on that item either. For one, it is well known that bullies leave victims alone when the latter fights back. This continuously encouraging Black people not to fight back has literally made racism worse. Anyone parroting that "Blacks shouldn't fight the racist violence back with more violence or it will just make more violence" rhetoric are literally supporting white supremacy. That message is NOT for my people. If every time you try to exploit a Black person and physically attack them when they resist, but they fight to the death to prevent it, it would ultimately render your schemes unprofitable and you would stop. Since the 17th century, racism is only inflicted upon the Black community (including the 'War on Drugs') because wealthy people get MORE wealthy from the effort. For two, as a Black American, I literally owe the rudimentary freedoms I possess today to the fact that my ancestors fought back with violence during the Civil War. So obviously these two points together confirm that the best way to solve the problem of anti-Black racist violence is to fight fire with fire.
Brandon wrote: "See the problem with your argument is that you're assuming that..."
Your strawman effigy summary of my position is offensive and uninformed. You're trying to replace what my actual position is with your own opinion of these historic events and concepts.
Brandon wrote: "If they would have used violence then they would have only been proving the racist point. [...] But ultimately that wouldn't have done much to end the violence in the long run."
The bottom line of your message is that Blacks should lie down and let savage racists commit violence upon them at will and literally do nothing about it "or else things will get worse." Your position is a literal support of white supremacy.
Brandon Edwards - M. Rasheed wrote: "The bottom line of your message is that Blacks should lie down and let savage racists commit violence upon them at will and literally do nothing about 'or else things will get worse.' Your position is a literal support of white supremacy."
That's a large no. I never said blacks shouldn't protect themselves. That's fundamentaly why I supported the Black Panrhers. But the only way to end it completely is to show that blacks are the victims of racist assholes trying to step on our heads to get to the top.
The real way to end racism is not to inflict violence on another person just because they could inflict violence on you. You said that it's been proven that standing up to bullys stop the bullying but this is completely different. Bullies target people they see as weak, and cowardly bully until that person breaks. Whites don't care how strong blacks get or how many guns we have, because they have more guns and more people to shoot those guns and more ways to incarcerate those blacks. I aggre telling blacks to not fight back against the violence is stupid. If a persons life is threated they have to defend themselves. But to believe that it will END the oprrseeion is nieve.
There has never been an instance where the oppressed have ended their oppression by just fighting back, they ended it by getting the upper hand or getting the non oprresed on their side.
Simply by fighting fire with fire doesn't put out the fire but makes the people who stareted the fire in the first place look like the rational ones. I know you're probably going to label me a white surpremesist or something but I honesty believe that the best way to end the violence is to get as many non violent racist or non racist in general on our side. If the black succession that Malcolm X invisioned were possible I would be for that, but it is extremely unrealistic and just wouldn't work for reosons that I'm not going to get into now.
Now back to the picture. It no way says that blacks shouldn't defend themselves. It just says that it won't solve any thing in the long run.
Muhammad Rasheed - Brandon wrote: “There has never been an instance where the oppressed have ended their oppression by just fighting back…”
Not so. It happens all the time and throughout history. The entire early history of Islam showed small groups of under-resourced Muslims defeating huge groups of genocidal pagans with nigh-unlimited resources. The attitude of “Fight to the death as policy!” was the key to their victory (and God, of course).
But in the last 50–60 yrs or so, Black Americans have been given the opposite message… that they shouldn’t fight back at all. We’ve absorbed that indoctrination and now we are weak and continuously exploited with no end in sight lest we throw off that brainwashing and stand up in our manhood/womanhood again.
I can’t use your message, Brandon. it does not serve my people and it is in fact, a weapon of my enemy. Please discard it.
Brandon Edwards - You know what maybe i just don't understand what you're saying enough. Do you wish for every black man in America to grab arms and take charge against the white man or something else because if I have to explain why the former won't work again I'll just leave.
Muhammad Rasheed - Brandon, we have levels of options available to us to get what we want (the end of racism and the payout of Reparatory Justice to make up for the damages caused), so I’m not saying we should just TODAY grab rifles and go all Nat Turner. No.
I’m saying that we can do everything we can to negotiate with them using reason and economic boycott pressure and IF they:
…then it will be time to Bear Righteous Arms and fight for our freedoms once and for all. Surrendering and allowing ourselves to once again be their ATM footstool should never be an option. Ever.
Brandon Edwards - So what you want is for hundreds and thousands of our people to die, so you the whites can stop killing us. Does that make sense to you.
Muhammad Rasheed - There’s a built in strawman effigy within your comment. The war isn’t so that whites can stop killing us, since they only do that as part of the terror campaign for subjugation, but so that they can let our people go and we can use the wealth we generate for ourselves as a free people. It’s not acceptable to continue along as a race of cowards, allowing these people to terrorize and plunder us at will. It’s time to be free. 400 yrs of this is quite long enough.
Brandon Edwards - What are your demands. And I believe that our first step as a race would be to improve the education of African Americans in this county, before we make any demands. No matter how much power we have if there aren't enough smart people to use it that would leave a power vacuum for the whites to stomp on our necks again.
Muhammad Rasheed - Brandon wrote: "What are your demands.”
No less than to dismantle anti-Black systemic racism and payout Reparatory Justice to the Black American ethnic group to repair the economic damages done to our community after generations of white racist plundering and terror.
Brandon wrote: "And I believe that our first step as a race would be to improve the education of African Americans in this county, before we make any demands.”
We’ve HAD high-quality education before and it was deliberately stripped away so we would be dumbed down to aid in the subjugation effort. Even today, when fed up and determined poor Blacks would finally pool their resources and build up dynamic new schools that were exactly what their families needed, surrounding white communities would ‘Deebo’ the newly-renovated school, gentrify the neighborhood, and have the enterprising Blacks who reformed their community’s school system removed in a modern, lower-scale but equally obscene act of colonialization. What you’ve identified as our people’s first step comes across as hopelessly naïve, unless your plan is to educate the Black American in the fact that we are indeed at WAR!!
Brandon wrote: "No matter how much power we have if there aren't enough smart people to use it that would leave a power vacuum for the whites to stomp on our necks again.”
Agreed. Equally important is indoctrinating the people in being ever vigilant for the schemes of the enemy and the betrayal of ‘smart’ Black leaders and family.
Brandon Edwards - This might be another “strawman” to you but are you saying that blacks were enslaved and oppressed for over 400 years because every single one was cowards. Are you forgetting people like Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks and many more who actively tried to improve the lives of many blacks and even succeed
Muhammad Rasheed - Brandon wrote: "This might be another ‘strawman’ to you…”
A strawman effigy fallacy is when you invent an argument for me that isn’t mine, and then proceed to argument against it as if that’s what I’ve actually said. In this case, it was your “so the whites can stop killing us” line that functioned as the strawman. To be clear, the whites do NOT want genocide; systemic racism is a subjugation to force us into a state ripe for exploitation and plundering. Since the beginning of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, it has ALWAYS been about profit. Racism is a diabolical economic system that exploits a group along racial phenotype to enrich another group along racial phenotype. The killings that do happen are only part of the terror campaign to keep us fearful and reluctant to fight back.
Brandon wrote: "…but are you saying that blacks were enslaved and oppressed for over 400 years because every single one was cowards.”
They were either cowards, or they merely unwisely and treacherously decided to believe the enemy’s words as truth. Pick one.
Brandon wrote: "Are you forgetting people like Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks and many more who actively tried to improve the lives of many blacks and even succeed"
The legendary lion called Ntwadumela the hyena killer, would watch his rivals gather at a kill, study the group to determine the alpha-female leader, destroy her, and then watch her confused and panicked tribe run around like decapitated chickens while the rest of the pride would make short work of them.
Mark Stewart - This is a terrible answer. You could use this logic to call anyone a racist. You're basically saying “Stan looked like he was condemning racism but really he was BEING racist”
Meanwhile, every single bit of it is true.
Brandon wrote: "You're assuming that white people only use violence to discriminate or be racist..."
I'm not assuming anything. The formal term for the violence whites use to subjugate Black people is called "breaking." It was established during the slave era and it continues today with anti-Black police brutality.
Brandon wrote: "...and that the best way to solve that would be to fight fire with fire."
I'm not assuming on that item either. For one, it is well known that bullies leave victims alone when the latter fights back. This continuously encouraging Black people not to fight back has literally made racism worse. Anyone parroting that "Blacks shouldn't fight the racist violence back with more violence or it will just make more violence" rhetoric are literally supporting white supremacy. That message is NOT for my people. If every time you try to exploit a Black person and physically attack them when they resist, but they fight to the death to prevent it, it would ultimately render your schemes unprofitable and you would stop. Since the 17th century, racism is only inflicted upon the Black community (including the 'War on Drugs') because wealthy people get MORE wealthy from the effort. For two, as a Black American, I literally owe the rudimentary freedoms I possess today to the fact that my ancestors fought back with violence during the Civil War. So obviously these two points together confirm that the best way to solve the problem of anti-Black racist violence is to fight fire with fire.
Brandon wrote: "See the problem with your argument is that you're assuming that..."
Your strawman effigy summary of my position is offensive and uninformed. You're trying to replace what my actual position is with your own opinion of these historic events and concepts.
Brandon wrote: "If they would have used violence then they would have only been proving the racist point. [...] But ultimately that wouldn't have done much to end the violence in the long run."
The bottom line of your message is that Blacks should lie down and let savage racists commit violence upon them at will and literally do nothing about it "or else things will get worse." Your position is a literal support of white supremacy.
Brandon Edwards - M. Rasheed wrote: "The bottom line of your message is that Blacks should lie down and let savage racists commit violence upon them at will and literally do nothing about 'or else things will get worse.' Your position is a literal support of white supremacy."
That's a large no. I never said blacks shouldn't protect themselves. That's fundamentaly why I supported the Black Panrhers. But the only way to end it completely is to show that blacks are the victims of racist assholes trying to step on our heads to get to the top.
The real way to end racism is not to inflict violence on another person just because they could inflict violence on you. You said that it's been proven that standing up to bullys stop the bullying but this is completely different. Bullies target people they see as weak, and cowardly bully until that person breaks. Whites don't care how strong blacks get or how many guns we have, because they have more guns and more people to shoot those guns and more ways to incarcerate those blacks. I aggre telling blacks to not fight back against the violence is stupid. If a persons life is threated they have to defend themselves. But to believe that it will END the oprrseeion is nieve.
There has never been an instance where the oppressed have ended their oppression by just fighting back, they ended it by getting the upper hand or getting the non oprresed on their side.
Simply by fighting fire with fire doesn't put out the fire but makes the people who stareted the fire in the first place look like the rational ones. I know you're probably going to label me a white surpremesist or something but I honesty believe that the best way to end the violence is to get as many non violent racist or non racist in general on our side. If the black succession that Malcolm X invisioned were possible I would be for that, but it is extremely unrealistic and just wouldn't work for reosons that I'm not going to get into now.
Now back to the picture. It no way says that blacks shouldn't defend themselves. It just says that it won't solve any thing in the long run.
Muhammad Rasheed - Brandon wrote: “There has never been an instance where the oppressed have ended their oppression by just fighting back…”
Not so. It happens all the time and throughout history. The entire early history of Islam showed small groups of under-resourced Muslims defeating huge groups of genocidal pagans with nigh-unlimited resources. The attitude of “Fight to the death as policy!” was the key to their victory (and God, of course).
But in the last 50–60 yrs or so, Black Americans have been given the opposite message… that they shouldn’t fight back at all. We’ve absorbed that indoctrination and now we are weak and continuously exploited with no end in sight lest we throw off that brainwashing and stand up in our manhood/womanhood again.
I can’t use your message, Brandon. it does not serve my people and it is in fact, a weapon of my enemy. Please discard it.
Brandon Edwards - You know what maybe i just don't understand what you're saying enough. Do you wish for every black man in America to grab arms and take charge against the white man or something else because if I have to explain why the former won't work again I'll just leave.
Muhammad Rasheed - Brandon, we have levels of options available to us to get what we want (the end of racism and the payout of Reparatory Justice to make up for the damages caused), so I’m not saying we should just TODAY grab rifles and go all Nat Turner. No.
I’m saying that we can do everything we can to negotiate with them using reason and economic boycott pressure and IF they:
- Reject our demands and war against us
- Pretend to agree to our demands only to cook up a faux-reason to betray us
…then it will be time to Bear Righteous Arms and fight for our freedoms once and for all. Surrendering and allowing ourselves to once again be their ATM footstool should never be an option. Ever.
Brandon Edwards - So what you want is for hundreds and thousands of our people to die, so you the whites can stop killing us. Does that make sense to you.
Muhammad Rasheed - There’s a built in strawman effigy within your comment. The war isn’t so that whites can stop killing us, since they only do that as part of the terror campaign for subjugation, but so that they can let our people go and we can use the wealth we generate for ourselves as a free people. It’s not acceptable to continue along as a race of cowards, allowing these people to terrorize and plunder us at will. It’s time to be free. 400 yrs of this is quite long enough.
Brandon Edwards - What are your demands. And I believe that our first step as a race would be to improve the education of African Americans in this county, before we make any demands. No matter how much power we have if there aren't enough smart people to use it that would leave a power vacuum for the whites to stomp on our necks again.
Muhammad Rasheed - Brandon wrote: "What are your demands.”
No less than to dismantle anti-Black systemic racism and payout Reparatory Justice to the Black American ethnic group to repair the economic damages done to our community after generations of white racist plundering and terror.
Brandon wrote: "And I believe that our first step as a race would be to improve the education of African Americans in this county, before we make any demands.”
We’ve HAD high-quality education before and it was deliberately stripped away so we would be dumbed down to aid in the subjugation effort. Even today, when fed up and determined poor Blacks would finally pool their resources and build up dynamic new schools that were exactly what their families needed, surrounding white communities would ‘Deebo’ the newly-renovated school, gentrify the neighborhood, and have the enterprising Blacks who reformed their community’s school system removed in a modern, lower-scale but equally obscene act of colonialization. What you’ve identified as our people’s first step comes across as hopelessly naïve, unless your plan is to educate the Black American in the fact that we are indeed at WAR!!
Brandon wrote: "No matter how much power we have if there aren't enough smart people to use it that would leave a power vacuum for the whites to stomp on our necks again.”
Agreed. Equally important is indoctrinating the people in being ever vigilant for the schemes of the enemy and the betrayal of ‘smart’ Black leaders and family.
Brandon Edwards - This might be another “strawman” to you but are you saying that blacks were enslaved and oppressed for over 400 years because every single one was cowards. Are you forgetting people like Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks and many more who actively tried to improve the lives of many blacks and even succeed
Muhammad Rasheed - Brandon wrote: "This might be another ‘strawman’ to you…”
A strawman effigy fallacy is when you invent an argument for me that isn’t mine, and then proceed to argument against it as if that’s what I’ve actually said. In this case, it was your “so the whites can stop killing us” line that functioned as the strawman. To be clear, the whites do NOT want genocide; systemic racism is a subjugation to force us into a state ripe for exploitation and plundering. Since the beginning of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, it has ALWAYS been about profit. Racism is a diabolical economic system that exploits a group along racial phenotype to enrich another group along racial phenotype. The killings that do happen are only part of the terror campaign to keep us fearful and reluctant to fight back.
Brandon wrote: "…but are you saying that blacks were enslaved and oppressed for over 400 years because every single one was cowards.”
They were either cowards, or they merely unwisely and treacherously decided to believe the enemy’s words as truth. Pick one.
Brandon wrote: "Are you forgetting people like Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks and many more who actively tried to improve the lives of many blacks and even succeed"
The legendary lion called Ntwadumela the hyena killer, would watch his rivals gather at a kill, study the group to determine the alpha-female leader, destroy her, and then watch her confused and panicked tribe run around like decapitated chickens while the rest of the pride would make short work of them.
Mark Stewart - This is a terrible answer. You could use this logic to call anyone a racist. You're basically saying “Stan looked like he was condemning racism but really he was BEING racist”
Muhammad Rasheed - Not so. Stan really did think he was saying the right thing, but that's only because society is broken. A twisted, distorted version of MLK's non-violent protest tactic has the people indoctrinated into thinking that physical violence against evil is ALWAYS wrong, and Stan's parroting of similar rhetoric isn't as helpful as it sounds to an uncritical ear.
Mark Stewart - So you think the virtuous thing for Stan Lee to do would be to tell his audience (who are mainly children) that real life villains can be dealt with in the same way comic villains are? That is the only point he's trying to make, you're saying he should inspire violence as a virtue?
Muhammad Rasheed - Violence is a virtue when your active enemy is inflicting violence upon you.
Comic book superheroes use violence against villains that refuse to listen to reason in favor of their dedication to self-serving schemes that leave innocent victims in their wake. Violence is of course the last resort after sincere communication efforts have failed, but it is absolutely in the tool kit of societal progress.
Mark wrote: "(who are mainly children)"
Societal change is always driven by the fired-up energy of youth. You just pointed out another negative about Stan's Soap Box quote. He was definitely part of the indoctrination machine that brainwashed a generation into protecting anti-Black systemic racism.
Oliver Fachiri - I think he was more advocating for the “non-violence” approach, than white supremacy.
Muhammad Rasheed - Insisting to Black people that 'non-violence' is the only way to stop violent barbarians is definitely a white supremacist position.
Oliver Fachiri - No it's not, was gandhi racist for insisting on non violence? Violence only begets violence.
Muhammad Rasheed - Gandhi's non-violent protest tactic had nothing to do with the fact that he unapologetically held traditional anti-Black racist views.
Muhammad Rasheed - The quote "violence only begets violence" means you want the victims of violence to lie down and take the genocidal abuse and let the oppressor have their way with them. This is no less than a pro-slavery, pro-white supremacist message. Please discard it.
Oliver Fachiri - No it's not. Anyone with a brain knows that you have every right to defend yourself. But you should never start physical violence. If I attacked someone everytime I felt like it alot of people would be dead, including me.
Muhammad Rasheed - This is a strawman. No one, especially not me, said anything about "attacking someone everytime we felt like it." The context has always been in defense against barbaric racists.
The white supremacists from as far back as the exploring colonialists of Europe have always been the aggressors in racist conflict, remember.
Oliver Fachiri - I'd like to see where you got that information. But you clear just want to hate.
Muhammad Rasheed - Where I got what information? Are you talking about the documented history of the rise of Western European power? It's literally mandatory learning in every single USA and European public school and institution of higher learning.
Was this a real question?
Muhammad Rasheed - I don't have to hate in order to defend myself from violence using violence, Oliver. That's an odd comment.
Oliver Fachiri - You're talking about a man who is against bigotry stating the violence won't end it. And he's right, hatred, bigotry, racism, can't be punched away. Somehow you're finding hatred and white supremacy in that.
Muhammad Rasheed - "You should never fight the violence back because if you do the violence won't stop," is what you just said to me.
"Let people punch you in the face, because if you punch them back, the punching won't stop."
Does that make sense to YOU? Because it doesn't to me. I'M against bigotry, and I would never say that to someone with a straight face (for a variety of reasons).
George Young - I don’t think he meant for people to not defend themselves or to not have a fighting spirit, just that violence by itself is not going to win a war of opinions.
Muhammad Rasheed - My argument is that racism is not just a “war of opinions,” but is a literal war against Black people, designed to continue to subjugate, exploit and plunder their wealth to maintain the 400 yr old white racist aristocracy. Because of this fact, any talk expressing that racism is only individual-level bigotry and small-minded opinions is actual war propaganda designed to confuse the victims as to who the true enemies are.
Michael Rasinski - So I read this and am fairly confused.
So you think we should have another civil war? It didn’t work the first time.
You do know that physical violence on either side will make the problem worse and draw people to both sides of the arguement for better or worse. You can’t kill an ideology with fists, war, genocide, or otherwise. Nazis will always be around, along with racists, white supremacists, feminists, etc. Part of being an American is excepting what you cannot change, people mainly, and having the patience to wait for each thing to fade while you ignore it, but it will never go away.
Violence is sometimes the best option, but not in this case. I suppose I’m more curious as to how you think we should solve the problem, and exactly why Stan Lee’s quote helped prove your point.
Muhammad Rasheed - Michael wrote: "So I read this and am fairly confused.”
I don’t believe you are. It seems like you just don’t want me to fight back against racism.
Michael wrote: "So you think we should have another civil war? It didn’t work the first time.”
Of course it did. The confederacy didn’t split the country and/or spread their chattel slave institution to Central and South America as was their goal, and I am currently freed from those old chains. Why do you think it didn’t work? What were the goals of the warring sides as you see them?
Michael wrote: "You do know that physical violence on either side will make the problem worse…”
It is worse, Michael. My ethnic group is being subjugated, exploited and plundered to feed the white racist aristocracy and that’s bottom of the barrel. If I don’t fight it will get even worse still, as even now schemes are in place to return us to chattel. Your position rejects logic and reason.
Michael wrote: "…and draw people to both sides of the arguement for better or worse.”
They are already there.
Michael wrote: "You can’t kill an ideology with fists, war, genocide, or otherwise.”
The ideology is the propaganda arm of the very physical systemic racist plunder of Black people. If I stop THAT with my fist, the ideology will fall and at least be significantly weakened and vulnerable to be shown for what it is.
Michael wrote: "Nazis will always be around, along with racists, white supremacists, feminists, etc.”
Our responsibility as good people is to check them to prevent them from gaining power over us, and to fight them to make them release power when they do. It is 100% unacceptable to allow evil to rule over us.
Michael wrote: "Part of being an American is excepting what you cannot change…”
Who are you to lecture me thus? It’s offensive to tell me that I need to just allow a barbaric beast to inflict his racism upon me at will without fighting back. It is not a righteous position to advise it, nor to accept it. Please stand down.
Michael wrote: "Violence is sometimes the best option, but not in this case.”
You are 100% wrong. Violence is the only option when the other side refuses to stop his oppression, enslavement, exploitation, etc., because he values his lust for material gain over his humanity. It’s been several centuries now and chance after chance after chance he has opted for the low road of evil against the Black American people for no other reason than because it makes him richer.
Michael wrote: "I suppose I’m more curious as to how you think we should solve the problem…”
I’m curious as to whom you are including within this “we.”
Michael wrote: "…and exactly why Stan Lee’s quote helped prove your point.”
Stan’s wrote was your own position, and my answer responded to it, revealing the nature of the “brutal truth.”
Michael Rasinski - So you propose that violence and rioting is the best way to bring about a change?
That may remove any loopholes of law that allow for legal racism, but at what cost?
You have to be willing for your movement to be hijacked and rewritten by its members, many of which you have not approved. Many terrorist groups were born of good causes gone extreme. If you do achieve your victory you will have lost, if you don’t, you will lose. Either way, you’ve organized a large group of colored people who use violence to get there way which is going to have lots of non-racist people rethinking their views and racists enjoying an opportunity to spread their view. It will definitely end badly and won’t solve anything in the long run.
If you want a group of people to change, you must change first. Using a little history in the US with the various immigrants who were mistreated I’d say the best way to destroy racism is to make it seem foolish rather than bad.
The Japanese became Americans and are now generally excepted and even encouraged in some places. They served in the army, got jobs as artists and businessmen, they became part of the culture because they wanted to be part of it more than anything, for their next generation and generations to come. Many Japanese cultural ideas have been adopted by America and life goes on. They aren’t that different statistically and value education so despite their looks they are accepted.
Then we get down to the cold hard statistics of colored people in America. They score 75% of what European Americans score on average and are less likely to graduate both high school and college. Fixing this problem would probably be the best way to close the gap between whites and blacks, not violence. I’m not racist, nor can I say I’m the say as a majority of the colored people I’ve met. I have a few friends who grew up like me and are like me despite their skin color, but most colored people are drastically different from me and seem reluctant to chat with me because I’m white. Racism works both ways and it’s hard to remain non-racist when fighting racism as your generally fighting a certain skin color.
It’s a funny thing really, America. I could complain about the racism against my people, the Germans. We were treated pretty badly for a long time and had most of our culture stripped from us because of America, but after that we became American and came to realize that we didn’t lose our culture, it just became part of the melting pot of America’s culture.
So what’s the point I’m making? Unless your people drop every part of their culture society can’t accept like mine did in WW1 then you’ll never be fully accepted. I can’t say why, and I can’t say whether that is a good or bad thing, but it’s how it is. Equality has a cost and sometimes it isn’t worth it, but you will never make gains against racism through violent rioting. You have to prove racists wrong and that’s the only way.
We had a riot over a shooting of a colored person not to long ago, or so it feels. The cop shot the man because he said he was armed and then proceeded to get his gun despite the cop specificoh telling him not to. I say that it was all legal because you always listen to the cop especially if you are armed. The community was outraged, businesses were looted and burned, daily life was ground to a halt for nearly the entire town. Behold, Black Live Matter. This is how I found out about the group, and again when they stopped traffic at the state fair by blocking the roads. It may not be what they are, but it’s what they were, a problem, not a solution. That’s how the media showed it, that’s how I saw it, and it’s how America will see it because that group is selfish. They made it racist, and maybe it was, but what if the white people who suffer similar fates? We shrug and let the court decide it.
If you truly believe that there are many racists the you know that how you act upon it will directly affect your race, your race will be held accountable for your actions. Violence will be met with violence, protests with prostests, pain with pain, anger with anger.
Change is caused by change. You have to change your race before you will get a change of views because people of color are statistically worse people than whites and though I never hold that against a person of color, I’ve seen it first hand as students wash out of school, commit crimes, and act unlike they are part of society. Reform will be met with reform and compassion will be met with compassion. Just know the world is watching, and they don’t favor you looking good.
Still not sure how to refer to American Africans and those meshed in to that group without sounding racist, just know that I’m not. I judge a person on how they look, but not their skin color. How you hold yourself says it all almost always. You’re certainly thorough in your writing and intelligent, but it’s still plagued with ignorance of consequence. Your best intentions can lead to the worst actions and that’s what the media will show.
Not sure why I’m arguing, but it’s probably because I’m known to enjoy it. I don’t know why, maybe I think I’m doing something good? Fighting ignorance or at least causing someone to think twice is my reward.
Muhammad Rasheed - Michael wrote: "So you propose that violence and rioting is the best way to bring about a change?"
No. Your interpretation of my position is offensive. I instead propose that the Black American ethnic group stop allowing racist bullies and barbarians to impose systemic racism upon them without fighting back. I suggest they use the economic boycott tool to pressure whites into meeting their demands, and if the whites should unreasonably refuse in favor of enthusiastically continuing to exploit/plunder our communities to feed their wealth hoards, then to righteously use our Right to Bear Arms to defend ourselves from attack. This is my actual position as opposed to the caricature you invented to make fun of me.
Michael wrote: "You have to be willing for your movement to be hijacked and rewritten by its members, many of which you have not approved.”
Let the record show that this has already been done (see: Niagara Movement versus NAACP; de-segregation versus integration), and hence why I sit in the position I am in today despite over a century of civil rights activism from dedicated Black leadership.
Michael wrote: "Many terrorist groups were born of good causes gone extreme.”
Nonsense. White supremacist terrorist groups were invented by triggered poor whites who resented the socio-economic rise of the newly-freed Black community they resented. Today, Western intelligence agencies manufacture terrorist groups to destabilize a targeted nation so that their corporate clients don’t have to pay market prices for the victim’s resources.
Michael wrote: "If you do achieve your victory you will have lost, if you don’t, you will lose.”
You’re telling me that to finally achieve full freedom as an American citizen is a losing position and that I am actually better off as the exploited foot stool of the greed-fueled white race.
Michael wrote: "If you want a group of people to change, you must change first.”
That’s exactly what I’m saying. Instead of allowing the white racist aristocracy to intimidate the Black community with their terror propaganda, they should use the economic boycott to pressure them into meeting their demands, and bear arms to defend against typical savage white aggression as needed.
Michael wrote: "Using a little history in the US with the various immigrants who were mistreated I’d say the best way to destroy racism is to make it seem foolish rather than bad.”
Racism isn’t what you are trying to spin it to be. If only it were that simple, but we live in the real world where the White Supremacist Ideology is the foundational philosophy of Western Civilization, and it certainly encompasses more than just being “mistreated.” Racism is an economic system and it always has been.
Michael wrote: "So what’s the point I’m making?”
It seems to be classic pro-racism against Black people from the mindset of the previous generation.
Michael wrote: "Not sure why I’m arguing, but it’s probably because I’m known to enjoy it. I don’t know why, maybe I think I’m doing something good?”
I personally found not a single shred of good in your post, Michael. As gathered from the content of the rest of your comments (that I could barely stomach my way through), you seem to represent the managerial class mouthpiece of the very figure I’m fighting against to achieve my freedoms and long-denied justice.
Michael Rasinski - Didn’t seem like you considered my proposal to educate the colored masses in order to close the gap. Partially the result of your own bit of bias in race of which you cannot deny. Perhaps my peaceful proposal offers a shred of good? Unless you think education isn’t that important in which that is your own belief.
You don’t know that your plan will work, or even make things better. The public may view you as a problem rather than using your rights. Your going to have a really hard time getting any white business to give in to your demands when you are so blatantly racist and quick to charge others of racism as you’ve judged me incorrectly for disagreeing with violence.
Getting your entire race to boycott white businesses may cause problems more problems than it solves as currently white workers are more valuable than colored workers statistically. Have you ever seen a film called Hidden Figures? It’s a great film that shows how the strategy of colored peoples to integrate themselves into society whether they like it or not. They made themselves very valuable workers, more valuable than the white workers. This resulted in employers respecting them along with their employees.
I can guarantee you that if you exercise your “right to bear arms” against the government, you will be viewed as a problem and the movement will fail. Your movement needs to be appealing to the average American, and right now the average American is white. So if you start a movement against the very masses you need to change what you want it seems a tad implausible.
Closing the education gap between white and colored peoples is the best way to allow for equal rights. I don’t make fun of you as this is not a joking matter. Especially when you were implying violence to be the best option and your proposed movement will cause violence. You need to make sure you’re in the right when violence occurs.
You obviously have extreme opinions as I too have many. You’re obviously passionate about your opinions as well, but passion is the harbinger of all love and hate in this world. You need to decide what your is and whether others would agree with you. I cannot change your mind, and I do not wish to derail your ideas. I simply do not see how you could organize such a widespread boycotting and even if you did, I fear it wouldn’t have the result you want.
I’m basing the results of my proposal off of history with the industrial revolution and how the times between slavery to where we are now.
How would you have me refer to colored peoples without sounding racist?
Muhammad Rasheed - Michael wrote: "Didn’t seem like you considered my proposal to educate the colored masses in order to close the gap.”
No. After slavery was formerly abolished and Reconstruction began, there was a huge effort to “educate the colored masses” that kindled resentment in the white community because it worked, causing them to lash out in domestic terrorist violence. The problem isn’t with my people.
Michael wrote: "Partially the result of your own bit of bias in race of which you cannot deny.”
The light-skinned European ethnic tribes have been abusing and exploiting my people continuously for the last 500 yrs for the love of money, and you interpret my wish to finally be free of you to be “bias,” huh? Curious.
Michael wrote: "Perhaps my peaceful proposal offers a shred of good?”
It didn’t sound ‘good’ at all, Michael. It sounded patronizingly dismissive of the real problem, devoid of knowledge of historic facts, and severely one-sided from the point-of-view of my traditional oppressor.
Michael wrote: "Unless you think education isn’t that important in which that is your own belief.”
lol It’s certainly important, but it has nothing to do with what you want me to think about it.
Michael wrote: "You don’t know that your plan will work, or even make things better.”
Only Allah is certain of the unseen future; I made no such claims. I am willing to try though because freedom is worth the effort. Within our white racist aristocracy, in which the society you’ve erected by exploiting me tilts in your favor by default, I can reasonably expect the type of pushback you’re providing as you are a member of that white aristocracy and are thus, protective of the system. Your effort to present yourself as rationally objective and fair is betrayed both by the language you use and your very position.
Michael wrote: "The public may view you as a problem rather than using your rights.”
So? At the moment, I am only in the role of editorial cartoonist. My job is only to honestly express my research analysis through my art. The public is fickle about art under normal circumstances, so it is all one to me.
Michael wrote: "Your going to have a really hard time getting any white business to give in to your demands…”
They’ll give in when the Black Economic Boycott negatively impacts their cashflow, since money is 99% of all they care about in life.
Michael wrote: "…when you are so blatantly racist…”
The light-skinned European ethnic tribes have been abusing and exploiting my people continuously for the last 500 yrs for the love of money, and you interpret my wish to finally be free of you to be “racist,” huh? Curious.
Michael wrote: "…and quick to charge others of racism…”
I only make such a charge when I see people performing and/or supporting racism. Please make note.
Michael wrote: "…as you’ve judged me incorrectly for disagreeing with violence.”
I only advocate violence in self-defense, but you don’t believe I should fight back when racist, demonic savages use violence against my people because they are racist, demonic savages. How else would I interpret your curious version of a non-violence stance that scolds only ME?
Michael wrote: "Getting your entire race to boycott white businesses…”
Would be awesome. May it be Allah’s Will.
Michael wrote: "…may cause problems more problems than it solves…”
lol In what way? The point of the economic boycott is to pressure you into meeting my demands. Meet my demands and then there will be no more problems. The fake problems you conjure because you won’t get to exploit me anymore won’t count because they are fake.
Michael wrote: "…as currently white workers are more valuable than colored workers statistically.”
I hate it when people say stuff like that, especially when they actually expect me to take them seriously. Please stop.
Michael wrote: "Have you ever seen a film called Hidden Figures? It’s a great film…”
It had some decently okay moments sprinkled throughout, but I am not likely to watch it again. It made a far better impression on you than it did me, but between the two of us, I’m the only one well-researched in the history of Western Civilization’s racism problem. Hollywood more often than not gets on my nerves when it decides to [shallowly] address the race issue. You should watch Ava DuVernay’s 13th documentary instead. It actually deserves the “great” label in full.
Michael wrote: "…that shows how the strategy of colored peoples to integrate themselves into society whether they like it or not.”
The last 50 yrs of the toxic ‘Assimilation Integrationist Token’ era has caused more problems than it solved, to paraphrase you. It turns out the only ‘problem’ the integration scheme tried to solve was how to destroy the Black family and make whites wealthier at their expense.
Michael wrote: "They made themselves very valuable workers…”
You sound like a 19th century cotton plantation overseer and it’s infuriating and offensive.
Michael wrote: "This resulted in employers respecting them along with their employees.”
Exploitation doesn’t equal respect, Michael. It’s literally the opposite of that.
Michael wrote: "I can guarantee you that if you exercise your ‘right to bear arms’ against the government…”
I’m curious why you decided to put the Right to Bear Arms in quotes like that. Do you believe it means something different and ominous when a Black person says it? I’m an American citizen and I have the right to bear arms against domestic threats against my person, family and property. Does that bother you? Perhaps you think white people have a monopoly over that fundamental American right?
Anyway, I didn’t say “against the government,” but against furious whites who would attack Black people because racism was over, just as they attacked Black people because slavery was over. The problem isn’t with me, it’s with you.
Michael wrote: "…you will be viewed as a problem and the movement will fail. Your movement needs to be appealing to the average American, and right now the average American is white. So if you start a movement against the very masses you need to change what you want it seems a tad implausible.”
Literally none of this made any sense. It sounds like babbling, double-talk confidence man speak from a con-man who isn’t very good at it.
Michael wrote: "Closing the education gap between white and colored peoples is the best way to allow for equal rights.”
That’s one of the tools, but the problem is that white people have proven not to want equality between the races.
Michael wrote: "I don’t make fun of you as this is not a joking matter. Especially when you were implying violence to be the best option…”
I actually said that violence in self-defense is an option when the opposing side refuses to listen to reason and attacks us with violence.
Michael wrote: "…and your proposed movement will cause violence.”
All you have to do is not get triggered and allow your barbaric emotions to take over at the thought of Black people being free of systemic racism. If you don’t get violent then there will be no need for me to be violent. Capisce?
Michael wrote: "You need to make sure you’re in the right when violence occurs.”
Freedom from savage, greed-fueled white racist tyranny is right, Michael. Trust me. lol
Michael wrote: "You obviously have extreme opinions as I too have many.”
I don’t think my opinions on this matter are extreme at all. All I want is for anti-Black systemic racism to end and for my people to fight back when attacked. That’s baseline reasonable.
Michael wrote: "You’re obviously passionate about your opinions as well, but passion is the harbinger of all love and hate in this world.”
TRANSLATION: “You need to stop feeling when savage racist evil is inflicted upon you. Just go with it.”
Michael wrote: "You need to decide what your is and whether others would agree with you.”
For now I just need to release my art in the world. That’s all.
Michael wrote: "I cannot change your mind, and I do not wish to derail your ideas. I simply do not see how you could organize such a widespread boycotting…”
I’m confused as to why you would think what you can see or not should be a concern of mine. Who are you again?
Michael wrote: "…and even if you did, I fear it wouldn’t have the result you want.”
It actually sounds like you fear the end of the white supremacist era during your own lifetime. That’s the only possible take away from the content of these long posts of yours.
Michael wrote: "I’m basing the results of my proposal off of history…”
No. You’re basing it off of the marketing-propaganda that whites invented to justify to themselves why it’s okay to treat Black people the way they do. None of what you tell yourselves has any connection at all to the facts of the historical record. Not even a little bit. I advise you not to take this comment from me lightly. As an exercise, re-read everything you’ve written to me thus far from that lens to perhaps get an accurate picture of how I see you right now.
Michael wrote: "How would you have me refer to colored peoples without sounding racist?”
lol That has little to do with why you sound racist to me, but I’ll play along. Please use ‘Black American/Black people/Black community’ during our discourse. Thank you.
Michael Rasinski - If you think your cause morally correct then why am I the one being attacked? Not once have I insulted Black Americans or even tried to justify why things are how they are. That’s because I don’t see racism as a plausible cause for anything, I want equality for all, but I just don’t think America is capable of it, at least not in my lifetime.
You seem to have grouped me into what you think is a majority of white Americans. Aristoc savages. My people were slaves too back in the WW2. The masses of German soldiers that were worked to death in Russia suffered a fate worse than most Black American slaves did in the confederacy. Do I blame Russia? No, I blame the people who allowed it to happen which partly includes the Allies and the Soviets. German people suffered segregation, enslavement, rape, and death in large scales. I have no hate anymore because nobody is alive to take responsibility for it and I refuse to blame another for their father’s actions. All I have is their memory and sorrow that a thing ever happened.
You cannot use things that happened before now when nobody is alive to blame anymore. I inherited all my ancestors sins and you inherited all your ancestors hate and that is wrong. You are far more racist than most people I know including myself. Take my words out of context, laugh at the brute of a white male I am, and blame me for being born, but do not call yourself righteous while doing it.
I’m growing past the exploration phase of arguement because I now know where you stand. You think my race is the problem and a race war is not a way to end racism. I see things statistically as I do not harbor bias toward any race which is why I always come off is cold in my writing. I do not wish to refer to you personally as you seem to have taken all of my writing very personally.
Can you say with all honesty that you are free of racism toward whites? I cannot honestly say I’m completely free of racism. I’ll never hold your skin color or culture against a person, but I do find them harder to approach in public. I feel racism is a simple and crippling symptom of our past that is hard to get past.
It’s ironic that you wish to end racism with your views, a dream soured by hate from a past that everyone would like to forget. I do not fear the end of my time, I embrace it. The next generation is sure to be better than my own and I will do what I can to ensure it. I fear that the next generation may be worse, that the next move of our country may not have the intended outcome, that good shall allow evil to sprout in place of another evil.
I don’t trust myself to know what I cannot know so I do not support these thoughts. You can take insult to anything I as you please, but the statistics do not care what people think of them. I still believe education would have the most profound effect with little consequence, thus improving the relationships between all Americans.
All Americans could benefit from such a thing. Maybe the family unit is to blame? Parenting courses on both sides could also help the gap close. Racism will never die no matter how much either of us want it to, all we can do is make it so blatantly wrong that it would seem idiotic to be racist. The best way we can do this is through the next generation. That would involve the grudge of slavery being dropped and people everywhere accepting differences rather than overlooking them.
This will not be achieved if we start taking sides of which you’ve already assigned me to one, incorrectly at that. Unity is acceptance not because we are forced to, but because we want to. Currently neither side is willing to force the other or willing to accept each other. Racism goes both ways, the only way not to find yourself on one end is not to participate. I refuse to remain idle, and I will be punished for it.
A movement needs a way to start. I would prefer it started in an appealing way for all people and maybe the boycotting would be its climax. I had to ask a few of my Black America friends what they thought of our interaction and most do not side with you. Javin, like most of my friends, is content with his life. I suppose Minnesota is less racist than most places, but it does show that your view lacks appeal as I’ve stated before.
I’m all for equality, but when I’m reaching for equality many have demanded better than equality, and I don’t agree with that. It’s just trading places, not solving the problem.
With change comes uncertainty, and certainty in change opens the door to assured suffering. I worry that what is done will not result in what we want. I worry that people will suffer. I worry because I care and I won’t stop caring so I guess I’ll never stop worrying. Never let fear stop you from doing the right thing, but never let pride keep you from doing it right.
But in the end, what is right? You decide, I won’t decide for you, but society will not be so forgiving.
Muhammad Rasheed - Michael wrote: "I’m growing past the exploration phase of arguement because I now know where you stand."
There are many points in this latest post of yours that prove that not to be the case. Allow me to help: Racism is a diabolical economic system that exploits a group along racial phenotype to enrich another group along racial phenotype. Since the beginning of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, it has ALWAYS been about profit, and it continues in that function in slave institutions like the for-profit prison system. This is what I am protesting against... actions. Not feelings and impotent 'skin color prejudice.'
Michael Rasinski - If it had been about profit then slavery would have ended long before the civil war as it was actually very unprofitable to have to house, feed, and keep an eye on your slaves rather than pay a worker. So I think that you missed that part.
Maybe you’d like to remain unbiased when fighting racism as you’ve failed to appear so. You could start by not insulting my race as an entirety and throwing me in with them. Then, you could go a step further and stop bringing up slavery as nobody who owned an Black American slave is now very dead and I don’t care to take their mistakes to my grave.
If it’s all about profit then you are again wrong as keeping a person prisoner isn’t profitable to the public, only the law system. Maybe you could include that in your points on the movement, nobody likes paying extra taxes.
And despite what your against, claiming to be free from “skin color prejudice”, you are not. I’ve done no actions and yet I’ve been thrown onto the ever growing pile of “white aristocratic savages”. It’s hard to take you serious when you use such phrases in reference to what you seem to think is a majority of white people.
If you are truly not racist, then you’ve failed to appear so. The age old saying comes to mind of “practice what you preach”.
Your goals are lofty if not noble, but absolutely impossible with how little you value other people’s lives (people who aren’t like you). Practicality will get you further and will draw more people to the cause. Tell them why it’s wrong, what it’s doing, and what they can do against it. Don’t tell them what to do and then make them the enemy if they disagree.
Muhammad Rasheed - This post proves that you aren't read up on the topic at all, Michael. The West literally amassed its great wealth from the chattel slave institution. Literally. It was a billion percent profitable in every way. In fact, the slave holding Southern states were trying to expand further south and seize more land when president Lincoln told them "No." That's what started the Civil War.
Michael wrote: "I’ve done no actions and yet I’ve been thrown onto the ever growing pile..."
The actions you've displayed are these here lengthy posts supporting the anti-Black racist system I'm protesting against.
Michael Rasinski - And where did I support it?
Actions and words are different in my mind, though not speaking or to speak is one.
I’m simply stating the obvious, being the voice of reason, you will not get people to follow you as you are nor your movement as it stands. Change requires change, and you must change your views before anyone else will change theirs. Not of right and wrong, but if who and why. Slave trade was quite profitable, but owning them as workers was less so.
How attractive is your cause and views to others? I feel a less aggressive, slow build up would draw more people.
And you have justified my statements about you being racist, in fact you haven’t even responded to it. I am against all racism as many people you want to help you are, and that’s why I wouldn’t support your movement with you at its head.
Your an odd fellow, you stand against and for racism at the same time.
I have hopes and dreams, but I live on Earth and expect it to respond as such. I know that whatever I stand against involves some form of hypocrisy, I’m not free from sin, and neither are you.
Muhammad Rasheed - Michael wrote: “And where did I support it?”
Your entire opposing position in this thread supports the side I’m protesting against. I want anti-Black systemic racism to end using economic boycotts and you want to convince me that we should allow white people to continue to plunder our communities so white people can continue to get rich at our expense. The real challenge is in where are you NOT supporting racism?
Michael wrote: “Actions and words are different in my mind, though not speaking or to speak is one.”
Your actions here demonstrate you writing lengthy posts designed to convince me to allow whites to continue to exploit Black people unopposed.
Michael wrote: “I’m simply stating the obvious…”
It’s pretty obvious that you want anti-Black systemic racism to continue.
Michael wrote: “…being the voice of reason…”
And you think it is perfectly reasonable that white people be allowed to exploit Black people at will so they can make more money while creating chronic impoverished conditions in their victims’ communities.
Michael wrote: “…you will not get people to follow you…”
Right now my job is to create/distribute cartoons. That’s my lane. Your unsolicited advice/opinions about it fail to move me.
Michael wrote: “…as you are nor your movement as it stands.”
I can’t interpret this part. What?
Michael wrote: “Change requires change…”
Exactly. The withdrawal of Black spending power from all white-owned businesses will be that very change. I’m glad we finally agree. Thanks, Mike.
Michael wrote: “…and you must change your views…”
What has happened exactly to require me to change my views? End anti-Black systemic racism and payout Reparatory Justice and I promise to change my views over to the next items in the Black Empowerment checklist.
Michael wrote: “…before anyone else will change theirs.”
We’ll see. Racism exists because of the white peoples’ over-the-top insatiable greed, and the Black Economic Boycott tool has indeed worked before, for that very reason. Trust me, they’ll change alright, since all they care about in life is the love of money.
Michael wrote: “Not of right and wrong, but if who and why.”
The issue is always of right and wrong. Stop being wrong and submit to what is right.
Michael wrote: “Slave trade was quite profitable, but owning them as workers was less so.”
Then your entire business model needs to change. The white supremacist era is now over.
Michael wrote: “How attractive is your cause and views to others?”
I’m genuinely curious as to why you would think I was interested in whether my demands were “attractive” or not to my traditional enemy. Do you need me to spam your PM inbox with gruesome lynching photos or those from savage police brutality vid clips? Be serious, please.
Michael wrote: “I feel a less aggressive…”
“Less aggressive” is the tool you usurped from MLK’s signature protest technique and weaponized into an indoctrination to turn the Black American into a group of weaklings who don’t even realize why they are now so reluctant to fight off a barbaric oppressor after courageously showing their warrior’s heart during the Civil War.
Michael wrote: “…slow build up would draw more people.”
Michael wrote: “Slave trade was quite profitable, but owning them as workers was less so.”
Then your entire business model needs to change. The white supremacist era is now over.
Michael wrote: “How attractive is your cause and views to others?”
I’m genuinely curious as to why you would think I was interested in whether my demands were “attractive” or not to my traditional enemy. Do you need me to spam your PM inbox with gruesome lynching photos or those from savage police brutality vid clips? Be serious, please.
Michael wrote: “I feel a less aggressive…”
“Less aggressive” is the tool you usurped from MLK’s signature protest technique and weaponized into an indoctrination to turn the Black American into a group of weaklings who don’t even realize why they are now so reluctant to fight off a barbaric oppressor after courageously showing their warrior’s heart during the Civil War.
Michael wrote: “…slow build up would draw more people.”
It’s been 150 yrs of watching you get richer while subjugating and exploiting me, Michael. Times up.
Michael wrote: “And you have justified my statements about you being racist…”
I’m genuinely not interested in your distorted and self-serving definition of “racist.” A racist is a greed-fueled predator who systemically targets a group along racial phenotype to plunder of wealth to feed to another group along racial phenotype. You only label me as a ‘racist’ because of your triggered emotional kneejerk reaction to the idea of seeing your anti-Black streams of income coming to an end. You’re just going to have to get over that.
Michael wrote: “I am against all racism…”
Clearly not. You love anti-Black systemic racism.
Michael wrote: “…as many people you want to help you are…”
To be clear, I want Black people to help themselves and for you to pay what you owe and get out of the way.
Michael wrote: “…and that’s why I wouldn’t support your movement with you at its head.”
Head cartoonist…? lol
Michael wrote: “Your an odd fellow, you stand against and for racism at the same time.”
Do you think demanding racism comes to an end and the victims awarded damages makes me a racist? You should know that this isn’t the first time I’ve heard this point of view. You realize this is how you all behaved in response to Reconstruction, too, yes? I expected this, and it is built into my plan.
Michael wrote: “I have hopes and dreams…”
You need new ones. The ones you have now require me to labor for free in cast-iron chains so that you may strut about as a faux-lord. This is unacceptable.
Michael wrote: “…but I live on Earth and expect it to respond as such.”
Ha! As do I!
Michael wrote: “I know that whatever I stand against involves some form of hypocrisy, I’m not free from sin, and neither are you.”
What does this mean? Are you saying that because I am perhaps over-fond of the voluptuous curves of Black Women, that I should deserve to be a chattel slave to you for another 400 yrs? This is all I could come up with. lol Perhaps you can explain what you actually meant?
Michael Rasinski - It’s all going in circles now isn’t it?
There’s some point when I’m going to start to want to be what you call me, but I’m not going that low yet. You accuse me many times of things I’ve had no say in whatsoever in my life and have no power to change. I cannot change the past and It’s hard to take you seriously when you keep victimizing yourself based on events that predate my existence, and then proceed to blame me for it.
I always thought women’s rights was an odd thing as they wanted equality, but we never gave it to them. If we treated every female like a male then the girls of the world wouldn’t be happy with it. Thus feminism came to be which enjoys blaming males for being born that gender.
I feel as if you are fighting for that stretched perspective of equality. You wish for more than equality, you want pro-black more than equality. So if you succeeded it may just be replacing a problem with another problem. Two time bombs, different times. Both are bound to result in something bad.
I’ve read a few of your comics, and kudos to you, because I can’t draw. They all share a very… exaggerated theme. It’s like every one is just a hyperbole that isn’t entirely true. This is common in political comics, but that’s usually to help the joke more than make it blatantly biased. It was interesting to see a few of my statements warped into political propaganda. Never really saw a good joke in there, but I saw a lot of stereotypes.
You keep thinking I’m afraid of Black Americans getting their rights, but what would change for me? I have no real horse in the race. I don’t profit off of whatever exploitation of Black workers that you think I do, and I win if equality happens because I support that. No stakes, it’s either win or nothing happens.
It’s like you think I’m part of some secret society where we get together and talk about how we can make money off of Black Americans, well sorry, but I’m not.
I value freedom of speech very highly and peaceful protest along with it. That also means that if someone wants to fly a confederate flag I will not do anything about it nor will I pass judgement on to them as the confederate flag has been known to mean many different things ranging from racist sign, to part of the family line, to something that looks cool. I will always stand up for the person using their rights over the one violating them.
If you want somebody to be your friend, be polite. If want somebody to be your enemy, call them names and accuse them of crimes against humanity.
I took the liberty of finding the definition of racism. “the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races.” In other words, you seem to think that every white person openly supports and engages in white supremacy along with agreeing with all racist actions done by other Whites. Now why would I assume such things? Maybe it’s because you have referred to me as part of the savage, barbaric, white supremacist, capitalist dogs that make up a large portion of the White population.
You’ve done a wonderful job of drawing thick lines and then asking for unity. It’s the language you use and the outdated references that really make you seem biased. Slavery is dead, leave it dead. People of every color have been enslaved at some point. I mentioned my fellow Germanic people were enslaved and worked to death because they were German. It wasn’t very profitable, it wasn’t holy, it was racism at its finest. I don’t use it as a reason to guilt trip people because almost everyone involved is dead. Calling my entire race a bunch of horrid names isn’t really the way your going to get our respect.
Would you prefer I be what you call me? Would that make your world turn that much easier? Just because I disagree with you doesn’t make me immediately racist. I’m realistic, not optimistic or pessimistic. Nobody seems to know what’s going on in the masses, of all colors. Simple telling them what’s wrong might be enough to get what you want. Think beyond yourself, beyond skin color and bias and tackle each problem with that in mind. The entire police force needs reworking for all people, not just Black Americans.
With that last little paragraph I simply meant to say that whatever I disagree with openly, I’ve probably taken part in at some point. Everyone is a little racist, but I still disagree with racism. Everyone is a little sexist, but I’m against it. Finding something you don’t have an opinion on is usually fairly hard if your asked to care about that thing at the same time. I am not free of my own thoughts and a small part of my mind makes assumptions on every person I meet in life by their looks. It pains me every time I’m right.
I write a lot of hypothetical answers based off of history or fiction and I’ve often received praise for my work. I treat your movement like a hypothetical, all the things that could go wrong or right. The short term effect. The long term effect. What could have done better. Whether or not it was worth doing. I think there is a better way, and better words to be used. Such a radical step out of the darkness could appear aggressive to a public who doesn’t want to acknowledge that there’s a problem. Aggression could go both ways and things could get worse rather than better.
Sorry for the long replies, but I like to be thorough in explaining what I think and why I think it. I always ask people these questions consecutively as I don’t want to know what you think if you can’t tell me why you think it. That gives me the things I need to weigh whether or not your thoughts are justified.
I don’t like to make assumptions, but I do like to make justified statements. I ran our back and forth by a few more of my friend’s and even by a few Muslim girls, and some other random people that are friends of my friends, but I don’t really know. I asked them to read both sides of the conversation and they agreed that both of us sound racist, but you sound significantly more so. It’s a test, an unbiased one, or at least mostly. I covered the names until after they answered so no assumptions were made that I had anything to do with it. Take it how you want it, or don’t take it at all. Food for thought. Always interesting to see yourself through a different pair of eyes.
Muhammad Rasheed - Michael wrote: “It’s all going in circles now isn’t it?”
Michael wrote: “And you have justified my statements about you being racist…”
I’m genuinely not interested in your distorted and self-serving definition of “racist.” A racist is a greed-fueled predator who systemically targets a group along racial phenotype to plunder of wealth to feed to another group along racial phenotype. You only label me as a ‘racist’ because of your triggered emotional kneejerk reaction to the idea of seeing your anti-Black streams of income coming to an end. You’re just going to have to get over that.
Michael wrote: “I am against all racism…”
Clearly not. You love anti-Black systemic racism.
Michael wrote: “…as many people you want to help you are…”
To be clear, I want Black people to help themselves and for you to pay what you owe and get out of the way.
Michael wrote: “…and that’s why I wouldn’t support your movement with you at its head.”
Head cartoonist…? lol
Michael wrote: “Your an odd fellow, you stand against and for racism at the same time.”
Do you think demanding racism comes to an end and the victims awarded damages makes me a racist? You should know that this isn’t the first time I’ve heard this point of view. You realize this is how you all behaved in response to Reconstruction, too, yes? I expected this, and it is built into my plan.
Michael wrote: “I have hopes and dreams…”
You need new ones. The ones you have now require me to labor for free in cast-iron chains so that you may strut about as a faux-lord. This is unacceptable.
Michael wrote: “…but I live on Earth and expect it to respond as such.”
Ha! As do I!
Michael wrote: “I know that whatever I stand against involves some form of hypocrisy, I’m not free from sin, and neither are you.”
What does this mean? Are you saying that because I am perhaps over-fond of the voluptuous curves of Black Women, that I should deserve to be a chattel slave to you for another 400 yrs? This is all I could come up with. lol Perhaps you can explain what you actually meant?
Michael Rasinski - It’s all going in circles now isn’t it?
There’s some point when I’m going to start to want to be what you call me, but I’m not going that low yet. You accuse me many times of things I’ve had no say in whatsoever in my life and have no power to change. I cannot change the past and It’s hard to take you seriously when you keep victimizing yourself based on events that predate my existence, and then proceed to blame me for it.
I always thought women’s rights was an odd thing as they wanted equality, but we never gave it to them. If we treated every female like a male then the girls of the world wouldn’t be happy with it. Thus feminism came to be which enjoys blaming males for being born that gender.
I feel as if you are fighting for that stretched perspective of equality. You wish for more than equality, you want pro-black more than equality. So if you succeeded it may just be replacing a problem with another problem. Two time bombs, different times. Both are bound to result in something bad.
I’ve read a few of your comics, and kudos to you, because I can’t draw. They all share a very… exaggerated theme. It’s like every one is just a hyperbole that isn’t entirely true. This is common in political comics, but that’s usually to help the joke more than make it blatantly biased. It was interesting to see a few of my statements warped into political propaganda. Never really saw a good joke in there, but I saw a lot of stereotypes.
You keep thinking I’m afraid of Black Americans getting their rights, but what would change for me? I have no real horse in the race. I don’t profit off of whatever exploitation of Black workers that you think I do, and I win if equality happens because I support that. No stakes, it’s either win or nothing happens.
It’s like you think I’m part of some secret society where we get together and talk about how we can make money off of Black Americans, well sorry, but I’m not.
I value freedom of speech very highly and peaceful protest along with it. That also means that if someone wants to fly a confederate flag I will not do anything about it nor will I pass judgement on to them as the confederate flag has been known to mean many different things ranging from racist sign, to part of the family line, to something that looks cool. I will always stand up for the person using their rights over the one violating them.
If you want somebody to be your friend, be polite. If want somebody to be your enemy, call them names and accuse them of crimes against humanity.
I took the liberty of finding the definition of racism. “the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races.” In other words, you seem to think that every white person openly supports and engages in white supremacy along with agreeing with all racist actions done by other Whites. Now why would I assume such things? Maybe it’s because you have referred to me as part of the savage, barbaric, white supremacist, capitalist dogs that make up a large portion of the White population.
You’ve done a wonderful job of drawing thick lines and then asking for unity. It’s the language you use and the outdated references that really make you seem biased. Slavery is dead, leave it dead. People of every color have been enslaved at some point. I mentioned my fellow Germanic people were enslaved and worked to death because they were German. It wasn’t very profitable, it wasn’t holy, it was racism at its finest. I don’t use it as a reason to guilt trip people because almost everyone involved is dead. Calling my entire race a bunch of horrid names isn’t really the way your going to get our respect.
Would you prefer I be what you call me? Would that make your world turn that much easier? Just because I disagree with you doesn’t make me immediately racist. I’m realistic, not optimistic or pessimistic. Nobody seems to know what’s going on in the masses, of all colors. Simple telling them what’s wrong might be enough to get what you want. Think beyond yourself, beyond skin color and bias and tackle each problem with that in mind. The entire police force needs reworking for all people, not just Black Americans.
With that last little paragraph I simply meant to say that whatever I disagree with openly, I’ve probably taken part in at some point. Everyone is a little racist, but I still disagree with racism. Everyone is a little sexist, but I’m against it. Finding something you don’t have an opinion on is usually fairly hard if your asked to care about that thing at the same time. I am not free of my own thoughts and a small part of my mind makes assumptions on every person I meet in life by their looks. It pains me every time I’m right.
I write a lot of hypothetical answers based off of history or fiction and I’ve often received praise for my work. I treat your movement like a hypothetical, all the things that could go wrong or right. The short term effect. The long term effect. What could have done better. Whether or not it was worth doing. I think there is a better way, and better words to be used. Such a radical step out of the darkness could appear aggressive to a public who doesn’t want to acknowledge that there’s a problem. Aggression could go both ways and things could get worse rather than better.
Sorry for the long replies, but I like to be thorough in explaining what I think and why I think it. I always ask people these questions consecutively as I don’t want to know what you think if you can’t tell me why you think it. That gives me the things I need to weigh whether or not your thoughts are justified.
I don’t like to make assumptions, but I do like to make justified statements. I ran our back and forth by a few more of my friend’s and even by a few Muslim girls, and some other random people that are friends of my friends, but I don’t really know. I asked them to read both sides of the conversation and they agreed that both of us sound racist, but you sound significantly more so. It’s a test, an unbiased one, or at least mostly. I covered the names until after they answered so no assumptions were made that I had anything to do with it. Take it how you want it, or don’t take it at all. Food for thought. Always interesting to see yourself through a different pair of eyes.
Muhammad Rasheed - Michael wrote: “It’s all going in circles now isn’t it?”
We appear to be at an impasse. I hate racism, while you maintain a two-armed vice grip on its legs to prevent it from fleeing.
Michael wrote: “There’s some point when I’m going to start to want to be what you call me, but I’m not going that low yet.”
You’ve literally spent this entire thread trying to convince me that I should use the exact same ineffective anti-racism techniques of the last 50 yrs that have literally made the problem worse so that the people inflicting racism upon me won’t be cross when I complain about it. How else am I to interpret that other than you love racism and don’t want it to go anywhere? Soft-as-cake, egg shell tip toeing techniques will not stop racism. If the people doing it are not made uncomfortable in the doing, then what will motivate them to stop?
Michael wrote: “You accuse me many times of things I’ve had no say in whatsoever in my life and have no power to change. I cannot change the past and It’s hard to take you seriously when you keep victimizing yourself based on events that predate my existence, and then proceed to blame me for it.”
Michael wrote: “There’s some point when I’m going to start to want to be what you call me, but I’m not going that low yet.”
You’ve literally spent this entire thread trying to convince me that I should use the exact same ineffective anti-racism techniques of the last 50 yrs that have literally made the problem worse so that the people inflicting racism upon me won’t be cross when I complain about it. How else am I to interpret that other than you love racism and don’t want it to go anywhere? Soft-as-cake, egg shell tip toeing techniques will not stop racism. If the people doing it are not made uncomfortable in the doing, then what will motivate them to stop?
Michael wrote: “You accuse me many times of things I’ve had no say in whatsoever in my life and have no power to change. I cannot change the past and It’s hard to take you seriously when you keep victimizing yourself based on events that predate my existence, and then proceed to blame me for it.”
This is the portion that inspired today’s editorial cartoon. As hard as you lot fight to try to artificially confine Black Reparations to the chattel slave era – obviously in hope that if you do end up having to pay it, you can keep the payments down as much as possible – the actual scope of damages include the entire 400 yr period from 1619 up to today. In case you happen to genuinely be confused by this, please read “The Case for Reparations” by Ta-Nehisi Coates, and watch the documentary “13th” by Ava DuVernay. Even combined they aren’t the whole story, but they do provide a better idea of the truth of anti-Black systemic racism than what you are currently operating under.
Michael wrote: “I always thought women’s rights was an odd thing as they wanted equality, but we never gave it to them. If we treated every female like a male…”
The problem is that you either weren’t listening to them, or you deliberately twisted what they said into a strawman effigy to buy you more time in your patriarchal power monopoly. They don’t want to be “treated like a male,” but they want the full respect and rights due to them as co-members of the human species. The nature of the patriarchy treats them less than males and puts an unfair cap on what they are allowed to do, and that’s unacceptable.
Michael wrote: “I feel as if you are fighting for that stretched perspective of equality.”
Michael wrote: “I always thought women’s rights was an odd thing as they wanted equality, but we never gave it to them. If we treated every female like a male…”
The problem is that you either weren’t listening to them, or you deliberately twisted what they said into a strawman effigy to buy you more time in your patriarchal power monopoly. They don’t want to be “treated like a male,” but they want the full respect and rights due to them as co-members of the human species. The nature of the patriarchy treats them less than males and puts an unfair cap on what they are allowed to do, and that’s unacceptable.
Michael wrote: “I feel as if you are fighting for that stretched perspective of equality.”
Your perspective is equally distorted on the race item.
Michael wrote: “You wish for more than equality, you want pro-black more than equality.”
No, I demand for exactly full equality. Under the white supremacist ideology, I’ve spent the last four centuries being abused by you and one of the symptoms is that I’ve been prevented from building wealth over generations due to your continuous exploitation and plunder. I want nothing unreasonable in this regard, but for this activity to immediately CEASE and for monetary damages paid, as is the case when any other wrong is committed in Western society. Stop the wrong and pay for the damages. That will create the conditions for equality and it is all I want.
Michael wrote: “It was interesting to see a few of my statements warped into political propaganda.”
I’m actually in three separate arguments right now with two other people who appear to be in your exact demographic. The cartoons you saw may or may not have been inspired by our dialog since there has been a lot of crossover. In fact, which ones I choose to cartoon is often determined by which concepts the three of you echo among you. Thanks for checking them out by the way.
Michael wrote: “You keep thinking I’m afraid of Black Americans getting their rights, but what would change for me?”
Well, currently the primary business model for white wealth involves the hoarding monopoly over industry in partnership with unscrupulous government officials, which bottlenecks the cashflow into a small portion of the population. This actually sabotages our capitalist tradition and is known as “crony corporatism," and under these conditions, the competition of the open free markets is destroyed, with Black business traditionally taking the worst hits. If this were changed, and the Black community was released from systemic racism and economically included, with anti-trust laws properly enforced across ALL industries, it means we would enter the market places as major power players – as a GROUP, with our revenue going back into our own communities instead of primarily enriching white people – which would redistribute wealth out of the 1% grifter class bottleneck and over to us. The last 150 yrs since the formal abolishment of chattel slavery has shown the white racist aristocracy taking GREAT pains to prevent exactly this scenario from happening, this being the very reason for the subjugation portion of systemic racism. What would change for you is sharing the wealth with those you’ve traditionally plundered and hoarded it from systemically and the very real possibility of an eventual shift in power, with the official end of the white supremacist era.
Michael wrote: “It’s like you think I’m part of some secret society where we get together and talk about how we can make money off of Black Americans, well sorry, but I’m not.”
Michael wrote: “You wish for more than equality, you want pro-black more than equality.”
No, I demand for exactly full equality. Under the white supremacist ideology, I’ve spent the last four centuries being abused by you and one of the symptoms is that I’ve been prevented from building wealth over generations due to your continuous exploitation and plunder. I want nothing unreasonable in this regard, but for this activity to immediately CEASE and for monetary damages paid, as is the case when any other wrong is committed in Western society. Stop the wrong and pay for the damages. That will create the conditions for equality and it is all I want.
Michael wrote: “It was interesting to see a few of my statements warped into political propaganda.”
I’m actually in three separate arguments right now with two other people who appear to be in your exact demographic. The cartoons you saw may or may not have been inspired by our dialog since there has been a lot of crossover. In fact, which ones I choose to cartoon is often determined by which concepts the three of you echo among you. Thanks for checking them out by the way.
Michael wrote: “You keep thinking I’m afraid of Black Americans getting their rights, but what would change for me?”
Well, currently the primary business model for white wealth involves the hoarding monopoly over industry in partnership with unscrupulous government officials, which bottlenecks the cashflow into a small portion of the population. This actually sabotages our capitalist tradition and is known as “crony corporatism," and under these conditions, the competition of the open free markets is destroyed, with Black business traditionally taking the worst hits. If this were changed, and the Black community was released from systemic racism and economically included, with anti-trust laws properly enforced across ALL industries, it means we would enter the market places as major power players – as a GROUP, with our revenue going back into our own communities instead of primarily enriching white people – which would redistribute wealth out of the 1% grifter class bottleneck and over to us. The last 150 yrs since the formal abolishment of chattel slavery has shown the white racist aristocracy taking GREAT pains to prevent exactly this scenario from happening, this being the very reason for the subjugation portion of systemic racism. What would change for you is sharing the wealth with those you’ve traditionally plundered and hoarded it from systemically and the very real possibility of an eventual shift in power, with the official end of the white supremacist era.
Michael wrote: “It’s like you think I’m part of some secret society where we get together and talk about how we can make money off of Black Americans, well sorry, but I’m not.”
I don’t know you at all, Michael, so whether you are actually in such meetings or not I cannot confirm or deny. But the facts of the historical record reveal that such “secret society” gatherings have indeed taken place to the detriment of the Black peoples, with the most recent of the high-profile ones involving J. Edgar Hoover’s COINTELPRO initiative. Assassinations and deliberate infiltration and sabotage of Black people and their organizations are the fruit of such gatherings and they are unfortunately very real despite the tone of your comment.
Michael wrote: “If you want somebody to be your friend, be polite.”
I’ve been over-polite for these pass 50 yrs. The ‘assimilated integrationist token’ era was a scam that made my communities worse off.
Michael wrote: “If want somebody to be your enemy, call them names and accuse them of crimes against humanity.”
Plundering my communities made your folk my enemy; calling you names and calling out your crimes in cartoon form is just the impotent response to it.
Michael wrote: “I took the liberty of finding the definition of racism.”
The dictionary definition reflects the popular usage among the populace’s conversation, not the actual origin of the concept in history and how it defines the exploitation of a people to feed the lifestyle of another. Read “Birth of a White Nation: The Invention of White People and Its Relevance Today” by Jacqueline Battalora so you’ll understand why your effort to downplay the term and divorce it from its economic roots in these arguments looks the way it does to me.
Michael wrote: “In other words, you seem to think that every white person openly supports and engages in white supremacy along with agreeing with all racist actions done by other Whites.”
This is a strawman effigy. Naturally white supremacy and its supporters are on a tiered system, with some room for individual enlightenment. It’s the system itself that is deliberately corrupt, and the general populace of whites assume things are the way they are naturally and believe that the victims of systemic racism who protest the wrong are just whining and “playing victim.”
Michael wrote: “Now why would I assume such things? Maybe it’s because you have referred to me as part of the savage, barbaric, white supremacist, capitalist dogs that make up a large portion of the White population.”
To be fair, you ARE in this thread for the sole purpose of trying to convince me to stop making this same group uncomfortable or else they won’t help me make them more uncomfortable. lol
Michael wrote: “You’ve done a wonderful job of drawing thick lines and then asking for unity.”
When you sue someone who has done you wrong to force the behavior to stop and have monetary damages paid, are you “asking them for unity?” lol I think you’re seeing this from an odd angle (or it’s part of your gaslighting tactic; I can’t tell).
Michael wrote: “Just because I disagree with you doesn’t make me immediately racist. […] With that last little paragraph I simply meant to say that…”
You disagree that I should pressure society for the end of anti-Black systemic racism, you want me to stop fighting the systemic racism that exploits my people, to put it aside and ignore it and just continue to let it happen, and you want me to generously interpret that opinion as NOT being racist towards Black people.
You want me to not fight to improve the conditions of my own people, because there are other people in the world with their own problems, and you believe this is a logical and reasonable position to attempt to hand me that you genuinely hope I take to heart.
Michael wrote: “Such a radical step out of the darkness could appear aggressive to a public who doesn’t want to acknowledge that there’s a problem. Aggression could go both ways and things could get worse rather than better.”
I hold the rudimentary freedoms I possess today due to the literal rivers of blood that flowed during the Civil War, Michael. White people refused to listen to reason back then because they were intoxicated by their lust for wealth. Honestly I don’t really expect anything less than another war to attain the full freedoms of my birthright. Your lengthy prose shouldn’t be directed towards ME, but to your barbaric fellows who believe that to live and taste all the fruits of civilization is only meant for them.
Michael wrote: “That gives me the things I need to weigh whether or not your thoughts are justified.”
Ah. You need to mull it over as to whether my demands for full freedom as a human being are justified or not. Seems reasonable from someone who wants me NOT to consider him a racist, I guess.
Michael wrote: “I asked them to read both sides of the conversation and they agreed that both of us sound racist, but you sound significantly more so.”
I don’t hate white people, Michael, I just want my people to be free of your centuries long systemic racism. This desire doesn’t make me a racist. lol
Michael wrote: “It’s a test, an unbiased one…”
Sure.
Michael wrote: “…or at least mostly.”
Is it though?
Michael wrote: “Always interesting to see yourself through a different pair of eyes.”
I’m a professional cartoonist, Michael, and I’m almost 50 yrs old. :) I see myself through the eyes of others all the time. It’s why I can caricature myself, too.
Do you self-identify as a conservative or a liberal? Tell me.
Michael Rasinski - Ah, now here the problems arise. Reparations? For things I wasn’t alive to take part in or disagree with. I personally refuse to pay a single dollar to someone I, my father, or my father’s father never did anything to. Most people would agree with me and I can tell you right now without the least bit of compassion that you will not get reparations for your ancestors suffering.
Why is that? Certainly that makes me cruel and racist, but I think not. I don’t believe in inheriting my peoples problems, sins. Nor do I approve of inheriting great respect or good deeds. Nobody asked to be born and they shouldn’t be held accountable for existing.
You want money for your peoples suffering? Yeah, I bet Germany wants some compensation for their country having a literal wall cutting families and people in half whole forcing them to obey their new communist leaders. I’m sure all the slaves of WW2 want their pay for the things they endured. And I’m sure India wants Britain to pay for their cruel and long rule over their country. The fact is that it isn’t going to happen because (most) the people who did those things aren’t alive anymore.
My political standing is neither conservative nor liberal as I hate those labels put on a person to force them on to a team. I probably lean a little more on the side of liberal, but I’m the way I am regardless of what I want to be. By that I mean I have a hard time accepting people who act different on purpose. For instance, lots of people like to wave the gay pride flag and as much as I’m fine with people doing what they please behind closed doors, it’s hard to accept someone who stands out so much on purpose. I’m fine with equality, but I don’t like the idea of people thinking they’re better than me.
Maybe it’s just because I’m Minnesotan, but I haven’t encountered much racism here. There’s not a lot of respect for black history, but people are pretty accepting of American Africans. But you know who us “Minnesota nice” people really don’t like? The Muslims. I personally have no problem with them, but I can see why they are disliked. They are different from anything we are used to in America and they are viewed as the enemy thanks to the news showing Muslims doing nothing except suicide bombing. America is the absolute most racist place on earth. We grind other cultures into dust and force them to assimilate and if they look too different then not even being American is enough. I have no clue as to why Americans are this way, but it’s true throughout history and survives today.
Quick question, so Muhammad was the “savior” and all that, yet Islamic historians and Muhammad himself made great efforts to assure he wouldn’t be praised and only the one and only god Allah would receive praise. Despite that mindset, Muhammad is and extremely common name amongst Muslims which is praising Muhammad. Isn’t that against your religion?
I’m not against removing racism, but people are too proud, stubborn, and ignorant for your movement to succeed. You would need the masses to know why your doing what your doing rather than just doing it or you won’t get that chain reaction you’re hoping for. You’d need mass media campaigns to inform both black and white people of the problem before people would join the cause. Making them believe their is a problem would be trickier than organizing a mass boycott. Change requires change, you need to change their minds before you can change anything through action.
You haven’t cited anything more than a seriously screwed up police system that I actually see as a problem. This is partly because it also effects white people, but also because what you say is true. The police system needs some serious reworking and only protesting will get us there.
By citing outdated events you are victimizing yourself. If we measured all the pain white people have inflicted on each other versus the pain white people have inflicted on blacks throughout history then white people should be the ones complaining. Russia enjoyed a fair bit of white slavery, as did Sparta and Rome. A majority of wars were between whites.
And again, you throw me in with others you dislike and make assumptions about me while taking personal offense to my statements while claiming to be somewhat unbiased. I’ve never disagreed with the idea to stop racism, just the way your planning doing it. If anything I’d just be someone content with the world I’ve lived in all my life, not a white supremacist. I can’t justify my existence or why I’m happy with it, but I shouldn’t have to. I won’t condemn you for being born the way you are, why do you not do the same? If I were black would you take me more seriously?
Muhammad Rasheed - Michael wrote: “Ah, now here the problems arise. Reparations?”
I find it interesting that you’ve identified that the problem STARTS with the demand that anti-Black systemic racism ends and Reparatory Justice be paid to repair the damages. I would think it was reasonable to instead conclude that the problem began with the racism itself. No, huh?
Michael wrote: “For things I wasn’t alive to take part in or disagree with.”
The Reparations are to pay for damages caused by systemic racism that have extended pass the slave era up into the modern day. The “systemic” part was your first clue.
Michael wrote: “I personally refuse to pay a single dollar to…”
In the fiat debt financial system under the Federal Reserve System, I’m positive you won’t have to actually pay from out of your checking account personally. It’ll probably just be added to the over-all federal budget like a bunch of other crapola you don’t want to pay for. Relax. Just go with it.
Michael wrote: “I don’t believe in inheriting my peoples problems, sins.”
That’s very convenient. lol I’m also not surprised that you would respond in this way. When it goes down, you’ll probably be kind of upset then. You’ll be alright. I suggest you just keep calm and go with it. Adjust to your new normal like a champ.
Michael wrote: “Nobody asked to be born and they shouldn’t be held accountable for existing.”
Existing is a gift from the One God. We are held accountable for the actions we perform and for what we allow to happen under our watch without attempting to do anything about because we either profit from the wrong in some way, or because we are cowardly/lazy.
Michael wrote: “You want money for your peoples suffering?”
First, I want the racism to cease and then I want Reparations paid for the damages caused, in the 100% normal litigation closure process of the West.
Michael wrote: “Yeah, I bet Germany […] aren’t alive anymore."
TRANSLATION: *hand flapping motion/BlahBlahBlah*
Michael wrote: “My political standing is neither conservative nor liberal as I hate those labels put on a person to force them on to a team. I probably lean a little more on the side of liberal…”
Tell me which of the liberal/Democratic platform bullets hold your interest the most, please, that you consider yourself leaning in that liberal direction.
Michael wrote: “…but I’m the way I am regardless of what I want to be. By that I mean I have a hard time accepting people who act different on purpose.”
Objection; relevancy.
Michael wrote: “I’m fine with equality, but I don’t like the idea of people thinking they’re better than me.”
Based on the odd way you interpreted the feminist position in your last post, I can’t even pretend to know what you may be talking about here. Let me take a shot though from how it falls on me. The white racist aristocracy has deliberately held back the Black American ethnic group for 400 years. I am human, and as a human, the full potential of the species lays within my breast, so after slavery was abolished, I leaped at the chance to unleash that potential. During the eight years of Reconstruction, the literacy rate of the newly-freed Black American rose from 0% to 40% and they literally transitioned from slave to congressmen while the rest of the populace watched in awe. Our traditional rivals were frightened by this shocking rise up the socio-economic ladder by someone they had grown used to considering an inferior human specimen, and in a panic, spent the next 150 yrs not only stripping away the gains of Reconstruction for the Black peoples, but worked to break their very spirit so they would hopefully lose the drive to attempt to unleash that potential again.
I do not believe I am better than you as far as our innate human potential. In a true equal-for-equal scenario where I am no longer held back from my full potential in this society I built, you must recognize I have been deliberately wound up like a tightly-coiled spring ready to burst forth. Once racism is dismantled you very well may witness another enthusiastic eruption of that potential matching the awe-inspiring feats displayed during Reconstruction that may again give the illusion of being better than those we catch up to and then leave behind in our dust. I’m telling you this so you’ll understand what it really means and you won’t get all in your feelings about it. It’ll be alright. Just go with it.
Michael wrote: “Maybe it’s just because I’m Minnesotan, but…”
You see the world through a great mosaic lens of stereotypes. It’s amusing since you really don’t want me to consider you a racist, yet you haven’t noticed this trait within yourself to even attempt to try to work on it. I identify this as a weakness in you. You are fortunate this isn’t a high-stakes poker match. ;)
(though maybe it is)
Michael wrote: “I haven’t encountered much racism here.”
*snort*
Michael wrote: “There’s not a lot of respect for black history…”
*snort*
Michael wrote: “…but people are pretty accepting of American Africans.”
*snort*
Can you even hear YOURSELF??? hahahahaha smh
Michael wrote: “But you know who us ‘Minnesota nice’ people really don’t like?”
Honestly, who cares? But I’ll play. I’m guessing NOT the KKK, amirite?
Michael wrote: “The Muslims.”
*GASP!* Say it isn’t so, Mike!! O_O
Michael wrote: “I personally have no problem with them…”
What was the point of bringing this topic up again?
Michael wrote: “…but I can see why they are disliked.”
Let me guess… based on some uninformed, stereotypical stuff you aren’t equipped to confirm or deny primarily due to slipshod and lazy research skills?
Michael wrote: “They are different from anything we are used to in America and they are viewed as the enemy thanks to the news showing Muslims doing nothing except suicide bombing.”
Bingo. Actually I honestly can’t remember the last time there was a high-profile suicide bombing news item, but I guess it’s possible they’re all being filtered through mid-western television news. By the way, the suicide bombing tactic is not only un-Islamic due to suicide being an instant hellbound offense, but it was also trained into radicalized, wild-eyed Middle Eastern youths by terrorist intelligence groups starting in the early to mid-1980s. The practice is political and has nothing to do with the religion itself.
Michael wrote: “Quick question, so Muhammad was the ‘savior’ and all that…”
Muhammad (peace be upon him!) was the last of the prophet-messengers anointed to preach the revealed message of the One God of Abraham. “Savior” is Christian terminology. We save ourselves by agreeing to believe in God and obeying His commands; the prophets don’t save us.
Michael wrote: “…yet Islamic historians and Muhammad himself made great efforts to assure he wouldn’t be praised and only the one and only god Allah would receive praise.”
The prophet’s name means “worthy of praise” and since Allah Himself praises His servant’s behavior as an exemplary example of a Muslim that the body of believers should emulate, it’s pretty clear that you actually mean “worship” instead of “praise.”
Michael wrote: “Despite that mindset, Muhammad is and extremely common name amongst Muslims which is praising Muhammad. Isn’t that against your religion?”
Are you worshiping the archangel Michael with your name? Your query is on a similar level of seriousness. Muhammad was a human being with the name of a human being (he wasn’t the first “Muhammad,” just the first famous one) and any human can use the name with no fear of suddenly converting to paganism. lol
Michael wrote: “I’m not against removing racism, but…”
“But…?” Okaaaaay. But you DON’T want me to consider you a racist? Did you ever consider that you talk too much? Your lengthy prose demonstrates you have a lot of faith & pride in your personal powers, but it also reveals you don’t know enough, to be honest.
Michael wrote: “…people are too proud, stubborn, and ignorant for your movement to succeed.”
Change happens all the time and people have never stopped being proud, stubborn and ignorant. Remember my earlier comments about the Civil War? There are lots of tools on the table for necessary changes to take place. Should people refuse to listen to reason in preference to their lust for exploited wealth, then we may return to that 1861 scenario if it should come to that. No one wants war, but that’s what happens when unreasonable men make life unreasonable.
Michael wrote: “You would need the masses to know why your doing what your doing rather than just doing it or you won’t get that chain reaction you’re hoping for.”
They already know why, Mike. Notice how you keep deliberately and disingenuously ignoring the systemic racism that happened after the chattel slavery era in your efforts to confine all Reparations talk to whether your ancestors owned slaves or not? lol The people know EXACTLY what my grievances are, they just like to play stupid.
Michael wrote: “Change requires change…”
Nothing will get people’s attention faster than watching their sales plummet overnight. When they desperately query in red-faced confusion and hurt, I will state my demands. It’s not complicated and as I’ve said before, Black Economic Boycotts have worked in the past with the desired effect. They will work again.
Michael wrote: “You haven’t cited anything more than a seriously screwed up police system…”
Meanwhile, I’ve cited a few books and an award-winning documentary.
Michael wrote: “…that I actually see as a problem.”
Then you should read those books and watch that award-winning documentary so you will be more enlightened.
Michael wrote: “The police system needs some serious reworking and only protesting will get us there.”
We’ve been using an impotent, purposely castrated version of MLK’s old non-violent protesting tactic, without the critical sting of the economic boycott attachment for about 50 yrs now. Obviously that’s a false statement of yours. Protesting is worthless all by itself. You may toss that on top of the vast pile of stuff you don’t know anything about regarding this topic.
Michael wrote: “By citing outdated events you are victimizing yourself.”
By using the white supremacist buzzword “victimize” in this context, you unsurprisingly out yourself. Have a care.
Michael wrote: “If we measured all the pain white people have […] A majority of wars were between whites.”
How’s that “white” thing working out for you now though? What does what you have done to each other back before you figured out your diabolical White Supremacist Ideology have to do with the wrongs you are currently doing to me? Should I allow you to continue to unleash your lust-worshiping savagery upon me for no other reason than because you used to unleash it upon each other? I swear, your efforts to convince me I should give up the anti-racism activism fails more and more with each over-long post.
Michael wrote: “And again, you throw me in with others you dislike…”
You have a free platform that gives you the opportunity to paint yourself in a better light at any time you wish. Is it my fault you don’t want to use it? I’ve thrown you in with the group that matches the label you’ve given yourself, Mike. (“I’m not against removing racism, but…”) lol
Michael wrote: “...and make assumptions about me…”
I’ve made no assumptions. I’ve merely reflected what you’ve typed at me back at you. If my interpretations are inaccurate, then please note that you have an unlimited platform that enables you to type the correct interpretation of what you really meant. I suggest you throw fewer tantrums and get busy explaining yourself better. Right now, based on what you’ve typed alone, you look for all the world exactly like a racist.
Michael wrote: “…while taking personal offense to my statements while claiming to be somewhat unbiased.”
I don’t know what this means.
Michael wrote: “I’ve never disagreed with the idea to stop racism, just the way your planning doing it.”
Right. You agree with the theory of racism ending, you just don’t agree with it actually ending.
Michael wrote: “If anything I’d just be someone content with the world I’ve lived in all my life…”
…said the white guy who lives at ground zero of a white supremacist society.
Michael wrote: “I can’t justify my existence or why I’m happy with it, but I shouldn’t have to.”
See my response directly above.
Michael wrote: “I won’t condemn you for being born the way you are, why do you not do the same?”
I’m a Black man in a white supremacist society. That means I’m condemned to subjugation/exploitation by default unless I actively fight against it.
Michael wrote: “If I were black would you take me more seriously?”
It depends on if you still sounded exactly like this or not. I’m sure you’ve heard the prefix descriptor “self-hating-” before, yes?
Michael Rasinski - So you use outdated events that predate me and ask me to pay for them, then you turn around and disregard my people’s suffering?
How am I to respect your past as relevant if you won’t respect mine?
I’m an agnostic with optimistic nihilism as my view on life. I don’t care where we go after we die, because we may very well not go anywhere, and that means life is the only real thing that matters. Everything that isn’t alive shouldn’t be forgotten, but the hate and anger should be. Bury the hatchet and all that. You were born without any affiliation to the dark times of slavery. You did likely meet some people who didn’t treat you so well because of your skin. That’s wrong, but so is blaming an entire race for things they didn’t do, or even know is happening.
You want money for your peoples suffering? Get in line, there’s quite a few groups in front of you. The Indians, the Jews, the Slavic people, and a whole lot of slavery and abuse of races before that.
I never want someone to connect the dots back to my ancestors past thinking they just figured out who I am. They may have done bad things, or good things. They may have been abused, or abused others. It doesn’t matter. You were born without asking for it no matter what god you believe in, this is true. You can call it a gift or a curse, but I’ll call it life. I will not treat you special because your grandpa was president, or if you grandma was in the holocaust, or if one of your ancestors was a slave.
But let’s explore what you’ve given me. So you want to treat modern white people like the ones who enslaved your ancestors? Let’s turn that view around from a white persons perspective. So your saying we should treat modern blacks like the ones we enslaved? Both sides need to bury the hatchet or neither is going to get what they want.
My father is old, and blunt, but he often makes a fair point. He said something around “you know they wouldn’t be here if we hadn’t shipped them over here? If they disliked what we did so much then why don’t they just go back to Africa?” He’s a year younger than you, but he lives by a code similar to mine except he is more spiritual. His point was somewhat valid, and there isn’t really a reason that blacks couldn’t go back to Africa once they were freed and I’m sure some did. Now I’d disagree with his statement because anyone born here is no longer African, they are American. Free from the constraints or benefits of their parents existence. No good or bad deed of theirs will become yours. Am I wrong to think so?
Your a tad selfish if you don’t want me to call it victimizing. You only see your races problems and would do anything for that race regardless of what it would do to others. Racism is a two way street and you really don’t seem to like white people, or maybe it’s just me.
You want racism to end? Then you need to let the past be the past, or racists will never let it go. Deal with the problems at hand and use the power of knowledge to do so. Do not ask for what you will not give.
Us Minnesotans aren’t very racist because we let the past stay there. Should a certain race become a stereotype of a very small and radical group then most Americans will hop right on the band wagon. If they haven’t done anything wrong then we may ignore or even help them. And no, I haven’t encountered very much racism toward Black people in Minnesota.
P.S. I didn’t ask for my name and won’t use religion to justify it. It is true that naming people after angels is probably against Christianity because their god is jealous and all that. Doesn’t mean I dislike the name though.
Muhammad Rasheed - Michael wrote: "So you use outdated events that predate me…”
I actually use the entire systemic racism timeline from 1619 to the present. You just like to disingenuously pretend I’m only talking about slavery alone. This marks your third time doing it, I believe.
Michael wrote: "…and ask me to pay for them…”
Who else should but the ‘white race?’
Michael wrote: "…then you turn around and disregard my people’s suffering?"
You disregard my own peoples 400+ yrs of suffering inflicted upon them by the aggressions of the self-labeled ‘white race’ while you expect me to feel sorry for you in your gold-plated Whitopia propped up by the blood and plundered wealth of Black people. Life looks very different than what you project from your Whitopian hologram, Mike.
Michael wrote: “How am I to respect your past as relevant if you won’t respect mine?”
lol Because mine is real and yours is a fiction. It’s not hard.
Michael wrote: “…but the hate and anger should be. Bury the hatchet and…”
While the systemic racism is still going on AND while you are being transparently disingenuous about it? No, sir. End racism and pay me my Reparations. That’s it.
Michael wrote: “You want money for your peoples suffering?”
Yup. Get to it.
Michael wrote: “Get in line, there’s quite a few...”
Objection; relevancy. Not. My. Problem.
Focus, Mike. They can work their own issues in their own activism or whatever. Plus just the fact that YOU want to deflect from the issue at hand to talk about that claptrap means it’s not even real. #NoNewTricks
Michael wrote: “Am I wrong to think so?”
Of course. Both you and your dad are trying to squirm your way out of responsibility.
Michael wrote: “Your a tad selfish if you don’t want me to call it victimizing.”
You’re LITERALLY using an encoded white supremacist buzzword. You’ve outed yourself as a proud member of the alt-right. And now that you’ve let slip that your dad is my age, that formally closes this item out. #ISeeYouMike
Michael wrote: “You only see your races problems…”
It turns out that allowing others who think like you to convince me to take my eyes off of them are the very reason the same problems endure. Now it’s time to do what we should have done 150 yrs ago. #GetReady
Michael wrote: “P.S. I didn’t ask for my name and won’t use religion to justify it.”
Hey, please just let that one go. Your opinion of it is wrong and doesn’t even make sense. Stop.
Michael Rasinski - I’m against racism, but I’m American first. That means that I believe everyone deserves a second chance. Americans are free, free from their past, free to make their own future, the land of opportunities.
I see you trying to play the age card, congratulations, ya got me, I’m a college student getting my degree. Surely your above me now.
Let me tell a story of a man who got in a terrible car accident. This man was a wood cutter and construction worker. He worked two jobs to support his family. He also suffered from alcoholism, but provided for his family regardless. After another day of work and a stop at a bar he nearly died from a car accident. Both of his legs were terribly mangled and doctors told him he wouldn’t walk again. He received mail saying that he could live the rest of his life off of welfare for his disability and chronic alcoholism. He just couldn’t fathom why other people should pay for something they didn’t do. He could have lived the rest of his life free of labor, but he knew he wouldn’t respect himself if he did, even if others respected him.
He took the rest of his money and bought a pair of leg braces, and he started walking. The braces helped to keep his legs from ripping themselves apart as he walked, but it was extremely painful to do so. Then, he went to work as a machinist. Young man’s work, tough work. He still works there today.
Once, he received an opportunity to have his legs fixed through Obama Care, and again he refused. Again, he just couldn’t take money that wasn’t owed to him.
Another time, after a man had done a botched job on his roof, he had the opportunity to take hundreds of thousands of dollars from the man, but he refused. He made the man redo his roof correctly, but didn’t fine him beyond that. Other people had families just like him. It wasn’t his right to take what wasn’t his. He had payed for a roof and that’s all he wanted.
That man who showed integrity and continues to is my father. He is a great role model, maybe he could teach you something about responsibility.
But maybe you don’t like stories, so I’m going to be blunt.
Your selfish. You don’t respect other peoples cultures and then ask them to respect and provide money for yours that they may very well have never played a part in. My family came over after the times of slavery and have never lived in the southern half of the country. Yet you think I should pay? You don’t seem to think any other race had problems in history.
Your racist. You can’t try and sue an entire race because of what they’re race might have done 150 years ago and not call yourself so.
Your alone. I ran this question by my colleagues,”do you think you should be held directly accountable for your grandparents actions?” They all said no. All. Of. Them. Black, White, Muslim, Spanish, and French. Nobody will stand by your request for reparations for events we didn’t take part in or have a say in. Cry me a river, but don’t charge me for it.
Your a hypocrite. You want to end racism, yet you want to sue my race. This pure cause has been diluded by your greed, or list for revenge, or maybe a simple gap in ideology. The truth is there, supported by your own words.
Your immature. I’ve given you nothing but my opinion. I never told you to deal with it, and I never used it to insult your race. You used “lol”, and made faces, hashtags, and even managed to what equates to a snort. It’s odd to say this to someone of your age, but grow up. I take this topic very seriously, yet I can no longer take you seriously.
I don’t care about what color you are, my disdain for you goes above race. You will never get paid for things you didn’t do/endure and that’s how it should be. My father stands as an example of what you should be. You are free to think as you please as this is America, but it’d be unAmerican and racist to sue an entire race of people for something they didn’t do.
You don’t deserve special treatment or abuse. Not for your past, not for your skin color, not for your ancestors, not for your wealth, and not because you think you do. This is the reality of what you face. You can stand firmly in place with your own thoughts and never adapt them to society, but just know that you and your thoughts will be left behind as society continues to move forward and you live in the past.
Welcome to the 20th century, please leave past baggage behind and enjoy the ride.
Muhammad Rasheed - Michael wrote: "I’m against racism…”
Are you though? I only ask because nothing you’ve typed thus far proves that as a true statement.
Michael wrote: "…but I’m American first.”
The United States of America government was usurped by and operates under a white racist aristocracy as established under the old slave laws, so as a white person, you are a white man first.
Michael wrote: "That means that I believe everyone deserves a second chance.”
That means Zimmerman deserves to be declared innocent of race-based murder and Trayvon Martin deserved to die because he was Black.
Michael wrote: "Americans are free, free from their past, free to make their own future, the land of opportunities.”
In practice, that’s only true of white people. That’s why your Minnesota people don’t like Black history.
Michael wrote: "I see you trying to play the age card…”
“Youth” is part of the alt-right profile. *shrug* I didn’t make it up.
Michael wrote: "Let me tell a story…”
Ugh. Please don’t.
Michael wrote: "But maybe you don’t like stories, so I’m going to be blunt.”
lol I like good stories. Pro-racism propaganda stories aren’t my cup-of-tea.
Michael wrote: "Your selfish.”
I reject this. Especially coming from you.
Michael wrote: "You don’t respect other peoples cultures…”
Your culture is composed of conquering, raping, plundering the non-white peoples of the world and using the wealth to build a Whitopian pagan edifice where only the elite of the white racist aristocracy are allowed to be free, free from their past, free to make their own future, free to enjoy the land of opportunities and free to enjoy second chances. Why SHOULD I respect it? It’s evil.
Michael wrote: "…and then ask them to respect and provide money…”
I’m not asking for anything, but DEMANDING justice.
Michael wrote: "…for yours that they may very well have never played a part in.”
All white people are part of the white racist aristocracy by default.
Michael wrote: "My family came over after the times of slavery and have never lived in the southern half of the country. Yet you think I should pay?”
Objection; relevancy. The largest slave holding family is headquartered in Rhode Island. The more you type, the more you reveal you don’t know, and yet your rants are getting longer and longer. Funny, huh? ;)
Michael wrote: "You don’t seem to think any other race had problems in history.”
You don’t seem to think I deserve to fight for my people just because other people have their own problems. This serves only as an alt-right gaslight deflection technique in practice.
Michael wrote: "Your racist.”
You willfully don’t know what racist means, therefore it doesn’t mean anything to me when you say it.
Michael wrote: "You can’t try and sue an entire race…”
I’m also positive the lawsuit won’t name “[Plaintiff] versus the White race” as the defendant. hahahaha
Michael wrote: "Your alone. I ran this question by my colleagues…”
An alt-right members “colleagues,” huh? Why do you think this should mean anything to me, Mike? Please be reasonable.
Michael wrote: "Cry me a river, but don’t charge me for it.”
I’m actually planning to make a special request that all of YOUR family’s money/property specifically be transferred to MY account. #ICantWait #ThatsWhatYouGet
Michael wrote: "Your a hypocrite. You want to end racism, yet you want to sue my race.”
Paying Reparatory Justice is part of how the country’s old anti-Black systemic racism will end. It’s the only way. This is not hypocritical, it is merely justice. It doesn’t matter in the least whether you like it or not. Perhaps the sting of watching the Black race rise up out of the ashes of white supremacy will hurt enough to keep you lot from doing it again.
Michael wrote: "This pure cause has been diluded by your greed…”
The pure cause is no less than ending a diabolical economic system by repairing the economic damage using economic Reparatory Justice tools. Greed is the force that caused the anti-Black racism root cause in the first place.
Michael wrote: "…or list for revenge…”
Justice.
Michael wrote: "Your immature.”
lol
Michael wrote: "I’ve given you nothing but my opinion.”
Unfortunately this is true. At least I got some cartoons from it.
Michael wrote: "I never told you to deal with it, and I never used it to insult your race.”
Meanwhile, your entire position in the argument is that I shouldn’t do anything that will actually stop racism, and I should just suffer through it because other people in the world have problems, too. All of that is insulting to my race, by the way.
Michael wrote: "You used ‘lol,’ and made faces, hashtags…”
You may expect it to continue. It’s not like you’re providing any actual insights or challenges for me to ponder. You want me to stop fighting against racism and of course the only possible response is “lol.”
Michael wrote: "…and even managed to what equates to a snort.”
I literally typed the word “snort” to use as an onomatopoeia for exactly that purpose. lol
Michael wrote: "It’s odd to say this to someone of your age, but grow up.”
I’m protesting against the demonic anti-Black racism that has tortured and plundered my people for generations and you have come in the thread to tell me to stop.
Michael wrote: "I take this topic very seriously…”
And yet you literally know nothing about the topic and still falsely insist that the scope of Reparations is confined to the slave era. Curious. I don’t think “seriously” means what you think it means. lol
Michael wrote: "…yet I can no longer take you seriously.”
*snort*
Michael wrote: "I don’t care about what color you are, my disdain for you goes above race.”
Trust me, you’ll feel even worse once your family’s total material holdings are transferred over to my new Black Reparations estate. *rubs hands together*
Michael wrote: "…it’d be unAmerican and racist to sue an entire race of people…”
It’s un-American and racist to treat an entire race of people like dirt so you can plunder them of their wealth to feed your own “free in our second chances” white aristocracy. Just go with it and let the balancing happen. You’ll be alright. Eventually.
Michael wrote: "This is the reality of what you face.”
The reality that I face is that you have come into the thread to tell me to stop fighting against anti-Black systemic racism and you seem to expect me to take you seriously. *snort*
Michael wrote: "…as society continues to move forward and you live in the past.”
Ironic considering everything you think aligns to the ‘MAGA’ concept of past anti-Black evils glorified.
Michael wrote: "Welcome to the 20th century, please leave past baggage behind and enjoy the ride.”
Also ironic, considering we’re now in the 21st century. This is a perfect snapshot into the impression you’ve made on me during this entire thread discussion.
Are you done yet? Because you’re boring me now and you and your dad’s race opinions are trash.
________________________________
MEDIUM: Scanned pen & ink cartoon drawing w/Adobe Photoshop color.
SUBSCRIBE and receive a FREE! Weapon of the People eBook by M. Rasheed!
MEDIUM: Scanned pen & ink cartoon drawing w/Adobe Photoshop color.
SUBSCRIBE and receive a FREE! Weapon of the People eBook by M. Rasheed!
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