What is the controversy surrounding #takeaknee

[The Grand Nudger]

Am I the only one who gets the sense that these pro athletes are basically the highest-paid slaves ever?  The message seems to be "We'll pay you, and you will tow the line.  You will support the powers that be, you will show due respect, you will BEHAVE.  You will fucking BEHAVE the way you are told, because while you have millions, you must not forget that we have billions, and you will never be one of us."

They are expressing their freedom, as accorded them by the constitution of the United States of America, and in a particularly harmless and peaceful manner.  How could embracing the constitution in the face of an oppressive governmental force (read: the police) ever be seen as anything but patriotic?

As far as I'm concerned, the level of outrage among blacks in the US is totally justified, and borders on justification for exercising their second amendment rights-- to bear arms against an oppressive government.  It is with incredible forbearance of the citizens of some of these communities that there are not hundreds of dead cops already, IMO.  And, interestingly for us, I'd mostly credit that with the high levels of Christianity to be found among them.

You're not the only one at all.  Athletes have long been considered livestock in the US. Thankfully, they can quit..though quitting isn't a practical reality for many of them..or even something they'd want to do. So, not quite slavery, but often steeped in the traditions thereof.

[KevinM1]

It's 2017, and there are people in this very thread tap dancing around "The stats show that blacks aren't oppressed but are simply the dangerous savages they've always been, and deserve what they get."

I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

But, no, that sentiment is utter bullshit.

[Amarok]

It's 2017, and there are people in this very thread tap dancing around "The stats show that blacks aren't oppressed but are simply the dangerous savages they've always been, and deserve what they get."

I guess I shouldn't be surprised.

But, no, that sentiment is utter bullshit.

Because ultra nationalists like Beta and Wooter must downplay , obscure , Or deny a,nything that does not fit the rah rah America's is the greatest thing ever narrative. Because they place so much of their own ego into it.

[Thumpalumpacus]

@AM

"would you rather be a rich white american or a rich black american"

Most people would rather be the former.. You know, just to be safe(I wonder why) but I want to see you answer this question

Inb4 "it's about the individual, bruh".

[John V]

I'm asking you questions because my goal here is not your education (I've already seen how difficult that be) but to let you demonstrate yourself how shallow your understanding is.

I'm on my phone right now, anyway, which makes linking pretty difficult. If I have the time and inclination I'll throw some stuff up later.

Seems more like you've now seen the definition of oppression and know you don't have anything that fits the bill.

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@AM

"would you rather be a rich white american or a rich black american"

Most people would rather be the former.. You know, just to be safe(I wonder why) but I want to see you answer this question

White I suppose.

Of course, the fact that rich black American is an option speaks against the oppression argument.

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@Thump - why have white men been able to oppress everyone else?

[Joods]

OK. As noted, de jure discrimination, which was oppression, was outlawed over 50 years ago. There still is some de facto discrimination, but in my experience that's been diminishing with each generation. I have minority colleagues and clients who are very successful. The NFL players making this protest are very successful. We just had a black president for 8 years for crying out loud. So, no, I don't see oppression.

One black president doesn't constitute the entire race of black people. It constitutes ONE black person. 
The NFL doesn't exclusively consist of black professionals. There are other races as well.
The "minority" colleagues and clients that you have who are successful don't make up the entire race of black people. 

There is oppression happening to this very day among black people. You just refuse to take your rose-colored glasses off long enough to acknowledge that fact. 

Careful boy. Your white privilege is showing.

[John V]

There is oppression happening to this very day among black people. You just refuse to take your rose-colored glasses off long enough to acknowledge that fact. 

The issue isn't that I refuse to see it, it's that no one is even giving me anything to look at.

Careful boy. Your white privilege is showing.

How did white privilege come to be?

[Neo-Scholastic]

You see, alpha male, facts don't matter to them...youll notice how they keep asking pointed rhetorical questions rather than state their case openly.

[Joods]

There is oppression happening to this very day among black people. You just refuse to take your rose-colored glasses off long enough to acknowledge that fact. 

The issue isn't that I refuse to see it, it's that no one is even giving me anything to look at.

Careful boy. Your white privilege is showing.

How did white privilege come to be?

Look around you. Watch the news. How many times have black people been the target of police brutality? Do you remember that picture I posted in another thread? Probably not because not many people acknowledged it so I'll post it again. If you don't think there is oppression going on then tell the families of these people that were killed by the cops. Notice the similarities?



This is just a sampling. There is racial profiling going on in many areas. And it's not just black people. It's brown people too. I don't need to show you evidence of this when it is literally all over the place.

[Brian37]

The issue isn't that I refuse to see it, it's that no one is even giving me anything to look at.


How did white privilege come to be?

Look around you. Watch the news. How many times have black people been the target of police brutality? Do you remember that picture I posted in another thread? Probably not because not many people acknowledged it so I'll post it again. If you don't think there is oppression going on then tell the families of these people that were killed by the cops. Notice the similarities?



This is just a sampling. There is racial profiling going on in many areas. And it's not just black people. It's brown people too. I don't need to show you evidence of this when it is literally all over the place.

BINGO!

And they cannot use "They had a weapon, they resisted". Garner was choked to death, Bland died in a cell.

I saw that video of the kid with the BB gun getting MURDERED through being shot through the window.

I didn't get shot as a kid playing with a realistic replica 9mm cap gun back in the 1980s. I had the toy in my hand, cop aimed his gun at me. I DIDN'T GET MURDERED.

This is what the GOP does, this is what the NRA does, this is what the gun corporations do, they pit the races against cops, they pit tea party whites against government, they profit off the violence and fear. They sell to both cops and society.

Just like Daffy Duck pits the beagle against Foghorn and sells booby traps to both and says "You better watch out for the other guy." Fear marketing is profitable.