Move away from the Bull’s-eye Part 2: Allowing fear to manipulate you into the crosshairs

Move away from the Bull’s-eye Part 2: Allowing fear to manipulate you into the crosshairs

A major issue is that when a group of African Americans try to other the undesirables that exist within our ethnic group, they get hit with the “Uncle Tom”/”Traitor to their race” label. The idea being that WE need to stick together NO MATTER WHAT (level of dysfunction must be allowed or tolerated) in order survive as a single race.

Author : Toni

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Picking up where I left off in the first part, I’d like to reiterate the following:

 

A major issue is that when a group of African Americans try to other the undesirables that exist within our ethnic group, they get hit with the “Uncle Tom”/”Traitor to their race” label. The idea being that WE need to stick together NO MATTER WHAT (level of dysfunction must be allowed or tolerated) in order survive as a single race.

One major guiding force behind the above? FEAR.

 

Some African Americans are absolutely afraid that if they don’t come out in force for undesirables as they would any other black person, it will reflect negatively on the entire race. All racists will be vindicated and all black people will be considered trash. Simply put, it somehow became erroneously assumed by certain persons that the best way to distinguish yourself from the worst among your ethnic group is to stand up FOR the worst members of your ethnic group.

 

“Fear is the mind-killer” is a notable quote from the Dune series. Attempting to wrap my mind around the above, I most certainly believe it.

 

There is a fear that if all African American people don’t stand together no matter what, all blackness will vanish from the Earth. If persons venture out or away, and don’t immediately come scurrying back to the fold at the first cry of “racism”, we won’t make it as a people. Of all the threats to the black community, somehow this got pegged as the most realistic: Not defending the race against any and all “external forces” will surely destroy it!

Survival means rallying around the black flag whenever it’s raised and not questioning how it relates to your individual situation. It means stifling your best interests, your better judgment and your rationality. It means even if you are not a stereotype, a hoodlum, or any other undesirable, you must cover for those that are. You must coddle filth. Not separate from, not avoid at all costs, not call out for their DBR behavior…you coddle them. Why? Because some “outsider” feels that they are scum. The fact that someone who is not a part of your group dares to state the obvious is a call to arms and you are running head first into the crosshairs.

 

Somehow, the fact that it’s scum you are coddling takes a backseat. Forget their dangerousness, their awful behavior, the fact that they’ve beaten, raped and maimed-in this moment it becomes more important to you that someone outside of your group has called scum out as scum. The fear of loss of all blackness due to outside forces dictates that at moments like this, the appropriate thing to do is to rally around and protect the honor of scum. Because that scum is black scum. And the black means ignoring the scum.

“How dare you not coddle our scumbags like we coddle our scumbags!” or “you coddle your scumbags, you should coddle our scumbags, too!” And before you know it, scum and whatever harmful and damaged behaviors this encompasses is no longer relevant. It’s all black. Well, congratulations! You have been successfully derailed and disgraced. After all, I can think of few greater shameful acts of delusion than championing sleaze and slime for the sake of your ethnic group.

 

The remedy according to this type of fear is to hold up scumbags as high as possible. At the same time, you must make the perceived attack from the outsider(s) MUCH WORSE than anything the scumbags in question could have done. Even if these persons are more mentally, emotionally, and physically harmful to you, the fear of “outsiders” is somehow judged as more lethal and requiring greater action. You and scum are now allies fighting a common enemy: “The Man”.

Face meet palm, meet desk, meet Planet Earth.

 

This type of fear can manipulate otherwise sensible people into fighting on behalf of some questionable persons and causes. But that fear didn’t come to exist out of thin air.

 

Coming up in the third and final part: Taking a bullet for indoctrination’s sake

 

 

NOTE: I know somebody is going to want to say, “But what about racists who talk about people who aren’t scum, we have to stand up for ____!” That’s not the point or the topic of this particular discussion, so please don’t attempt to derail this post by pretending that my point in this article alludes to the misrepresented or mislabeled by bigotry. IT DOES NOT.

 

Thanks!

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MissFLondon 655 pts

When someone you perceive to be one of your own is under attack, you will tend to side with them, in order to err on the side of caution, this tends to be because you figure that it's only a matter of time before those attacks pass the person in the hot seat and then come your way. It's more self preservation that actual support.

 

However, it becomes so complicated when the person in question is in the wrong. Wrong is wrong and we should be able to judge people's actions case by case and not race!!

 

See this Zimmerman nonsense, no matter how white you view him, it's immaterial, because he views himself as white (and killed someone to prove it) and he is now the lead bannerman for team white paranoia. The one drop rule and his delusions are secondary, because a child is dead.

 

The whites who, in fear and ignorance, have sided with him without question disgust me. But similarly, you would think we as black people would look at the situation and understand that this is what happens when you just blindly support the person of the same race. Why does it annoy us so when whites do it but we allow ourselves to cause even greater damage to ourselves when we do it?

 

At least most of the prominent people openly supporting Zimmerman's actions are noted nutcases. In the case of black leaders supporting foolishness, it's always the same handful of recycled self anointed spokes people and then we are put in the awkward position of having to take them seriously when next they reappear to claim yet another appearance fee for whatever else they are called to speak about.

 

No really, let's not stick together; it's really not helping!

 

Elegance 2096 pts

This post was EXCELLENT!!! It's so true! Any criticism or the harmful behaviour of a Black person is judged as "selling out" and all bad behaviour is excused. There is no room for personal responsibility and choices and the bad behaviour is attributed to "The Man" and slavery in some way. Everything is excused and someone else is to blame.

 

Experts and upstanding people are called "sell outs" when they call out bad behaviour, but they are the first one's called when something racist happens and they are expected to show their Black card. Some people in high places can actually make their lives harder by getting dragged  into this stuff because they alienate the non-Black people they work with and who they depend on for income.

 

What ever happened to the Talented 10th who people were supposed to look up to? Now they are called a threat and rejected! Instead people are looking up to rappers who are being consulted on all social issues instead of actual Black sociologists and psychologists! I'm sure if something happened in the White community they wouldn't call up rock stars for their opinions! These rappers ADMIT they have committed crimes and they barely know how to speak but Black people are allowing them to be role models and speak for all Black people! No criminal fool represents me!

Joyce345 1738 pts

 Elegance 

 

I read a comment by one of the readers at WAOD that really hit home with me. The woman who was commenting talked about how she had lived in a black neighborhood for so many years. The neighborhood is now dangerous and full of drugs and gangs but she is old enough to remember when the first drug dealers and gangs started.

 

Basically the community was fed up and voted to kick the young men out of the place. The mothers of the boys (I won't call them men) wept and begged everyone to give their children a second chance. People put up with the delinquents out of sympathy for their mothers and slowly but surely criminal gangs took over the neighborhood.

zipporah 1730 pts

thats just it: we're 4 generations deep in this foolishness! many of these poor moms probably didnt even know the fathers of these boys they had. the old woman seen her neighborhood when all the neighbors knew each other and would borrow sugar from the next door neighbor.  They even trusted each other enough to watch out for each others kids and would say something like "I dont want you doing ___around me or else your dad will hear about it etc. -put that cigarette out!!" for holidays like the 4th of July, they would have some over the house, etc.

Patricia Kayden 1673 pts

Great post, but perhaps it's natural that people rally around what they perceive to be their own. The whole Zimmerman thing makes me think that Whites rally around their scum too. I don't feel the need to rally around anyone just because they are Black -- including bad behaving people in my blood family. I am extremely proud to be Black but feel no need to defend each and every Black person in the world. I can only answer for my personal behavior so all you bad behaving NEGROES are on your own. LOL!

19jleo86 97 pts

 Patricia Kayden "I don't feel the need to rally around anyone just because they are Black -- including bad behaving people in my blood family."  - I fee the same way.  My grandmother has grown sons who she still takes care of.  She has handicapped them to the point that they are completely dependent on her, a 73-year-old woman.  She doesn't like it when I call out their behavior and hers.  She says things like, "They are your family!" And I'm like, "Well, I don't care!"  Just because they are my family, it doesn't mean I have to stay quiet about their poor behavior.  Likewise, I feel no emotional connection to them.  There is no closeness between us.  They are about as close to me as a stranger on the street.

19jleo86 97 pts

 Joyce345 I'm not sure where your comment went, but you said, "Lord have mercy. Grown men living off a 73-year-old woman???? Someone needs to cut off those village idiots."

 

The only way they will be cut off is when my grandmother is no longer here.  She doesn't understand that though.  She calls me selfish because I tell her that her behavior is unacceptable.  I have to let her know that there is nothing wrong with helping people, but there is something wrong when your grown children are dependent on you to practically live their live for them.  When she talks on the phone to them, it sounds as if she is talking to a damn child.  It's ridiculous!

zipporah 1730 pts

to me, ZIMMERMAN AINT WHITE AT ALL...maybe because his last name...this is highly controversial. A few days ago in Oakland CA ..sigh...oakland, a 17 year old black teenager named Coty was murdered outside his home. They just gave a 3 minute news presentation and let it go at that: the killer is still on the loose

Law Wanxi 5812 pts

 zipporah 

On the relative Whiteness of Zimmerman and the dog named 'Big Boi' that started the whole gun madness:  http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/25/us-usa-florida-shooting-zimmerman-idUSBRE83O18H20120425

 

Foreign new sources employ actual journalists, not just pretty men with expensive haircuts who read whatever comes over the AP newswire.

Bellydancer 789 pts

This is why white folks and others are afraid to try to champion for bw and bg for fear of being labled elitist or racist. Look at what happened to Ashley Judd when she made comments about rap and misogyny or Delores Tucker when she started her campaign against it. One was labeled racist the other an elitist. You can't win with some black folks and the worst part of it is some women co-sign on this madness. No wonder people are starting ignore the craiziness in the bc.

We no longer have to look for outsiders trying to destroy us and oh yes there are some still lurking but the fifth column that has already entrenched itself is an even bigger threat.

Elegance 2096 pts

 Bellydancer I think that the so-called elites and the wealthy need to focus on those that seem to have the same values and potential then. They should only uphold people who espouse their values for excellence, education, hard work, and respectable behaviour and if someone refuses then they don't get the help. Otherwise it's just throwing your time and money away. Seriously, look at the foolishness that Spike Lee did. He has probably lost a lot of credibility and White fans because of his stupid actions. Really, when someone I consider to be intelligent and successful says they listen to misogynistic rappers, do drugs, gamble etc. they lose some credibility with me because those things are inconsistent with intelligent behaviour in my opinion. 

Joyce345 1738 pts

 Elegance  Bellydancer 

 

I suspect many whites care but they are scared to say or do anything because black people act in ways that confuse them. For example when we have civil rights activists focusing a disproportionate amount of time and resources defending suspected criminals.

 

How did the civil rights movement go from MLK to defending pedophiles etc. It is disheartening.

zipporah 1730 pts

The kids get this fear ALL THE TIME--young black boys in the 5th or 6th grade think that when they get good grades in math, they are throwing away their 'black card' and others think you are 'actin' white'. Those boys could have became engineers or scientists who could invent something instead of it going to the 'asians' but no, some fall behind to fit in on purpose and then they drop out of school....sigh..

Soul_Incites 360 pts

 Bellydancer Oh my goodness YES! To me, the Ashley Judd pushback was the most obvious example in my recent memory of what Toni is talking about. Ms. Judd gave an OBVIOUS example with the negativity in much of what is called hip-hop today by calling it "the soundtrack of misogyny," and the gaslighting began: but what about misogyny in rock music, that's not all hip-hop culture, that's only rap music (as if ALL hip-hop culture isn't overwhelmingly male-identified), how dare this white woman speak out against those disenfranchised Black male millionaire rappers who are only rapping about what they know, etc.

 

Ugh, I was done at that point. Done. As someone who LOVES that more and more high-profile white people are actually sticking their neck out and doing the work of calling out racism, classism, misogyny, etc. when they see it among their circles of influence, that kind of pushback from Black folks is heartbreakingly counterproductive.

Karla 18246 pts

En point again, Toni.  Only when the people realize that supporting scum makes them scum by association will the tide turn.  But, then again, there are some folks who like wallowing with scum.  Not mentioning any names but they seem to be there, jumping to the scum's defense 24/7/365.  I'm actually wondering if the defenders even know the difference anymore.  Even though most of my fam are upstanding, educated professionals, there are some who slip through the cracks.  My cousin was battling diabetes from the time he was a child and, unfortunately, wasn't winning.  He married and had a son but, due to his illness, couldn't oversee his son's behavior as he wished.  His son did the "Woe is me.  I have a sick daddy." routine to anyone who would listen, but used it to great effect when he became a delinquent in school.  When he graduated from high school, my cousin felt guilty enough to buy him a car and he immediately slipped over the line into scum-dom.  He collected his no-good scum friends and they proceeded to joyride across three states, robbing, assaulting and eventually kidnapping.  My cousin died from complications of his illness, most likely compounded by his son's behavior and died, never knowing that his son was caught, tried and convicted.  My cousin's wife was the typical "my son didn't do it.  He was just driving."  His friends corroborated this, telling the authorities that he was a "punk b-word" and didn't have the guts but the authorities chose to punish him as an accessory.  After all, the scum couldn't have gone on the rampage without the scum-mobile and it's chauffeur.  His mother begged the fam to support her with time, money and legal assistance.  We said no.  When they interviewed her on the local news, she had a lot to say about how ashamed she was of our family for not standing with her and her son.  Um, really?  Where was the shame at her son's behavior?  Where was the shame of knowing that her husband, the father went to his grave knowing that his son was scum?

Brenda55 19705 pts moderator

 Karla Girlfriend I knew you were cool.  I would have responded the exact same way.

SirLoinDeBeef 2527 pts

Toni (and Law), I fully co-sign

Law Wanxi 5812 pts

Wow. All your stuff is so good and getting better. 

 

As a outsider, one of the things I see and hear is that by defending the scum and trash in almost every case, Black people, as a seeming monolithic group to the outsiders, become the scum and trash they defend because they seemingly will not stop this group response. 

 

Example: Two school shootings done by Korean-Americans. One was the Virginia Tech shooting in April of 2007 and the other was the Oakland, CA, Oikos University shooting on April 2 of this year. The April 2, 2012 shooting was not widely reported outside of California because there were other, bigger stories at the time and it was just a bunch of Asians, East and South, and Africans who got killed and wounded. Not newsworthy; no Americans killed or wounded.

 

What you DIDN'T see was a reflexive response from the Korean-American community saying, "Well, these two guys had problems that were ignored by the [White] school administrators!" or "They cried out for help and were never heard!" or anything like that. Korean-Americans couldn't get away from these two guys fast enough. There are Korean gangs in LA; nasty, vicious little creatures who terrorize their communities. Out of fear, the Korean-Americans are loathe to turn them in, fearing, rightly, retribution. What you don't hear is all sorts of excuses about how hard it is to be Korean in LA, or how society has failed them. No Korean mothers confront the press with "My baby [18 year old baby] couldn't have done that; he's never been in a gang" and then have most of the institutions of the Korean-American community fall lockstep behind 'Chung-Hee' in support. 

 

Another story, unheard of outside of the immediate area because of when it happened, was that gang-rape done by a gang of DBR/Hmong Males. http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_20239885/ramsey-county-charges-be-filed-rape-14-year  What you won't see or hear is a Hmong community blaming the victims. Very little of this "Well, she wanted it" or "She shouldn't have dressed like that" or "Boys will be boys". Read the comments; mostly calls for death, deportation or imprisonment. Amazingly few supporter in the comments. 

 

I eagerly await your next part, which I think will cover the brainwashing aspect of mindless, lockstep unity for the undeserving.

Brenda55 19705 pts moderator

 Law Wanxi Major truth posted here.

AJ2011 2310 pts

"I know somebody is going to want to say, “But what about racists who talk about people who aren’t scum, we have to stand up for ____!” "

 

Racists are a resourceful bunch, they WILL find a reason to hold onto their doctrine. 

 

 

Toni_M 18957 pts

 AJ2011 I actually edited this a few times, but I didn't want to get too far off track. One of my original points was that no matter what you say or do, racists will continue to hate you. Because they're racists and that's how they operate. 

MercedesHasLeftTheBuilding 1068 pts

Toni,....your posts have been just.....outstanding.one right after the other....i'm just in meditation mode...:-)

ASwirlGirl 3048 pts

A BW was my first boss at the onset of my career after I graduated from college and landed my first "real" job. She mentored me for about 18 months, then went on to bigger and better things when she applied for and obtained a plum position in another industry. She gave me a handwritten note when she left, and these particular lines are etched in my memory: "As you pursue your career, always strive to stand out as an individual. Don't get caught up in 'Black' causes; remember that your only cause is YOU. Be your own person." That was the best piece of professional advice I ever received. I still have that note.  

The Working Home Keeper 6638 pts

 ASwirlGirl Excellent advice!  And it's applicable outside of the professional realm as well.

MissFLondon 655 pts

 ASwirlGirl 

Race aside, you were very lucky to have found this women, so early on in a promising career.

Most of the women that I have come by in my numerous career incarnations have attempted to clip my wings, with varying levels of success. It's nice to see that some people understand the point of mentoring.