Rod and Karen discuss spending some time with their niece, more black protest fallout, being written about in The Guardian, Pat McCrory signs bill to keep police camera footage secret, Officer Tommy Norman, Chaka Khan going to rehab, 50 Cent flossing again after settling bankruptcy, Gretchen Carlson suing Fox News, Wendy Williams in hot water, BallerAlert and sword ratchetness.
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Loved this episode! I’ve got three things:
1. Educating/Explaining racism to people is exhausting. So I limit that in my interactions. I’ve found that it is just another opportunity for some of them to say that Black people are racist for calling out racism. Sometimes I want to tell people to go fuck themselves.
2. Wendy Williams got her ass read and I am here for it!
3. Fifty Cent ain’t shit.
That is all.
Wendy, invited Roland on her program to be educated. Respect the fact that she was willing to admit that she was wrong.
http://newsone.com/3481053/roland-martin-to-appear-on-the-wendy-williams-show/
I just want to say that when the 5-Star Chick song started this episode I nearly started singing along in the middle of my office. SO GLAD THESE GROUPIES ARE TELLING STORIES AGAIN!!
I literally SCREAMED when the song came on. Glad I was driving in my car, rather than at work or something…
Thank you for talking about the good cop poster boy Tommy Norman. At first, I didn’t realize it was the same guy. This is a PR stunt and I’d wonder how he feels about being used this way.
In this episode, Rod talked about how he don’t have the time or see it as his role to be the teacher for those who don’t know. I think he may have been making the point that everyone has a role and that that’s just not his. I’m afraid that in the resoluteness of his comment, that point may have been lost – or maybe that is not what he meant in which case I respect his perspective and offer up another way to think about this work – the work of liberating Black people (and all marginalized groups). In the non-profit/philanthropy world, there is an idea that assistance can come in all forms and anyone can help as a Doer, Donor, or Door Opener. I’m glad that you have positioned yourself to provide respite and perspective through this platform. That is not my talent and I’m not a protestor, so I give and take up the mantle of educating those who are less conscious. Barbara Love talked about the role of the oppressor and oppressed to both learn and educate. In her work on anti-oppression, she basically says: if White people/those in power knew better, they would do better. This makes me appreciative of the Tim Wises and Peggy McIntoshes and Jesse Dollemores of the world. In some instances, they are better messengers (especially for pre-novice, fragile White people who don’t see color). Whatever role we play, it is necessary to step back and engage in self-care (because fighting racism is exhausting). Listening to this podcast and being able to laugh at the foolishness is part of my self-care. I’m so glad this is here!
No I meant it exactly how I said it. I’m watching random black people who were planning to go about their day end up doing educational labor pleading for their humanity on Facebook. That’s not okay. They don’t have to do that. It is abusive. If someone wants to do this all day? They can. I’m not stopping them.
But they need to know that they do no HAVE to. 99% of these conversations do not end in any sort of resolution. I could read literally 100 conversations people have posted in our Facebook group just in the last week. They’re all the same. Some white person say something ignorant and then this black person takes on the mantle of explaining it to said white person. And the end result is fruitless.
There are too many resources and people already in place for random black people who just want to go about their day to have to take time out to educate random racist white folks. I know from personal experience it’s not worth it. And I won’t encourage others to go under the impossible task of explaining their humanity to people who ultimately will opt not to care.
That’s what I was talking about. Later in the same episode I also said to Karen that I understand it is unfortunate that it is up to black protestors to fight racism because if not, no one will do it. So I’m not against black people educating in all forms. I simply don’t think our recreation and daily lives should be turned into labor to educate white folks.
Thanks for replying, Rod. This is a real tension I feel daily (especially because my work is centered in this so it’s hard to disentangle the work from personal). It should not be any oppressed person’s job and the onus for understanding should be put upon the oppressors. But we’re talking about the difference between philosophy (what people should do) and psychology (what people do do). The burden is heavy and unequally shared. It is hella frustrating for sure. But injustice is not just. There are days when I feel just like you and I’m frustrated and absolutely done with white people and I can’t take it anymore. I think it’s okay for you to not shoulder this burden because you’re doing other work. I will engage in these conversations because to not would frustrate me more. This is also why I do fuck with white “allies” who are trying to help their own interrogate their biases and then helping to message to the unbelievers (Drew from Interracial Jawn had a really good post (#98) where he talked about the active work he must take to raise his consciousness and continually work for the betterment of oppressed peoples, especially in those times when he doesn’t get it or starts to make it all about himself). I really do believe it takes a collective effort and that change will come. Change has come but we’re just not done, yet. If not for that belief, that hope for a better day, most days, I’d really just curl up and die because this nation is so brutal and unloving to people who look like me. And that hurts more than the pain I feel from having the same conversation over and over and trying to convince people of my humanity.
I agree with everything you said. I only want black people and other marginalized people to know they don’t HAVE to be abused by explaining their humanity to people on social media over and over for nothing.