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[Adder]

Originally Posted by sebastian_dangerfield

Not everything is racist. Some things don't have anything, anything at all, to do with race.

And not everything that has to do with race is racist. Matt Taibbi taking shots at DiAngelo? Not automatically racist. In terms of either impact or intent, his article does not warrant someone saying, "He's racist!" and not having that suggestion tested.

Nor does anyone's defense of him automatically mean they are demonstrating white fragility. They aren't. They're demonstrating exhaustion. Exhaustion with dimwits like Adder who are abusing DiAngelo's concept.

If everything is racist and anyone who argues something may not in fact be racist exhibiting fragility (one wonders how this applies to Black people who'd defend Taibbi, but that's another conversation*), then everything in the world - literally everything - can be and arguably must be seen through a lens of race.

That is objectively an absurd statement. It's also delusional, and seriously fucking boring. If I go to an art gallery and see a work depicting people of a certain race, then race is present, and racism would by extension be present. It is related to the work. If I walk a few rooms away and look at water lilies, or melting clocks, racism is not present. The work in no way has anything to do with race.

I'm not fragile about being called anything. Sexist, racist, phobic in one regard or another. I don't care. Opinions are free. People can think what they like of me.

But I do dislike dumb. And asserting that race is a primary element of everything around us is dumb. People like Adder calling everything racist immediately, without considering the subject in detail is dumb. And defending them by saying anyone challenging them for being dumb is actually exhibiting fragility is both dumb in itself and cynical. It's placing the argument beyond reproach. And that's transparent. That telecasts weakness of an argument. That which cannot withstand scrutiny and insists on delegitimizing scrutiny of itself is usually lacking in one regard or another.

DiAngelo made a good argument. But she also took people like Adder to task. Defending Adder's behavior I'd say puts one at odds with DiAngelo.

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* Which Adder would duck by saying, "Blacks and can racists, and suggesting otherwise make you racist," refusing to address the real issue.

You’re just plugging your ears and not engaging with what others are saying. Again.

Also, in 21st Century America, everything has to do with race. You’re in denial if you don’t see it.