'Wypipo' Explained

[EffieBlack]

93. You're totally missing the point.

"Of course we already have words for people who don't care about black issues or equality, who have zero empathy for the killings of unarmed blacks. Racist, bigoted, prejudiced. And they are fair words; they apply to any person who harbors such animosity toward others."

There are plenty of white folk who think they're liberal, open-minded, fair people who don't care about black issues or equality, who have zero empathy for the killings of unarmed blacks. And they scream bloody murder - and so do their apologists - at the very suggestion they may be racist, bigoted or prejudiced. And the minute they think anyone is calling them that, they throw a fit and try to shut down the conversation.

And in fact, one doesn't have to be a racist or a bigot to turn a deaf ear to equality or brutality. It happens all the time - we see it right here on DU every day:

"I'm not racist! I know that racism exists and is a problem. But racism isn't occurring THIS time and it's wrong for people to say it is. It's not fair to the person being accused and it only makes it harder to fight racism when it REALLY happens!"

"You can't say this was racist. You don't know all the facts."

"You can't say this was racist because you don't know what's in her heart."

"I know the video looks bad, but we don't know what happened before so you can't really say it was racist."

"It's a shame the cop shot him, but he should have obeyed instructions ... or shouldn't have run away ... or shouldn't have mouthed off ... or shouldn't have been holding that cellphone (or wallet or Skittles) ... or shouldn't have been acting so suspiciously in his own backyard ..."

"We don't know the whole story so we shouldn't jump to conclusions and accuse her of being a racist."

And so on and so on and so on...

Oh, and talking about race, racism and racial dynamics doesn't "fuel up racism."