Why Can Ta-Nehisi Coates Get Away With Racial Slurs?

[summer]

I don't have the energy for the nonsense written here.  At the last line, in particular, I was just like, "you know what...

[sushi]

I came across tnc a couple years before this board existed through some of my feminist blogs. Therefore I assumed he was a she.

But in all those years reading various contributions I never felt he was racist against wrote people. I guess that federalist sure showed me!

[wambam]

Jul 16, 2015 16:21:51 GMT -5 iammalcolmx said:

I feel as if we have been posting long enough that the minority poster's (who are normal) should just have some street cred. God knows if

@misoangry or wambam post their opinions I an all ears and frankly treat it like it's a damn chapter in the bible.  

*waves*

Are you perhaps confusing me with wannabe?

[iammalcolmx]

Jul 16, 2015 18:09:37 GMT -5 wambam said:

Jul 16, 2015 18:09:37 GMT -5 wambam said:

*waves*

Are you perhaps confusing me with wannabe?

I ain't shit!! I am

mortified

[wambam]

Jul 16, 2015 18:25:20 GMT -5 iammalcolmx said:

Jul 16, 2015 18:09:37 GMT -5 wambam said:

Jul 16, 2015 18:09:37 GMT -5 wambam said:

*waves*

Are you perhaps confusing me with wannabe?

I ain't shit!! I am

mortified

No problem! Not the first time it's happened lol.

I am actually white as the Scottish person who wasn't allowed on the plane

[Velvetshady]

Jul 16, 2015 15:45:18 GMT -5 NitaX said:

Jul 16, 2015 14:12:36 GMT -5 Velvetshady said:

I'm not proud of how long it took me to catch on to what the issue was in that thread. But if you read that thread and still believe that *I* was the one not interested in engaging in a conversation, then I can't help you. I "flounced" out of the thread when it became apparent that what I actually said or meant didn't matter to some posters, some posters were far more interested in slamming me or serving me my ass on a platter than in engaging anything productive, some posters weren't going to believe anything I said, and overall the direction was causing more anger/hurt/whatever for everyone than anyone needs over an Internet post.

If your goal in that thread was to make me feel unwelcome and unwanted in any that or any future discussions, you achieved it. And this post and the FTFY below it, re-enforce that impression. I have had many positive conservations about race and learned a lot about recognizing my white privilege on this board, including being corrected on how a comment could be interpreted, in the past. I'll get what positive lessons out of future threads that I can by lurking.

Honestly, this is exactly why I said Shuck and Jive. What I read was three posters trying to nicely realize that what you were saying was raising hackles. Instead, you kept doubling down on how Serena needed to be happy and you like happy players. 

Meanwhile everyone was like ...




...
I don't know you what you want us *meaning black folks on GBCN* to do. Do you want an apology, because that's not likely. All we want is for folks to stop getting all butthurt when we point out things that ain't right. That's all. It's not like we thought you were flying the Confederate Flag and had your Klanswear in the cleaners.

See, here is exactly what I mean by it doesn't matter that I actually said or meant and some people not believing me. I never actually said that Serena needed to do anything. In fact, I specifically said she didn't need to change or do a damn thing different than what she is doing. And yet, here you are, still saying I said this. I am a "words have meaning" person. This right here, part of why I was having a hard time understanding what was going on in that thread.

Yes, I do understand how you all got from what I actually said to the above. Yes it took me much longer to figure that out than it should have. And yes, I stopped posting because, as has been proven by this thread, I didn't believe there is anything I could say to make some posters believe what my actual thoughts and intentions were and they will continue to believe I did mean exactly what I have specifically said I didn't mean, no matter what I did or said. And because I truly didn't want to continue to piss people off and I felt as if everything I said was wrong and making it worse (and I *do* and *did* mean worse for everyone involved, not worse for me). I was upset that I pissed people off, not that people were pissed at me, I understand that didn't come across--a lot of what I was trying to say didn't come across. I didn't believe that some would believe me at that (or even this) point if I apologized.

I don't want an apology, no I don't want to be coddled. No, I don't believe it is about *my* feelings in any way, shape, or form--and I never did. No, I had not read "I, Racist" before that thread (I did have a very busy work week and was only opening select threads). Yes, I do recognize why that is relevant to my reaction in that thread. Posters reacted to what they thought I meant, I reacted to that reaction (poorly--again, I'm not proud of myself). I made some leaps based on statements that apparently the poster didn't intend to mean. I am sorry I made that that leap. No, I am not butthurt that it was pointed out things weren't right, but, yes, I was bit confused and eventually taken back by the way it was pointed out. Yes, I do realize that is my issue and problem, not anyone else's issue or problem. No, I do not feel as though some posters were open to or wanted a conversation with me, but I do understand at least a few reasons why. No, I will not forget the exchange and, yes, I will try to not to make those mistakes again (from the original statement that set this off to my reaction). No, I do not plan on participating in threads I do not feel comfortable or welcome in. Yes, after that thread, that includes more threads than it used to. No, I'm not going to GBCCEP or GBCGBCN over this. Yes, it will change the way I post/interact. Yes, I do understand that some people will not believe, or care about, anything I post from now on. Yes, I am sorry about that. Yes, I do know I'm privleged, and yes, I know that no matter hard aware I try to be about that, at times, I won't realise my privilege is showing.



I am sorry. I am sorry I caused others anger, rage, hurt, frustration. That was never my intent and I am sorry it happened.



And to answer what do I want? I'd like not not have productive discussions/threads derailed by my dumbassedness over this. If you want to use me as the bad example, fine, I accept it. If you want me to respond/answer questions/take more beatings, please start a new thread calling me out on my dumbassedness. I'm not going to derail another conversation over my idiocy. I'm fine with taking my hits if that is the actual purpose of the thread. Okay?

[tacosforlife]

I ate brunch with @misoangry once.

It was the morning after I fell in love with runny egg yolks.

I really have nothing else to add.

[wawa]

Jul 16, 2015 18:25:20 GMT -5 iammalcolmx said:

Jul 16, 2015 18:09:37 GMT -5 wambam said:

Jul 16, 2015 18:09:37 GMT -5 wambam said:

*waves*

Are you perhaps confusing me with wannabe?

I ain't shit!! I am

mortified

I"ve done it before.  I was so confused when I saw wambam's picture on H&F...cuz man she's SUPER WHITE.  I was all, "dude, why did I think you were Asian?"

off topic wawa wanders back out of the room....

[teflepi]

I agree on the bumps and bruises. Trying to explain away any feels on "not all white people are..." well, I think that is a problem. I don't know if anyone is saying that in this thread, but that is what I hear on this piece. It reminds me of "black people are racist too..." um. okay. stop.

[NewOrleans]

[wambam]

Jul 16, 2015 20:39:46 GMT -5 wawa said:

Jul 16, 2015 18:25:20 GMT -5 iammalcolmx said:

I ain't shit!! I am

mortified

I"ve done it before.  I was so confused when I saw wambam's picture on H&F...cuz man she's SUPER WHITE.  I was all, "dude, why did I think you were Asian?"

off topic wawa wanders back out of the room....

#redheadedhairflip

[LoveTrains]

Did anyone see the David Brooks op-ed in the NYT today?! I hate David Brooks, and this op-ed proves yet again that he is so clueless.

www.nytimes.com/2015/07/17/opinion/listening-to-ta-nehisi-coates-while-white.html?ref=opinion&_r=0