A Woman's Closet/A Black Man's Car

[TygrBright]

What do these two things have in common?

Well, here's the deal. How many times have black men who've suffered the indignities (or worse!) of DWB episodes heard something like this:

"Of course it's not right. But it happens. Deal with it appropriately. Be respectful of the officer and don't make it worse. Have common sense, for heavens' sakes. One of these days we'll get around to ensuring that our law enforcement personnel don't feel free to abuse their power and use racist assumptions in doing their jobs. We'll get around to it. We're winning the fight against racism, you know. It just takes time. We'll get there. In the mean time, yeah, it's not fair and it's not right, but hey, just have some common sense, don't make it worse for yourself, deal with the realities."

And how many times have women who've suffered the indignities (or worse!) of sexual harassment or assault heard something like this:

"Of course it's not right. But it happens. Deal with it appropriately. Make your wardrobe choices sensibly. Have common sense, for heavens' sakes. One of these days we'll get around to making it absolutely unacceptable for men to make creepy assumptions about a woman based on what meaning they assign to her clothing. We'll get around to it. We're winning the fight against sexism, you know. It just takes time. We'll get there. In the mean time, yeah, it's not fair and it's not right, but hey, just have some common sense, don't make it worse for yourself, deal with the realities."

May I very humbly suggest that the time has come to stop spewing platitudinous blather like this in the face of manifest racism and sexism, and to start MAKING NOISE, kicking ass, and taking names?

It's time to demand that we stop excusing our law enforcement officers who use intimidation, abuse of power, and racist assumptions, based on our respect for the difficult job they do and the public trust they hold (and continue abusing!)

It's time to demand that we stop excusing men (and other women!) who perpetuate sexist assumptions about women based on their clothing and appearance, because after all, 'boys will be boys' and there's millions of years of evolutionary urges behind cretinous behavior (or whatever lame excuse you want to offer.)

If we all stop putting up with it, the 'time' when it goes away will come sooner than we think.

:rant:

wearily,
Bright

[Dr_Willie_Feelgood]

1. As Dre said...F*** tha Police!

Progressives don't want to become cops and be forced to order people around, and the Nazi bastards who DO want the job should not have it.

We need to go to a system where everyone minds their own. Get good locks, homeowners insurance, a nice (but not overly dangerous) weapon appropriate to ones skill, and disband the pig squads!

Short of that, watch them like hawks, and come down on them like a ton of bricks when they abuse their authority.

As for sexual harassment, M4M and W4W solves that problem. The horndog guys can harass each other all day - leave the ladies alone, for crying out loud!

[chasitynola]

2. I am pickin' up what you're puttin' down!

Very nicely said. I have personally stood up to sexual harrassment and it felt really good. I shook like a leaf when I went to the HR department, but I did it and the man was punished and eventually lost his job.

[Merlot]

16. Well, you had better luck than me

I was told not to make such a big deal of it.

[tavalon]

3. I didn't need to be convinced, but

that was a very persuasive discussion.

There has been so much good stuff on racial profiling and racial issues overall. I wish this hadn't happened to Mr. Gates but the festering wound needed to be opened to air and sunlight.

[bliss_eternal]

4. Enthusiastically recommended...!

:applause:

Thank you, Tygr!

[midnight]

5. I like this very much..... Keep it coming....

[varelse]

6. Yes, it's time

:kick: and recommend

[ms liberty]

7. Thank you for expressing it better than I have. K&R, n/t

[winyanstaz]

8. Thank you...at least someone has the guts to speak out

and say what needs to be said.

[Obama2012]

9. I have one to add

"Of course it's not right. But it happens. Deal with it appropriately. Be respectful of the straight married couples and don't make it worse. Have common sense, for heavens' sakes. One of these days we'll get around to ensuring that our laws are equally applied to all citizens. We'll get around to it. We're winning the fight against homophobia, you know. It just takes time. We'll get there. In the mean time, yeah, it's not fair and it's not right, but hey, just have some common sense, don't make it worse for yourself, deal with the realities."

[iamjoy]

11. Ditto on Gays

I had the same thought myself - that one could apply that to gays. Undoubtedly gays deserve equal rights, but I have in the past found myself thinking that some of the displays at Pride events didn't help the cause. I wondered if it would be better if gays did everything they could to demonstrate how we're all alike. It's hypocritical to judge it that way given the heterosexual displays rampant in popular entertainment. But I think a lot of people do that. I'm not sure what the answer is anymore. How do you change such attitudes? If it isn't right to tolerate intolerance (and blaming the victim is nothing if not that), what is the alternative?

[Butch350]

10. If we all ask for single payer Health Care would we get that!?

[Berry Cool]

12. And, there is one more example we could add regarding women.

"Of course it's not right. But it happens. Deal with it appropriately. Be sensible about where you walk after dark, and don't walk in certain places alone. Have common sense, for heavens' sakes. One of these days we'll get around to making it absolutely unacceptable for people to assume that a woman out walking alone at night is asking to be raped. We'll get around to it. We're winning the fight against violence against women, you know. It just takes time. We'll get there. In the mean time, yeah, it's not fair and it's not right, but hey, just have some common sense, don't make it worse for yourself, deal with the realities."

[nashville_brook]

13. "have some sense -- don't threaten a man's perceived power."

this is what it boils down to. rape isn't about sexuality -- it's about power.

[Jade Fox]

14. "And in response to how you're treated, never ever get angry."

"People are scared of an angry black man and contemptuous of an angry woman. So if you don't want to be dismissed completely as a person, follow this rule!"

[noiretextatique]

17. cower and defer

do people realize that is what they asking us to do? cower and defer to police officers so they won't arrest you or shoot you. do people realize they are asking us to behave the same way black people had to behave to avoid being beaten or lynched during jim crow and slavery?
same thing with women...we also need to cower and defer to appease men.

i work for a man who treats the staff (all female) like servants. i am a lesbian, so i don't appease or defer to men: i am having a real hard time with this asshole. i want to confront him openly and honestly, but my supervisor doesn't. she takes his orders and does his work for him, while he passes it off as his work...a total weenus. it frustrates me that she is so afraid to confront him about his behavior. i will have no choice but to go over her and his head to HR if he continues his foolishness. his behavior is unprofessional and intolerable. either that or i'll get a few friends together and kick his ass :grr: that might have to happen since the HR director is a weenus too.

[PatSeg]

15. Well said

This is how we evolve as a society. Growth never happens if we keep our mouths shut and look the other way.

[defendandprotect]

18. Vietnam . . . "boys will be boys!" . . .

Agree completely with the parallel --

In fact, all discrimination is simply and only exploitation of a class of people --

whether by the myths of "inferiority" by gender, race, or sexual orientation.

Minorities* are all in this together --




* -- and women are more than half the people on the planet so their "minority" status
simply refers to their lack of political power -- however, we range up to 54% and more
when campaigns to kill women are halted. We need Gender Balance laws!
Five more women on the Supreme Court would be a good start.

[defendandprotect]

19. Too late for Rec . . . K&R . . . kick

[Cali_Democrat]

20. Damn...I wish I could still rec this....

[sallylou666]

21. Kick

Too late to recommend but there's a kick. :hi: