So says Wisconsin superintendent candidate Deborah Kerr, quoted in "State superintendent candidate Deborah Kerr apologizes for racially insensitive tweet" (Wisconsin State Journal).
This woman apologized and deleted herself from Twitter just because she was criticized for an inept contribution to a discussion about race. I think the state school superintendent needs a lot more gumption than that.
Her tweet was dumb. Someone on Twitter had put up the question "When was the first time someone called you the n-word. I was 18." And Kerr, who is white, wrote: "I was 16 in high school and white — my lips were bigger than most and that was the reference given to me."
The person who had asked the question said: "When I read [Kerr's] statement, I was livid. There are communities where we are the only person of color in that community, so Twitter and social media have become spaces of healing. [Kerr’s statement)] is insensitive. She was not able to read the room, or understand the technology and how people understand these spaces as sacred, even though it is a public medium."
And somebody else tweeted: "As someone who has been bullied relentlessly and called a monkey and a (N-word) for having big lips — this is just not the level of Karen I wanted to see the day after your primary win."
A Madison School Board member tweeted: "This makes me profoundly sad and angry tho. Perfect example of white educators profound failures to understand the isolation, alienation, and disenfranchisement our Black & Brown students experience in our education system — public & private. Microaggressions from staff and peers."
Fine. Kerr was right to take down the tweet and apologize. But to delete herself from Twitter? How is that consistent with leadership? The big issue in the campaign for superintendent has been the school choice program, and Kerr advanced in the primary because she supports it. Her opponent does not. It takes courage in the face of accusations of racism to support school choice.
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230 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 230 of 230I wouldn't expect her to fight for school choice, which is her big issue in the campaign.
Her opponent, who is completely in the thrall of the Teachers Unions, will fight against School Choice.
rhhardin said...
The first (and experimental) consciousness raising session, in the 60s, had a black person complaining that the culture doesn't recognize black beauty. "My nose is too wide..." So she was noticing that.
I'd assume in Africa it doesn't come up.
The greatest impediment to success for blacks in America is internalized racism.
the Cult of the N-words
Nerd... the N-word was really offensive at one time. So was the G-word. Now, it's the I-word. Also, the M-word, and especially the W-word. Social progress marches on, trampling both the weeds, and flowers, in turn, underfoot. #HateLovesAbortion
"She mistakenly thought she was engaging with people interested in a good-faith discussion."
When a white person has the temerity to opine on race, the discussion is NEVER in good faith.
Get used to it.
Give it a fucking rest assholes.
Quoted for truth.
A little bit of racism should be ok and accepted with good humor and good will. That's a healthy society.
I was called the N- Word when I was five. Sourced by 2 child hood rhymes that used the N- Word. I had no idea I was being programmed whitely. But this was the same time as MLK. I heard him talk when young. Between him and my parents I developed a sense to be nice to people and only use hurtful words if I meant to hurt someone. Content of character was important to me.
the constant twitter farces of hyper hunting for wokeness is a nauseating lack of character by people with weak character. Why do we assume they are wise? Why do we give them soapboxes? Shouldn't they have their characters tested first?
Why don't these populist social media groups get organized around a word. Like gamestopers did.
Shouldn't Proud Boys pass a policy that Proud Boys love and strictly wear Nike shoes and refer to them as the new n word. Just do it.
Howard would like a little credit for taking a strong rhetorical stand against racism; ignore that his frequent "you people" sounds suspiciously racist.
"She mistakenly thought she was engaging with people interested in a good-faith discussion."
She made assumptions about someone she did not know on the internet and who was posting about a word that gets people fired.
If she is going to suggest that she was trying to get into an extended discussion with someone black who she did not know personally about this, why did she choose Twitter, the absolute worst forum for that?
I expect my superintendent to have the sense to know that not volunteering your opinion to random strangers on the internet about hot button issues, just like I expect her to know not to text nudes to people. I expect wiser choices out of my teenager.
that some collection of internet psychopaths predictably take offense does not make someone morally wrong for giving it; it is of course cost-benefit unwise.
i don't see why anyone should be expected to use twitter given the slanted censorship rules.
Skippy Tisdale said...The greatest impediment to success for blacks in America is internalized racism.
A former colleague and his wife (Both PhDs) adopted two biracial infants back in the mid 80's. They lived in a gorgeous house and had all the privileges that life can bestow, including smart, loving and affluent parents.
They followed in their parents footsteps and went to expensive private colleges. The son was a good student who focused on athletics (he was an Olympic athlete) and socializing. He has gone on to a successful career in business and his dad says he seems really mature and well adjusted.
The daughter was an excellent student who strongly connected with woke Marxist professors who taught her that she was oppressed by White racism. She went on to a third rate academic career and is a whiny brat who has ballooned to 300 pounds.
I would say that the greatest impediment to success for privileged Blacks is our woke educational system that demands the become victims.
I would say that the greatest impediment to success for privileged Blacks is our woke educational system that demands the become victims.
All part and parcel.
As to your colleague's children, it is only because internalized racism exists that the educational system is able to mine it.
It doesn't matter what you say - someone will take offense.
And these days, those who take offense will GLADLY do anything they can to destroy your career. They are, after all, OFFENDED MIGHTILY and ETERNALLY and GREVIOUSLY at what you say, so you DESERVE everything they can do to you.
Especially if you apologize. Your apology means you KNOW you did wrong, and because you KNOW you did something wrong you MUST be punished.
And why shouldn't they act like this? It WORKS. It gets them attention, it gets them the respect of their peers, it gets them the satisfaction of knowing they've hurt someone else at no risk to themselves.
Yes, they're foul and harmful in the long run. But they're happy - because they've hurt someone else. And they can justify it in the guise of 'helping and protecting others'.
The greatest impediment to success for blacks in America is internalized racism.
Cite?
"After controlling for IQ, the probability of graduating from college is about the same for whites and Latinos, higher for blacks."
"After controlling for IQ, blacks and Latinos have substantially higher probabilities than whites of being in a high-IQ occupation."
"After controlling for IQ, ethnic wage differentials shrink from thousands to a few hundred dollars."
"And yet controlling just for IQ, ignoring both education and socioeconomic background, raises the average black wage to 98 percent of the white wage and reduces the dollar gap in annual earnings from wages for year-round workers to less than $600."
"Controlling for IQ cuts the black-white difference in incarceration by almost three-quarters."
All from Bell Curve, Chapter 14
If she was called hat will she qualify for reparations?
Never apologize to a mob.
When was the first time someone called you Becky?
Respond to the question with a question.
Maybe she should schedule a visit to a Mexican resort.
The Dems would probably pay for the trip.
Blogger Lem said...
it might’ve been PBS, about human sexuality. Women’s lips swell up to signal males
Those lips be shaky puddin’ when I’m done with ‘em...
Blogger Francisco D said...
Skippy Tisdale said...The greatest impediment to success for blacks in America is internalized racism.
Remember, this only applies to American blacks. A few years ago, a huge percentage of black college students on AA were foreign born. I saw this with medical students. African blacks are starting to see this, too. They come here and think it is a banquet.
The proper way to engage with the original tweet is to mute the author.
I do not go along with Ann on this: "Kerr was right to take down the tweet and apologize."
I do not think it is EVER right to apologize in the face of these twitter mobs. They are not really interested in what the victims of their targeting think or feel. They only use those victims to enforce their rule over all of us. Apologies only add to their power by confirming their judgments. They are not looking for a discussion or anyone's redemption. They are only interested in firming up their control. It is time for the Great Refusal. No, just say No. No apologies, no explanations, just a big third finger to all of them.
Lesson learned. Don't interact with blacks.
Bunkypotatohead said...
Lesson learned. Don't interact with blacks.
In all truthfulness (is that allowed?) this is the lesson many are learning.
A realistic discussion on race involves numbers- and they don't look good for exactly one ethnic group in America. And bringing up those numbers brings charges of RACISM!
“I wouldn't expect her to fight for school choice, which is her big issue in the campaign.
Her opponent, who is completely in the thrall of the Teachers Unions, will fight against School Choice.”
There has been a new wave of honesty and truth in America. Public School teachers are quite open that schools are not run for the benefit of children.
NCMoss said...
"Howard would like a little credit for taking a strong rhetorical stand against racism; ignore that his frequent "you people" sounds suspiciously racist."
Howard gets off on the smell of his own farts.
The Left is totalitarian.
When will white people learn? Never go on the record about n-words.
Those uppity white people don't know their place.
There is no Black AND Brown. This has nothing to do with Brown. Jesse Jackson started this black & brown shit 40 years ago when he saw the Browns growing in population, while Planned Parenthood was killing off Black babies keeping their population at 12%, while the Brown population shot up to 16%. White Democrats funded the race hustlers.
There is no such think as POC. Puerto Ricans do not have a problem in America. Nor Indians, Nor Chinese, nor Viet Namese, nor Cubans, nor Pacific Islanders, nor Koreans, nor Mexicans (except the illegal transplants).
The problem is Black. Let's focus on that.
White Democrats constantly tell Blacks they have a wound. They need to heal. They need to be catered to. They need to be coddled. Back in the '70s, the wound began to heal. White Democrats rushed in to rip the scab off the wound, because White Democrats needed to keep blacks wounded.
I didn't grow up in whitey white America. I lived with Black people all my life. And Jews. And Puerto Ricans. And Italians. A few Poles. I speak for none of them.
I just wish that whitey white Democrats would stop trying to help Black people. You destroyed the Black family, you shunted them into 'housing projects', you gave each other awards for being 'not racist'.
Meanwhile, Asians in ChinaTown are trying to figure out why some Blacks are killing them on the Street. Why do some Black people push White people onto the tracks of an oncoming train. Where does the hatred come from. It's not slavery.
They are pissed that White Democrats treat them like pets for political gain. Black people can handle racism.
They chafe, daily, at the condescending attitude of White Democrats.
The Browns melt in. Most Black people have, but
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