Reply #114: racism does not go "both ways"

[William Z. Foster]

Racism and bigotry do not "go both ways" no matter how hard the right wing pundits try to convince us of that. Suburbanites, as a class, are not persecuted, oppressed or disadvantaged.

I have not called anyone a racist. I claim that racism permeates the society. You disagree with that? You aren't seeing it, you say. I thought it odd that one "from Detroit" who is dismissing the OP about charter schools - you apparently support them - would talk about the problems of the city so authoritatively and yet not mention racism.

I did not "go around randomly calling people racists." I never call anyone a racist - I think it is meaningless and weak to do so. Racism exists in words, attitudes and actions, not in some interior state of being - "he 'is' a racist." I said that racism was rampant in the suburbs. It was you who took that personally and presumed it was directed at you, and then argued back. Why would that be? I say that racism is a main factor in the decline of Detroit, and that you routinely hear racist comments in the suburbs. Who would respond to that with "that's not true!!" and then attack me as being bigoted against the suburbs? Can't you see that you have illustrated my point for me?

You would have us believe that it is both the racists and those objecting to racism who are equally to blame for Detroit's problems. Who would argue that, and whom does that serve?

No Hannah did not attack others, the others attacked people because they "were not from Detroit" and so therefore did not understand what is going on. She pointed out that the "from Detroit" crowd was actually from the suburbs. You denied that this mattered. Well, my friend, I am from Detroit and it very much matters and I agree with the people you tried to dis,miss and invalidate because they are not from Detroit. Ergo, your entire argument - that you initiated - has now collapsed into a steaming pile of smoldering ruin. Your response - you try the old right wing reversal trick, claim that I am bigoted, that I don't know what it is like in the suburbs (notice how you have abandoned you original premises here about you knowing the city) etc.

You out and out say here "treat us white suburbanites well if you want any help for Detroit" - "you can continue with your self-righteousness if you want but it won't help improve the situation in Detroit."

I did not say that I am fighting for justice, I said that you are taking the oppositional position against those who are. I didn't say that "everyone else is reactionary and conservative" I said that your remarks were.