Black Outrage, and How We Should Ignore Stupidity

By: Rafeeat Bishi

      In a blog post, I mentioned how I'm tired of talking about racism and that  I'd like to focus on some positives that are going on with minority communities. I'll continue to try and spread awareness for issues that I believe are necessary knowledge, but other than that...

BOOOO

     There's been stuff going around on Twitter about Bhad Babie blackfishing and TikTok kids being racist, and to be honest (this may sound bad) I don't care.

      I see more people tweeting about the shock value of these things than actually bringing conversations to the forefront. Those of us who constantly click on their pages to go and comment are the ones who make them famous.

                                                                                            

  

Yayyy!!!

      A video I watched recently commented about how Kim Kardashian said it doesn't hurt her numbers when people talk about her. And I agree.

      All publicity is good publicity because many companies only care about how many clicks you get, not what people are saying once they click. 

      I think we should, for the sake of our wellbeing, avoid unnecessary interactions. If we see some bad behavior, Twitter FBI (or you) can do it's thing, contact the necessary people and move on. Continually reposting and quoting with the words "thoughts?" or "omg this is so bad" will only encourage others to do what can get them on the timeline. 

      Bhad Babie behaved terribly and is now a millionaire with a music career. So there's that. 

      Also. Black people and minorities are not knights in shining armor who can do whatever to stop bad people. Most of us know that people are racist and that society treats us terribly, we don't need to see it in our messages or DMs. We don't need to be reminded 24/7. 

      We should try and withhold from sending friends "look at what's going on" when we can assume they'll already know. Looking at it doesn't lift our spirits, especially if we're in a position where we have no power.

     We can't solve every problem. If a situation is out of our hands, we move on. I'm not saying to ignore bad behavior, use whatever power you have to stop injustice. Spread awareness for big issues! But when it comes to petty people doing nonsense, whose ideas aren't changing anytime soon, don't put your energy towards them. Why should I spend my time getting mad at racists I can't stop or hold accountable when I could be eating a Reese's or watching Glee?

Let's talk about some positives from time to time!

https://thebottomline.as.ucsb.edu/2020/02/how-culture-vultures-take-advantage-of-black-outrage 

https://thegrio.com/2018/02/01/kim-kardashian-tomi-lahren-black-outrage/ 

Canadian Couple Threatens Indiegneous Safety

By: Rafeeat Bishi 

       When we think of Canada with think of the anti-thesis of America, or what America should be. But from the accounts of many Indigenous Canadians, there are many systemic issues that Canada needs to work through. Especially it's the treatment of the indigenous peoples. This post, however, is more about the actions of one aloof couple.

         As more and more people are looking for the best ways to isolate and avoid the virus, one couple thought it would be smart to go north of the Article Circle to seek refuge. Rightfully, they were turned away from the Chief of a tribe in the Yukon. According to an article they sold everything they owned and went straight there.

         Some Indigenous Canadians described being equipped to self-isolate and live off-land, with supplies being delivered periodically. So it makes sense for them to stay on their land. However, some communities, like the one in the Yukon, do not have medical doctors and have elderly populations with underlying conditions.

         I think this is an example of pure ignorance and disrespect. Not only have these people asked others to stay away from the land they're entitled to, but what made these people think they would immediately be given refuge unannounced? I understand that fear can lead to irrational decision-making. But I mean really??

          People compared this to the way Europeans have historically spread diseases to Native populations all over, ultimately killing them off, because they felt they were entitled to a place on the Natives' land.

          If people like the couple were informed of the difference in mortality rates for Black, Indigenous and other POC, maybe they would've reconsidered their decision to go to the community.


Also: I read that missionaries think this is the time to spread religion to Indigenous communities. -_-. 

Also also: Watch Something's in the Water on Netflix. My queen Ellen Page documents environmental racism in Canada and how it impacts Indigenous communities. 

Police Brutality During the Pandemic

By: Rafeeat Bishi

         A young kid was at 145th Street in Harlem selling chips and candy to support his family before being harassed by officers. They tackled him, kicked his food, took his jacket, and dragged him up the stairs as his mother pleaded for him to be let go. People at the station filmed and one person was arrested for interfering.

        Considering our conversation on Black and Brown people still having to expose themselves to the virus, an interesting question would be is this punishment warranted?

        This kid is probably selling chips to support his family. He is not overstepping his bounds, and yes, during a pandemic, we should be careful of what we take from strangers. But instead of cops helping him or his family find resources and letting him off with a warning, they criminalized him, most likely causing him trauma for who knows how long.

        I would think during a pandemic that the NYPD would not waste resources on an incident like this. But who am I to have hope?

        Is it okay to be doing extra jobs during this time, even if there's a risk of spreading the virus? Or can we not blame communities for needing to support themselves because their society won't give them the help they need? This is just one example of the system (police) proving that when it comes to poor minority communities, they can not be a source of safety. If it was a white kid selling lemonade, they would've gotten a picture and a handshake.

Here are some videos of the incident. Trigger Warning: Police violence and language