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Published 8 years ago by Splitfish with 8 Comments

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  • VerteDinde
    +13

    I was just in the t/lounge, where we were speaking about what our ideal Snapzu looked like. One user, I think it was spaceghoti, has a great quote: "My ideal Snapzu is an open market of ideas and open discussion. We're not always going to agree, but we're not going to punish each other for it."

    I really resonate with that! So, in the spirit of building that community, I'm going to post an opinion that I know a few people will probably disagree with and I welcome any disagreement and comments from you all.

    This was a racially motivated killing. I don't think there's any way we can deny that. The shooter had a jacket with the symbols for South African and Zimbabwe apartheid on them - not something you see often in the Southern USA. He went to a historically black church - one that has a history of experiencing racially motivated violence - sat with members of the church for nearly an hour hour and then stood up and murdered six women and three men, all black. He announced to the eyewitnesses left standing that he "had to do it, you rape our women and you're taking over our country. You have to go."

    And I can understand why the black community in America is so angry - they have a right to be. There's a complicated backdrop unfolding behind this crime, in a thousand subtle details. A confederate flag at the South Carolina state capitol was lowered to half mast to honor the killings. Media outlets are already describing the killer as "quiet, soft-spoken" and "mentally ill," descriptions which many doubt a black or brown killer would have received. Dylann Storm was taken in alive, despite possessing a gun on his person at the time of his arrest - again, something that anecdotal evidence would have listed as much less likely if the suspect was black.

    I'm a younger white woman, and I feel a little odd being the one to speak on a racial issue. But I can understand why black community leaders would be so angry, and I do think this will increase racial tension. And that...

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    • alapseofsanity
      +5

      Nah, I don't think most people disagree with you at all. We're in a weird time of a lot of racial tension. I think the black community has a right to be angry. I don't think it's so much disagreement as it is some of that anger turning into extremism, and shutting down any form of discussion that might hold dissenting opinions.

      I don't think most people are like extremist, but I have a friend of mine I've known for many years who is black. He's taken on some pretty extreme viewpoints in the wake of a lot of the news stories in the past couple of years. And this guy isn't some tumblr-type SJW. He's a really articulate, intelligent, well-spoken guy that I hold a lot of respect for. But he gets these extreme viewpoints and inserts race into so many discussions that it becomes increasingly uncomfortable to talk to him. I'm not shy around discussing racial issues, but I just don't like going into a conversation having to put up a shield because I might be accused of being racist and/or ignorant. And if anything, it only serves to drive a wedge between him and the people who care about him. This happens a lot on the internet where people without a strong voice in the real world can make themselves heard.

      The only thing I sometimes question is whether or not the news is trying to sensationalize things. A lot of stories will have a lot more details and subtlety that major news outlets will ignore in order to support their narrative. I didn't get a chance to read this whole article yet, but that's probably not true in this case considering mass murder is usually pretty cut and dry. But I do like to make myself informed, and sometimes that means reading a lot of conflicting information that makes situations seem a lot less black and white. Sometimes people aren't as comfortable when things aren't so black and white, and so it makes discussion difficult.

  • grandtheftsoul
    +8

    I sincerely hope this doesn't spark a firestorm of racial chaos. Again.

    • baron778
      +6

      Just what we need, more racial tension.

      • Gozzin
        +4

        Indeed..And I fear there could be a copy cat or two waiting in the wings.

      • Jupiter7
        +2

        Agreed - and I think racial tension is exactly what the shooter wants.

  • Autumnal
    +7

    Horrific, and so sad to hear about the Senator.

  • ethics
    +1

    300 million people living in the US. There will be some who are 'zapped'. Not excusing this, of course, but I am actually surprised by how much this doesn't happen on regular basis. And by "this" I mean massacres. Regardless of race, religion, and many other differences we have in the US society.

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