My plan was to take a few weeks of not posting anything while I worked to create an actual curriculum…a progression that will take us from wherever we are to a point of understanding how thoroughly race is woven into the fabric of this country; how politicians, talking heads, the disenfranchised, and the rich and powerful use race to divide and conquer in order to re-imagine our democracy into something that suits them and those that look like and believe like them; to get us to a place where we understand the foundation of our divide and how harmful it is whether you’re white and live in Maine or Black and live in South LA - whether you’re rich and live in White Gross Pointe or poor and live immediately adjacent to Gross Pointe in Black east Detroit. It is my core belief that Americans are good people – not all, but most - who abhor racism and that if they actually understood and could see and feel America’s thing with race that we would not still be grappling with it 403 years after White European Americans with a cruel streak and a supremacy complex forced black-skinned people ashore at present day Fort Monroe in Hampton Virginia. If we can develop a vaccine to a deadly virus in less than a year, and place a man on the moon nine years after we conceive of it, than 403 years of tolerating a thing that never should have happened in the first place is a sign that America just does not understand. I refuse to believe that America just doesn’t care. What I do believe is that America has been kept from understanding. My job is to change that.
Anyway, that was my plan and I’ll get back to it tomorrow. But today I’m taking a detour. You’ve heard me say that if you peel back a layer – one, thin, layer - you find the hard stench of racism. It’s everywhere. Today, sadly, Dilbert cartoon creator proved me right. You know Dilbert. He’s the goofy, confused, humble guy with insight into the nuttiness of others. Mostly, he’s funny. But his creator, Scott Adams, not so much.
From the Wall Street Journal: The former financial manager turned cartoonist made his comments on Wednesday in response to a Rasmussen Poll that said a small majority of Black Americans agreed with the statement “It’s OK to be white.”
Mr. Adams, in one of his regular talks he records and posts online, said, among other things, that white people should stay away from Black Americans.
“If nearly half of all Blacks are not OK with white people…that’s a hate group,” Mr. Adams said at one point in the video. “I don’t want to have anything to do with them. And I would say, based on the current way things are going, the best advice I would give to white people is to get the hell away from Black people…because there is no fixing this.”
Soon thereafter, newspapers began announcing they were dropping “Dilbert.”
On Friday, Chris Quinn, the vice president of content for Advance Ohio, which publishes the Plain Dealer, said the decision wasn’t difficult.
“We are not a home for those who espouse racism. We certainly do not want to provide them with financial support,” Mr. Quinn wrote in a letter from the editor.
Gannett Co. also said that the USA Today Network, which includes more than 200 newspapers, had dropped the strip.
“Recent discriminatory comments by the creator, Scott Adams, have influenced our decision to discontinue publishing his comic. While we respect and encourage free speech, his views do not align with our editorial or business values as an organization,” the statement said.
Similar statements came from the San Antonio Express-News, the Washington Post, the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Los Angeles Times on Saturday.
“The comics pages should be a place where our readers can engage with societal issues, reflect on the human condition, and enjoy a few laughs. We intend to maintain that tradition in a way that is welcoming to all readers,” the L.A. Times said.
From the Washington Post: Adams, 65, also blamed Black people for not “focusing on education” during the show and said, “I’m also really sick of seeing video after video of Black Americans beating up non-Black citizens.”
…Adams…on his YouTube show Saturday…offered a long, quasi-Socratic defense of his comments, which he said were taken out of context, and seemed to define racism as essentially any political activity. “Any tax code change is racist,” he said at one point in the show. He denounced racism against “individuals” and racist laws, but said, “You should absolutely be racist whenever it’s to your advantage. Every one of you should be open to making a racist personal career decision.”
…Adams did get support from at least one prominent name: Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of Twitter and CEO of Tesla. Musk appeared to defend Adams in a series of tweets Sunday, arguing that it is actually the media that is “racist against whites & Asians.”
The shift in Adams’s public image was initially intertwined with his praise for Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election. Since then, he has identified himself with increasingly extremist viewpoints.
From me: I have a former friend who used to say that the only reason that I see so much racism is because I look for it. Actually, I see so much racism is because there is so much racism. Thanks Scott Adams for making my point. Peel back a layer…
I think a great place to start is for white people to stop pointing at all the race violations they see in society, and start going inward and start being honest about their own personal struggles and fears with racism - AND START SHARING with other whites. Stop telling others to stop being "racist" until we are able to actually admit our own inner troubles with the topic TO EACH OTHER.. in the open.. and create a safe place for these discussions. It's time to really look inward and be willing to look into the areas we never look at bc we are always demanding better from others. All I ever read from white people are calls for others to be better, and be more like the good white people. A real conversation needs to start and it starts from personally looking at ourselves, how we were raised, what our fears are, what are privileges are and we need to share our own shortcomings. How many people post examples of atrocities on social media, but are unwilling to share about themselves in real conversation? How many people can't even look at themselves or the shame they have in their own lineage and legacy? Until white people start talking about their own personal white shame and discomfort with race nothing changes. I'm tired of cancel culture and people pointing at others to change. I'm Grant. I don't mean to be racist, but I was raised racist. I have been sheltered almost all my life, and if I were in a room with 20 people of color as the only white person.. I'd be uncomfortable. Who wants to talk about why?! Stop pointing outward, and get in touch with the racism in your own personal stories! Canceling Dilbert is all well and good, but all that comes from it are white people feeling good about that, knowing "I'm not that bad." "Look at him - he's racist - I say hi to black people all the time." Get real, white people. Have some courage to be honest and provide space for others to be honest too without everyone being tagged as witches when they do.
Oh.. and by the way... Race isn't even a thing. At some point we need to stop using the word "Race" bc it in and of itself is the great separator. Skin color is real. Culture is real. Ethnicity is real. Race is NOT REAL.
Another excellent, spot-on post, Wayne. Thank you.