Man, white people are mad this week!
For some reason, they seem a little perturbed with The Root this week. I don’t know what happened but it must be our fault because our caucasian readers usually have such pleasant demeanors.
Let’s look in the Mailbag and see if we can pinpoint the cause of their consternation.
It started on Friday with the article about Condoleezza Rice’s appearance on The View.
From: Andrew
To: Michael HarriotHey man, I’m a white guy that went to school in the 70s. I’m from Idaho. A very conservative state. We were taught about slavery and all the bad things that went along with it. At no point we’re we taught that slaves were happy. I read your your article about secretary rice. You are full of shit ….your just making shit up to cause turmoil. Your just a spoiled fucking punk!!!
To say today’s children should feel guilty for something done by a stranger before they were born is criminal! Fuck you!!!!
How much money have you made from your bullshit?
Call me a snowflake ….that’s as bad as me calling you a slur. Your just another asshole making millions of off your racist rants. You don’t give a fuck about anyone but yourself. Another selfish pussy!!!
Dear everyone,
I really don’t know how to respond to your argument because, aside from calling me names, you haven’t really made a point. I presented facts, data and research and you simply replied that I was a race-baiting mean cunt. So instead of trying to dismantle your nonsensical argument, I want to ask you a question:
What’s it like being dumb?
Seriously, I want to know. I truly want to know what it’s like to have every resource America has to offer at the tip of your fingers and to still not want to know shit. You have the best schools with more funding, but you still don’t want your children to have all the available information. You have police protecting everything you own, and you still want them to pay millions in settlements for shooting Black people in the face. You own every large media outlets, but you don’t want them to report actual facts. You have every technological advancement, but you still don’t want to hear scientific facts.
I know why you like being dumb. Being dumb is easy if you’re white. You can be a C student and still become president. You can drive a Hummer and not care about climate change. You can walk around without a mask. You don’t get disproportionally shot by police. Being ignorant of the actual truth really makes no difference in the life of a white person.
I know y’all like to say that Black people don’t value education while simultaneously executing slaves for reading, spitting on our kids for trying to attend your schools and keeping our history hidden, but I kinda want to know what it’s like to really know to have so much privilege that a lack of knowledge, education and information doesn’t affect you in any way. I want to know what it’s like to be intentionally ignorant.
Because that’s what it is. There isn’t a single point from the article mentioned in your objections to the article. You just don’t think it should exist, even if it’s true.
On second thought...Maybe I don’t wanna know.
It might make me feel bad.
Then, on Saturday during a segment on MSNBC’s The Cross Connection when I made this comment about the antics Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.)
I like to look at Marjorie Taylor Green in another way. We kinda marginalize her and say she’s kooky and crazy, but she’s really a condensation of all the white people in America and what they’re going through right now. We see American white people are going crazy. They’re resorting to violence. They’re calling the police on people who are walking down the street. They’re facing an existential crisis where they are endanger of no longer being in the majority.
It’s easy to sideline and marginalize her as someone who’s crazy, but what she’s really a manifestation of all the white grief and all the white violence in the country right now. She’s representing an actual constituency—Karens mixed with Chads mixed with white people who are aggrieved because they’re losing their country.
As you can guess, the word “all” appearing in the same sentence as “white people” made a few people go full MTG.
From: Rebecca
To: MichaelI just heard your comment this morning on MNSBC about Marjorie Taylor Greene and how ALL WHITE PEOPLE are crazy. That is a very unfair statement and think you know that. I for one would have your back long before I would have bat shit crazy Marjorie Taylor Greene.
From: Richard
To: Michael HarriotI was watching the Cross Connection and some of your comments bothered me. Saying “all white people” in relation to various social matters. As a Retired History Teacher I always taught the actual History of our nation. I call everyday exposing the Lie that CRT is being taught in our High Schools in Tennessee. I contact Republican Legislator after Legislator to expose their false narrative of our History. When Teaching I covered the Good, The Bad and The Ugly from 1619 to Tulsa to The Civil Rights Movement.
I find your comments that all white people think or feel the same is very unfair. Tennessee like other Southern States want and have altered our History Curriculum in a negative direction. I would be fired if I were still Teaching since informed individuals know CRT is only an advanced College Course depending upon the Institution. You most likely will not respond since I realize that you are busy but placing all people into a category to fit one’s point is unfair to all of Society.
If you did receive this message Mr. Harriott, thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts.
From: Stephan
To: Michael HarriotI have just listened to your comments on the Cross Connection, and I must take issue. You referenced a condensation of “all white people” in a derogatory fashion, as if there exist no white people who are advocates of equality and ending modern day discrimination, who have understanding that distinctions in culture do not justify condescention, etc. - and this is categorically incorrect.
Discrimination against Black Americans factually exists. It exists intentionally, unintentionally, and systematically. This does not mean that there are not white or other individuals, such as myself, who are active politically or otherwise, for a variety or reasons, but in part, on behalf of of African American rights.
I understand that not “all” African Americans, Christians, plumbers, or Whites, or whatever demographics, fall into this or that mindset, but that there are instead a variety or beliefs and behaviors existing in each group, and I would like to believe that you believe so too. Granted, discrimination of Blacks comes predominantly from Whites. Comparatively, discrimination of LGBT citizens comes predominantly from the Religious, but I do not categorically claim that it comes from “all” believers.
Furthermore, understanding that there are whites and others who sincerely wish to work against black discrimination, it is not helpful in that effort to malign all, in public statements.
Dear guys,
Let me tell you a story.
When Marjorie Taylor Greene was first elected, I noticed that her campaign profile said she was a graduate of the University of Georgia. This was back when almost every day, another politician was stepping forward to admit that he or she wore blackface while in college. I don’t know how you feel about her, but I just feel like she’s someone who would wear blackface, so I went back to check her college yearbook and couldn’t find her.
That was strange.
I found a picture of her in the UGA yearbook as a freshman, so she definitely attended. But she never showed up in the yearbook after that. She didn’t show up in a newspaper article. I actually went to the school library and looked for the graduation programs, but her name didn’t appear in any of the university’s graduation programs. So I began wondering: “Did MTG graduate from college?”
Finally, I called the school’s admissions office and a woman answered the phone and told me that Greene graduated from UGA. I could tell that she didn’t look it up but she told me that other journalists had called and she had already looked it up. She couldn’t give out anything but the dates she was enrolled, but she was there for four years. Just before she hung up, she said something weird.
“And she was a good student.”
I casually asked her why she thought so, and she said: “Well, most people don’t graduate in just eight semesters. Why? Do you think she’s not smart?”
That was strange as fuck. I wasn’t buying it.
So I went on Twitter and asked if there was anyone who knew MTG in college, some people said they knew her. They each said that they had never seen her act the same way she does now. Most of them—even the ones who disagreed with her politics—said that she was genuinely a nice person. Curiously, they all also said she was “smart.”
I’m sure Greene kisses her children at night. I’m sure she makes a great green bean casserole. I’m sure people think she’s smart. And I’m sure she gets the benefit of the doubt. But I can’t figure out why people think she’s nice.
I know Marjorie Taylor Greene also stalked a teenage boy who witnessed a mass murder. She harassed a Black woman so much that she had to move to a different office. She likes the thought of a bullet in Nancy Pelosi’s head. She advocated for political violence. She said Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib “should go back to the Middle East.”
Before Marjorie Taylor Greene was elected to Congress, she never achieved any measure of success worthy of anyone thinking of her as brilliant. She worked at a gym and then ran one for three years. Then she became a congresswoman. She has publicly done and said stupid things.
She benefits from being an innocuous-looking white woman who receives the benefit of the doubt. She is not nice. She is not smart. She is just white.
Former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows claimed to have a bachelor’s degree. He doesn’t. Lauren Boebert didn’t even graduate from high school but is considered a “poised, strong, intelligent woman.” Rand Paul has been in the Senate for a decade and even ran for president, but everyone assumes he earned a bachelor’s degree, went to medical school and became a board certified physician. He only did one of those things. But many still refuse to believe Obama graduated from Columbia with a 3.7 GPA and earned his way to Harvard.
I don’t think all white people are the same. I know there are some who don’t like racism. I will have to assume that you may be cool. But I’m sure all white people get the benefit of the doubt.
And here’s how I know: You were watching the highest-rated news show on television at the time, saw someone who was invited to be a guest on that show, and you had the audacity to say: “This dude needs to hear what I have to say.”
And, the crazy thing is, here I am, replying to you. Because that’s how privilege works in America. You truly believe that your opinion matters to me because this country has gifted all white people with the belief that they have the right to be represented in every conversation.
Yes, all white people.
And even if she doesn’t represent your political view, Marjorie Taylor Greene represents your position that your outrage is important. She represents your audacity. She represents the fact that a retired teacher, a construction worker and a random dude on Facebook are aggrieved and someone needs to make it right.
And it’s not your fault. I just gave you the benefit of the doubt, just like that lady who actually knows things gave Greene the benefit of the doubt by saying that she must be smart because she graduated in eight semesters.
In 1996, the University of Georgia was on the quarter system.
Finally, white people found my conversation from The Root Institute with Brittany Cooper and a shitstorm emerged.
From: Jeff
To: Michael HarriotSo, you think White people are the problem, you think they are evil and need to be taken out?
With what? Would you care for an open debate? I have no degree, I’m just a guy who thinks if himself and you were to openly debate I think I could win. I’m even willing to debate a university professor that your recently interviewed, yes this schmuck thinks he can win in the CRT debate about why you are wrong.
If you decline me you lose, if you block me, yes you lose!
The debate that is
The only way you can win is to debate in-front of a diverse audience or on a video call. There may be no interruptions by myself, or yourself or anyone else when one or the other is talking. You or I may not use another person to speak on behalf.
This is a fair 1 v 1 scenario
It can be done infront of a YouTube audience. Or live audience.
In a neutral location
It can’t be done in any location we would consider a home base.
What’s on the line, well I did say
Are you up for the challenge?
From: Frank D
From: Fake Name
To: The RootYour display on critical race theory is as disgusting as your guest. Fueling the fire by spitting gas on yourself won’t get you far.... Smart move racist degenerate fucks....
From: Jeff
To: Michael Harriot
You, and Brittney Cooper are the perfect example of what is wrong with our country!!! Two low life pieces of scum that do not deserve to be allowed one more second to live in this country. With talk such as what this was, you two are the ones that need taken out!!
Dear everyone,
We said what we said.
More details next week.