I’ve been observing something that I’m calling white surprise. Let’s talk about it.
For so many people in America the last 6 months have been an absolute journey. There is perhaps no better way to describe it, because like all journeys the path is different. The Rise of Trump is something that Americans have been describing with shock, and awe. They are, nothing short of surprised that a man like this could be elected, by the people, to govern over the United States of America. But, do you know who has not been surprised by almost any of this?
Wanna know who isn’t surprised by the overtly racist Muslim Travel Ban put in place immediately after Trump took office?
Would you care to know who is NOT surprised, at all, that in spite of every negative bit of news released about Trump there are people who support him?
Even most recently, as Trump refuses to condemn violence against mosques and also threats to Jewish synagogues I continue to hear, surprise. But it’s what I’m calling White Surprise. Because the one group of people who are not shocked one bit, are black people.
Following the election in November, Dave Chappelle showed up to host Saturday Night Live, and did this skit with Chris Rock. In it, he and Rock made fun of their ‘white friends’ who could not believe that Hillary lost the election. They could not believe that Trump won and was going to be the 45th President. But, neither of them were shocked. They were the symbolic representation of black people everywhere. Black people told you that racism continues to be a problem in this nation when Rodney King got his ass whooped; and the cops who did it, walked free.
Black people told you racism was STILL a problem when George Zimmerman murdered Trayvon and was treated like a guest at the Police Station rather than a suspect. We told ‘white america’ that and most of ‘white america’ rallied to the defense of a killer. When Police were on film murdering black people, and getting away with it, we pointed to that and said see – more proof that racism is an issue. I put ‘white america’ in quotations because truly, white isn’t about race.
It’s Identity Politics at this point. Several blacks, Asians, Jews, Hispanics, even Muslims all ‘identify’ as white.
All are united in their love for all things white; and their equal but at times surpassing disdain for all things black!
None of what I am saying is ‘news’ to black people.
We are well aware of these issues and have, for years now, attempting to make white people aware also. I pin all of this white surprise, on the fact that white people have tuned black people out. On some level they are going along with it. If they weren’t, they would be calling it out. We see the few who are doing that and have been doing that. It’s just not very many, at all.
Meanwhile, the constant efforts by white supremacists to convince ‘moderate white people‘ that blacks are just making things up, has allowed for all that has unfolded, in just the past year. With overwhelming evidence that white supremacists were the main ones Donald Trump was talking to, award winning film maker Ava DuVernay made a film called 13th. This film shows beyond a shadow of a doubt, that everything Black America has been saying about America has been true.
This nation has not changed it’s stripes much at all.
This is still a nation that puts white skin, as more valuable than others.
So all of the white surprise over the rise of Trump is truly something to watch.
They are so civil about it.
Meanwhile, Trump supporters are anything but civil! Most of them are mean, angry trolls who are attacking anyone on Twitter that does not support their president. Most of them were also Zimmerman supporters, and Wilson (Darren) Supporters. Most of them believe that groups like Black Lives Matter, are terrorist groups. They all think the KKK isn’t a real threat.
It’s madness – but it’s what black people have been dealing with for our entire existence in this nation, since the white man came to this land proclaiming Manifest Destiny.
No Surprise here. Plenty of white surprise though. Which begs to question are they surprised?
*Update May 2, 2018 –
We used this photo of Dave Chappelle and Chris Rock again, in an article on Celebrity Worshiping Gone Wrong :: it fits with this commentary on “White Surprise” as, unfortunately black people get hung up in this too. [commentary: Trump Making America Garbage Again] When our black entertainers start to do well, they begin to think white society accepts them. When black people ‘forget’ who they are and where they are it is problematic. Take a moment to read this commentary including Nick Cannon, and a shout out to Ja Rule.