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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I am PP of above post. I meant to say racism against white women (or men) should be discussed - but put my parentheses in the wrong place which changed the meaning of my sentence. This typo is worth correcting because I don’t think the racism is there in the same way as being racist against white men. There’s less power dynamic there (which is not to say it’s ok to make bigoted or racially charged comments). It’s just that I don’t see this nearly as much. White women are the brunt more often. [/quote]

I'm a white woman and I just want to say I disagree with this. I don't think white women (or men) can experience racism and I don't think there's anything in this story that can be called racism (and I'm firmly on the side of Dorland who I think was badly treated and misrepresented).

Instead, I think what happens is that people in positions of power will use the language and culture of anti-racist activist in order to abuse their power. I have seen it with white men who revel in being able to call white women Karens -- it's just misogyny, but they are excited to have a social justice-approved tool to enact misogyny against white women. I am suspicious of any white person who uses the phrase "Karen" (and it's always a middle aged or older white woman, it's interesting how young and beautiful white women are never Karens let's think about why) to discredit a white woman they don't like. I don't feel the same when POC use it (usually) because I do think that historically white women have used their special status to enact violence against POC and as a white woman I think we need to be aware of and reckon with that.

But this situation is unique because the POC in this story are in a position of real power and authority and I think they are abusing the Karen concept, and the ideas of white saviourism and white womens tears, to abuse their power. It's interesting because I don't think this is that common, but it is happening here. Again, I don't think this is racism -- I actually think what Larson, Ng, and to a lesser extent Gay and some others on Twitter, are doing is damaging to the anti-racist movement because it's a misuse of anti-racist language to try and hurt someone who has not done something racist, who has not engaged in white saviourism, and who is not using "white womens tears" to hurt anyone. I think they are being incredibly short sighted.

But again, there's no such thing as anti-white racism. It's just a misappropriation of social justice ideas.[/quote]

I have to disagree with this.  I get that racism only becomes a problem when there is a power dynamic going on so your point is well taken to that extent.  However, "racism" as a word is broader than this and is appropriately used to describe a situation where antagonism is directed against a person due to their membership in a particular racial or ethnic group.  So, saying "there's no such thing as anti-white racism" is incorrect, but I think you are really saying that anti-white racism doesn't matter because whites have the power.  I think it does matter.

First, demonizing any group is at best not constructive but at worst creates a dangerous cycle where any group with a victim card can act with impunity.  Frankly, this is why the world feels constrained to ignore the inhumanity of Israel towards the Palestinians.  We've decided that we can only very quietly suggest that Israel please stop -- because Israel has a well-deserved fully engraved victim card.  (To be clear, I am not being facetious in describing Israel this way.  Their suffering in the holocaust was truly horrific but even truly horrific suffering does not license one to disregard another group's humanity.)  And when a POC group gangs up on a white woman, they get a pass because it would be misappropriation to suggest injustice?

But, second, not all whites have power.  This was a group of semi-POC feeling fully licensed to punch down on "poor white trash" on precisely your reasoning -- because there is no such thing as punching down on a white woman.  Except when there is.[/quote]

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