Why is it that white people get a bee in their bonnets when?

Question

Blacks speak of slavery [the oft cited quotes being.. "well we didn't do it and/or it was over 400 years ago and "get over it", yet I do not see you saying to Jewish people - "Oh the Holocaust was nearly 70 years ago get over it!". The effects of that are still felt today but mention of this is permitted, but slavery or even the more recent Jim Crow laws [which only ended 41 years ago]
have to be "got over"...

AND ONCE AGAIN THE QUESTION IS NOT ANSWERED. I DO NOT SEE WHITE PEOPLE SAYING TO JEWISH PEOPLE "GET OVER IT" THE ONLY PEOPLE THEY USE THIS TERM TO IS BLACK PEOPLE!!!

I say white people as I have spent a considerabe amount of time looking at the questions on this board concerning slavery and the answers are overwhelmingly the same from white people "get over it". My conclusion therefore is that most if not all white people feel this way.. but would never dare say this to a Jewish person!!!

MR SCEPTIC.. AND VICROMS OF THE LYNCHINGS, JIM CROW LAWS AND KKK ARE STILL ALIVE TODAY! SEGREGATION ONLY ENDED IN 1965.

Look I am Black and from the UK.. I am not looking for an apology but certainly do not like listening to comments saying "get over
it" regarding instances which happened just over 40 years ago - i.e KKK lynchings. etc. As for the Jews not asking for reparations, they did not need to.. they got Israel and are a very wealthy people anyway!

As for Blacks selling Blacks into slavery be that as it may.. the fundamental point is that Blacks never sold Whites into slavery!!

PLEASE READ THE QUESTION.. I HAVE MENTIONED THE JIM CROW LAWS AS BEING A RECENT EPISODE IN TERMS OF OPPRESSION TOWARDS BLACKS AND MAY PEOPLE FROM THIS ERA ARE STILL ALIVE. I DID NOT SOLEY MENTION SLAVERY...

Answer 1

A number of people really have not read your question correctly and perhaps they need to. You have stated that segregation was a more recent occurrence for which Black people are permitted no acknowledgement. Whereas the Holocaust which happened over 60 years ago is mentioned consistently.

This is very true in every sense and the reason why the oppression of black people is marginalised is something I shall never be able to fathom I'm afraid..Maybe it has something to do with the fact that the Jewish communities are overwhelmingly more powerful than the Black communities and have been able to ensure that the events occuring in their history remain in our consciousness. I suspect it is because people are to a certain extent inherently racist towards Black people and so their history and experiences become inconsequential. If you think about it no one ever calls for a repeat of the Holocaust [nor should they] yet there are many people today who still advocate that Blacks should become slaves again such is the prevalence of racism towards them.

That systematic lynchings, beatings,rape and segregation ended only 40 odd years ago yet people convienently choose to forget this whilst remembering the Holocaust is a little sinister, and I do believe that the colour of one's skin impacts greatly on the extent of sympathy which is afforded to that race....

You can only apologise for something if you are truly sorry about it and I suspect that White America in particular is really not that sorrowful about it

BTW These are not my personal feelings just my observations
Take Care

Answer 2

White people have done some terrible things to black people, agreed. Nobody should ever say get over it. But slavery has happened all over the world, to all different races. It happened in Africa between black people. I think some black people captured others to sell them into slavery. Every single country in this world has been guilty of something in the past, it's just an issue of the timescale. The holocaust happened in some peoples, who are still around now, life time, millions of people were exterminated and no it wasn't just Jews. I think you should have issues of what has happened to black people, maybe people wouldn't say get over it if you talked about black lynchings or the kkk because that didn't happen all that long ago.

By the way, ignore some people on here, they spout cr*p most of the time. I wouldn't say that they dare not say this to a Jew though. There have been many people saying the holocaust didn't even happen. We never owned slaves either and we can't really apologise for things that happened hundreds of years ago, I know for a fact that none of my ancestors owned a slave here in Wales.

But black people didn't have the power to do that centuries ago. Europeans just travelled more, I think they were more advanced with ship building and being able to travel the globe to actually capture slaves. Black people used slavery but within their own race. I know white people were also slaves within Europe too.

Answer 3

It seems to me as a white male in the USofA that those who get a "bee in their bonnet" FEEL that they are getting blamed for what happened and still happens to a lesser degree.

Also some of people see that a relatively small percentage of the USofA population, has had a very large impact on the culture and legal system in this country. I'm talking here about things such as affermative action. I'm not saying it's wrong or right, just that it gets lots of people riled up. It therefor seems to many that the black population, by being very vocal, has had a bigger influence than is due. Again, not necessarily something with which I concur.

There is alos the position that by continually bringing it up the country can't move on or heal. This I absolutely disagree with, as long as the discussions are diplomatic and constructive from both sides.

Hope this is an answer that you can accept.

Answer 4

Well, some (not all) black people act as if white people should be apologizing and 'making restitution' every time they turn around. Personally, I've yet to hear a Jewish person demand restitution for the Holocaust -- even the elderly ones who suffered in the camps.

Slavery, Jim Crow laws, and the Holocaust were all terrible tragedies that should have never happened. But I don't feel personally responsible for something I didn't do and don't perpetuate. However, I don't go around saying, "Get over it," either.

Answer 5

I'm a white person. Slavery was a terrible episode in our history and I regret that it happened. I can't however see why an apology from me has any value at all. Also, slavery still exists in the world today and is not exclusively a case of whites 'owning' blacks.

The Holocaust was a terrible episode in history and I'm sure that Germans of my age (mid 40s) regret that it happened, but equally are not in a position for an apology to have any meaning.

The difference between the two cases is one of proximity in time. Victims of the concentration camps are still alive today - some of those who carried out such crimes are alive today, indeed we have a former Hitler Youth member in the Vatican.

They are both shameful episodes - just one is chronologically closer to us.

Answer 6

I think perhaps you are asking a question that those who can answer...don't want to answer!

The truth may well be that there are no white people left alive who want to take responsibility for something that cannot be justified.

It has to be said that in my experience, discussions on the holocaust do not involve any acceptance of responsibility for it.

I think the main difference is that the slave trade was an act of mass murder that took place over an extended and undefined period of time, whereas the holocaust is documented and identified with a specific time and location.

The reason we appear to get a bee in our bonnets...is because we get embarrassed and don't know what to say.

Answer 7

i'm white and i fully understand the issue of slavery and how terrible it was to various communities. but at the same time as sympathising, I don't apologise as an individual. just as I don't expect a german 21 year old to apologise about the holocaust.

either way, i don't think that differentiating 'white' people from 'black' people is a particularly efficient way to sort out problems like this.

perhaps we should look at how western communities as a whole are actively 'enslaving' others, particularly poor communities. when was the last time you saw someone apologise to a worker in a sweat shop for example? look at the wider picture.

Answer 8

After interpreting all of the responses here, i think of that's amazingly achievable you're turning out to be your answer. What gets me are some who respond decrease back to the reality that the united kingdom has yet had a chief Minister of colour. that's slightly overreaching so a great way as i'm worried. look how long it has taken the U. S. to get a achievable candidate for President who replaced into no longer Caucasian. we could continuously no longer be throwing stones at absolutely everyone else. extremely frankly i'm embarrassed via lots of the hateful comments published here.

Answer 9

As an white man i can understand the bitterness expressed against slavery , and i make no excuses for the terrible things that happend but you must remember it was negroes that raided villages and sold there own people into slavery, in the first place, so all are guilty of a terrible crime against humanity not just the white race, arab slavers were still operating in Arabia as late as 20 years ago

Answer 10

slavery was only over in this country in the late 1800s, less than 150 years ago. it was not 400 years. of course it's impossible for a population thus traumatized to 'get over' such oppression. whites do not understand because they have not experienced it. Discrimination has not ended. The problems resulting from inequality plague us today. Just try to help whites understand that's my only advice. Gently, not like you are accusing them of someting.