Hey, remember when Kofi Adu-Boahen sent Saiko Woods a screenshot from a private combox of a few P&P contributors using the word “bruh” and Saiko posted it and then accused us of being dirty racist bigots? You know, because white people can’t say that word.
Remember when Dwight McKissic called me a racist at SBC Voices for my post on Ferguson, urging for personal responsibility? You know, because white people can’t talk about a systemic lack of personal responsibility in the black community. Unless they’re racist, obviously.
Good times. Good times.
Actually, it’s not fun. I mean, hey. I could whip out photos of my black (can I say that word, or nah?) brother-in-law and nephew and niece or trot out my black (melanin-rich American?) friends or link my sermon manuscripts in which I repudiate racism or remind you I’ve written against the Kinists and RJ Rushdoony’s legitimate racism. But, I’d just prefer being raked over the coals and twitter-lynched twitter-tarred and feathered and be drug out into the cyber street by an internet mob of vigilante social justice activists.
Not really. It’s not as fun as it sounds.
So then, my phone starts beeping while I’m at the 1689 Conference and not because people are wondering what Sam Waldron is teaching on. No, it’s that tsunami of skubalon that hit social media tonight because a certain Phoenix apologist (I know you’re thinking Steven Anderson, but no) happened to make the following error, which may or may not be a mortal sin and possibly unforgivable…
- He described a juvenile-appearing individual who flipped off a cop, dumped out his beverage in the street and littered, throwing the container in a bush, and did all of the above in full public view. He also [insert dramatic music] described the juvenile’s ethnicity/race/skin color.
- He went on to discuss the problems that anyone with a literate streak and who watches the news occasionally is well aware are systemic in that ethnicity’s subculture; chiefly, fractured families due to out-of-wedlock births and abortion.
To make matters worse, and as though you needed any more evidence, this apologist’s last name clearly reeks of White privilege. Ahem.
So, the outrage. I mean, OUTRAGE. No, that’s not right. OUTRAGE!!!
There we go. It’s a three-exclamation mark outrage on the outrage meter. How dare he.
So then, a certain theonomist whose name rhymes with Schmoel McTurman flatly accused Dr. White of racism. Nevermind that the theonomist’s grandfather-in-law is commonly characterized as a “a racist, sexist, Jew-hating bigot who denies the holocaust” and whose racist connections to Kinism are well documented. Yet, I don’t remember McTurman ever accusing grandpa of racism (even though it is profound and obvious).
Then, a certain rap artist who may or may not regularly collaborate with nefarious characters (nevermind, I’m just being polemical) also thinks James White, I mean “the Phoenix apologist” needs a good talking to. You know. Because rap artists are clearly the people to be calling out said apologists. They rap, for crying out loud. Don’t question a guy who rhymes for a living. Do you rhyme for a living? I don’t think so.
So then, a virtual dog pile commences, in which the apologist has to shut down his Twitter account and probably, I assume, find concealment and cover from all the bricks being thrown in his direction. Because that’s how you cure such overt racism – virtual social media bricks.
Can I speak for (white, black, pink, purple and camouflage) people and give a resounding and enthusiastic “PUH-LEEASE.”
Seriously. I don’t think said apologist is perfect or is always right (I’m sure the feeling is mutual) but one thing is for sure – the good-hearted fellow is not a racist. That’s utter nonsense. Furthermore, those who had a pre-existing beef with said apologist who have capitalized on this faux outrage are sinning in their disingenuousness.
We simply cannot have a rational and reasonable discussion on race when everyone has to walk on egg-shells and avoid saying patently obvious and true, albeit inconvenient things (or to say true things inconveniently). The behavior exhibited toward toward Dr. White, I mean “Phoenix Apologist,” is what Doug Wilson calls “the totalitolerance brigade” and the “tolerance buzzsaw.”
Remember back when serious theologically-minded people didn’t accuse others of thought-crimes?
Also good times. Good times.
[Contributed by JD Hall]
