5 ms·

If you’re offended by a piece that suggests it’s odd to have a week-long all white get-together in a state where 36% of the population is black, I’d suggest the

If you’re offended by a piece that suggests it’s odd to have a week-long all white get-together in a state where 36% of the population is black, I’d suggest the piece and the author’s supposed bias are not the issue.

Chris2048 3y ago
Why, should every event have demographics that perfectly mirror state demographics?
- black6 3y ago
  This is the same state that hosts "Black Spring Break" and I haven't heard anyone complain about the lack of diversity or racial overtones of that event.
  - Chris2048 3y ago
    I didn't say race doesn't matter, I responded to this comment: > If you’re offended by a piece that suggests it’s odd to have a week-long all white get-together in a state where 36% of the population is black Which wrt the history of the fair, is context-free.
  - yardie 3y ago
    Probably more White people attending "Black Spring Break" than Black people attending this event.
- greenie_beans 3y ago
  here's a tldr why race matters in the context of the neshoba county fair: this is the same county where chaney, schwerner, and goodman were murdered. at the fair that year, the kkk dropped pamphlets from an airplane in response to their murder. clearly targeting the fair audience. this was during the freedom summer of 1964 if you know what that is? ronald reagan did a presidential campaign speech at the fair. a presidential candidate speaking there was unheard of at the time, but he was clearly following the "southern strategy". he proclaimed his belief in states rights, which has been a dog whistle since the civil war. the fair is a popular place for dog whistle political speeches. there are racial dynamics about who is allowed at the fair. none of the cabins are owned by black people. the owners of cabins are largely the ruling class in mississippi. during the day, spaces within the fair are segregated. most black people at the fair are workers or horse racers, etc. there are more reasons why race matters, but i have to work. you should read the article.
- atourgates 3y ago
  They shoulnd't. But it's silly to pretend that context and history don't matter. This is a state where white people historically enslaved black people, where many of the white residents are descends of slave owners, and many of the black people are descendants of the enslaved. This is hours from where black 14-year old Emmett Till was tortured and murdered by a group of white people for the crime of (allegedly) whistling at a white woman. This is a state and county where the Klan was active and murdering civil rights workers in the 60s, and enforced Jim Crow Laws that made black people legally second class citizens until the voting rights act of 1965. This is a state where a Jim Crow Era voting restriction that disproportionately disenfranchised black voters was just struck down this year[1] by a very conservative supreme court. This is a state that celebrated the confederacy - an institution that existed for the purpose of enslaving black people - in its very state flag until 2020. I could of course go on, but you get the picture. Comments like yours ignore the reality and impact of this history and context. When a state where the white population has a history of around 200 years of first enslaving, and then attempting to subjugate the black population, it's worth pointing out (as the article does) that perhaps it's a little suspicious that they've now created a de facto whites only get-together. [1] https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/aug/04/mississippis-jim-crow-era-voting-law-appeals-court https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/aug/04/mississippis...
  - Chris2048 3y ago
    > it's a little suspicious that they've now created a de facto whites only get-together except for the fact racially biased events exist in all states and nations unless you can say something specific about the fair, recounting state history isn't paying heed to context, it's pure speculation. I didn't "ignore history and context", I had add little to say about it that was relevant. in fact, racial history could lead to events being white biased, purely because they are white biased (ie races choose not to mix) without any other requirement.
  - avgcorrection 3y ago
    > This is a state where white people historically enslaved black people, where many of the white residents are descends of slave owners, and many of the black people are descendants of the enslaved. What does “many” mean? I would think that the vast majority of black people in this state are descendant of slaves while a minority of whites are descendant of slave owners because the slave owners were the upper class. Or else: since you have 32 great-great-great grandparents[1] I guess it gets exponentially more likely to be “descended from” someone the further back you go, but that doesn't seem to tell us much. [1] I guess these might not be 32 distinct individuals though due to distant inbreeding
rbanffy 3y ago
I wouldn't think it's "odd" - some things grow out of traditions that are specific to a specific ethnic or cultural group. It's fair to point out their roots and it'd be interesting, perhaps, if the group worked to be more inclusive and teach this past as a way to educate kids not to make the same mistakes their grandparents made. Even if those mistakes had the positive side-effect of creating a nice family event.
- cycomanic 3y ago
  So you are saying this grew out of a tradition that is specific to some ethnic group. Tell me what is the "tradition" in the south that excluded black people while white people are having a party? The answer might give you some clues.
  - rbanffy 3y ago
    I understand the context it came from and the horrific things that ethnic group has done, but this specific event seems like an unintended side effect, and one that can become a positive one, if they decide to use it in an inclusive way.
MaxHoppersGhost 3y ago
Would you be think it’s odd if there are week long all black get togethers in Mississippi? Why the double standard?
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]

Chris2048 3y ago

Why, should every event have demographics that perfectly mirror state demographics?

black6 3y ago
This is the same state that hosts "Black Spring Break" and I haven't heard anyone complain about the lack of diversity or racial overtones of that event.
- Chris2048 3y ago
  I didn't say race doesn't matter, I responded to this comment: > If you’re offended by a piece that suggests it’s odd to have a week-long all white get-together in a state where 36% of the population is black Which wrt the history of the fair, is context-free.
- yardie 3y ago
  Probably more White people attending "Black Spring Break" than Black people attending this event.
greenie_beans 3y ago
here's a tldr why race matters in the context of the neshoba county fair: this is the same county where chaney, schwerner, and goodman were murdered. at the fair that year, the kkk dropped pamphlets from an airplane in response to their murder. clearly targeting the fair audience. this was during the freedom summer of 1964 if you know what that is? ronald reagan did a presidential campaign speech at the fair. a presidential candidate speaking there was unheard of at the time, but he was clearly following the "southern strategy". he proclaimed his belief in states rights, which has been a dog whistle since the civil war. the fair is a popular place for dog whistle political speeches. there are racial dynamics about who is allowed at the fair. none of the cabins are owned by black people. the owners of cabins are largely the ruling class in mississippi. during the day, spaces within the fair are segregated. most black people at the fair are workers or horse racers, etc. there are more reasons why race matters, but i have to work. you should read the article.
atourgates 3y ago
They shoulnd't. But it's silly to pretend that context and history don't matter. This is a state where white people historically enslaved black people, where many of the white residents are descends of slave owners, and many of the black people are descendants of the enslaved. This is hours from where black 14-year old Emmett Till was tortured and murdered by a group of white people for the crime of (allegedly) whistling at a white woman. This is a state and county where the Klan was active and murdering civil rights workers in the 60s, and enforced Jim Crow Laws that made black people legally second class citizens until the voting rights act of 1965. This is a state where a Jim Crow Era voting restriction that disproportionately disenfranchised black voters was just struck down this year[1] by a very conservative supreme court. This is a state that celebrated the confederacy - an institution that existed for the purpose of enslaving black people - in its very state flag until 2020. I could of course go on, but you get the picture. Comments like yours ignore the reality and impact of this history and context. When a state where the white population has a history of around 200 years of first enslaving, and then attempting to subjugate the black population, it's worth pointing out (as the article does) that perhaps it's a little suspicious that they've now created a de facto whites only get-together. [1] https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/aug/04/mississippis-jim-crow-era-voting-law-appeals-court https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/aug/04/mississippis...
- Chris2048 3y ago
  > it's a little suspicious that they've now created a de facto whites only get-together except for the fact racially biased events exist in all states and nations unless you can say something specific about the fair, recounting state history isn't paying heed to context, it's pure speculation. I didn't "ignore history and context", I had add little to say about it that was relevant. in fact, racial history could lead to events being white biased, purely because they are white biased (ie races choose not to mix) without any other requirement.
- avgcorrection 3y ago
  > This is a state where white people historically enslaved black people, where many of the white residents are descends of slave owners, and many of the black people are descendants of the enslaved. What does “many” mean? I would think that the vast majority of black people in this state are descendant of slaves while a minority of whites are descendant of slave owners because the slave owners were the upper class. Or else: since you have 32 great-great-great grandparents[1] I guess it gets exponentially more likely to be “descended from” someone the further back you go, but that doesn't seem to tell us much. [1] I guess these might not be 32 distinct individuals though due to distant inbreeding

rbanffy 3y ago

I wouldn't think it's "odd" - some things grow out of traditions that are specific to a specific ethnic or cultural group. It's fair to point out their roots and it'd be interesting, perhaps, if the group worked to be more inclusive and teach this past as a way to educate kids not to make the same mistakes their grandparents made. Even if those mistakes had the positive side-effect of creating a nice family event.

cycomanic 3y ago
So you are saying this grew out of a tradition that is specific to some ethnic group. Tell me what is the "tradition" in the south that excluded black people while white people are having a party? The answer might give you some clues.
- rbanffy 3y ago
  I understand the context it came from and the horrific things that ethnic group has done, but this specific event seems like an unintended side effect, and one that can become a positive one, if they decide to use it in an inclusive way.

MaxHoppersGhost 3y ago

Would you be think it’s odd if there are week long all black get togethers in Mississippi? Why the double standard?

deleted 3y ago
[deleted]