American whitefolks’ current mood: jumpy.

FOURTH OF JULY WEEKEND, 2019: AIRPORTS, EARTHQUAKES, RACISM, MILKSHAKES.

I say this with scientific certainty: at least a few times this weekend, white people wearing gear like this have been in the faces of police, reminding them that they and hardworking Americans just like them pay the officers’ salaries. (Oh: the police officers I’m talking about are working the holiday weekend. Just feel the need to point this out). Whether the incidents happen at a concert, a park, a house, a petting zoo — mark my words: they are happening.

This piece also posted at chrismaley.com.

Before I begin, gotta take a moment and remember General Washington’s takeover of the airports. If this hadn’t happened, where would ‘Merica be today?

So it is. So it shall be. Goooooooo God.

And now, before reigniting my snark, I will also switch gears and say we humans need to do what we can for the folks in Southern California. Let’s hope the quakes subside.

World: you might be looking at my country and wondering what is up.

I, too, wonder what is up.

And I, too, wear the white skin of the people who seem to be at the epicenter of the weirdness. I’ll offer some quick thoughts, nothing in depth with this post. It’s more of a weather report, the view from the ground.

Yes, indeed, America’s whitefolk are a jumpy bunch of folk. Don’t sneak up on them, they startle easily. Don’t drop a dish near a group of them. Doing so causes the whole group to freak. The worst part is afterwards, when they will improv a comedy routine about how “scary” that all was. The males will demonize a female in the group for having the most afraid-looking face. Other females will join in on the targeting, thanking God that they weren’t themselves targeted.

White people. America. 2019. We’re growing increasingly fascinated by concepts like Darwinism while also deep-down giving thanks that the system works to insulate us from harms that others must deal with.

People who fear for their jobs but never think about unionizing are a funky bunch.

World: American whites control the lion’s share of the country’s wealth and power and no way do any of us deserve to do so. And we — especially the richest ones — are well aware of this. It contributes to the jumpiness.

The billionaires at the top only continue to increase their profiteering and the masses of whites respond by redirecting their frustration at themselves.

The 800-pound gorilla in America’s room is that the corporate and investor classes rip off the masses at increasing rates.

Not talking about this gorilla makes white people jumpy. Both those who profit and those who lose out get jumpy.

The sad part? America’s straight white people — especially straight white men — do not face endangerment from the 1% and their money-grab like other groups face. We don’t worry about our resumes sounding “too ethnic”. Getting pulled over by police does not ignite fear in the pits of our stomachs.

Whitefolks don’t have relatives jailed in the concentration camps at our nation’s southern border. We don’t have relatives anticipating an ICE roundup. Our houses of worship aren’t endangered like mosques and synagogues are.

We whites know this. We know this and look away. And get jumpy.

America’s white people do not walk on eggshells because they have to, but instead because it is socially acceptable. Others walk on eggshells or else. Discrimination is part of their reality, no matter how many times we whites gaslight them when they bring up the subject.

(Jumpy people like to gaslight others. It decreases the jumpy vibe for a few minutes.)

Blue Horseshoe loves not walking on eggshells.

No. He loves Americans who pretend that he doesn’t walk on eggshells.

Happy 4th of July weekend. But fuck that parade.

Book Plug.

This piece also posted at chrismaley.com.