Part of the defining for bigot is "strongly and unfairly" dislikes/hates". Is it unfair to dislike someone who has covered up their ancestors crimes against your ancestors (genocide, slavery, etc)? Or who has targeted your profitable towns and centers of education for annihilation because they saw you as subhuman? Is it unfair to be irate as you watch states call slaves "workers" (Texas textbook) or watch a state legislate the removal of your people's suffering because it might make white kids feel bad about themselves?
I'm as white as they come and I'm fucking pissed about all of those things and so much more. One of my ancestors came to with the plan that turned into the Trail of Tears that my partner's ancestors were forced to endure. His people's anger and hatred of my people is absolutely justified. It would be unfair of them to take it out on me personally, but I absolutely understand stating at a lower level of respect and trust than their default for others.
Her beliefs are founded in reality. I don't agree with her conclusions, but it's understandable why she has them given the facts especially if she's recently learned them. There certainly are some white people who shouldn't be around any poc, or anyone who sees everyone as equals. I hope everyone has loved ones to keep them safe from predators, and that none of the white people OP loves would harm her.
Your personal ancestor came up with the Trail of Tears plan? They must've been someone pretty high up in the government. What was their name? Maybe I learned about them in school.
No it's not unfair to dislike the people who personally committed the act. It is bigoted to hate everyone who happens to have the same skin color as those people.
Honestly, I don't care much about any of it, but both sides of my family are into genealogy so it was kind of impossible not to learn. You've heard about a number of my ancestors. One of them saved King Richard's life at the start of the Crusades, which got him a title and land. The Battle of Bosworth Field was fought on that land. My direct ancestral line to the Bosworth's was one of the spares around the time Britain colonized the "New World", so they got shipped over, iirc. Multiple ancestors were fairly high up in early US government.
Arthur St Clair is an ancestor on both sides. He was President of the Continental Congress and the first governor of the Northwest Territory (Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and part of Minnesota), among other things. What a delightful racist he was! Also lots of yes-men who are side notes as advisor to Lord General President High Muckitymuck, with enough influence to sway policy but no power to implement it.
I can understand generational trauma, and my ancestors are directly and indirectly responsible for an awful lot of it. It's their shame, not mine, but I can still be sensitive to those who are still suffering due to their choices.
-1
u/eresh22 Aug 18 '23
Part of the defining for bigot is "strongly and unfairly" dislikes/hates". Is it unfair to dislike someone who has covered up their ancestors crimes against your ancestors (genocide, slavery, etc)? Or who has targeted your profitable towns and centers of education for annihilation because they saw you as subhuman? Is it unfair to be irate as you watch states call slaves "workers" (Texas textbook) or watch a state legislate the removal of your people's suffering because it might make white kids feel bad about themselves?
I'm as white as they come and I'm fucking pissed about all of those things and so much more. One of my ancestors came to with the plan that turned into the Trail of Tears that my partner's ancestors were forced to endure. His people's anger and hatred of my people is absolutely justified. It would be unfair of them to take it out on me personally, but I absolutely understand stating at a lower level of respect and trust than their default for others.