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The Reverse Racism of Black Lightning

Ouroboros

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BLACK LIGHTNING is a thoroughly mediocre superhero TV show, so I wasn't surprised that when it bumbled its way toward making a "statement" on white supremacy.

In the 11-27-18 episode, the hero is captured by supposed white supremacist villain Looker. How do we know she's a white supremacist? Well, first she refuses to validate Lightning's sense of minority entitlement. This is supposed to be an untenable opinion on her part, because the hero gives her a contemptuous look. She goes on to ask him why he's allowed to say that he's "black and proud" (approximate quote), but she's a racist if she says she's "white and proud."

What is the hero's response to this line of logic? Well, Looker just conveniently happens to have a Confederate flag on her wall-- though her story has nothing to do with the South as such-- and hero Jefferson makes that significant look his "reply:" that anyone who speaks of white pride must be a white supremacist, and the display of the Confederate flag "proves" this.

What a cheesy, contrived excuse for rational discourse.
 
In the very first episode of this show, we were treated to an hour of being told how black drug dealers are just misunderstood and need another chance at going better, but every white cop shown will just randomly attack someone for being black. We were educated on all the hardships that don't actually exist for the family who lives in a nice house in the suburbs.

Luckily, the lesbian daughter super hero took the pressure off by being an entertaining joke of a woman.

I actually still watch Flash and the occasional episode Arrow or Supergirl. On top of that I really enjoy Legends of Tomorrow because it makes fun of itself more than anything else.

In Elseworlds next month, we will be treated to a genderfluid woman playing Batwoman (seriously only advertised as the first LGBTQ+ character on tv) so (s)he can get their own show in a couple months.

Berlanti actually has a good heart and means well, but he pushes his agenda so hard that it ruins the basic premise of the show.

You are right about everything, except it's not REVERSE-racism. It's simple white hatred shown through the lens of a show with a majority black cast. That's direct racism.


I know I'm putting a wall of text here, but as a contrast, I would like to mention Luke Cage. Not my favorite show, but a really good one. It spent all its time talking about the accomplishments of the black community and why they should be proud to be a native to harlem. It was good, not offensive, and didn't rule the show. They talked about great black authors, the history of our nation contributed by black men and women. It was informative and didn't have to attack or make anyone else look bad.

This is a subject that drives me absolutely insane. I'm so very very tired of virtue signaling ruining so many great shows and movies. It's so much more important to teach us a lesson than to give us quality.
 
BLACK LIGHTNING is a thoroughly mediocre superhero TV show, so I wasn't surprised that when it bumbled its way toward making a "statement" on white supremacy.

In the 11-27-18 episode, the hero is captured by supposed white supremacist villain Looker. How do we know she's a white supremacist? Well, first she refuses to validate Lightning's sense of minority entitlement. This is supposed to be an untenable opinion on her part, because the hero gives her a contemptuous look. She goes on to ask him why he's allowed to say that he's "black and proud" (approximate quote), but she's a racist if she says she's "white and proud."

What is the hero's response to this line of logic? Well, Looker just conveniently happens to have a Confederate flag on her wall-- though her story has nothing to do with the South as such-- and hero Jefferson makes that significant look his "reply:" that anyone who speaks of white pride must be a white supremacist, and the display of the Confederate flag "proves" this.

What a cheesy, contrived excuse for rational discourse.

I just happened to have watched that episode today and you are incorrect about Black Lightning's response. He said, "No, your t-shirt would say 'I kill and hang Party from trees'.

Now...the show did deal with the idea of racism. The show ALWAYS deals with racism as well as other issues that affect a black community. Heck, the villain is an albino black who hates everyone...black or white.

Personally, I like the show. I think it treats black issues with honesty and respect. Plus, each episode has GREAT music.
 
BLACK LIGHTNING is a thoroughly mediocre superhero TV show, so I wasn't surprised that when it bumbled its way toward making a "statement" on white supremacy.

In the 11-27-18 episode, the hero is captured by supposed white supremacist villain Looker. How do we know she's a white supremacist? Well, first she refuses to validate Lightning's sense of minority entitlement. This is supposed to be an untenable opinion on her part, because the hero gives her a contemptuous look. She goes on to ask him why he's allowed to say that he's "black and proud" (approximate quote), but she's a racist if she says she's "white and proud."

What is the hero's response to this line of logic? Well, Looker just conveniently happens to have a Confederate flag on her wall-- though her story has nothing to do with the South as such-- and hero Jefferson makes that significant look his "reply:" that anyone who speaks of white pride must be a white supremacist, and the display of the Confederate flag "proves" this.

What a cheesy, contrived excuse for rational discourse.
I presume "Black Lightening" is a Black character....

Red:
That is hardly a defining trait of a white supremacist; however, it may in fact be a circumstantially correlated trait/behavior that white supremacists exhibit. Because failing to "validate [a Black person's] sense of minority entitlement [(per the OP-er -- What shows the Black guy has a sense of entitlement?)]" is not a quintessential quality of white supremacy/-ists, mere manifestations of that quality are insufficient support for an assertion that their exhibitor(s) are white supremacists.

On the other hand, should such manifestations that be part of a nexus of behaviors (subtle and/or overt), well, one may then have a cogent basis for asserting the actors are white supremacists. Does the noted episode contain other cues that establish that a nexus of white supremacist behaviors and mindsets do indeed issue from and reside within "Looker?"

I don't know...I'd have to "on demand" the damn thing to find out...

Blue:
One, most notably an American, having no connection to the South -- being not Southern, not dwelling in a Southern town, and/or having no notable Southern roots -- yet displaying a Confederate flag, unlike failing to "validate [a Black person's] sense of minority entitlement [(see above "entitlement comment above)]" -- strikes me as one of those "nexus-creating" behaviors.

Be that as it may, you're talking about a, what, 30-60 minute TV show, right? How long do you think the writers/directors are going to take to develop a character's sociopolitical bearing? As a practical matter, they've got to quickly get the "point" made for any given storyline and then proceed to resolve whatever dramatic dilemma accompanies that "point." They don't have time for "Looker" to call someone the N-word, go to a KKK rally, start dating a Neo-Nazi, etc., so they use cultural symbols in place of some, most or all of those activities.
 
I just happened to have watched that episode today and you are incorrect about Black Lightning's response. He said, "No, your t-shirt would say 'I kill and hang Party from trees'.

Now...the show did deal with the idea of racism. The show ALWAYS deals with racism as well as other issues that affect a black community. Heck, the villain is an albino black who hates everyone...black or white.

Personally, I like the show. I think it treats black issues with honesty and respect. Plus, each episode has GREAT music.

Since I remember the line you cite, I'll admit that my sequence is probably incorrect in some details. I don't recall exactly where the Confederate flag is used as a tacit refutation of Looker's position, but it is used as a dog-whistle that has no immediate relevance to the story.

The word you remember as "Party" was on my set translated as "Perdie," which is some specialized code for black people, just as (I think) "Sanghe" means in some sense white people. The show introduced Looker just one episode back and IMO the writers didn't do an adequate job to explain the provenance of Looker or her patois.
 
There is no such thing as 'reverse' racism. It's just racism. Pretty much anyone who has done 5 minutes of serious race issues discussions knows that... :peace

The only problem with using the term "racism" is that some people don't believe "racism" can be applied to People of Color. "Reverse racism" is, admittedly, a clumsy term, but it does get across some crucial connotations.
 
I presume "Black Lightening" is a Black character....

Red:
That is hardly a defining trait of a white supremacist; however, it may in fact be a circumstantially correlated trait/behavior that white supremacists exhibit. Because failing to "validate [a Black person's] sense of minority entitlement [(per the OP-er -- What shows the Black guy has a sense of entitlement?)]" is not a quintessential quality of white supremacy/-ists, mere manifestations of that quality are insufficient support for an assertion that their exhibitor(s) are white supremacists.

On the other hand, should such manifestations that be part of a nexus of behaviors (subtle and/or overt), well, one may then have a cogent basis for asserting the actors are white supremacists. Does the noted episode contain other cues that establish that a nexus of white supremacist behaviors and mindsets do indeed issue from and reside within "Looker?"

I don't know...I'd have to "on demand" the damn thing to find out...

Blue:
One, most notably an American, having no connection to the South -- being not Southern, not dwelling in a Southern town, and/or having no notable Southern roots -- yet displaying a Confederate flag, unlike failing to "validate [a Black person's] sense of minority entitlement [(see above "entitlement comment above)]" -- strikes me as one of those "nexus-creating" behaviors.

Be that as it may, you're talking about a, what, 30-60 minute TV show, right? How long do you think the writers/directors are going to take to develop a character's sociopolitical bearing? As a practical matter, they've got to quickly get the "point" made for any given storyline and then proceed to resolve whatever dramatic dilemma accompanies that "point." They don't have time for "Looker" to call someone the N-word, go to a KKK rally, start dating a Neo-Nazi, etc., so they use cultural symbols in place of some, most or all of those activities.

Red: When I said that the character Looker was "proven" to be a supremacist by her denial of minority entitlement, I was being sarcastic. If I understand your position correctly, then we *may* be agreed that one can only make a weak correlation at best between (a) people who openly expouse white supremacy, and (b) people who are simply critical of particular political movements.

Blue: I don't know what you mean by "nexus-creating," but FWIW this is the second time the show took a shot at the legacy of the Confederacy. In one of the show's first season episodes (which are, as you say, 60 minutes in length) Black Lightning's daughter Thunder uses her powers to blow up the statue of a Confederate leader. Her father gives her a little static (heh) about it, and she says she shouldn't have done it, and that was the end of the discourse. I deem that a dog-whistle, like the use of the Stars and Bars in the recent episode.

As to whether a television show can make a cogent analysis of a character's racism within the space of an hour, all I can say is that I have seen it done before on commercial TV. I don't think the writers of this show tried very hard to be cogent, that's all.
 
Red: When I said that the character Looker was "proven" to be a supremacist by her denial of minority entitlement, I was being sarcastic. If I understand your position correctly, then we *may* be agreed that one can only make a weak correlation at best between (a) people who openly expouse white supremacy, and (b) people who are simply critical of particular political movements.

Blue: I don't know what you mean by "nexus-creating," ...

As to whether a television show can make a cogent analysis of a character's racism within the space of an hour, all I can say is that I have seen it done before on commercial TV. I don't think the writers of this show tried very hard to be cogent, that's all.

Red:
Let me expound upon my earlier remarks for I cannot concur with your representation of them. I shall do so in outline form:
  • There are people who are white supremacists (WSs).
  • WSs exhibit a given set of traits and hold a given set of beliefs, such traits and beliefs manifesting overtly and covertly.
    • Some of those beliefs/traits are unique to WS.
    • Some of those traits/beliefs are very common among WS, but they are not unique to them.
    • Of those non-unique-to-WSs traits/beliefs, only rarely are they found among non WSs.
      • Displaying the Confederate flag is one such belief.
  • The nature of whether one is or is not a WS isn't, re: many individuals, neither blatantly obvious nor openly acknowledged.
    • I.e., most WSs, if they will to, can hide the fact of their being a WS. That quality isn't plain as the nose on one's face as is the fact of most minorities' minority-ness.
  • Because there is a slight chance that an individual manifesting a trait/belief common, but not unique, to WSs, observers must obtain more information than the mere fact of a suspected WS's having manifested one of those common-to-WSs traits.
  • Displaying the Confederate flag is a common-to-WSs trait; however, one's doing so does not alone justify other's concluding one is a WS.
  • Displaying the Confederate flag and exhibiting additional traits, all of which are common-to-WSs establishes a nexus of behavior/traits that together legitimate observers positing that one, the diplayer of those traits/behaviors, likely is a WS. [Hopefully this bullet item clarifies what I meant by "nexus-creating."]
  • Re: one who displays quite a few common-to-WSs behaviors/traits, observers must channel copious quantities of Taylor Coleridge if they are to credibly cleave to any mendacity controverting the conclusion that such an individual is more likely not a WS than is.
Given the above, it should now be clear to you that my earlier remarks had to do with the probativeness any given white supremacy correlate has in support of an assertion that "so and so" is or isn't a WS. Accordingly, "Looker's" display of the Confederate flag is correlated with white supremacy, but her merely displaying one doesn't probatively show her to be a WS.
It was agreed, that my endeavours should be directed to persons and characters supernatural, or at least romantic, yet so as to transfer from our inward nature a human interest and a semblance of truth sufficient to procure for these shadows of imagination that willing suspension of disbelief.
-- Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Biographia Literaria


FWIW, I "on demand'd" and watched the two episodes prior to the one you've expressly noted in your earlier post. Some preliminary thoughts about the "Looker" storyline:
  • I am as yet unsure whether I concur with your assessment the "Looker" subplot as allegorical to racists, racism and its effects. I'm unsure because having read your earlier post about it, it's not clear to me whether I'm watching the storyline with a jaundiced eye whereby it becomes "Xelor's Cat," as it were.
  • Be that as it may, insofar as I've watched the show though that prism, I see a host of metaphorical correlates that suggest the storyline is about racism's nature, its traits and effects.
    • Silver fluid --> Racism itself
    • Silver fluid's qualities --> Racism's qualities
    • Deacon's relationship with that girl --> Racism can be overcome
    • Deacon's death --> Racism ruins those who harbor it (not sure on this...as I said, preliminary...)
    • The babies having "silver" eyes --> Racism passes from parents to children and instilled at an early age, "subconsciously" even
    • The tenure of the relationship between Sanges and Perdis --> Allusion to racism's and its effects longevity
At some point, I'll get a "round tuit" and see episodes 7-9 (will the show run that long?) and form more solid conclusions that, based on what I've seen in the five episodes I will have watches, I'll be willing and prepared to defend.
 
blacklightning1977series7.jpg

I really enjoyed this comic back in the day. BL was cool.

Too bad progressives got hold of it and effed it up all over the tv. I tried to enjoy it but it is an exhausting litany of liberal whining rather than the celebration of a cool character succeeding against heavy odds.

I still have the comics. They are still cool.
 
:roll:

Just when I thought I'd seen about every conceivable permutation of ridiculous white grievance on display in a public message board...we get THIS thread.

Geez...

Is there any wonder that studies show that most white people believe that racism against white is more prevalent than racism against blacks in this country?

Study: Whites See Racism as a Zero Sum Game That They Are Losing

Your straw man is burning. Nowhere did anyone claim whites were more picked on or that we face some great hardship. We do tend to get a little sick of people feeling so incredibly superior that they feel we should ignore warping reality and being racist against us.

But, feel free to again rewrite the story so you can make us out to be the bad guys for getting bored with all the preaching and virtue signaling.
 
The only problem with using the term "racism" is that some people don't believe "racism" can be applied to People of Color. "Reverse racism" is, admittedly, a clumsy term, but it does get across some crucial connotations.

Nice tap dance, but not only comes across as clumsy but also ill informed and sets up the rest of your ramble as opinion not fact.... :peace
 
Do you watch the show?

Watched every episode of season 1. But I've fallen off on season 2. I have every episode on the dvr, but have only watched a couple, thus far.

And....this is relevant to you...why?
 
Your straw man is burning. Nowhere did anyone claim whites were more picked on or that we face some great hardship.

:lamo
Speaking of Strawmen...."NOWHERE" did I claim that anyone in this thread has said that whites are more picked on or that you face some great hardship. So why would you say the above? That's just dumb. Perhaps you should go back and re-read my remarks.

What I said is that, when you see threads like this one (claiming "reverse racism" against Black Lightning) it just reminds one of the FACT that most whites today actually do believe that they (not minorities) are the primary victims of racism in America. I'm sorry if that FACT bothers you, but it is what it is. Just please, don't create Strawmen to accuse others of the same, ok?

We do tend to get a little sick of people feeling so incredibly superior that they feel we should ignore warping reality and being racist against us.
"We"? Do you speak for all white people? Are you the official spokesperson for white people now? Or, perhaps, when you said "we", you were speaking for white people like you who suffer from white victimhood "issues"? Because your remarks above certainly qualify as exhibit A. LOL

But, feel free to again rewrite the story so you can make us out to be the bad guys for getting bored with all the preaching and virtue signaling.

Exhibit B: White Victimhood.
 
:lamo
Speaking of Strawmen...."NOWHERE" did I claim that anyone in this thread has said that whites are more picked on or that you face some great hardship. So why would you say the above? That's just dumb. Perhaps you should go back and re-read my remarks.

What I said is that, when you see threads like this one (claiming "reverse racism" against Black Lightning) it just reminds one of the FACT that most whites today actually do believe that they (not minorities) are the primary victims of racism in America. I'm sorry if that FACT bothers you, but it is what it is. Just please, don't create Strawmen to accuse others of the same, ok?

You linked to articles and talked on a thread about racism about how whites feel so picked on. Can't imagine where I got the idea you were claiming people on this thread were implying people on this thread were doing exactly that. Your claim of a straw man is just disingenuous . Notice I went more accurate than "dumb" there.

The boring old claim that most white men feel picked on is just that; boring. If it had some reality, I'd get into the debate, but since you claim it as a fact, and created straw men to argue it and then pretended I had done the same, it's pretty obvious you aren't interested in real discussion.


"We"? Do you speak for all white people? Are you the official spokesperson for white people now? Or, perhaps, when you said "we", you were speaking for white people like you who suffer from white victimhood "issues"? Because your remarks above certainly qualify as exhibit A. LOL

Further evidence you aren't serious about discussion. Obviously the "we" being referred to is those who have shared concerns about the considerable racism of this show and other virtue signaling. There are many of us out there who feel this way, as these shows tend to tank quickly in ratings and reviews.

In fact, black lightning's first season literally had 100% critics rating, then it went on air and viewer ratings the first several weeks averaged around %32.


Exhibit B: White Victimhood.

That's a fun dodge and all. You even managed to horribly misapply a label that should actually mean something but has been so wasted and overused by people with their head up their ass that it just sounds like a weak way of avoiding a subject.
 
You linked to articles and talked on a thread about racism about how whites feel so picked on. Can't imagine where I got the idea you were claiming people on this thread were implying people on this thread were doing exactly that.
Neither do I. Seems like a comprehension problem, to me. Don't rely upon your personal interpretive skills next time. If you want to know what I've said, ask and I'll clarify....or just quote me. I don't think my initial remarks were all that complicated, really. But apparently they were complex enough that you needed a Strawman to rebut them, huh?

Your claim of a straw man is just disingenuous . Notice I went more accurate than "dumb" there.
No, Strawman is about right. I wasn't mistaken.

The boring old claim that most white men feel picked on is just that; boring. If it had some reality, I'd get into the debate, but since you claim it as a fact, and created straw men to argue it and then pretended I had done the same, it's pretty obvious you aren't interested in real discussion.
You're dissembling now. And again, it really doesn't matter what you think. Your opinions are worthless in this discussion. The simple FACT of the matter is that this is a fairly well studied issue. It's a FACT that most whites today feel that whites are victims of racism more than minorities in this country. That documented phenonenon (as pathetic as it may be) is simply not arguable, so I'm not sure what you thought you were going to debate with me.


Further evidence you aren't serious about discussion. Obviously the "we" being referred to is those who have shared concerns about the considerable racism of this show and other virtue signaling. There are many of us out there who feel this way, as these shows tend to tank quickly in ratings and reviews.
:lamo
As I said, and as you just confirmed, "we" meant people like you. Got it. But, then again, we already knew that. And the very fact that you think there is considerable "racism" on the show simple illustrates how little you understand about the issue.


In fact, black lightning's first season literally had 100% critics rating, then it went on air and viewer ratings the first several weeks averaged around %32.
The story line in season 2 is not as interesting. That's why ratings are down...not because a bunch of conservative snowflakes got their panties in a bunch over "reverse racism" in the show. Geez, man...:roll:

That's a fun dodge and all. You even managed to horribly misapply a label that should actually mean something but has been so wasted and overused by people with their head up their ass that it just sounds like a weak way of avoiding a subject.

Awh...does the term "White Victimhood" irk you? Well, sorry, but that's what it is. You're on an anonymous message board whining about how "we" (i.e. angry white guys with "reverse racism" issues) are tired of being made into "the bad guys" simply because you are all "bored" of the "racism" of others........so, YEAH, you have some serious white victimhood issues. Sorry if that bothers you, but I thought you right wingers appreciated "politically incorrect" dialogue. :cool:
 
Neither do I. Seems like a comprehension problem, to me. Don't rely upon your personal interpretive skills next time. If you want to know what I've said, ask and I'll clarify....or just quote me. I don't think my initial remarks were all that complicated, really. But apparently they were complex enough that you needed a Strawman to rebut them, huh?


No, Strawman is about right. I wasn't mistaken.


You're dissembling now. And again, it really doesn't matter what you think. Your opinions are worthless in this discussion. The simple FACT of the matter is that this is a fairly well studied issue. It's a FACT that most whites today feel that whites are victims of racism more than minorities in this country. That is simply not arguable, so I'm not sure what you thought you were going to debate with me.



:lamo
As I said, and as you just confirmed, "we" meant people like you. Got it. But, then again, we already knew that. And the very fact that you think there is considerable "racism" on the show simple illustrates how little you understand about the issue.



The story line in season 2 is not as interesting. That's why ratings are down...not because a bunch of conservative snowflakes got their panties in a bunch over "reverse racism" in the show. Geez, man...:roll:



Awh...does the term "White Victimhood" irk you? Well, sorry, but that's what it is. You're on an anonymous message board whining about how "we" (i.e. angry white guys with "reverse racism" issues) are tired of being made into "the bad guys" simply because you are all "bored" of the "racism" of others........so, YEAH, you have some serious white victimhood issues. Sorry if that bothers you, but I thought you right wingers appreciated "politically incorrect" dialogue. :cool:

Okay, you either lack reason and intelligence or a desire to discuss honestly. Good luck with that and all. I hope you find great joy in barely understanding a topic or dodging so you can feel like you've scored points.

I'll wait for honest replies.
 
:roll:

Just when I thought I'd seen about every conceivable permutation of ridiculous white grievance on display in a public message board...we get THIS thread.

Geez...

Is there any wonder that studies show that most white people believe that racism against white is more prevalent than racism against blacks in this country?

Study: Whites See Racism as a Zero Sum Game That They Are Losing

Do you care to offer an example of a justified white grievance as a fair contrast to the one I've put forth?

Your answer, whether or not I agree with it, will define your ability to even think such a grievance possible.
 
Your straw man is burning. Nowhere did anyone claim whites were more picked on or that we face some great hardship. We do tend to get a little sick of people feeling so incredibly superior that they feel we should ignore warping reality and being racist against us.

But, feel free to again rewrite the story so you can make us out to be the bad guys for getting bored with all the preaching and virtue signaling.

Agreed. I'm not going to complain just because the show uses rather standard tropes, like white cops who are always motivated by racism. But this episode was an attempt to address the response of non-SJWs and to dispel it as being no more than sophistry-- though the refutation is so ridiculous and poorly constructed that it is, of course, just another form of sophistry.
 
Nice tap dance, but not only comes across as clumsy but also ill informed and sets up the rest of your ramble as opinion not fact.... :peace

Your point of dispute is unclear. What is your disagreement with my theory as to how the term "reverse racism" came into being, and why it's still used today?
 
Do you watch the show?

Not to speak for Chillfolks, but in any argument it makes a difference as to whether both participants have directly encountered the subject of the argument, as opposed to arguing from general principles that may not apply.

Oops, this was supposedly to respond to Ultmd. Hit the wrong box. Don't anyone have a cow.
 
Okay, you either lack reason and intelligence or a desire to discuss honestly. Good luck with that and all. I hope you find great joy in barely understanding a topic or dodging so you can feel like you've scored points.

I'll wait for honest replies.

LOL, well...no offense to you, but your assessment of my intellect doesn't really matter.

Remember what I had to say about conservative snowflakes?

Well, you're acting like one, again.

Look, I get it. You're a conservative white guy/gal who feels resentful and victimized by poltical correctness in society....and just for being white. Right? And you think that the Black Panther t.v. show is "racist", right?

:lamo
 
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