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This is an object lesson in who is allowed to talk about racism and how minorities who raise the subject are told they’re playing the “race card” or “give it a rest” @DavidLammy @George_Osborne make almost identical comments but responses on Lammy’s thread are angry he raises it 
Here are some examples from the thread @DavidLammy tweet responding to @bbclaurak describing the “grand wizards” as a reference to the KKK
Whereas the responses to @George_Osborne focus on the personal or more often on the political and party aspects
These are well worn tropes thrown at those who suffer racism and try and raise it - "angry black man" "always the victim" "always complaining". These parallel threads show quite clearly that it is doubling down on the original racism.
People of colour and minorities will tell you we experience it all the time, but it's rare to see it so clearly and starkly as it comes through here. It also happens to women too, with parallel tropes, dismissing concerns of sexism and misogyny.
All of this of course before we even tackle the shocking question of the people running the country thinking it’s a funny joke to refer to themselves by the same title as purveyors of hatred, supremacy and death. But y’know, lolz.
@bbclaurak follows up her original tweet where the “grand wizard” title was revealed underscoring the suggestion it’s “just a bit of fun” by describing it as an informal nickname. Laura should have highlighted the blatant KKK link but instead downplays it. These choices matter.
LOL and haha, more jolly hockey sticks japes that calling yourself Grand Wizards is so much fun, this time from @EveningStandard
Today’s excuse from the playbook of diminishing and ignoring hate: what are you complaining about, it could have been much worse! These excuses are trotted out and repeated. We need to point out how widespread and ingrained they are, to the point where they are used as a defence
Apparently it is “unreasonable” to hold someone to account for using the n-word or the p-word. And on top of that a police officer who we might reasonably expect to not exhibit racial hatred
Case study: further excuses that are from the playbook for dismissing hate:
- From a good family
- You are stopping them from doing good work/ruining their career
- Tipsy so not accountable
- Very sorry
These excuses are used again and again to defend different kinds of hate
- From a good family
- You are stopping them from doing good work/ruining their career
- Tipsy so not accountable
- Very sorry
These excuses are used again and again to defend different kinds of hate
