I have recently come to despair about racism in the US, simply by following some online discussions.
Worst was a recent discussion I followed regarding a probationary firefighter in Detroit, who was fired after he brought, on his first day in a fire station with a majority black team, as gift a huge watermelon with a pink bow.
While I as European was not aware that atermelons are one of a number of racist tropes used to insult black people since maybe 100 years ago, I quickly learned about that and understand its significance simply by reading the corresponding online discussion.
What keeps baffling me is the amount of white Americans who obviously either should understand the issue (or should quickly comprehend it if pointed out to them, like I did) but obstinately keep insisting that only "snowflakes" would consider that inappropriate at all, and by pointing it out, black people would only be creating all the problems in America today by "making everything about race".
Take a look at the responses under an article written about the incident by a journalist, himself a person of colour.
White Detroit firefighter terminated for 'racially insensitive' watermelon gift
Somehow this reminded me of that incidents in the past, when some people - during Obama's presidency - attended processions with caricatures showing Obama, drawn as a stereotyped black person with exaggerated features and a noose around his neck. Of course you could argue "Come on, don't be snowflakes, this is not insulting at all, most white people do not find that offensive at all" ... but obviously not if you are a somehow decent person.
Um....
Yeah... what?!?
