The "Team Douchebag" Dilemma

I just read Chris Kluwe’s antagonistic attack on the group of people behind the hashtag, #Gamergate. You know what? I give up.

I don’t support any group anymore.

I don’t support the Christians because only those who are fanatical and dangerous get any screen time. I won’t support the atheists because, let’s face it, all you do is get antagonistic towards Christians and Catholics, but somehow you’re okay with Buddhism. I won’t support the LGBT community past my own personal friends anymore, because you use the exact same scare tactics that “normal” people use to make us afraid of you. I don’t support the current US government because, let’s face it folks, they don’t like anybody anymore. Maybe terrorists. That might be pushing a little, I don’t know anymore.

Bad Plan James, Bad Plan

Yep, and don’t think I’m unaware. But I need you to hear exactly what I’m saying. Until groups stop using the same tactics that men in power used against blacks, then women, then LGBT, I’m not listening to you anymore. Each of you seems to have a great message to improve the quality of the human condition…until you fall into the very trappings of intimidation and name-calling used to keep you down.

Yes, I’m white. Yes, I’m a male. Yes, there is a stereotype, perpetuated by YOUR GROUPS, saying I’m obviously a small-dicked, small-minded, overly-educated swine rolling in a mountain of money…but I can’t use the electrochemical signals in my nervous system for anything more than looking up keywords for porn. Fuck you. Seriously…fuck you.

You know what though? It’s not even your fault. It’s human nature. “I’m being done wrong, so I’mma do wrong back until the system changes.” Except…how has that worked out for us thus far? Groups fight groups that fight groups that are fighting groups.  Always has been, and it seems to be working out for us so far. Is it?

The Constant Fighting Needs to Stop

You know the current system isn’t working. You have to, when you’re in bed thinking about how to survive tomorrow, you know the system isn’t built for you. When you get on the computer and troll whatever douchebag is spouting off against your group, you’ve gotta know doing that won’t help anybody. Everything we do right now only lights the Chicago fire ever brighter, and friends, Chicago turned to white ashes ages ago. That’s what fighting fire with anonymous fire does…it creates a bigger fire which us pyros love to watch and it makes us feel better for a minute…but it doesn’t solve anything. Fighting doesn’t calm the spirit, name-calling literally does nothing but bring out the fight in everybody else. Am I getting through to you yet? No?

We’re ALL Douchebags Right Now

Chris Kluwe is a douchebag. I’m a douchebag, and you’re one, too. We are Team Douchebag, and never has there been a prouder group in the history of the planet. I can say this so I will say it, damn the consequences. As long as we can paint our enemies as evil, vilify them to the point that a few hundred to a few hundred thousand other douchebags agree with me, saying this is okay. Cause I’ve got numbers behind me. That is tribalism at its absolute worst. America and yes, the rest of the world, is ripe with douche-baggery, and it’s so common as to be accepted as part of societal norms. Our news uses it, every internet forum uses it, and we use it when we discuss matters among our friends and neighbors. We count on tribalism to keep us safe.

It’s working. You are certainly safe in most cases. But, like everything else humans seem to touch, we take it too far. We make threats to each other. Cause another tribe harm because otherwise, they might harm us. Or, worse yet, they can’t do anything about it. Our game is about fucking other tribes so hard they can’t even retaliate. Survival of the fittest, right?

Humiliation. Laws. Logic. Science. Death. Bodily harm. Threats. These are the tools that modern tribes use against each other in the grand chess game currently unfolding around us. Black pieces vs white pieces vs purple pieces vs rainbow colored pieces vs red white and blue pieces vs every damned color piece under the planet. Only one tribe can be right. Right? Tribes equal labels, people. And, as we have already discovered, labels are lacking in details.

What if we only had one label for each other? I’ve decided we’re all douchebags, but that isn’t even quite fitting, is it? Is it? What if we were all just people? What if every law was written for people? Not for/against women, blacks, whites, Asians, LGBT, Senators, Republicans, Catholics, Christians, Conservatives, Liberals, Donkeys, Elephants, military, law enforcement, criminals, the mentally ill, atheists, gamers, or any other label under the sun? Without labels, would the world work better? Worse?

Unfortunately, I don’t have that answer. What I do know, is the current system isn’t working. And so do you. So does Chris Kluwe. So do the members of #Gamergate. None of us should be so entitled to think we can vilify an umbrella name, a tribe…when there are individual people in that tribe who simply don’t fit under one label, who aren’t in just one situation.

Yet, Team Douchebag acts like the most entitled, small-minded prick on the planet. No, not acting…living the worst possible stereotype in the history of the planet. We can do better, people.

Michael Brown's Death and the Ferguson Riots Aren't About Racism Anymore

I’m just going to get this out of the way. Michael Brown should not have died. For the sake of transparency, I’m a white male. To get straight to the point, we should all be ashamed of ourselves. We all love a big, fucked up story. And that’s exactly what the Ferguson/Michael Brown story has become. If you’re still reading, congratulations…you just may be one of the few able to change the state of racism, and celebrity-status, in America today.

Image is Property of abcnews.go.com

This isn’t just about the fact that a white cop shot a black man. This is also about the reverse racism an overwhelming majority of black folks have for whites…to the point that they will not listen to or warrant anything “Whitey” says. Ferguson isn’t happening because one side is guilty and the other is sparkly clean, though all sides seem to want to prove that’s exactly how it is.

Recap of Ferguson

So let’s be brutally honest on all fronts, okay? What happened in Ferguson, MO, is a straight up hot mess. It’s been glorified by the media and complications arisen because nobody can seem to tell the straight truth. Here’s what I know:

1. While it’s possible Michael Brown robbed a store, that isn’t why Officer Darren Wilson stopped Brown. He stopped Brown for “walking in the middle of the street.”

2. Brown was shot at least six times, twice in the head according to a secondary autopsy Brown’s parents requested. All six shots hit Brown from the front side.

3. Peaceful protests were started “to get justice for Michael Brown.” These protests have gone on for several days.

4. Perpendicular to the peaceful protests, rioters and opportunists have attacked business and police, setting fires and looting, setting off a nation-wide look at Ferguson, MO.

5. Police have responded to rioters with tear-gas, rubber bullets, beatings, and arrests.

6. Even if the police in Ferguson haven’t attacked the peaceful protesters, which live feeds have shown otherwise, they have denied rights to citizens, attacking and detaining journalists and newsman for trying to report on the situation. Now, as of August 19, 2014, “stations” have been set up from where journalists may now report. They are not allowed to report from within or near clashes between citizens and police.

7. “New Black Panthers” and supposed member of the Nation of Islam Malik Zulu Shabazz tells police it’s “my people” causing the rioting in Ferguson and blockading police.

Image Property of nhpr.org

None of These is the Real Issue

The shooting and death of Michael Brown happened. That part is done. All we can really hope for now is that justice, true justice, is found. Meaning, the truth of what happened is discovered and the system takes care of itself. That’s the best-case scenario of any death, whether black, white, yellow, purple, or pink-polka-dotted. That’s not why people are rioting. That’s not why nobody wants to tell the truth right now.

The real issue here is accountability. And, in this instance, one of the people who needs to be held accountable…is dead. The best way to find the truth between two parties is to listen to each tell their version of the story…and somewhere in the middle is the truth. Officer Darren Wilson isn’t going to tell the full truth, he’s going to try and shove accountability onto the dead guy. Wilson is going to say whatever will keep him off death row…or at least out of prison.

Cause that’s how America works now, right?

The real issue here is why a single shooting, even one that led to one man’s death, leads to further deaths in the form of a militarized police force and riots willing to burn down buildings. The real issue is why some people feel a black man’s death made it okay to act on all the stereotypes of black folks across the Midwest. The real issue is not based on race. It’s based on class.

Wait…WHAT?

Twenty years ago, there would be no National Guard in Ferguson right now. Governor Jay Nixon wouldn’t need to be attempting to keep the peace in person. The President wouldn’t be needing to send his own staff to a small suburb in Missouri. I’m not saying justice was perfect twenty years ago. I’m not saying everything would have been fair. But I don’t think it would have gotten this big. Why?

Because twenty years ago, everyone had a shot at being at least Middle Class. Now, the modern middle class is a joke. You’re either rich, poor, military, or police. Each is a very distinct class, though lately police and military are looking awfully similar. Maybe that’s because police and military make up our middle class…citizens do not. The rioters are opportunists, using a bad situation to take advantage of others. I think if wealth wasn’t so disproportionate in America, they wouldn’t feel the need to burn things down.

James, this sounds close to personal politics.

You’re damned right it does. Michael Brown’s death isn’t a race thing. Not anymore. It’s political- from the St. Louis County Police to the President himself. Nobody wants to be found on the guilty side when the smoke (finally) blows out. As such, nobody is doing what needs to be done- take Officer Wilson into custody, prepare a trial, and give him a defender if he cannot afford one. Anytime a credentialed journalist is jailed, even temporarily, for reporting on the biggest event in recent memory, someone’s attempting to hide something. Hiding things from the public is, I’m sorry, political. That or the Mob wanted Michael Brown dead. Hey, who knows?

Could Events Have Rolled Out Differently?

Absolutely. Had both Officer Wilson and Michael Brown been white, Wilson would not be on paid leave. Chances are, Brown wouldn’t have been shot six times with two to the head, executioner style. But, would it have rolled out any differently?

Let’s keep the facts the same. Black man, white cop. Six shots. But, instead of killing Brown, Wilson only injured him, and taken Brown into custody. How would that have changed things?

I wish I could believe that one change would make a difference. Yes, the story would be different. Brown would’ve been capable of giving his side of the story, yes. Would we be closer to the truth? Certainly.

But, with tensions as they are, Brown would’ve blamed the whole thing on the “Whitey Police Officer.” Wilson would have still claimed Brown pushed the situation until he had to shoot him. People would still have risen up, but instead of demanding justice for Brown’s death, they would be demanding penance, in the form of suing Officer Wilson and the St. Louis County Police Department. We still wouldn’t know if either did anything wrong for sure.

Because a black man was attacked, those who rioted would have done so anyway, still using the confusion and supposed anger, along with the excuse of being poor, to burn down buildings. Police would still be trying to quiet the rioters and running into the peaceful vigils and trying to quiet the reporters after they took their job too far and far too seriously. Everyone would still be calling this a hate crime, or chanting racism, on every television station. It would still be a political maelstrom.

Because that’s how America works now, right? Don’t we all love a big, fucked up story after all?

 

Image Property of atlantadailyworld.com

Thanks for reading, I’d love to hear your comments. Do you feel all the racism is on one side? Do you feel the militarization of police and use of the National Guard is going too far? No worries, I’ll reply and moderate to make sure comments remain within reason.