The Rise of Fascism and the Benefit of the Doubt (Weaponized ignorance?)
I lost my journal, and this is turning into everyone's issue. (Note: It is currently 3:31 in the morning, I have not slept for two days, and I do not feel like making this into an academic essay. So, if I get facts wrong, que sera)
Not to beat a dead horse into completion but as America is slowly turning into a fascist state, the ilk has started coming out of their caves and dank holes, we are beginning to see more and more right-wing propaganda and white people turning a blind eye to blatant racism.
A recent example of this is (yes) the Sydney Sweeney American Eagle ad where they used a blonde haired blue eyed attractive white lady to advertise jeans. Yet for some reason, they spoke about genetics and how genetics work (with some odd uses of words. Genes always pass down eye color, not often) and ends the ad with "Sydney Sweeney has great jeans" a double entendre on "great genes" and "great jeans."
This obviously set off alarm bells in many people's heads. Why talk about genetics in an ad about jeans? Why use a blue eyed blonde haired abled body fit white girl as a spokesperson for good genes? With the rise of ICE and alligator Alcatraz within the US the political left has begun to worry that this is a dog whistle for the right. However, the right has begun pushing back.
The usual excuses are "It's just an ad." "It's a play on words." "It's just a coincidence" and "She does have great genes!" "What's wrong with being white?"
Do not be mistaken, right wingers know what is wrong with these ads. They know that it is a dog whistle, they know that it is signaling something much darker. However, because the ad doesn't outright say "Hail the Aryan race and come the rise of the third Reich" they can openly say that the ad is harmless while actively signaling to other likeminded people. They are intentionally overlooking the racial, historical and topical contexts and undertones surrounding the ad itself to make those claims. How does this relate to weaponized ignorance?
Let's talk about another person heavily associated with the political right and the political Reich.
I remember very vividly opening up Reddit and seeing Elon Musk do the Nazi salute very openly twice. Make no mistake, he is not pointing, he is not gesturing to something, he is saluting.
However, when this is pointed out, the response from the right wing has been-
"He's South African, he doesn't know." "It's a gesture, he said 'my heart goes out to you' he's making his heart go out to them." And "It's a Roman Salute."
Notice the difference? They are openly acknowledging cultural, historical and topical context behind this one gesture to explain away why it is not in fact a nazi salute but cannot acknowledge the same for Sydney Sweeney.
It is weaponized ignorance, they are pretending they do not know in order to benefit from the damage being done while not coming under fire for defending outright dog whistles, racism and the call of fascism. Never mind the fact that South Africans will 100% know the historical and cultural context behind the "roman salute" (Two rather horrible mistakes. For one, this entire concept of race exclusive to American history will come back later. Two, The Roman Salute was not used by romans, it originated from France and is dubbed the Fascist salute.
Let's circle back to the "Foreigner clause." If there's an actual clause that's called the "Foreigner clause" kill me. This is just what I'm calling it.
The foreigner clause is when someone, typically a right winger, puts forth the idea that a foreigner is innocent because they do not understand the concept.
Do you guys remember the 24 karat Labubu girl? I do, especially after she came under fire for her "KSI Labubu"
Take note of two things: One, the appearance of the KSI labubu. Two, the accent of the woman.
Now I am no historian, hell, I didn't even pass APWH, however I know black face when I see it. That is blackface. Point blank.
From the manner of clothes of which the doll is wrapped in, to the pitch-black paint on its face, this is blackface. Or at least draws a very close comparison to historical depictions of blackface.
"She had no intention of being racist."
Others defending her (and this is the important part)
"She is not an American, she doesn't understand blackface."
I don't know who needs to hear this, but racism isn't exclusive to America.
America is heavily criticized for its racism because America's foundation is exclusively built upon the work and oppression of people of color. There is the factor of the civil war, and the civil rights movement. Racial injustice is built into the infrastructure of the American society, whereas racial injustice is built into the culture of European societies.
This is where weaponized ignorance comes in again. England, France, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Denmark were all active participants within the slave trade. If this is the case, then this country 100% has a history with racial injustice no matter how clean their slate appears these days.
(That is not to say that each country is inherently racist. I could go on a whole rant on how every person has racial prejudices regardless of race and how racism needs to be unlearned no matter how woke you think yourself, but I do not have time, it is almost 5 AM)
Explaining Blackface Abroad | The Root (Click here if you want to learn more although it is more focused on a israeli blackface incident)
(here is a specific excerpt)
Even without the same racial dynamics that say England has with a white-brit and a black-brit vs America with a white-american and a black-american. There is the added aspect of the Romani people. (Note: From my own personal experience and the observation of african americans, discrimination against the Romani people in Europe are justified much the same way that violence and discrimination against black americans are justified in America) Of dark-skinned immigrants, of anyone of a darker skin tone within europe. Racism and black face specifically have existed outside of the United States for some time.
FURTHERMORE with the invention of the internet and globalization, a person doesn't have to grow up within a culture in order to know of it.
Everybody these days knows what blackface is because of TikTok, because of Twitter maybe even because of Tumblr. Information, specifically cultural information such as blackface, is widely spread. We can no longer give a person benefit of the doubt when they both have access to a phone and the internet.
In conclusion, do not fall into the trap of their ignorance and do not forget. I implore my readers to take close note of those who defend or explain these actions away with the benefit of the doubt. Argue if you wish but understand that their arguments are a dog whistle in of itself.
(I forgot what time this is posted, my left eye is swelling up because the las time I slept, I slept with makeup on and now it hurts. I am tired. )
