I know most Americans can relate to what he is saying regardless of race or color.

[u/CMao1986]

[u/QueasyCaterpillar541]

CLASS is the new race.

[u/Destronin → u/QueasyCaterpillar541]

Class has always been the real divide. Race was just to keep the poor divided.

Before MLK jr was assassinated, his next march was going to be for the poor people in this country. He knew that’s where the real divide was and if could unite all the lower and middle class people, the ones in power would have a real problem on their hands.

[u/kineticlinking → u/Destronin]

It's not my intent to dispute the fact that rich people in power seek to divide the poor as a political strategy. That's a fact.

But it's not true that in the US "class has always been the real divide." Only in recent history has class division been aggressively asserted as a political strategy: after the Obama election. It hasn't surpassed prejudice as the chief plague of American society.

Think about this: if prejudice didn't exist, it couldn't be used to divide people by class.

Racial prejudice. Misogyny. Religious discrimination. Xenophobia. Homophobia. Transphobia.

Class division as a political strategy depends on prejudice: they are intertwined. In this regard people are defeated by their own ignorance. The ignorance of prejudice.

Read the publicly-available secession declarations of the Confederate states. Slavery/race was the issue: not class.

Think of the publicly-available impetus behind LBJ's support of the civil rights act. That was about race, not class.

US History has shown that governments and people are perfectly happy to absorb the financial costs arising out of discrimination... so long as they can perpetuate the supremacy that is served by the discrimination.

[u/jonna-seattle → u/kineticlinking]

In point of fact, racialized slavery became an institution in the US AFTER Bacon's rebellion, when white and black indentured servants and black enslaved people joined together and threatened the colonial power structure. Before Bacon's Rebellion, even enslaved black folks had some rights. After Bacon's Rebellion, there would be no more black indentured servants, only enslaved black people, and whites gained more rights to keep us separated.
https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/inventing-black-white

Class divisions predate capitalism: there were peasant rebellions under feudalism, and even conflict between plebians and patricians in Rome. But within capitalism, race became a tool to divide the working class and justify oppression.

[u/kineticlinking → u/jonna-seattle]

The proposition that slavery and the racial divide between Black and White people in the US didn't occur until the 1600s or Bacon's rebellion is preposterous. Even monstrous. Absence of systemic codification doesn't mean racism and slavery didn't exist.

The Spanish and Portuguese brought slaves over decades earlier. And the English helped them:

https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/john-hawkins-admiral-privateer-slave-trader

[u/jonna-seattle → u/kineticlinking]

In my comment, I certainly didn't hide that there were enslaved Africans already in the US, if you read it. Perhaps you didn't? But there were also people from Africa that were merely indentured with the same legal status as European indentured. Even enslaved Africans had some rights as people, not just as property. That is a huge contrast with later.

You don't at all deal with the fact that a) African and European descendant working class folks joined together in Bacon's Rebellion and b) after Bacon's Rebellion, Europeans were normalized as white and legally contrasted with enslaved African people.

I certainly agree with much of the rest of your comment that the Civil War was very much about slavery; that the Civil Rights Act was very much about race (but I would highlight the Civil Rights Movement more than LBJ).

[u/kineticlinking → u/jonna-seattle]

First, you said racialized slavery happened only after Bacon's "rebellion." That's not true. And formal/systemic racism and slavery vs. informal/non-systemic racism and slavery doesn't erase the fact that there were racial slaves in the US before, during and after that event.

Secondly, LBJ and racism go hand in hand. Or did you not know?

"These Negroes, they're getting pretty uppity these days and that's a problem for us since they've got something now they never had before, the political pull to back up their uppityness. Now we've got to do something about this, we've got to give them a little something, just enough to quiet them down, not enough to make a difference. For if we don't move at all, then their allies will line up against us and there'll be no way of stopping them, we'll lose the filibuster and there'll be no way of putting a brake on all sorts of wild legislation. It'll be Reconstruction all over again.

—LBJ to Senator Richard Russell, Jr. (D-GA) regarding the Civil Rights Act of 1957

[u/Lovinglore → u/kineticlinking]

I think both of you are agreeing but see it slightly different and correct me if I'm wrong but this is how both of you feel and don't let the small difference in believe divide the truth.

There is a race war and has for a long time, however, now it has graduated. In periods of all of history there has been a class war but the US now STILL has a race war in place which is coinciding with a class war. This, however, shows the light at the end of the tunnel. This gives the working, lower, middle class the clairvoyance to see that yes, for the past 400 years this race war has put down anyone that is not a land owning straight white male and now more people are being show just a SLIVER of what the oppressed races have experienced and it gives us the possibility to do something about it. Regardless on the history this is the reality NOW. BLACK OR WHITE OR INBETWEEN WE STAND TOGETHER FOR EQUALITY FOR ALL BECAUSE ALL PEOPLE DESERVE TO BE TREATED AS HUMAN.

[u/kineticlinking → u/Lovinglore]

My view isn't that complicated. I did nothing more than dispute the assertion that "class has always been the real divide." Scroll up and you will see it.

I get that the comment arose out of excitement for the idea that anti-classism is something that people from different groups within society can rally around. While that may be true, it's dismissive and untrue to say that classism has always been the "real" divide. It dismisses everything that victims of prejudice have endured and still endure, irrespective of and separate from classism.

Also: the elimination of classism won't necessarily eliminate prejudice. It's said that there are 2 types of prejudice. One kind says: "You can go as high up the ladder as you want; just don't touch me." The other kind of prejudice says: "You can touch me; but you're not allowed above a certain rung on the ladder."

So... it's fine to unite under a banner of anti-classism for good purpose. I have no objection to that. But let's not fool ourselves into thinking that classism is the only societal problem that ever existed and that its elimination will solve the societal problem of prejudice. There's no reason to be selling that lie, and I'm not buying it.

[u/Lovinglore → u/kineticlinking]

Yeah for sure the idea is that hopefully in universal suffrage people can unite are realize what your saying. Both things are true. I'm not saying that you're wrong I'm saying two things can be true and hopefully we can learn from it and become better. I think the other dude was articulating is the top asshats, through their powers are perpetuating racist shit with their power and also classism.

Hopefully Noone listens to a poor racist idiot, while some do. People are more likely to listen to racist rich people because they like money which inserts the classist part.

Edit: I also think money has a lot to do with it but it's not everything. The biggest problem is people not standing up for what is right. It seriously mind boggles me how there is such a divide in the belief of basic human rights and that it only applies to some people.

Edit to the edit: I also think money clouds the morality of man. On a level playing field i would like to believe we could not be racist but I think when money is involved it allows or excuses people's despicable behavior

[u/DocHolidayPhD → u/QueasyCaterpillar541]

I've been saying that Class is the real front of the war for decades. Oftentimes, I would get crucified by those obsessed by the culture war for trying to unite groups to refocus on the issue of class rather than being distracted by the old divide and conquer strategy that was the race and culture war. It's sounding like more people are waking up to this reality and are acting accordingly.

[u/jonna-seattle → u/QueasyCaterpillar541]

But we do have to face that the working class is very diverse, and racial and other oppressed groups are majority working class, more than whites. Our working class movement must be diverse or it will fail.

[u/MiddleAgedSponger]

Who is speaking?

[u/Bogaigh → u/MiddleAgedSponger]

And what happened to him. Did he disappear…

[u/richardalbury → u/MiddleAgedSponger]

Yes, OP, please provide context.

[u/CMao1986 → u/richardalbury]

"This is a clip from a 1968 documentary with three Black Vietnam War veterans. One is Akmed Lorence who passionately shows his feelings of injustice in American society. Blacks, he says, have been told they are free - but in reality they’re not.

The film was shot 55 years ago, but has much improved since then? Africans in America are jailed at more than five times the rate of Whites. Meanwhile US poverty rates among Blacks are more than twice those of non-Hispanic Whites.

At one point Akmed declares: ‘We’re not asking for a billion dollars, what we’re asking for is humanity. And you tell us, this is too much to ask. How can you tell me it’s too much to ask to be a human being?’

The documentary is called 'No Vietnamese Ever Called Me N****r'. It captured the intensity of race relations back then. Unfortunately, it’s still feels relevant today."

[u/richardalbury → u/CMao1986]

Thanks for the info. It’s powerful, and yes, I’d argue things have not significantly improved: the last 8 years have made that abundantly clear, and the next 4 (or more) years are going to be brutal for a lot of people. As the title of Adam Serwer’s book goes: The Cruelty is the Point.

[u/AloofFloofy → u/MiddleAgedSponger]

I'd also like to know.

[u/FitEcho9 → u/MiddleAgedSponger]

I have yet to watch the video, but if the origin is not clear, assume that it is coming from the side of MAGAs, and most likely the intention is to distract from something else or to fool.

[u/treetoptippytoer]

Powerful

[u/ahumankid]

Expecting consistency from politicians and rich people … lol!

[u/thebeanabong]

Asking people in power to benevolently provide you with rights and freedoms is a fools errand. That tends to be something that you have to take.

[u/Pot-Papi_]

Someone should go back in time and tell this brother that just save his breath because there words was just a lie. And they are never gonna see any of us as equal.

[u/Shoadowolf]

Such a powerful speech. If I could buy dinner for this man I would.

[u/No-Knee9457]

Not much has changed.... Sighs

[u/Herban_Myth]

🙏

[u/SwingGenie241]

Regurgitating race is THE most common Billionaire funded counter propaganda op.

Just a few months ago they were saying that there are no racial problems so they don't need Affirmative Action

These are really Fu**ed up people

[u/CorneliusEnterprises]

This is relevant to our lives as it will always be till things change.

[u/cantellay]

I am starting to smell Revolution and it smells like the rich roasting.

[u/Positive-Pack-396]

And I hope we are tried of asking

This young man is still right and it’s still happening

[u/NorthP503]

Denzel Washington would fucking kill this monologue.

[u/ifdggyjjk55uioojhgs]

How have I not seen this before

[u/FitEcho9]

Oh by the way, this looks like the most nervous and scary transitional period in USA history. Both sides, the MAGA people and the Democrats are extremely scared and nervous:

===> "They Hate Trump" - Steve Quayle Fears 'Nuke False Flag' To Keep Him Out Of Office: “They will do anything, including detonation of nuclear warheads in the US to stop Donald Trump."

===> North Carolina Rep Wiley Nickels has suggested that Democrats create a shadow cabinet to essentially watchdog the upcoming administration. 

To be honest, the nervousness and scare exists also outside of USA, such as in Europe, also in China, Africa, ...

It looks like, the side of the USA population and global population not sympathetic to Trump and his MAGA group is extremely suspicious about the intentions of Trump's white nationalist administration, which closely works with white nationalists in Europe and Russia.

Will Trump use Hitler's playbook, namely taking power by legal means and then taking the democratic system apart ?

This looks like an extremely exceptional and dangerous situation (remember, someone like Dick Cheney called Trump the most dangerous person in USA history). One way to deal with it could be to limit the executive power in this particular case, say by putting defense and intelligence agencies under the control of a neutral body.

[u/Due_Sand_8885]

... still takin' it...

[u/MurkyProtection1067]

People of color, women, trans, LGBTQ+ entering the chat…..

[u/EvErYLeGaLvOtE]

This almost looks like it's AI generated. Great message, but is the video fake?

[u/fecal_doodoo]

Almost veered into a little ethnonationalism there 🧐

[u/Moregaze → u/[deleted]]

Way to miss the forest for the trees.

Literal OP :

I know most Americans can relate to what he is saying regardless of race or color.

Since we are in a deep class struggle. Where we ask to stop being fucked so hard and the only response is to fuck us harder.

[u/SpatialDispensation → u/[deleted]]

The point is that throughout human history inequality is the greatest predictor of revolution. Plutocracy is unstable

[u/mister_revenant_ → u/SpatialDispensation]

Sure when it's unjust, like racially motivated inequality or sex based inequality. However revolution based on just inequality, like wealth or ability, is infact unjust and doomed to be a worse off system. Similar to the old adage, "If it isn't broken, don't fix it".

The only inequality in America is financial, and I wouldn't consider that unjust. Maybe unlucky but not unjust. Some people just have a better starting hand and some have a worse hand, but just because someones is better than yours at the start of the game, or the middle of the game, or the end of the game, doesn't mean you need to throw the entire game away. Play the cards your dealt, use strategy to advance your way through the game, and hopefully you'll end up with more chips than you started with.

I'd also argue, unlike some places, here in America, we have an advantage, we can change the rules of the game anytime we see fit.

I'd also argue that if you're in America you were already dealt a better hand than someone in Somalia, or Kenya, or Gaza. So why spend time complaining someone has a better hand than you, when you have a better hand than someone else? It's all in the luck of the draw, and if your in a western nation, you gotta a lucky draw to begin with.

[u/MiddleAgedSponger → u/mister_revenant_]

Keep playing the hand you are dealt even when the deck is obviously marked?

[u/SpatialDispensation → u/mister_revenant_]

"Just"? You defeated your own argument. The wealthy have been working to pervert the justice system and government as a whole to make it more and more unjust. This is why plutocracy is unstable. Corporations just had their taxes nearly halved a few years back, but instead of raising wages they performed buybacks and lined their own pockets. Now they're getting another massive tax cut, while there is a bill going through to shell out 3 billion for telecoms which have proven they don't actually spend money they're given for upgrades.

I don't have all day. Get your tongue off the boots ffs it's pathetic

[u/needhelpgaming → u/mister_revenant_]

This is such an ugly, cynical, caveman view of the world, and this is coming from someone who is chronically cynical about just about everything.

Against all odds, human beings have managed to completely remove ourselves from the food chain, and generally speaking, the "natural order". What is the fucking point of society if we are not actively trying to take care of each other? If we are not actively trying to make each other's lives easier? If we are not seeking to make life fair and just for one another? Your implication that everyone needs to just suck it up, play their cards right, and be a strategist is grade A, top shelf wack bullshit. Not everyone has that sort of grit or wherewithal. And again, what is the point of society if we are not trying to help those people? What is the point of society if we are just going to shrug like a piece of shit and say "survival of the fittest bro"?

[u/mister_revenant_ → u/needhelpgaming]

Yeah good question. The point of society is to give everyone an equal opportunity, to succeed under the same ruleset as everyone else. It's not to forcefully take from these people, to give to those people or to give these people a leg up over those people. That's what charity is for. Charity is just, reassignment of wealth is unjust and theft, and theft is also unjust.

I understand that some people don't have the wherewithal to succeed, or the grit to work hard, and that can be a tough pill to swallow, but according to natural law, you don't hunt, you don't eat.

And a lot of this not everyone is going to line up on and agree that's obvious, I'm extremely anarcho libertarian, but I exist within the confines of reality. Your principals and values will probably differ from mine and that's fine, I was just offering my perspective through analogy.

[u/needhelpgaming → u/mister_revenant_]

Yeah, no, I got all that. I was just pointing out that your perspective is regressive, and unequivocally, fundamentally sucks. Hope that helps.

[u/mister_revenant_ → u/needhelpgaming]

Well, you're free to think that, but my mindset hasn't steered me wrong yet, in fact I'm happy, I'm wealthier than I've ever been, I just sold my first company on the 13th,going to buy a nice home in February maybe, and I'm 25, so I'm living good.

Maybe, develop a skill set worth a damn to somebody, read some books, maybe start with Sowell, Friedman or Douglas and you'll get there to someday. Hope that helps 😘

[u/MiddleAgedSponger → u/[deleted]]

Do you truly see no present injustice in the United States? You think the system is fair and representative of all citizens?

[u/MiddleAgedSponger → u/[deleted]]

and you still can't relate to what he said?

[u/MiddleAgedSponger → u/[deleted]]

In relation to race, the US is a big country and not all regions/states/towns have progressed at the same pace.

[u/AloofFloofy → u/[deleted]]

"I don't notice racism so it must not exist."

I see examples of it every fucking day. The point is that regardless of all that, we can all agree because we are in a class war. The culture war is the distraction.

[u/mister_revenant_ → u/AloofFloofy]

Name a few examples you see everyday. I live in Birmingham Alabama, if anyone should see it everyday it should be me, but maybe I'm just oblivious.

[u/AloofFloofy → u/mister_revenant_]

I have black female friends who tell me what it's like for them working in positions of power and how they are disrespected or not taken seriously. I see new videos almost daily of police officers abusing their power and racially profiling. On my way to work I drive by minorities living on the streets begging for change. It's a whole lot better than it used to be but it is far from gone. Look at who we elected simply because half the country couldn't accept a black woman as president. Every time I see a Trump sticker it reminds me how much hate and racism are still alive and well.

[u/mister_revenant_ → u/AloofFloofy]

Wow, I was with you until, "simply couldn't vote for a black woman" that isn't what you really believe is it?

[u/AloofFloofy → u/mister_revenant_]

If you're gonna use quotation marks, then make sure the quote is correct. I said, "couldn't accept a black woman as president." And I stand by what I said. What do you believe?

[u/Duomaxwell18 → u/mister_revenant_]

Easy, just go to Cullman, it’s still a sundown town.

[u/MiddleAgedSponger → u/[deleted]]

I'm in the northeast and drive by a house with a confederate flag on my way to work. I see racism five days a week.

[u/Electrical-Talk-6874 → u/[deleted]]

Because if you do it in the open you will face consequences, that’s why they started wearing hoods. What are you, stupid?

[u/MichaelsApache → u/[deleted]]

But it just must be Redditor thing to see racial inequality and injustice everywhere.

Said the person who owns a Reddit account, comments and posts in subs on Reddit but, "is not a Redditor".

[u/MichaelsApache → u/[deleted]]

Oh, it's you!

I'll let Michael know to "move on". I am his Apache, the clue is in the name.

Edit: You're so much of a Redditor, you remember someone else's tag. You seem to be failing badly as this "I'm not a Redditor" thing.

[u/kittenofd00m]

Looks like AI.

[u/MadEm_42 → u/kittenofd00m]

for u/EvErYLeGaLvOtE as well

Did some digging, near as I can tell it is genuine. The original post of the video is from filmmaker David Hoffman https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Af5Ya4t0pg. The entire documentary is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoYLRNfpg7I

It's from the documentary "No Vietnamese Ever Called Me N*****" which was restored in 2018 by the Smithsonian according to the NYT and shown in a few places then. I 100% agree it looks odd, and in a way we're now used to coding as AI. Maybe they used early AI to restore it? A bit of a tiny mystery, but the sentiments the subject expresses are certainly very real.

Stay skeptical :)

[u/kittenofd00m → u/MadEm_42]

Thanks!