We previously discussed the controversy over the writings of Trinity College professor Johnny Eric Williams and his position that “whiteness is terrorism.” in a recent opinion editorial. I previously supported Williams when many called for his removal because I believed — and still believe — that his writings are protected by both free speech and academic freedom. Williams has now penned a new opinion piece that lashes about at any one who identifies as white. My concern is not whether Williams’ speech is protected. It should be. Rather my concern that another professor saying that same about black people would not receive the same protection and the lack of any bright line rule protecting all free speech.
In the prior controversy in April 2019, Williams declared that “all self-identified white people (no exceptions) are invested in and collude with systematic white racism/white supremacy” and other racially charged comments. He declared “it is past time for the racially oppressed to do what people who believe themselves to be ‘white’ will not do, put end to the vectors of their destructive mythology of whiteness and their white supremacy system. #LetThemFuckingDie.” He was denounced for suggesting that the victims of the massacre at a congressional baseball game should have been allowed to just die and he called white people “inhuman a**holes.”
In his new opinion piece entitled “I tweeted ‘whiteness is terrorism’ and was condemned for it. Here’s why I’m right,” Williams writes that white is not a race but a socially constructed category designed to oppress minorities. He also denounced the concept of individualism in this context:
But white supremacy is not merely confined to openly bigoted whites but also people who see themselves as individuals, rather than a member of a socially constructed racial group and system. Individualism denies the very existence of systemic white racism by reducing it to individual hate and discrimination. People immersed in individualism claim innocence or refuse to consider how the cultural environment of white supremacy we inhabit shapes our racial identities and world views and further informs how we perceive and interact with others within a hierarchical racial order. To overcome this obstacle, it is imperative that people who imagine themselves as white, grasp how their socialization into whiteness guarantees their participation in everyday systemic white racism.
. . .
Whiteness by its very definition and operation as a key element of white supremacy kills; it is mental and physical terrorism. To end the white terrorism that is directed at racially oppressed people here and in other nations, it is essential that self-identified whites and their whiteness collaborators among the racially oppressed confront their white problem head-on, unencumbered by racial comfort. Such comfortableness enables folks immersed in whiteness to disregard their complicity in systemic white racism, forestalling the destruction of white supremacy.
I actually found the opinion piece to be thought-provoking even though I disagreed with it. My concern is that, if you flip the racial references from black to white, there would be little question that an academic would be fired at Trinity. My primary interest, as always, is with free speech. Universities and colleges continue to maintain an ill-defined and seemingly ad hoc approach to what speech is protected. This creates uncertainty for many academics if they will be disciplined for writing in the same provocative way as Professor Williams.
Well “Professor” Johnny Eric Williams, I’m white and I’m NOT SORRY.
I take great offense at you calling me a terrorist when I am a mere law-abiding, white man, a citizen of the great United States of America who has a regular day job, eats, sleeps and breathes the same air you do and tries to be a responsible citizen.
Oh, by the way, this nation was built, created and formed by WHITE MEN, of which I am proud to know created the greatest nation ever to date on this earth. I know this because we have tons of illegal and legal immigrants flocking to this nation to get in, we have many nations who want to do business with us, our adversaries respect and fear us.
So “Prof.”, if you want to keep on calling us a terrorist, there will come a day when we will show you and your communist ilk just how much of a terror we can be, just like did to the British Army in 1776.
Therefore, I surmise Prof. Williams the problem seems to be with YOU and your pathetic racist POV. I recommend you to immigrate your pathetic self to a nation free of white people ASAP so you can be free of your so called “terrorists” so you can find out who the real terrorists are once and for all. (here’s a hint, it isn’t white people)
What an idiot! Skin color is amoral. “Whiteness” is amoral just as “Blackness” is. The actions of any individual, regardless of skin color, emanate from their heart.
Yup,and this A-hole has a “black” heart !
Am I the only one thinking this guy is merely trying to impress a cute little activist coed in one of his classes? I mean, come on. He’s totally ignoring his OWN “whiteness”, since he’s obviously not a pure black man. In addition, as a tenured professor, isn’t he also a part of a powerful bureaucracy that holds power over others? He clearly doesn’t understand “hypocrisy”, since his premise is that “whiteness” has created systems that SHOULD never let a black person, or any non-white person, reach any position of power within any bureaucracy. This dude is a twit, and the less exposure we give him the better. Let him get laid, that’s about it.
Am I the only one thinking this guy is merely trying to impress a cute little activist coed in one of his classes?
No, the one doing that is the 21 year old Antifa guy.
Neosegregation seems to be catching on among black racists. If that’s what they want, let ’em have it as I don’t think many will care one way or the other.
30% of the population commits 80% of the violence in this country. If you want to stop terrorism, start repatriation of Africa, South America, and the Middle-East.
GASP!!!….But….But…..That would be racist….Wouldn’t it…..But…..But…..GASP!!!
Prof. Williams is a Terrorist to be treated as such by any and all who see him.
So if this guy wore blackface to prove his commitment to hating whiteness that’d be OK right?
The way to respond to this is for whites to join Williams in his exhortation by owning whiteness as excellence. Debate Williams on whiteness vs. blackness. Let’s see who are a better people. It is time to abandon the individualism defense, as Williams does. It is time for whites to own whiteness as excellence.
Problem: whiteness isn’t excellence. It is a property of a human being. Per se, it has no positive or negative value. “Whiteness” as the professor uses the term does not exist. It’s just a set of character strings favored by one gassy and malicious fraud. Excellence comes from accomplishment. Accomplishment is to be found in persons and in teams, however they’re delineated. I suppose you could find it in a nation, but aggregates that large have only the fuzziest of collective wills.
you should read or perhaps reread genealogy of morals by Nietzsche if you want an interesting read on a nation that had a strong collective will. The Jews, in a word, contrary to those who misunderstand Fred as an antisemite, he was not. further reading in the work, beyond good and evil.
I would also say that Excellence certainly can be found in nations. you like to count. count and see:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/11926364/Nobel-Prize-winners-Which-country-has-the-most-Nobel-laureates.html
https://www.topendsports.com/events/summer/medal-tally/all-time.htm
That approach has failed. Accept Williams’ premise, that there are racial differences and engage in debate on that premise. There has never been any doubt that there is a human sub-species variation that has been called “Caucasian”. Look at the census form. Nobody disagrees that there are white people. Williams despises them. So, let’s debate on his premise. Whites run away from that debate because they have been bullied into a corner. It is time to survive.
The way to respond to this is for whites to join Williams in his exhortation by owning whiteness as excellence.
Why? Because you believe you’ll debunk his opinion by validating his premise, that our excellence is derived from the color of our skin? That certainly is not excellent reasoning.
So, it’s ok to be racist if you’re not white. Got it
Don’t be sorry for being white. Don’t be sorry for being black. Don’t be sorry for being blue-green, like me. 😉
Respect others, respect yourself, try to treat everyone the same and equal. Always try to be better and do better. Learn from your mistakes. Look to the future, but don’t forget the past.
There I solved it.
I see what he is saying about individualism versus collective groups, but I really am not going to be sorry nor feel responsible for someone else stupidity.
It’s like a massive guilt trip that I don’t need today, tomorrow, or ever, I have enough life problems as is, and it does not include me feeling bad about how I was born, something I had no choice in the matter. No one determines their own race, their family, their parents, their socioeconomic status, in life.
Right now, actually, ppl are hating on Asians, like no tomorrow, due to Coronavirus, and then tomorrow, it may be some other group. No one is exempt.
In fact, a personal tidbit, I can’t tell you how many girlfriends I have had who are non-white but will only date white guys. Say what!?
Yep, they all want to marry a white guy, hrrmmmm, but why? Congrats white dudes, you’re in demand, from the Asians, Blacks, and Hispanic ladies…
The worst, is when they won’t date their own race, and you call them out on it, bluntly, to their face, and they laugh and make up some excuse, about their own race, and why they can’t date them….maybe they’re brainwashed too….
Black professors are proof that they are RACIST and they prove that white people are innocent and not racist !
Black racist make white people look good because white people are better because they don’t play these racist games!
Why would a caucasian go to this school
Ashamed I went to this stupid school.
Trinity now an historically black college and not worth going to thanks to a black president.
Does Professor Williams want total war?
Mr. Turley is an erudite scholar ( watched is “Impeachment” testimony”), and I am just a peasant commoner. But to understand vile-thrust of those incendiary–diabolical–words, and read them described as “thought-provoking”, just utterly floors me.
Are white-ivory-tower academics so disengaged from on the street reality? Blind to potential impact on irrational, radical-primed minds, of such demonizing characterizations? Have the lessons of Burundi to Nazi Germany been forgotten?
First, utterly demonize by aggressive WORD. Then, unsheathe violent sword. — As in racial civil war!
That’s what like wicked voices are inciting, knowingly or unwittingly.
I see subversive, if not seditious seeds in professor William’s hate-charged—slander-filled—accusations. ( Slandering the entire Semitic population of Earth?! Caucasians? )
Stomach-turning, Marxist-Leninist voiced Collective mentality, hostile and aggressive against free-man of liberty. Liberty based of Judaeo-Christianity! ( Which the radical Left despises. ) The independent man and woman, encompassed by circle of Biblical-Constitutional freedom. To poorly paraphrase commentator Mark Levin. This Trinity College “professor”, seems to disgustingly speak of the monolithic societal Collective.
Anathema to Judaeo-Christian free men! And freedom-loving men, everywhere. Who have ever sanely fought against totalitarian COMMUNISM.
Why do such words not set-off alarm-bells? Are some folks asleep? The “professor” is sowing malicious division. Its clear bitter signature, of spirit that influences him. And its frightening.
What is professor Williams, and is ilk, actually saying? I’m no scholar, but I think common farmer, business man or secretary; welder, truck-driver or nurse, out-and-about in the real world, can read or sense, the insidious racist bile dispensed from Mr. William’s poisoned “pen”. — The Meaning is diabolical! Boiled down to essence. Flimsy Neo-Marxist Identity-Politics, tribal-mask barely concealed.
Absolutely sickening!
Words, criminally slanderous against an entire population—have consequences! That professor of racial demonization, to a semi-peaceful multi-racial society, is nothing less than a menace!
Profiles in Courage, by Hunter Biden.
—————————————————
In a court filing trying to dodge a hearing in his paternity case:
It is unsafe for the Defendant to travel, as travel restrictions have been implemented both domestically and internationally, particularly on airlines, due to the coronavirus. Setting aside personal endangerment, Defendant reasonably believes that such travel unnecessarily exposes his wife and unborn child to this virus. California, in particular, has been the site of numerous reported cases of exposure.
—————————————————–
You’d think Joe would make sure that the baby gets taken care of financially, even if they’re going to disown it.
And as I’ve said before, Joe had an easy choice in Ukraine. He should have recused himself from his oversight role the instant that Hunter accepted the Burisma director position.
This speaks volumes about both of their characters.
But maybe I’m full of sh!t and should stop being a horse’s @ss.
Thinking more about Hunter’s court filing and his concern for others–
Anybody care to take odds on whether he used a condom?
Without a doubt if a professor reversed the colors and said the same thing he would be fired.
In the same vein note how seldom blacks are charged with hate crimes for conduct that would land a white person in prison.
Both practises drip poison into our society.
You should not find this article thought provoking at all since it is based upon a fundamentally flawed premise that is used to mask a clear race hatred – That Whiteness is a cultural identity designed to purposefully oppress non-white people.
Whiteness is a cultural identity. And like any other sociological group structure, it’s purpose is to develop a social construct that is beneficial to members of that group. Period.
That in itself does not infer that a cultural structure created by White people to promote the group interest of that group is ‘designed to oppress’ anyone else. In the same way, a black culture and its norms does not by definition oppress people outside that group.
It is not the responsibility of self-identified white people to be concerned with how the norms of white culture affect people outside the group.
.
A good example of this would be Catholic Schools. The Catholic school system was started by Bishop John Hughes in the last century exactly because, as an Irish born nationalized American, Bishop Hughes believed the normative structure of the Public Educational system was oppressive to ‘Irish Catholic’ (a non-white culture identity) people. He didn’t demand for an end to the cultural norm of the public school. He simply began his own system, where people who identified as ‘Irish and Catholic’ had a church and school cultural institution that allowed a separate cultural group to thrive. In no way did his cultural group oppress the normative American culture, and the normative American culture (The White culture) did not oppress his cultural group.
Now, one can certainly argue that our current system of a runaway Government, exceeding it’s constitutional limitations, and controlling and financing segments of our society (such as education) that it has no legal right to control has created a government desirous to implement a society itself, and thereby enforce cultural norms.
But this is not the correct purpose of Government. I would join this professor in fighting that tyranny, but alas, he is a racist bent on hiding his racist thinking behind a veneer of intellectualism.