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The Root s Clapback Mailbag: Systemic Whiteness Illustration: Oscar Bustamante Clapback MailbagEach Friday, we select the best (or worst) emails, tweets, DMs and comments from our readers and respond to them in the The Root s Clapback Mailbag. Advertisement We are still receiving responses about the article on From: Adam To: Michael Harriot I read your article “We Found the Textbooks of Senators Who Oppose The 1619 Project and Suddenly Everything Makes Sense” I have a serious question: If America wasn’t founded on July 4, 1776, why do you think everyone agrees on that date? A white teacher probably taught you that two plus two equals four. So is that racist? Some things that are objectively true and just because a white person said it, it doesn’t mean it is racist. ....
Advertisement Or maybe it was Shakespeare. I can’t remember. In any case, each week, while sorting through the emails, DMs and tweets from readers and people who only peruse headlines before firing off angry responses, we try to avoid the stupid stuff. But I now realize stupid people deserve to be heard. You might think this newfound position serves no purpose, but who are you to judge? While we have all suffered through temporary bouts of stupidity, you’ve probably never had to do with Deadly Untreatable Malignant Bouts of Asinine Foolishness (DUMBAF). While scientists thought they would one day come up with a cure for DUMBAF, it has been spreading like wildfire lately. There’s no vaccine for stupidity. All we can do is use social distancing to stay away from our DUMBAF readers. But hope is not lost. Maybe this will help. ....
The Root s Clapback Mailbag: We Have Questions Illustration: Oscar Bustamante While I’m generally known for my quiet, kind-hearted demeanor and as someone who accepts racism quietly and would never push back when someone else says or does something stupid or racist, beneath this placid, compassionate exterior lies a heart that constantly asks the same question over and over again. (Why are you laughing? I know I’m viewed as a pushover. I’m very self-aware.) Advertisement One of my dreams is to interview someone like Tucker Carlson, Donald Trump or Candace Owens on live television. In this hallucination, I have a ream of prepared notes from which I pull all my questions. And, as they regurgitate the predictable talking points, I shuffle through my index cards to find the perfect follow-up question. After asking the reciprocal question, I stare intently while they answer my inquiry, which is always the same: ....
Michael Harriot is on assignment this week. Before he left, he asked someone to fill in for today’s mailbag but everyone on staff was really busy, so The Root hired me as a one-time freelance writer to fill in. Honestly, I was surprised to get the call. After all of the insults and draggings I’ve received from writers here, I thought they hated me. Perhaps The Root is trying to appear as if they are fair and balanced. Advertisement Anyway, I’ve never done this before so I thought I’d introduce myself before I do this mailbag thing. I’m much older than any of the writers here and I’m one of the few white contributors in the history of this site. ....
The Clapback Mailbag is over. We’ll continue to respond to emails, DMs, tweets and comments every Friday but, to be honest, there’ll never be another mailbag as good as this week’s collection of well-moisturized whiteness. This one is filled with 40 percent more whiteness. This one is the fulfillment of all our clapback dreams. This one exemplifies the concept of white tears. This is what we mean when we talk about “whataboutisms.” This is why the mailbag exists. Advertisement This is white people. In fact, you know I am not a man prone to hyperbole (sarcasm font). However, when this world has ceased to exist; when the oceans have consumed the continents and the sharks are eating the last remaining zebras (because of the long necks); when Jesus or Zeus or T’Challa or the great Panther in the sky returns to itemize and pass judgment on all that has ever existed; after they separate the wheat from the chaff, the lion from the lamb and good from evil; j ....