Kamala Harris

[metalblue]

Wait what shampoo is racist now, does me using head and shoulders mean I want to cause genocide in the Democratic Republic of Congo or am I just harping back to the days of the French revolution and Madame Guillotine

No of course not and that wasn’t my point. We know society has mostly moved on from what we instantly think of as racism (calling folk names, taking the piss out of them, stereotyping and the such) and when people say we aren’t a racist society this is what they instantly think of.

My point was that buying shampoo or dolls or plasters or whatever just requires a little bit more thought and planning than it does for me as I know my local supermarkets will stock what I want I don’t have to think about it. And life should not be more complicated as a result of your skin colour.

 

[PannickAtTheDisco]

But that sounds a lot like “I’m not racist, I’ve got black mates”.

Sure we don’t discriminate on jobs, pay, and the such.

You want to buy your little girl a black doll from the toy shop? As a white guy I’ve got 20 to choose from, you’ve got 2

You want to buy some shampoo? As a white guy I’ve got 30 different brands to pick, you’ve got 3

And so on and so forth

When day to day living isn’t more difficult just because you aren’t white is the day we can finally say we’re an equal society.

the market is much bigger for the former than the latter. It's simple population demographics and supply and demand. Besides, supermarkets target their offering to their local community and what will sell.

Life being more difficult would be having no shampoo to buy at all. If there's a wide market for personal taste, then go and exploit it. Alternatively, someone's already tried and not made any money, which isn't racism.

 

[mrbelfry]

Supply and demand is the kind of argument that takes responsibility off shop owners etc. This kind of issue is what people mean when they talk about unconscious bias. Like when the Tesco's in Wales decided sanitary towels weren't an essential purchase and blocked off the aisle. I doubt someone made that decision trying to upset feminists but they definitely didn't do it with the needs of women in mind.

It also means nothing changes. If no one goes into Tesco for afro hair products because they don't sell it then no one is going to go in Tesco for afro hair products. The supply negates the demand.

Representation matters and finding products or services that meet the needs of 'minorities' in mainstream public spaces makes a huge difference in making people feel accepted and comfortable. If you don't feel it matters it is probable that you are in the majority and most of what you need is available to you. I remember the anxiety of not being able to buy pasta and toilet paper in the shops last spring. It is a hyperbolic example but I'm making a point. Incidentally we don't have pizza and pasta in supermarkets to meet the needs of our local Italian community.

 

[Ban-jani]

Supply and demand is the kind of argument that takes responsibility off shop owners etc. This kind of issue is what people mean when they talk about unconscious bias. Like when the Tesco's in Wales decided sanitary towels weren't an essential purchase and blocked off the aisle. I doubt someone made that decision trying to upset feminists but they definitely didn't do it with the needs of women in mind.

It also means nothing changes. If no one goes into Tesco for afro hair products because they don't sell it then no one is going to go in Tesco for afro hair products. The supply negates the demand.

Representation matters and finding products or services that meet the needs of 'minorities' in mainstream public spaces makes a huge difference in making people feel accepted and comfortable. If you don't feel it matters it is probable that you are in the majority and most of what you need is available to you. I remember the anxiety of not being able to buy pasta and toilet paper in the shops last spring. It is a hyperbolic example but I'm making a point. Incidentally we don't have pizza and pasta in supermarkets to meet the needs of our local Italian community.

Is this sarcasm?

 

[mrbelfry]

Is this sarcasm?

Ha not intentionally no

 

[Ban-jani]

Ha not intentionally no

Which supermarkets don’t have pizza and pasta haha?

Pizza is absolutely every where.

 

[mrbelfry]

Which supermarkets don’t have pizza and pasta haha?

Pizza is absolutely every where.

I meant in the spring there was no pasta. Also I was responding to a point in a previous post about supermarket demographics. Pizza and pasta isn't in every supermarket because we are overrun by Italians

 

[Ban-jani]

I meant in the spring there was no pasta. Also I was responding to a point in a previous post about supermarket demographics. Pizza and pasta isn't in every supermarket because we are overrun by Italians

No it’s because it’s bloody tasty!

 

[roman totale]

I think she would be a great shout, I was watching some footage of Obama earlier today and the sight of a youthful leader who interacted with people make you realise just what a clusterfuck the Trump days have been.

Totally agree. One thing that blows my mind re the ‘youthful’ aspect (and I know it’s all relative) is that Obama was only 47 when first elected. Kamala is already 56, even though she absolutely doesn’t look it.

 

[bluethrunthru]

Totally agree. One thing that blows my mind re the ‘youthful’ aspect (and I know it’s all relative) is that Obama was only 47 when first elected. Kamala is already 56, even though she absolutely doesn’t look it.

In many ways though age really is just a number - its who you resonate and appeal to as a politician and who you want to appeal to as well. I think Joe Biden is what the USA needs right now - like a calm wise old granddad who will pour oil on troubled waters which mostly appeals to older voters sickened by Trump I'd imagine. Kamala Harris is the second prong in the attack who hopefully can connect on a personal level with younger Americans.

The Reps problem was with Trumps descent into depravity his appeal was to white angry people his VP in Pence was just basically a cardboard cut out stood at the back doing his impression of VP because he wanted to have it on his CV. The offer to the youth vote was the various Trump juniors - angry young Trumps that are a massive turn off to younger voters and minorities who saw nothing in them that would change their lot for the better.