“Systemic racism? Come on, buddy. That’s just a buzzword,” begins 47 year-old Robert Brooks, who swears he’s cracked the code on what he calls “this modern hysteria.” Robert is, in appearance, an average guy: khaki trousers, a fleece jacket and an arsenal of “facts” derived from his Facebook feed. Today, Robert wants the world to know that, despite mountains of evidence, systemic racism simply doesn’t exist.
“It’s just the latest trend, isn’t it?” he scoffs, adjusting his “Make Common Sense Great Again” baseball cap. “Everyone these days is saying that ‘systemic racism’ is why they can’t get ahead in life. That’s funny because I seem to have done alright for myself without ever worrying about my race.” Robert has been working in finance for over 20 years and assures us that he’s “seen enough to know when something’s a load of baloney.”
An ‘Unseen’ Reality
For Robert, systemic racism is nothing but a far-fetched concept cooked up by “woke academics with too much free time and not enough brain cells.” He firmly believes that the world is fair and that everyone gets an equal shot. “People like to blame ‘the system’ for everything these days. But what is ‘the system,’ really? Is it me? Is it you? I mean, I’ve never been asked to discriminate against anyone. If anything, I get discriminated against for being honest!” he exclaims, nodding as though he’s just solved the most complex Rubik’s Cube ever.
As far as Robert’s concerned, those complaining about systemic racism are simply denying their personal responsibility. “People want someone to blame, right? It’s a lot easier to point fingers at some invisible ‘system’ than to take a hard look in the mirror,” he explains, fingers theatrically pointed at an imaginary mirror.
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The Pub Test of Racism
Armed with anecdotal “evidence” from his local pub, where he claims “no one ever talks about this stuff,” Robert is adamant that if systemic racism was real, he and his mates would have seen it by now. “Look, my buddy Dave – he’s Polish, by the way – says he’s never experienced any of this nonsense. He’s one of them and has never experienced it, so what are we even debating here?”
When presented with studies and statistics, Robert brushes them off as “just numbers that anyone can manipulate.” He trusts his gut, which he says is “rarely wrong.” In Robert’s world, personal experience trumps data. “All these professors and so-called experts come up with these reports, but when’s the last time they walked into a real workplace? I mean, I went to a decent school, got a job, put in the hours and here I am. Where’s this invisible barrier? I did just fine on my own!”
As we remind Robert that anecdotal evidence isn’t really conclusive proof of anything, Robert dismisses it as “just a fancy way to say ‘I don’t like your argument.’” For him, “common sense” is a better tool for understanding the world than “all these so-called experts and professors who’ve probably never had a real job in their lives.”
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When Evidence Isn’t Evidence
Robert, who has previously posted on Facebook about “doing his own research,” is convinced that institutional racism is nothing more than an invention by “the woke brigade” who, he says, are “obsessed with blaming everyone else for their problems.” He waves a hand dismissively at the concept of systemic inequality, as if he’s chasing away a particularly pesky fly.
“You see people blaming ‘the system’ whenever they don’t get what they want,” he says with a knowing look. “Like, ‘Oh, I didn’t get promoted because I’m from Connecticut.’ Nonsense! Maybe you just didn’t work hard enough or maybe you had a bad attitude. Have you thought of that? I didn’t go crying to the manager every time something didn’t go my way, did I?”
To Robert, the entire notion of institutional racism has become a punchline. He recounts with amusement how his pub pal Dave – who also believes the world has “gone soft” – showed him an article on how racial disparities exist in criminal sentencing. “I laughed my head off,” Robert says, rolling his eyes. “Criminal sentencing? Honestly, if you don’t want to go to prison, don’t break the law. Simple as that! Are we supposed to believe the courts are in on this whole modern hysteria now? It’s all just excuses, buddy.”
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The “Special Treatment” Theory
For Robert, all the talk about racism is really about special treatment. He believes everyone should have an equal opportunity, but that equity and addressing disparities is “a load of bull.” “Why should anyone get a leg up just because of something as abstract as race? I didn’t have that,” he explains. “I’ve had to work hard for everything I’ve got, without expecting some kind of ‘boost.’ If I could do it, why can’t they?”
In fact, Robert believes that the very idea of systemic racism is actually “the real racism.” “If you ask me,” he says, “all this focus on race is just creating more division. Everyone’s walking on eggshells, terrified of saying the wrong thing. It’s like society is bending over backwards to cater to every snowflake’s feelings.”
A Closing Message for “Snowflakes Everywhere”
As we conclude the interview, Robert offers a parting shot to those who believe in systemic racism. “People just need to toughen up, get a thicker skin and stop blaming everyone else. I mean, for crying out loud, if I could work my way up without getting favors or sympathy, anyone can. The sooner we get back to old-fashioned values, the better.”
With that, Robert Brooks sips his coffee and sits back, convinced he’s delivered a bombshell of truth to the world. Systemic racism? Just another invention of “sensitive snowflakes” who, in his words, are “too lazy to get a real job.” A man of the people, Robert is content in his knowledge that he’s figured it all out without the need for pesky data or nuanced understanding.
Before we leave, Robert offers a parting nugget of wisdom he believes the younger generation needs to hear: “Stop whining, stop looking for things to be offended by and just get on with it.” To conclude, as he waves us out, he remarks, “I’m just glad someone finally gave me the chance to speak my mind. You can’t say anything these days, can you?”
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