Over the weekend, I watched FD Signifiers “Understanding the Black Manosphere” video. I usually hesitate to watch FD. I don’t find his commentary off-putting. I just think the man talks too much! I grew up listening to preachers bloviate for hours, so all that long-talking triggers me. As far as I’m concerned, you should be able to deliver a message in 60 minutes or less. I feel that brevity should be a speaker’s best friend. Make your point concisely and clearly; it don’t take all that! But … I had many projects to work on around the house this weekend, so I could break this nearly three-hour video into segments.
FD’s Black Manosphere video was worth the time to watch, though. He made several excellent points about the podcast bros and the divestment movement. But that’s not the subject today. No, I wanted to discuss a podcast segment played during the video that truly amazed me.
Since the video was about the Black Manosphere, FD included a few excerpts from them. There was one that was so ridiculous I could not believe it. Back in middle school, I was taught that World War I and World War II were caused by complex European political and economic issues. But according to the podcast bros, that’s not what happened. The cause of WWI and WWII was *drumroll please*….
Black women!
Had Black women “kept their mouths shut,” the world wars of the 20th century would have never occurred!
Initially, I paused the video and went back 20 seconds. Perhaps I had heard the speaker wrong. I couldn’t fathom that anyone over ten years old would be so historically ignorant and deluded to say such a thing. So I listened again.
Nope, I had not misheard the speaker.
This man had really fixed his mouth to utter such foolishness. Now, I knew the podcast bros were out there. But this was a new level of derangement, wholly detached from reality and history.
The causes of World War One and World War Two are basic facts of history. To know this, you do not have to be a history professor, a college graduate, or even a high school graduate. The idea that Black women are responsible for two world wars is so ridiculous it doesn’t even deserve a rebuttal or a takedown. But such lunacy is an example of why I have no tolerance for the useless platitudes that are tossed about in discourse nowadays:
“You have to respect everyone’s opinion.”
“You’ve got to agree to disagree.”
“It’s just his/her opinion.”
I cannot go along with this.
No, I do not find all opinions worthy of respect.
No, I do not believe individuals are entitled to their own facts.
No, I will not “agree to disagree” about established facts that have evidence to support them.
No, hearing the “context” still won’t make ignorance and lies acceptable.
I refuse, and I am not going to play this game. I’m tired of people using free speech and “it’s just an opinion” to hide behind and promote abject ignorance. I do not tolerate the idea that all opinions are valuable and must be treated equally.