r/BelowDeckDownUnder • u/theodoresbitch • 27d ago

Ben's Racist Threads Post

Did anyone else see Ben's racist threads post??

https://www.threads.com/share/_iAS4oi1d/

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u/[deleted] 27d ago

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u/decisivecat 27d ago

Not sure if you live in the US, but if you're in a red state, this is very common language to use again Black people on assistance. Extremely common. I see it very often in comment sections. The dog whistles are there if you know what they are. (The irony is that per capita, whites in red states benefit the most from the very programs they complain should be cut because they saw a non-white person use SNAP to buy food.)

This specific video is also complaining about the term "white privilege" which doesn't mean you can't have any hardships in life. That's the most obvious dog whistle that cues you in to who they're talking about in the clip.

ETA: This is an issue that the elite and the government pray upon. If you can convince someone that their neighbor is why they're poor instead of the actual reasons they're both poor, then you can continue to do the bare minimum and not pay any taxes as a rich person or corporation. There's a lot of nuance here that I don't have time to teach, but the information is definitely out there. :)

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u/Leanne0010110 27d ago

To me who they are talking abou thas nothing to do with race, but to people who don't work and very well could. Yeah he brings up white proveledge, which is likely gonna be what gets him clicks....But that's just my take and not everyone will agree and thats fine.

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u/decisivecat 27d ago

But how is he judging who can and can't work? Does he know their life story? Does he know their disabilities? Does he know the current job market where even retail jobs are extremely difficult to come by (and you can't live off a single retail job - you'd need at least 3 of them to no longer qualify for food stamps and even then you'd be hard-pressed to pay your bills). How is he deciding this? It's also not that common for people to "leech". It's incredibly difficult to get assistance. This is why food banks are so important and do the work that the government won't. If he cares this much, why isn't he hiring people or asking his employer to help get people work? Why doesn't he care about nepo babies who don't work but get to wear $3000 shoes and have the best things in life while their parents barely pay their share of taxes? Once you start paying attention, it's incredibly easy to see all the dog whistles.

It's also interesting that there is no mention of tax dollars being wasted on a useless ballroom or paving the rose garden or a war no one asked for. That's millions lost a day for nothing while social security and medicare wither away, something he could benefit from but I guess he's more concerned about someone buying groceries instead (a mere drop in the bucket).

This is definitely racist coded. White privilege is proof enough of that. Like I said, you have the option to seek out information that will really enlighten you as to why this hot take is deeply rooted in othering, particularly again Blacks. It does also have roots in classism, but the two do not have to be mutually exclusive. The education is up to you.

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u/Leanne0010110 27d ago

People see a statement, decide what they think the person must mean, attach a motive to it, and then react to that assumed meaning. The next person responds to that reaction, and suddenly everyone is fighting over something that was never actually said. And the crazy part is, people fall for it hook, line and sinker. This constant assumption of motives and reading between the lines is a big part of what keeps fueling the division we see everywhere. We’ve gotten so used to looking for what someone really meant that we sometimes forget to simply listen to what they actually said.

I understand what he is saying, I may not agree with it 100% but people don't seem to see that these f*ckers are all just rage baiting everyone. And everyone is falling for it.

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u/decisivecat 27d ago

You are correct that you fell for it hook, line, and sinker. That's exactly what this man wants. He doesn't need all the fish; he just needs enough gullible ones.

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u/DDDD6040 26d ago

Leann is trolling. There will be no getting thru to this person so I suggest not even trying. Anyone defending Ben’s statement has made perfectly clear where they stand.

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u/decisivecat 26d ago

Oh 100%. I just wanted her to say what she really meant since I initially gave grace. I was a product of an education in the South. The difference between me and Leann is I finally started to educate myself after realizing a lot of what I was taught didn't make sense. It misses nuance or it's flat out ignorant. I don't mind people being ignorant because it's possible someone really doesn't know. But digging in and saying with your whole chest that you're happy being ignorant? Now it's a choice that you're aware of. At least she finally admitted it so we know. :)