What is white people's problem with punishing other white people?

[DSandra]

This is destroying this nation, that white people like Trump are treated with kid gloves and get away with whatever they want or not until they have caused immense destruction. This also applies to much of the Republican Party, and so many other white people that get away with doing bad things and get little more than a slap on the wrist. You spoil a child, you ruin them. You are literally creating a society full of people who think the rules don't apply to them and they can do whatever bad they want and get away with it, and people wonder why America is destroying itself. White people need to give up their lack of punishment privileges if they want to save society.

[elleng]

1. It's a tribal thing.

[DSandra]

6. A tribal thing created by the rich to divide labor and keep workers from uniting...

against the rich capitalists.

Still, it comes down to people's inability to be aware of their own instincts and intellectual laziness, if not sheer idiocy.

[underpants]

2. If I can speak for all white people...

couldn’t they have filmed another British Baking Show while they were in that bubble?

[Moostache]

3. They have racism and hate in their hearts.

I am white, but I would like nothing more than to see Trump and all of his enablers treated like Tamir Rice instead of receiving directions, selfies and assistance in storming the Capitol.

It is disgusting. It is obvious. It is shameful.

The United States of America exists as two things - an idea and a country. The IDEA shines on today - imperfect and amenable to change and continued improvement towards 'A MORE PERFECT UNION'. The COUNTRY is infected with 40% of its population having little to no empathy and less redemptive quality.

[beachbumbob]

4. since I am a white person you do not speak for me at all as I want to see firing squads used

against traitors white, brown black male female, I don;t give a fuck what color, what age or what sex. My country was under attack and we onlt should have ONE response massive and lasting retribution so this will not happen again, Fill Gitmo up with proud boys

[grobertj]

5. This is one white person who has no problem

throwing other white people in prison. For far to long, people of color have been targeted by police and prosecutors for crimes while white people walked. There is NO excuse. I pray to God that President Biden will be able to start a change where justice is blind.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

14. Me too.

There's a bunch of bullies in this world, more than willing to seize any advantages denied to others. Fairness and truth are not valued by them. If they could be worshipped like a God while others are suffering, they'd love it.

[Laurelin]

7. I'm white

Also I'm a squishy liberal who opposes the death penalty. Now I'm suddenly wondering if firing squads aren't an acceptable remedy for treason. Maybe that's wrong of me but there it is.

I don't oppose punishment for white people. I'm praying for it.

[StarfishSaver]

8. Part of the answer is found right here on DU

Some people here have expressed sympathy for the white woman shot by Capitol Police, claiming that she's a victim - either of the police or of Trump and his lies - and that her shooting was an unacceptable use of excessive force. One person on this board actually described her as "a young woman filled with life who really thought she was fighting for her country ... a beautiful young lady acted foolishly and paid with her life because too many old men told too many lies." They also described her participating in a terrorist attack on the Capitol as the kind of "foolish mistake" young people make (she was 34 ...)

When white people look at fellow white people who are terrorists and criminals and see only versions of themselves and their friends and family, of course they're going to resist punishing them.

[DSandra]

10. But refusing to effectively punish and ultimately setting a dangerous precedent threatens society

Not punishing serious crimes in a way that it discourages other people from doing so sets a bad example and ultimately threatens society.

[LeftInTX]

9. I don't have a problem with it...I'm white

But I think society does..

[Bettie]

11. It is a subset of the larger set of "White People"

unfortunately, the smaller subset are those, like me, and many (but not all) here who do want them punished to the full extent of the law and by public shunning as well.

The larger group, is those who don't want to see a white person, particularly a white man pay any price for anything, unless he personally did something to them.

I have no idea how to even begin to address the violence, criminality, and racism in a large segment of the white community. Wish I did.

[Solly Mack]

12. Oh, my. I could write several pages on that question.

Short answer? The presumption of superiority.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

13. White supremacy is a hell of a drug.

[EndlessWire]

15. Racism is a two way street.

Expressing sorrow over loss of life is not an expression of White supremacy. It is sad that this woman lost her life in service of Trump. She probably never dreamed in a million years that she would not live through the day; but, when you see guns pointed at you, think twice before advancing. She had a cop with a long gun at her back, and a cop with a hand gun on the other side of the door. Was one of them her friend, or both of them? Did they have orders not to shoot?

I am appalled at the degree of hatred that this coup has brought forth even here. No one asked for sympathy for this woman. She placed herself in jeopardy and lost her life. She did not have good intent, or a jolly "just gonna break a few things" outlook. But, it IS a shame that this young person died under these circumstances. She may have been a criminal, but we can always recognize that when ANY life is lost, it is a bad thing.

As far as White privilege and rioters getting let go, for goodness sakes, they have just been arrested. Charges will be added, and one of those charges might well be murder because of the felony murder rule. This isn't going to magically go away for most of them, for those are the ones that they have dead to rights and they have already been able to ID them from their foolish shenanigans with pictures. That was quick! Trump will be playing golf somewhere while they are in jail being told by a lawyer how screwed they are.

There probably won't be a single one of them who doesn't fully regret their participation. But, even the guy who hung off the wall and is now begging for mercy has not expressed regret over the deaths. And, I think that the deaths they can be charged with include the woman who was shot.

I said before that I am not ashamed to be White, even if I think I have a relative who may have been Black and I am tickled Pink by it. Because I said that, I was accused of being a White Supremacist, even though my heart does not run that way. Nevertheless, I understand what White privilege means. I get it. But, it is sorrowful that, in this time of trouble, that all some people can see is a need to fan racial hatred.

I read that the number of rioters was something dreadful, like thirty or forty thousand. It is realistic to see that probably some of those people are not going to get arrested. They just aren't. And, it's not because they are White. It is because logistically they probably can't make it happen. This is not an indication of White privilege. It's a lack of resources.

My latest outrage is how Trump is going to skate on having threatened Raffensperger if he didn't commit Election Fraud for him. I don't think that's right and I want Trump held accountable; but he's not going to be. Sometimes you have to pick and choose, and apparently it is too hard to get him on that. Our goal is to keep him from being able to run again in 2024, and we have to pick the best way to accomplish this. Inciting an Insurrection is a pretty good charge, and it should bring some Repubs on board. But, it doesn't have anything to do with Trump being White. If some Repubs don't join the fight because Trump is White, then that's White supremacy.

[ecstatic]

16. Punishment is optional, it seems. nt