Announcement: two more commenting guidelines

by Carmen Van Kerckhove

I decided to add two more points to the Racialicious commenting guidelines I posted when I turned comment moderation on. From now on, if you use either of these tactics in your comment, it will be deleted. Why? Because I’m bored with reading the same old drivel and life is just too short.

8. Don’t respond to a post or comment by saying “why don’t you focus on some REAL issues like the war/starving children in Africa/police brutality/etc.” Newsflash: this is a blog about race and pop culture. If you’re not interested in discussing the intersection of those two things, please go elsewhere.

9. Don’t respond to critiques about racism by telling the person making the critique that they’re just too sensitive (or unattractive. WTF?). Coffeeandink said it best in the brilliant How to Suppress Discussions of Racism: “If you can accuse your opponent of “paranoia,” “white guilt,” “internalized racism,” “whining,” “overreacting,” “paternalism,” “condescension,” “being obsessed with race,” “bitching about racism at the drop of a hat,” or “taking things too personally,” you don’t need to bother addressing the content of their remarks.”