Dr. Jackson’s statement is a bit daffy on several levels- firstly “Brits” do not get two weeks off the mount- the entire country couldn’t go without anyone doing any jobs for two weeks. Wether you get or can take time off is largely related to your employer, just like in America some employers offer generous time off policies and allow things like “mental health” leave and others do not. There was one single day of mourning which was observed as a nation holiday. British monarchs tend to to not die regularly, the last was 65 years back or so, as such Brits get one federal holiday every few generations or so to mourn the passing of a monarch, and only if they were alive when the monarch passed. There are many more things that make the question and comparison questionable. That said-
There is a grain of sense in the feelings behind it, and I don’t want to invalidate those feelings. Take a moment and just think on the fact that in the United States, down right horrible and often intentional harms and cruelties and such have been done specifically to black people because of their race, not that some bad thing was done and some people happened to be black who were caught in it- communities and government specifically targeted blacks and at times still do- for being black. Usually, the result is perhaps an apology ranging from half hearted to fairly deep, from lip service to sympathy, and seldom even a promise of won’t happen again, rarely if ever such a promise is made and kept. Often these apologies and such come years or centuries after the people who were wronged are dead. They do little practical good but even at that, those who needed to hear them perhaps most, aren’t there to hear them.
Even without being from a group that has suffered any similar indignity one should be able to admit the profound tragedy and sadness in that. It is a regular occurrence that local news, national news, or silently, some new instance of a historical wrong is done to a black American or a community because of race. Many, a large number, a statistically disproportionate number, of Black Americans carry all sorts of fear, sadness, anger, frustration, guilt, anxiety, indignation, hurt, and other negative psychological and emotional baggage because of what the black experience often means in America. There is an unreconciled history combined with ongoing modern events.
One can take a tact of “how long are we going to carry on about things that happened long ago?” Or “others have suffered too!” Both are practical if not insensitive points- but to the former, we can’t move forward and “get beyond” historical racism and inequity while they and their effects still linger.
Imagine a cheating spouse who said they had righted their ways, moving beyond the hurt and betrayal could be a long process where you never fully forget, but if that spouse is still cheating, even if it is less often or less “severe,” how do you move past that? As for “others have suffered too!” Well- I don’t take headache medicine. I’ve had a hike through my insides and asides being sedated for surgery I didn’t take any pain medication for my entire recovery. So then, the next time you are in pain, if your conditions isn’t worse than “having your insides removed and put back together..” should they give you no pain killers no matter how hard you ask?
Of course not. What a dumb way to think. If you are dying of thirst should you get no water because I am not thirsty at all? No. We all suffer, every group has suffering in their history, has been wronged by someone at some point. Sure that’s true. But…. When someone is telling you that they hurt or have a need, this other persons suffering isn’t really relevant if the other person isn’t stating a need.
So I mean- she could have picked a better way to say it, but I don’t think that the spirit of her grievance is so daffy, a lot of black Americans, other kinds of Americans too, could use some understanding and support.
And the guy replying just comes off as horrible. I can understand being upset because the Dr. Did the exact thing you shouldn’t, she dragged in another persons suffering to use as a device for her own agenda and what she said could be seen as disrespectful or insensitive. Just as a random Britain really can’t speak on what being a black American is like, those who aren’t in the commonwealth can’t really understand and speak on the subject of losing a queen as one of her subjects, and while individuals may have different feelings and such about her Majesties passing, that is a right that is theirs as individuals, but it is best to try to be sensitive and respectful since there are plenty of people legitimately bereaved at her passing. That said- the guy replying comes off as a mega a@&hole and probably prejudiced.
One can take a tact of “how long are we going to carry on about things that happened long ago?” Or “others have suffered too!” Both are practical if not insensitive points- but to the former, we can’t move forward and “get beyond” historical racism and inequity while they and their effects still linger.
So I mean- she could have picked a better way to say it, but I don’t think that the spirit of her grievance is so daffy, a lot of black Americans, other kinds of Americans too, could use some understanding and support.