Abby Johnson felt the need to speak up about race.
In a June 25 YouTube video titled “My biracial boy,” the 39-year-old anti-abortion activist used her five-year-old adopted son as a jumping off point for a 15-minute manifesto on the roots of racial unrest in the United States. She made the video private a few hours after publishing it, but said she plans to make it viewable again soon. Other have reposted saved copies of her video.
Wearing sweatpants and a T-shirt printed with lyrics by Vanilla Ice, Johnson said in the video that her son is now an “adorable, perpetually tan-looking little brown boy [but] one day he’s gonna grow up and he’s going to be a tall, probably sort of large, intimidating-looking, maybe, brown man.”
Johnson said that while her four other sons “are probably gonna look like nerdy white guys,” her biracial son will likely be racially profiled by police when he grows up.
“That doesn’t make me angry,” Johnson said.
“I realized I’m gonna have to have a different conversation with [my son] than I do with my nerdy white kids,” she said.
With the voices of her children audible in the background, Johnson explained that she knows black men are more likely to be incarcerated for crimes than white men, and because of this, a “smart” police officer will be more careful around her “brown” son than around her white ones.
“I look at our prison population and I see that there is a disproportionately high number of African-American males in our prison population for crimes, particularly for violent crimes; so statistically, when a police officer sees a brown man like my [child’s name] walking down the road, as opposed to my white nerdy kids … these police officers know in their head … that statistically my brown son is more likely to commit a violent offense over my white sons. Okay. So the fact that, in his head, he would be more careful around my brown son than my white son, that doesn’t actually make me angry. That makes that police officer smart, because of statistics,” she said.
“I’m a researcher by nature,” Johnson said.
But although black men are incarcerated at a much higher rate than white men, it’s not clear, as Johnson suggests, that they are more criminally inclined.
Although black and white men use drugs at about the same rate, black men are incarcerated almost six times more often for drug charges.
Black men are also more likely to be given longer sentences than white men who commit the same crime. Johnson did not cite these statistics in her video.
Although black and white men use drugs at about the same rate, black men are incarcerated almost six times more often for drug charges.
Black men are also more likely to be given longer sentences than white men who commit the same crime. Johnson did not cite these statistics in her video.
Johnson said that, according to her research, high rates of incarceration of black men is caused by black fatherlessness. She then claimed that, according to her research, there is a push to make black fatherlessness culturally acceptable.
“There are studies out there that are trying to redefine black fatherhood. They are essentially saying that the seventy percent number is a lie because black fatherhood looks different than white fatherhood; that black fatherhood actually does look like a black man coming in and out of the home and not being a consistent presence in the home, and that version of fatherhood is equivalent to a white father being consistently in the home,” she said.
“Okay, I don’t want to cuss on here, but that is B.S., and that is racist,” Johnson continued.
“[B]lack fathers do not get a pass. Just because it is culturally different, just because black fathers don’t want to be in the home, and culturally it has been acceptable for them to be with multiple women,” she said.
Johnson did not specify which studies she read that attempt to redefine black fatherhood.
Apparently referring to the ongoing racial unrest following the killing of Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd, Johnson said, “Yeah, we’ve got big issues right now in the black community, but at the root of it the root is not with bad cops. The root starts in the home.”
“It’s not because of bad cops, [but] because of bad dads,” she said.
The video’s settings were changed to “private” a few hours after it was published.
I called Johnson on Thursday to ask some questions about the video. Here is our conversation:
SF: What were you hoping to achieve with this video?
AJ: I wanted to give my opinion and how I’m feeling about this whole situation. Particularly as a woman whose family is affected by this, because we do have a son who is biracial. We do recognize that we do have to have different conversations with our son. It’s not something we shy away from in our house. Race is not something we shy away from in our home.
SF: What study were you referring to, when you said you read that black men aren’t expected to be monogamous or raise their children?
AJ: I’ve seen several of them. There’s quite a few out there that show basically redefining black fatherhood, sort of showing that black fatherhood expectations are different. The expectation is different in black homes than in white homes. That was surprising to me. For me, fatherhood is fatherhood. It was just interesting to see that people were trying to differentiate fatherhood based on race.
I talked about that with some of my black friends, and they were really appalled by that. They were really outraged. I’ve had several discussions with one of my friends in particular about that. We both said this is something that needs to be addressed, by not just the black community but by everyone.
SF: Do you think black people might see your video and start to think differently about fatherhood?
AJ: I don’t know. Right now, tensions are very high, and I think in general, if you’re a white person and you’re not part of the Black Lives Matter movement, which I’m not, then your opinion is not valued. You’re seen as a racist. You’ve done a good job to paint me as that, anyway. I’m sure this article will do the same.
I think if you’re not on this “social justice warrior woke” train of thought, you’re considered a racist. I don’t think that’s fair. I can’t remember a time in my life where I’ve ever discriminated against someone because of their race. I can’t remember a time when ever in my life I have acted on any sort of prejudice.
Of course we all have fleeting prejudiced thoughts that we all have to check. That’s something we all have. I just can’t ever recall a time in my life when I’ve actually been racist toward someone. But I think we’re living in times where it is the popular thing to call someone a racist. If your views don’t align with someone, you call them a racist, and if you disagree with what they say, you call them a racist.
I took my video down for a moment. I wanted to talk to my husband. I’m gonna put it back up. My family was getting threats from the supposed Catholic community.
SF: Who was threatening you?
AJ: People who subscribe to you. It’ll get worse once you put this out.
SF: What kind of threats are they making?
AJ: People saying they’re gonna call CPS, they’re gonna do everything they can to remove this child from my home. That’s ridiculous. And, this probably wasn’t a Catholic person, but one man messaged and put up a comment that said I didn’t deserve to be a mom, and someone should shoot me and put me out of my misery?
SF: Did you screenshot that comment?
AJ: I immediately deleted it. I don’t want to look at that.
This is the kind of hate that’s being spread right now. What you’re doing right now will only add fuel to the fire. That’s probably what you want. It’s just a very tense time, and it’s unfortunate people can’t share the things they want to share; they can’t share the things they discuss with their friends, with their family. They can’t talk about things without receiving threats, without being attacked from within the Catholic community. It’s a sad time.
SF: If we could, I’d like to go back to those studies you read that showed that there’s a push to change notions about black fatherhood. You said there was more than one. Do you remember where you saw those studies?
AJ: It led me down a rabbit trail. I looked up fatherlessness in general in homes, and that led me to fatherlessness in the black community, not that it was seen as appropriate that they weren’t in the home, but it was saying: In black culture, it’s acceptable for black men to be regularly in and out of the home, and more often than white fathers.
It did talk about black fathers being more likely to do more domestic things with their children, bathing their children, one study talked about that. Feeding their children, things of that nature. But there were other studies showing that fatherhood just looked different in the black community.
To me, it simply appeared they were trying really hard to justify the 70%, and to reduce the 70% number that’s been hanging out there for years and years. Instead of trying to get to the root cause of the problem, it seemed like they were trying to justify the number.
SF: Are you aware of statistics that show that black men are more likely to be arrested more often for the same crimes that white people commit, and given harsher sentences when they are charged than white people who are charged with those same crimes?
AJ: I just simply looked at the statistics that were out there. Black men are disproportionately incarcerated.
SF: Is it possible that they don’t actually commit more crimes, but that they’re incarcerated more often anyway?
AJ: I don’t know. I’d have to look at numbers showing that. I don’t have that data in front of me. I think it’s possible. I think we just have to look at data as it comes. I’m always interested in looking at data. I can say that I am a person who, in general, appreciates data over emotion.
SF: If black fatherlessness is at the root of black incarceration rates, what is at the root of black fatherlessness? What do you think is the cause for that?
AJ: I’m not sure. I’m not a historian. I don’t have all the answers to everything that ails us in our society. I think there has to be something at the root of that. I think Alveda King has talked about that a little bit. Cultural expectations are different for various reasons. I don’t know all those reasons. I’m not a sociologist.
Why is breastfeeding different in the black community? That goes back to the time of slavery. I know there is something there that causes the stats to be the way they are. [fact check: there are modern, ongoing causes of racial disparities in breastfeeding] Why are serial killers 95% white? I don’t know. [fact check: the racial diversity of serial killers mirrors the general population] I don’t have the answer for that, either. Why are the majority of white collar crimes committed by white men?
SF: If you know police officers are more likely to see your son as more of a threat than your white sons, do you discipline him in different ways from your white sons?
AJ: No, that’s a disgusting question.
SF: You said it would be smart for a policeman to treat them differently, so wouldn’t it be smart for you to treat them differently?
AJ: That’s a disgusting question. For you to think I would treat my children differently. The fact that you can’t see the difference is disgusting.
SF: Does the pro-life movement have a racism problem?
AJ: I think racism exists, yes.
SF: Do you think this video will help?
AJ: I didn’t create this video to extinguish racism. I created it to share my thoughts.
SF: You said you took the video down, but you’re going to put it up again. Why is that? Will there be a disclaimer or an explanation when you put it up?
AJ: I don’t need an explanation.
Here are some useful links for further reading. I will continue to add to this list.
Scam
Where is social services? There is no way that her “brown”son should be under her care. She is raising him to believe it is ok to be treated less than. That is emotional abuse and he should be removed immediately.
It’s so distracting when famous Catholics fight with each other. It seems to detract from what the goal but be for evangelization.
Comment threading seems to be running out, so I’ll respond this way:
“AHsays:
June 27, 2020 at 4:29 pm Edit
Yes. Shame. Why did you feel that would be helpful? Knowing she was being threatened. Knowing that people are reacting in anger. Who has been helped? Please, yes, please indeed. And in another post we’re going to here you tell how it’s never right to overlook the person in favor of ideology. But you were willing to do that here. I’m just curious why.”
You appear to be arguing against . . . covering the news. Same argument people made when the sex abuse scandal was uncovered by a couple of reporters.
Listen, AH. For years, now, you have been adrift in the sheltered harbor of my patience, and I’ve offered you an opportunity to make your disingenuous comments over and over again, mostly without challenge. I’m letting you know that your time is running out. I am no longer interested in explaining why it’s appropriate for reporters to report on the news. Find something new to say, or say it somewhere else.
Well said Simcha. One major difference between you and Abby is that you are very generous in the comments you allow. But you have every right to set limits.
Ok then you go ahead and “report the news”. I question how it’s news that Abby Johnson said ackward, ignorant things. But whatever. Then when you want to switch hats and explain how unchristian or unprolife it is to do x y or z I guess you’ll do that. Too bad you can’t address the question of why sometimes you feel it’s appropriate to be aware of the dignity of the person and sometimes you don’t. Cause you knew full well that she was going to be threatened…and you did it anyway.
“Whatever” indeed. This may be your most cogent comment to date.
If Abby’s words and actions were defensible, you would defend them, but part of you knows they’re not, so you’re trying to put the blame on me. I decline to accept.
“Knowing she has been threatened.” These threats seem an awful lot like her “studies”. Absolutely zero proof they exist despite the fact that it is beyond easy to save links to studies or screenshot threats. This woman is aggressively ignorant and I feel sorry for all of her kids, esp her “brown boy”. (What a gross way to talk about her son.)
The argument seems to be that I shouldn’t have written an article because it fans the flames of comments that ….responded to the article I wrote. And there was allegedly a backlash to her video, and I knew this, and capitalized on it; but also no one would have been upset about her article if I hadn’t written about it.
Ya got me, AH: I’m a time traveller.
A second commenter has begun using the screen name “AH.” I can’t say for sure that the intention was to cause confusion, but it has caused confusion. The second person using that screen name has been sent to moderation.
Several commenters are speaking as if I suggested her children should be removed from her home. I never said anything remotely like this, in this post or to anyone, on any platform.
I know you didn’t Simcha. I hope you didn’t think my comment was implying that you did. I was responding to comments made by others that they called CPS, etc.
No, you absolutely didn’t, but I think that needs to be very explicitly stated at the top of the post: that you are putting this up because you don’t think she should be hired as a speaker, but that she should not be threatened with the loss of her children. That was not made clear, either in your interview (where it’s implied that you don’t believe that she received those threats) or in the post overall; there are plenty of comments here, as a result, that she should lose her son. Online mobs are not known for their ability to make distinctions and we’ve gotten all too many instances in recent months of people losing everything due to one dumb, but well-publicized comment.
I was putting this up so people could see clearly and unequivocally what she actually said, along with a chance for her to clarify what she said. That is my job as I see it: To accurately report what happened. If I started also telling readers what conclusion to draw, I would be criticized for editorializing.
Can you even imagine if I had framed it as “Abby Johnson said such-and-such, but I don’t think she should have her children taken away”? That’s more or less, “So tell me, when did you stop beating your wife?”
Sure, *if* it hadn’t come up in the actual interview. But it did, and without any comment, during the interview or in the intro, to the effect of “that’s terrible” or “I don’t want my readers to have that takeaway.” It’s the total lack of concern coupled with the “pics or it didn’t happen” question that I am objecting to.
What I have learned over the last 13 years of writing, and frankly from the 45 years of being a female, is that people who don’t like what I say will always object to my tone.
Or in this case, when I’m talking to someone who says offensive things, it’s still somehow *my* tone that’s the problem.
Any difficulty Abby’s currently in because of her words is due entirely to Abby’s words.
I don’t think you said anything wrong, Simcha, and I’m very glad you are doing this reporting. I was responding to some of the commenters.
oh, I was responding to Anna! Sometimes it’s hard to tell who’s responding to who on these threads.
And also to you for totally and unnecessarily providing your own hosting of the “let’s pile on” crew, knowing full well that she was receiving threats and knowing full well that the internet mob is real and vicious and scary. This is not just reporting. This is you not liking her for some reason, and choosing to announce her faults to your internet audience during a time when the whole country is in the midst of angry fight-mode over racism. I would just love to know how anyone thinks this type of thing is going to be helpful.
Yes, shame on me for providing a transcript of a video that she posted on YouTube. Please.
Yes. Shame. Why did you feel that would be helpful? Knowing she was being threatened. Knowing that people are reacting in anger. Who has been helped? Please, yes, please indeed. And in another post we’re going to here you tell how it’s never right to overlook the person in favor of ideology. But you were willing to do that here. I’m just curious why.
It’s helpful because Abby had a major movie out last year and I’ll be surprised if this doesn’t make the mainstream news at some point. It’s important that Catholics hold other Catholics to high standards.
Well said! I agree 100%! This was not done without malice.
Wow! You are sounding like an angry self- righteous, intolerant bully. Who are you (or any of us) to decide that Abby Johnson, or any other person, isn’t entitled to express their personal view and opinion? What gives you the right to attack anyone with such hatred and intolerance just for sharing her views? Not very becoming for someone who earns a living as a Catholic writer. Enough with the bullying and hateful attacking. It’s so ugly that it stinks.
Mary B, Can you specify which words I used that are angry, self-righteous, intolerant, or hateful, or attacking? Please be specific.
Please point out the attacks you accuse the writer of. I haven’t seen any.
Well you tell me…. was the purpose of Simcha’s post about Abbey J to bring to light “the true, the right, or the beautiful”? Because what I see is the opposite.
A woman is being shamed and getting threats. It seems to me that’s something you would only do to someone you have a major grudge against and that’s NOT coming from a good or Godly place. I see no good coming from her calling all this attention to whatever Abbey posted. There’s already too much back-biting, shaming and blaming going on. Focus should be to seek out and find the good. I agree with whoever said shame on her.
Hi Simcha,
I didn’t mean to imply you should have done differently; I just figured I wasn’t understanding you. Thanks for the clarification, especially as there’s plenty else going on in this combox!
Cheers,
1. I think Abby expressed herself spectacularly poorly.
2. This post’s contribution to cancel culture is wrong. No one should be threatened with loss of their children over one dumb video.
3. Ideally, this entire post should be removed and replaced with Tolstoy’s “A Spark Neglected Burns the House.”
These comments that she should never have been allowed to adopt her son go too far, I think. Doesn’t help anything, and contributes to a sense that adoptive parents aren’t quite real parents or can’t possibly love their children the way bio parents do.
Like, when I was in labor for the first time, a nurse asked me if this was my first child. I said it was my first time giving birth but that I had an adopted daughter. Nurse goes, ah, so this is your first REAL baby. To which I endlessly wish I would have replied, SHE’S PRETTY F***ING REAL!
Anyway, seeing how quick people are to say her child should not be in her care makes me worry that those comments in particular are more reflective of casual prejudice against adoption than outrage against her comments (which I of course think are toxic and just so blasted stupid.)
Typical of adoptive parents to center this on themselves. The narcissism and Saviorism of adopters knows no bounds. Many of us have devoted lifetimes to researching the origins of adoption in indentured servitude, the use of adoption as propaganda arm of imperialist ventures, the default of adoption as a weapon deployed against communities and families not seen as valid because not seen as human. This is a legacy of Anglo-Saxon liberalism with children ascribed value as property, and like the falling statues of those who represent this power differential around North America, it is doomed to failure. Breaking your own arm patting yourself on the back is wretched optics, and doesn’t help the situation. The children temporarily in your care deserve much, much better than this.
What is your solution?
Seriously??? Get over yourself. The reason she adopted her son, is because she could.
The white families waiting for children to adopt is higher than the white children, so, basically, you’re saying a white person shouldn’t be allowed to adopt a black child? Because white parents can’t raise a black child to be as racist as you are?
By the way, you’re neglecting the “whiteness” of this bi- racial child. He’s got two races, black doesn’t win because it’s minority. Someone has to take care of these children, they’re children who deserve love and protection, there’s not a line of biracial parents out there waiting to adopt. AJ is providing a loving, supportive, and protected environment for her SON.
Angel, sadly people like Daniel think that all adoptions are 100% corrupt and should be abolished, even in the absence of racial issues. I don’t know what alternative they have in mind for children whose biological parents can’t or won’t raise them. Rather than working to improve adoption to weed out corruption, they just want it abolished altogether.
Nowhere does he say all adoptions are corrupt and should be abolished, why are you putting words in his mouth? That is a sinful lie. The alternative we transracial adoptees have in mind is for us to be raised in loving healthy homes that acknowledge and embrace our cultures regardless of our adoptive parents culture. Thats it.
That’s fair enough Laura, and you have every right to that alternative. I wasn’t attacking you by my comment. (And if you read my earlier comments, you’ll see that I do not condone AJ’s view regarding her biracial son being racially profiled by police.) Daniel made made some comments about adoption in that implied how he feels about adoption in general. If I’m wrong and he actually thinks that it’s possible for adoption to be a positive thing, I’m sure he’ll correct me. I hope I am wrong, but I doubt that I am. I’ve seen this attitude toward adoption too many times in the past.
Sadly, speaking about people in the third person is dismissive and defines your disdain of adoptees, especially if we “go bad” in your eyes. Sadly, too, people used to say similar things in the days of Abolition. Yours is the “happier on the plantation” argument, and with everything that is going on in the country right now, it is demented that you still cling to such outdated ideas. You also know I have clearly spelled out what the solution might be. The problem is that such a solution doesn’t allow you to keep your class status which comes at the expense of others, and so you dismiss it.
There were and still are a variety of kinship care practices that adoption in its rupture of family ties supplanted. This was tactical, and targeted communities that were seen as outside of the dominant culture and its norms. To imagine a change requires this dominant culture and its dominant classes to shift their notion of family.
There is a spectrum of ways of looking at child care in a given society. On the one end, you have emphasis on the nuclear family, removal of that family from society in terms of a collective mindset, a view of the child as a supreme individual, etc. On the other end you have a communal view of family, interconnectedness of people with their true lived community, a view of the child as being part of a bigger tableau.
Adoption, and the indentured servitude that preceded it, along with their use against the poor and Indigenous, is the extreme of the first end of the spectrum. Foster care, especially if it comes from a place of not wanting to “own” children, and a willingness to take care of another’s child in order to help others in the community and not oneself, maps onto the majority of the planet’s view of concepts of “orphan” and “orphanage” and community, and is at the other end of the spectrum.
I’m not sure that it’s possible to shift the view from one end to the other; I think there are aspects of Anglo-Saxon culture that are fundamental to the absence of any sense of community in society. But this shift in focus would go far to fundamentally change such societies for the better, and they would prevent children in foster care for having to “dream” of the “real” family that supposedly waits for them.
The burden is on you, not us.
That’s a pretty generalized statement. I guess you’ve never spoken about something in the third person? And talking about someone in the third person means that I have a disdain for adoptees? Wow, there’s a stretch. My son (yes, my son; I am not his childcare provider) is an adoptee, and I can assure you I don’t have disdain for him. I love him more than anyone else in the world. I’m sorry that your adoption was a bad experience. That doesn’t mean that adoption is solely a bad experience for all adoptees, as I’ve heard from many who did not feel that way. Yes, it was a loss for them. Yes, there was trauma. But there were positive aspects too. And many have said that it beats the alternative. The answer is to support biological parents who want to raise their children, and fight against adoption corruption. Not to put an end to adoption.
Actually, historically blackness definitely “wins” in bi-racial people. That little boy will always be seen as black. And the fact that this woman, who is supposed to be his champion, thinks the police racially profiling him is A-OK is really worrisome. She claims she is a researcher, but hasn’t bothered to do actual research. If she were to look at peer reviewed studies instead of facebook posts she’d know that the disproportionate number of black men in prison is not due to black men being more dangerous or criminal, but because of the unequal policing she is championing.
“Typical of adoptive parents to center this on themselves” YES!! And none of the responders here seem to have an understanding from an adoptees POV or get how toxic and dangerous a home that supports white supremacy (as she has done in the past) is for a biracial child.
Well I mean, I think it’s bad for my kid to have her adoption presented to her as a great, unmitigated good. It’s also bad for her to see it as some rich white people buying her from her helpless mother. Her adoption is what it is. In the end only she can decide how she feels about it.
Oh Daniel, let’s be friends. That was so beautifully written❤
I guess adoption is so awful that all unwanted
Of course the child is endangered. By adoption, above and beyond what we now know of his living situation. After a century of adoptee resistance, after seminal works written by scholars like Dorothy Roberts such as “Killing the Black Body” and “Shattered Bonds”, after all the evidence is in, you all are going to still pretend that adoption is about family creation? Speaking as a brown adopted person who was only made whole once I found my original family overseas, I would like to say that the days of such time-wasting discussions are over. She is not concerned about this child because her act of adoption is the slow-motion death sentence *that is adoption in and of itself*. Adoption is a violence and an extirpative act *in and of itself*. Can we move the goalposts in a bit and reframe this conversation please? This moment won’t allow for anything else.
So instead of adopting children we should just leave them in orphanages or worse let them just die on the streets where they were left?
I don’t know you or what your family life was, but that’s not the normal for adoptive children, yes i know many actually, the system isn’t perfect, but it’s much better than the alternative of just leaving a child to die.
That’s a filthy disgusting thing to say, and I am sick to death of people saying it. The implication that my adoptive family and I are estranged is equally contemptible. The idea that a biracial child in any way gets to lean on their whiteness is laughable in this racist culture. So please, enough of the games.
My question for adoption supporters on blogs like this one is whether you stop to consider ever the opinion of those who have to deal with the results of your choices, choices that are based in class privilege and luxury.
By this I mean to say that in any other aspect of life, such decisions that are wholly centered on economic disparity, life inequality, and the taking advantage of the differences between human beings, etc. would be described using verbs such as “to prey on” or words such as “vulture” or metaphors such as “pyromaniac firefighter”.
The idea that Jesus (peace upon him) might have condoned the acceptance of societal inequality so that one class of people could use all of the means at their disposal including the medical, legal, and judicial systems as well as the media to basically leverage children out of the hands of those in most need of help from their neighbors is obscene on many levels.
Furthermore, the notion that we as adoptees, our mothers and fathers, as well as our communities are required to remain silent so that the mythology of those who advocate for an industry that has nothing to do with family creation—adoption comes out of the Anglo-Saxon institution of indentured servitude, lest we forget—speaks of a practice that in its coercion, trafficking, lies and fabrications, as well as sheer hypocrisy spits in the face of God.
Like slavery before it, this institution requires people of faith to rise above their own selfishness, narcissism, missionarism, and self-righteousness in order to truly Do the Right Thing. It might be said that adoption is a test of faith, to see how people view the world, their place in it, and their relation to others. In this regard, you have failed miserably. To further promote adoption then becomes an act of sheer audacity; a willful deceit; a shame of shames.
You should know that someone else is now using the posting ID “AH” and that it’s a different person than me. I am the one who asked you “ what’s your solution?”. The other comment is from someone else.
Sorry not sorry, but her brown child should be removed. Is she going to tell him that its ok for police officers to treat him differently because of her biased and ignorant views. Not ok. She wants to claim she’s not racist but her views are just that.
I’m so sorry you were hurt by your adoption. Voices like yours are so important for adoptive parents to listen to.
I guess the way I see it is, I hope my daughter has a solid bond both with us and with her bio family when she is an adult. None of us “owns” any of our children, bio or adopted. Having an adopted child has helped me to see that more clearly, I think.
You suffer from a sickness. It’s called white supremacy and it’s satanic. Repent. Black culture is filled with life and richness. They have been looking down the barrel of the gun for 400 years, the vast majority (despite what Rush and Hannity will tell you) still handle it with grace and many of us lose our minds just for being asked to wear a damn mask.
Thank you for writing this! I’m sorry she attacked you in her follow-up video. I hope you write about the Catholic Colleges who are working to end racism and condemning the murder of George Floyd. Christendom College banned me on their page for commenting civilly about racism and refuting some racist remarks made to my comment that called out their silence on racism and recent events.
I agree with all your comments. These people on here are trying to justify the fact that this woman is vile. By the way the woman calls her biological sons “nerdy white boys” but the adopted boy is just “biracial adopted son” tells she already treats him differently. If she really stood by what She said she wouldn’t have needed to put that video on private, she FuCked up and quite frankly she had no business adopting that lil boy specially if thats how she viewed black males. Whatever her agenda was back fired on her. He is in danger for real because that means if he was ever accused of a crime his adopted mother would never believe him or try to protect him even if he was innocent because she is really convinced that black males are criminals.
As a biracial adoptee I am extremely alarmed by this woman and the fact that she’s raising a black son. This child should be placed in a non racist home or he will grow up hating himself. This woman is not a Christian, I don’t care if part of what she does is a good ministry her mothering skills are an abomination
Seriously? You know about her mothering skills? Please stop. You know practically nothing about the woman. This is the internet…the place where making absurdly rash judgements about everyone and everything based on the smallest snippets of their lives happens everyday. In another comment section somewhere I just know we’d all be hearing about how Christians are not to judge and must be perfectly merciful at all times…or else THEY are not Christians.
I’m sorry but I have been in her sons shoes, I know what is a healthy home for a biracial adoptee and what isn’t and judging by her two videos and the way she went after Bishop Swan she is unfit to raise a black son, period.
You clearly have an agenda here to defend her so just say it.
No. I think you have an agenda. I don’t know Abby. I don’t think her video is helpful at all nor do I think I even needed to know about it. Just because you have a personal experience doesn’t mean you know anything about her or her mothering. And saying that a child should be taken away because she made dumb comments on the internet, is obnoxious.
My only agenda is to make sure her black son is raised in a household healthy for black sons which is why CPS has been contacted by multiple transracial adoptees today. We all want to help this child avoid growing up in an environment filled with hate
So, what specifically did she say that makes you believe she has “hate” for her son?
I am not saying she hates him as an individual but one as pointed out in this article her stats are flawed, she believes her son will grow up to be intimidating looking and thinks cops will have the right to be more afraid of him meaning she believes in confirmation bias and two after doing research on her and finding out she referred to bishop swan as a “thug” and a “Tyrone” and a black woman as a “Lafonda” I am saying with full confidence that all of this combined are the symptoms of someone who has a hatred and fear of black people. A black child should not be raised in such a home.
So, I saw some comments that she and the Bishop made on their little internet spat. He was using some very derogatory words as well. It may be that she was responding to him making derogatory comments to her about her whiteness and telling her to “shut up and sit down“, and the “audacity“ of her to even comment to him etc. None of that indicates that she has a “hate” filled home for a child,unless you’re going to tell me that the man making derogatory comments would also be unfit and hate filled ?
It’s the same as the “Karen” meme. It’s funny. People are over sensitive. Also black people commit more crimes according to FBI statistics. The white murder rate in America is basically the same as Scandinavia. If the races had equal representation in jail, that would be unjust since a just system punishes crime and black people are committing more crimes. If two people are arresred for drunk driving and for one it’s the first offense and for the other it’s the fourth offense you would expect that the four timer would go to jail longer even though they technically committed the same crime. That’s why black people are given longer sentences than white people. It’s literally justice and they don’t like it. That’s why they always say no justice, no peace. They don’t want either.
I guess all unwanted babies should just be abandoned on a hill side because anyone who rescues them runs the risk of being a tyrant. Far better that they die than that some deluded human being who thinks he or she could help try to do so
Exactly Laura. In an ideal world, every child would be raised by loving biological parents. But in reality, there will always be a need for adoption. Even with the best supports in place, there will always be some parents who are unable or unwilling to raise their biological children. Yes, the institution of adoption needs improvement and reform. Yes, there are adoptions that never should have occurred, and parents who never should have been allowed to adopt. Fighting to abolish systemic corruption in adoption is imperative. But throwing out the baby with the bathwater is not the answer. When children are unable to be raised by their biological families, adoption (when done right).
For her to perpetuate her racist views is obnoxious. For her to say that it would be ok for an officer to treat her brown child differently that her “nerdy white sons” is obnoxious. She should not be caring for a child that she will not shield from the hatred he may already be subjected to.
I’d love to hear your take on the following issues. How do you think White parents should warn their Black children about law enforcement prejudice? How do White adoptive parents teach our Black kids to love themselves and their skin colors and their rich heritages when those same cultures haven’t seen fit to keep them? P.s. I find these discussions enervating so I may not respond but I promise I’ll read and reflect on what you have to say. Thanks.
If you’re interested there are some great books and Facebook communities under “transracial” adoption. It is imperative for a healthy sense of self love and esteem that adoptive children who are a different race from their adoptive parents be raised in loving and nurturing environments that foster a healthy relationship with whatever theIr culture or race is. We definitely have to have conversations about law enforcement and be sensitive to issues like racism but abbys take was WILDLY offensive and alarming.
I know right? I mean the only people who should adopt kids are ones who have been judged by perfect people to be one hundred percent perfect. Guess the woman who was concerned people would think Abbey needs to give up her adopted boy just don’t value perfect parents enough.
It doesn’t exist. Instead they should be warned of the dangers of black culture since their adopted sons are way way way way way way way way way more likely to be killed by a black man than by a police officer.
You suffer from a sickness. It’s called white supremacy and it’s satanic. Repent. Black culture is filled with life and richness. They have been looking down the barrel of the gun for 400 years, the vast majority (despite what Rush and Hannity will tell you) still handle it with grace and many of us lose our minds just for being asked to wear a damn mask.
Nobody wants to come share my homemade bean dip, just because I made it with my feet. I weep.
Thank you enemy seagull, exactly that. Statistics.
You can delete history, tear down statues, etc., but the statistics will stay the same.
There is someone else apparently using the name AH in addition to me, so that is going to be confusing for people. Don’t know what to say about that….not sure why they didn’t pick something else.
She’s not raising a BLACK son. She’s raising a BIRACIAL son. The white doesn’t disappear just to appease your agenda.
I truly feel that this child is endanger in this home. Based on these concepts, this child will be subject to be crucial punishments in the home , as statistics prove violence in inter-racial adoptions often occurs. This also endangers the child’s mental health as this presentation releases a self-hatred + misjudgment of self-value via negative ideals about people with african genetics. This will impact the child’s ability to function in traumatic scenarios as this will instill that he is less valuable as a human. The evangelist edge here is savior syndrome but it is fundamental in hierarchy or race + class. I hope this child is quickly removed from this home + placed in a protective environment that teaches the glory in his background & his true history.
Wow. That’s projecting into a situation a lot of speculation. People can have very wrong ideas about any number of things and still be capable of loving and caring for their children. Your comment is scary.
For someone who claims they don’t have an agenda here to defend Abby you sure are defending her behavior all over the place
Does that mean you don’t have a response to my other comment? Yes I’m on here making comments. People are piling on someone they don’t even know….at all….and saying they want to see this person lose their child because of their opinions about her, based on what exactly? What justifies that?
It won’t let me reply to that one for some reason so I’ll reply here. I don’t condone bishop swann being rude but telling someone to sit down and shut up is not on par with calling someone Tyrone or a thug. Is there a reason you avoid addressing the fact that she practices racist confirmation bias and twists stats she doesn’t understand to fit a racist narrative? As a biracial person I can tell you that is not harmless on us.
She is a racist who has a history of also defending racists. She has no business raising black children is my point because of the harm she is no doubt doing and the harm too many of us have suffered from at the hands of adoptive families
You don’t know that. You know she said something you don’t like on the internet and now you’re advocating taking a child out of her family. And Bishop Swan wasn’t just “rude”. He was the one who started in with the nasty derogatory comments calling her “Becky” talking about “mayonnaise dripping”, calling her a Trumpanzee, telling her she can’t say anything because of her whiteness. That’s classic racist..
She has defended Kristen Hatten a white nationalist and that in and of itself is problematic. She is a racist and I, a biracial woman am telling you this is a fact, you need to listen. Thank you.
You know only what you read in this article. You don’t know anything else at all. By the way, I see you don’t think it’s a problem that Bishop Swan is a racist. Are you going to go and advocate taking away his children? Hypocrisy.
Please choose your words more carefully. Saying the child is endangered is a very serious accusation and from our computer screens we can have no idea how this child is processing his mother’s admittedly fringe views. It would be traumatic for any child to read such a statement, which you’ve now put out for the world’s consumption. Furthermore, such a statement can be particularly worrisome to adopted children not only because there may be some lingering separation trauma but also because any attachment anxieties may already be amplified by the current national news of a somewhat well known Mommy instagrammer relinquishing her adopted son.
It would be more traumatic to have your mother make videos stating you’re going to grow up and be intimidating due to your blackness and profiling would be understandable
It’s because black men from ages like 16 to 25 are unbelievably violent and dangerous statistically.
Rediculous??? Ummm no she’s not being rediculous. She’s using common sense, which i know “ain’t so common anymore”. My husband just retired from the police department, they DO look at race for the same reasons AJ was stating. There are a disproportionate number of crimes committed by black people. Over 50% of violent crimes are committed by the black population which is only 13% of the population, so, yeah, they do have to take that into account.
Now, what Abby Johnson was saying was that she understands in her house her son is her son and brother to his siblings and THEY know who he is, BUT when he grows up and goes into the REAL world he’s going to be treated differently. So she’s lovingly preparing him for the truth.
Btw, the vitriol that the is coming from the opposite side in even this narrative isn’t going to help the way the black race is in statistics, and in policing, it’ll just make it worse because it’ll prove the divide.
Facts hurt sometimes, but it is what it is.
Wrong. Black people are not more likely to commit crimes, and FACTUAL NON BIASED STAS BACK THAT UP. They are however, more likely to be convicted of crimes. You clearly have an agenda which you are denying but it is evident in your comments that you support Abby so I am done talking to you. You do not understand the black community, what its like to be biracial or an adoptee. You are not an authority or even familiar with these issues that much is clear so I am reclaiming my time if you’re just going to spout white nonsense and fox news talking points.
More than 50% of VIOLENT crimes are committed by blacks. You can like it, you can hate it. You can, obviously, lie about it. It is what it is, it’s fact.
Now, the fact that Abby Johnson knows this fact and is already trying to prepare her son for this is the FAR opposite of hate, it’s love.
I don’t know her to defend her in any area except this video, but her video was spot on and if you have issue with it, than perhaps that comes from inside you where you’re unable to accept the facts, or that a white mom can love and raise a biracial child.
You’re posting inherently racist twisted “facts” without citing your no doubt biased sources, because you have issues and are likely as racist as Abby. You are in my prayers. I will lift you up and pray for mental healing and well being to change you from the hateful unreasonable twisted hellbent person you are. As of right now I am no longer interacting with you.
You should know that this is a different person posting as AH than was interacting with you in previous comments earlier today and yesterday. Don’t know why they chose to use the same posting ID as me since I was already using it. Its going to be impossible to really sort out here. But..the comment from 1:58 and 2:18 today are not from me. And the comments responding to enemy seagull are not me.
He’s actually more raised by his stay at home dad, who is a wonderful human being (check out his social media page).
And he has a relationship with his birth mom, they opted for an open adoption.
I think the trauma of being removed from a stable, mostly loving environment would pretty quickly negate any positives. And, as others have pointed out, this video is a tiny slice of the whole picture.
You mean the husband who appears in the equally offensive second video where they defend the first one? These two have no business raising a black son.
They aren’t, they’re raising a biracial son.
Yes and as a biracial person I understand what that means, you do not appear to do so.
Where (and what) is this second video?
Would that be only his black history? Because he’s biracial he’s got white history too. From how these comments are sounding it sounds as if one race has to win out over the other, and that one race should be the black one, i don’t buy that viewpoint.
It’s rediculous a mom couldn’t speak her voice and explain herself, with statistics, without people wanting to take her child away.
Again, different AH above.
Simcha, I’ve been a fan of your ‘blog for years, but — and I’m asking genuinely, not with an agenda — why did you post this post/interview? It seems like you are picking a fight with another Christian, in public…but that doesn’t seem like you…so I conclude that I must be missing some context (or something).
I think what Simcha is doing is about calling out someone’s sin and bringing it into the light. Many people have tried to reason with Abby in private and she will not listen and pulls the victim card. Once that private admonition fails, the Christian thing to do is to bring everything out into the light so that healing can begin.
No. I have the same feeling about this as Margo. This is a way to go after Abby because there is some sort of underlying issue regarding the prolife politics and the associations she has…possibly with Fr Pavone. She is a public figure, so I get that. However, just having backward or even repugnant opinions doesn’t mean she needs to be “exposed” or that she needs you or Simcha to bring her “sin” into the light. This is just ugly nonsense that would be better “healed” by ongoing conversation with her when the subject warrants and then leaving her alone. The scripture you are referencing, by the way, says if your brother or sister in Christ sins against you, (which I don’t think happened here) to go to settle the matter privately, then take others to do so privately, then bring it to the proper authorities of the local church. It doesn’t say take your grievances about everyone you don’t like to your internet audience so you can show the world someone’s faults and everyone can pile on about what a horrible awful person this is. But details. Oh Someday I just know the mercy talkers are gonna live out that call to mercy!
You might have a point if this were an opinion Abby holds privately, but it’s not — she made a video and posted it publicly for all the world to see. It is entirely appropriate to respond publicly.
I’m responding to the previous commenters idea that somehow what is happening here is based on scriptural verses, when really it’s just people hashing out crap on the internet.
Do you have any idea how many people have approached Abby in private, and gently, tenderly begged her to moderate her words, because they were harming the movement she represents? It has happened over and over again for maybe a decade. She invariably responds with spite and scorn, and doubles down on her behavior. The Gospels say that if your brother wont’ listen to you, then you have to take it to the next level. So here we are.
Why do you hold Abby and the prolife movement to higher standards of ideological perfection than other people in other movements…ie women’s march movement, BLM movement? You don’t seem to think it’s news you need to report on if some person from those movements says something horrible, or does something awful. Bishop Swan says obnoxious things all the time…and apparently you’re at least sort of aware of that. And he’s a Christian. Is news that you need to report?
Because she says she represents me. Because she has made herself the public face of the pro-life movement, of which I am a member. Because she is Catholic, and so am I. This is why I write about abusive priests, but not about abusive teachers or sports coaches. It’s why I have written about rape in Catholic colleges, but not in secular colleges. I have always believed that it’s appropriate and effective to try to influence the people closest to you, who are part of your own community, and most especially if they claim to represent you. Most of my audience is Catholic, and so I report on news that is relevant to Catholics. This is a topic I’ve written on many, many times. It’s just common sense.
And my goodness, yes, I do hold pro-lifers to higher standards than pro-choicers. That’s what it means to be a pro-lifer: You’re holding yourself to higher standards than the easy, dirty answers the world wants to offer.
But I don’t understand then why I wouldn’t be reading about some of the shady, vile things being said by people in the women’s march movement for example. They claim to represent you and you’ll give them the benefit of the doubt I guess? And there have been truly unbelievable disgusting things they have said and done, but you still were ok associating with their message? Their leadership didn’t bother you? I just don’t understand why the prolife community gets to be hyper-criticized, and other movements, nobody seems to care what the heck they do, it’s fine. And I can’t figure out why in the heck any of this is news, or even sinful. It’s of so little consequence on its own….it’s the level of a “thought crime”she thought things and said them out loud, that people don’t like and disagree with. So what? It was of no consequence whatsoever what the woman said on her YouTube.
I’m willing to ally with people like those who ran with women’s march for what we have in common; but in general, they are not “my people” in the same way pro-lifers are. I have major problems with some of the things they espouse, and if you were in any way honest, you know I’ve made a career out of hitting back against those ideas.
I know you understand this principle. If I have a child who is behaving badly, I will correct him because he’s my child. If I see a neighbor’s child acting badly, I will not correct him, because he’s not my child. I have been very consistent with this. If I wanted to get tons of hits and be very popular, I would take the easy route and be a pro-lifer who does nothing but criticize abortion, a Catholic who does nothing but criticize atheists, etc. etc. Instead, because I care about the groups of which I am a member, I am holding them to account. I know you understand this.
If what she said on YouTube was of no consequence and was not objectionable, then why is it a problem for me to repeat it verbatim? This is absurd.
It feels like it’s of no consequence to you, because you’re not a black person who hears people who claim to be members of your own family saying “Oh, I know what you people are like. I’m glad the police have an eye on you.” I’ve heard enough black people tell me, over and over and over again, that they’re treated more harshly and with more suspicion by everyone, including their fellow Christians, as if they’re already guilty. If this seems like no small matter to you, than God have mercy on your soul.
Listen, if a pro-choicer says something racist, then pro-lifers will go, “well, what do you expect? No respect for life.” They’re not going to call up the pro-choicer to admonish them, and if they do, the pro-choicer will say, “Who the hell are you?” A wasted effort. Pro-choicers aren’t going to listen to pro-lifers.
But if a pro-lifer sees a pro-lifer saying something racist, the pro-lifer will say, “Whoa, hey, that is NOT consistent with what we believe. You need to do better, both for the sake of people of color you’re hurting, and for the sake of the reputation of the movement.” In some cases, this actually works. it has workd with me in the past, when people “on my side” have admonished me for saying and doing harmful things. I listen to them, *because* we’re “on the same side.” You see?
It doesn’t always work, though. I know of maybe eleven people who have done this for Abby, in private, gently, kindly, with compassion and love. They have tried repeatedly to show her where she has gone astray and what effect her words have. She persists and responds with insults. So then it becomes necessary for people like me, who have a public platform, to let people know about her unrepentant record, and to let them decide if this is someone who ought to be representing their cause.
The pro-life movement definitely needs to be held to a higher standard. Unfortunately there is a lot of inconsistency and some hypocrisy in the movement, and if we can chip away at that, the movement will have more credibility and will accomplish a lot more.
Okay, I understand what you’re saying, But she is not your child. She is not under your authority and it sounds like you’re saying you get to judge that what she said is sinful and offensive and then feed your interpretation to your audience. I said “on its own” it was of little to no consequence. Clearly, you putting it out to show how dumb and irresponsible you think she is, has it’s own consequence. And I object to you claiming you personally need to “spread the news” about someone’s faults in order to hold your own prolife and Catholic brothers and sisters to a higher standard. This is in no way even close to equivalent to the sex abuse scandals.
Again, you seem to be arguing against the notion of covering the news. I understand that you don’t think it’s news that a high profile pro-lifer has consistently said racist things, but I do. Believe it or not, I think long and hard before I write a story like this. I have made many changes in my approach over the years. I no longer cover this kind of story if it’s someone who doesn’t have much influence; and I try hard to report as fairly and neutrally. You can’t get more neutral than simply reporting verbatim what someone said, and the confirming with them personally that that’s what they meant.
There may or may not be consequences for her words, but the responsibility for those consequences rests entirely with her. You seem to think I have a greater responsibility for safeguarding her reputation than she does herself, and it’s hard to understand why.
Now let me ask you something. What other websites do you read regularly?
You know what Simcha, I don’t think you are a terrible writer nor do you come across as a terrible person. I read many of your articles and they are helpful and funny. I truly don’t know what else to say about this Abby Johnson situation, it just struck me as very mean spirited and uncalled for. You have a blog, you can obviously post whatever you like. I’m going to just stop now, know I’m going to be praying for both you and Abby. You both seem to have lovely families. Sorry if I thoroughly ticked you off.
You think it’s uncalled for because you don’t take racism seriously. That’s something to think hard about.
Abby posted her video publicly, and she tweets publicly about her beliefs. She stands as a leader in the pro-life movement, so when she espouses these views, they mark the entire pro-life movement unless other Catholics are willing to challenge her. Simcha has given her a chance here to clarify her position, to say that she was somehow misunderstood, or to admit that her research led her into error.
I’m in the prolife movement and I don’t pay any attention to what Abby Johnson says on a daily basis. I had no idea she said anything. Had no idea she had a biracial child. She stands as a “leader” in the prolife movement the same way Norma McCorey did, not as some perfect specimen who knows everything, obviously, but rather as an individual person who had a personal experience of conversion on the issue of abortion. Norma had lots of flaws and opinions that were not held by others. So what? So does every body about everything. So you know what, go ahead and hash it out. Just don’t pretend you’re doing awesome scriptural stuff by “exposing” and “healing”.
I completely agree with this comment. This is a personal fight that doesn’t add any good to the world by being made public. I don’t think any of us would interview well being asked questions on the phone with a clearly hostile interviewer. And I agree with Gianna T above, that adding a bunch of CPS calls to this child’s life is NOT in his best interests at all. It’s an adult fight with a longer history than this video that is being inflicted on a child thanks to the current pile-on culture.
I think Abby is the one who comes across as hostile, not Simcha. But I totally agree that the calls to CPS go way too far. And some of the anti-adoption comments here are concerning.
Because it’s in response to a *public* video Johnson made.
Well, 2 videos now I guess.
She gets offended at the question if she disciplines her children different.
But she makes a video on how she’s fine with him being profiled in the future and her other children will look nerdy and non threatening.
My heart breaks for this little boy. Really, moms are not supposed to pin children against each other. He’s a child and she’s already ok with him being treated less than his siblings.
Remind me, why is she an example of pro-life?
When you have these evangelical types adopting a child as a ‘Godly’ status symbol the poor kid hasn’t a chance of not being stigmatized.
Don’t we see stuff all the time about the conversations parents of black sons need to have with them because society will perceive them as a threat? So she’s not ignoring that there’s a problem, she is teaching him about that. The fact that I teach my daughters that there are some men who will be a threat to them and they need to be on guard does not mean that I am fine with that, nor that any assault is their fault, and certainly not that *I* will be a threat to them. Of course she’s disgusted by that question; it doesn’t follow at all, but it sure implies that the interview is not really in good faith.
To be clear, I don’t think Abby comes off well here, but I also don’t think this interview was aiming for objectivity. It managed exactly what it was trying to do, which was make Abby (and this site really; see how those Christians love one another…in this interview and in this combox) look awful. But I don’t think her family should be torn apart as a result.
The issue isn’t that she’s teaching preparing her son for how he might be treated differently by the police. The issue is that she said she’s okay with the police treating black males differently than white males.
Thanks for giving her a chance to redeem herself, which she clearly didn’t. A minor note: the Bishop Swan incident was late September 2019, not 2020.
oops, thank you!
I’ve had some…conversations with her online.
Her charging in fists swinging without sitting down and researching things is kind of in character for her from what I’ve seen. It’s not just race, she does this with a LOT of things.
I believe in her ministry, she’s managed to humanize people who work in the abortion industry to the pro-life movement, which is a HUGE accomplishment and step forwards, but she’s definetely her own worst enemy.
What’s extra frustrating is that her husband, Doug, has actually had some really great thoughts and a great attitude towards all this stuff – actually grappling and listening and learning and discussing and admitting he has stuff to learn. His social media presence has actually been a light in all this.
I REALLY wish he would take over the public speaking stuff from Abbey.
Nailed it.
I read the article, but before I watch this edited video, I’ll just lay my own biases out there. I like Abby Johnson, she’s not perfect, but she’s real, and she’s done some AMAZING work to save lives and restore lives. She’s pro-woman, pro-baby, pro-family, pro-life. Simcha Fischer, every once in a blue moon she’ll say something that I agree with, in a way that doesn’t completely put me off. I mean, I agree with a lot of of what she writes, maybe even most of it. But I quit reading her a long while back bc her delivery generally is condescending, divisive, and lacks charity and humility, just my opinion. And yes, those are also things I have to fight against in my own delivery, lol.
One more biased remark: if you want to follow a well written blogger, that covers current topics with insight, humor, humility and charity this lady comes with my highest recommendation. https://tejanagringa.blogspot.com/2020/06/the-one-about-racism.html?m=1
“I’m a researcher by nature,” said every QANON WAKEUP SHEEPLE 5G BILL GATES NANOBOT VACCINES!!!!!1111!!!11! social media “expert” ever.
Yes! The conspiracy theory researchers are the worst.
Yeah, both sides certainly have their crazies.
A researcher unable to cite one – one! – study, article, anything she’d read to back up any of her claims in the interview.
Someone’s confused about the concept of causality. If the rate of incarcerated Black men and the rate of fatherless Black homes are related, don’t you think it’s possible that the homes are fatherless because the father is in prison? Instead of the other way around??
I think Abby is saying that black men are more likely to go to prison because during their childhood, their fathers weren’t around. But their fathers not being around is the result of several factors, one of which is — as you pointed out — incarceration.
why do think they are incarcerated?
I just want to state for the record that I wear undies with pom poms on them and the last time I watched Barbie, Life In the Dreamhouse, I cried and cried because it just hit too close to home. Love to all. #BLM
I put mayonnaise on my tacos. This is my right.
J
My heart sank as soon as I read the headline of this article, because I knew exactly what nonsense she was going to say. This is so far from how I was raised as a Catholic and a human being, I’m beginning to truly despair for our country.
That’s why we need President Trump to win in November. Imagine the angry mob taking over? This has nothing to with George Floyd, it has to do with hatred of white people. These riots are planned by the globalist marxist, George Soros, deep state, big tech traitors and the like. The doing everything to defeat Trump. They will fail in the end because God is on Trump’s side, no doubt
I think you might want to refrain from speaking for the Almighty, no doubt.
Yeah, Trump doesn’t exactly come across as Christ-like.
I’m assuming Greg is engaging in sarcasm. If not, then parody has become impossible.
Just stop it. Stop this nonsense, stop thriving on hate, stop misinterpreting “the other side.” STOP.
Greggers, just in case your comment isn’t parody:
Consider the effects of electing and unconditionally supporting an candidate like Trump has on centre-right, moderates, and centre-left voters. Those are the people you right-wingers actually need on your side if you want to stop ‘the angry mob’. They are repulsed by Trump.
I despaired about 10 years ago. The only solution at this point is revolution.
She is astonishingly obtuse. She researched her topic halfway, jumped to a false conclusion, then got called out on it, and now once again wants to claim victim status when she victimizes the entire Black community.
How anyone could admit there’s a disproportionate amount of Black people incarcerated, yet not dig into the reasons behind that (contrary to her statement, the data has been around for some time), is truly bad research and she should feel bad. She just looked at that statistic, looked at some “studies” that try to “redefine” Black fatherhood, and connected them on her own assumptions, with no data to back it up. From a professed statistics lover who values them over emotions.
It is a SPECTACULARLY bad take. And it’s willful ignorance at this point; she had a responsibility to look into this before posting a public video like that.
Re: “She researched her topic halfway” – exactly. She stopped when she found evidence that confirmed her biases.
AND it affects her own family. Why would you raise a biracial child and not do more to understand what he’ll face growing up. You would think it would make her a more nuanced thinker, not less.
When she professes she’s never been consciously racist, yet puts out a video without deep thought or charity, she perpetuates a lot of dumb racist tropes.
She might also do well to look at the effects of poverty on family structure and incarceration rate. Poor people across the board have fewer intact families and more interaction with the criminal justice system. Given that 10% of Caucasians live in poverty and 20% of Black Americans do, some of the disparity is attributable to poverty.
Wow. I agree that having good, loving fathers present as good role models would help to prevent incarceration. But I also totally agree that blacks are treated differently in the criminal justice system and I don’t doubt that has largely contributed to the disproportionate number of black men who are incarcerated. I’m not a member of a specific BLM movement, but I certainly believe that black lives matter. And yes, I also believe that all lives matter, but in the context of a discussion about patterns of police brutality against black men, the immediate issue is black lives, hence the phrase (which isn’t owned by any specific BLM organization). I can’t imagine why Abby would have gotten threats from your readers after posting her video, since you didn’t even draw it to your readers’ attention till after it was taken down.
Yeah, why the vitriol against Simcha and people who read her blog? Abby, it may be time to step back and reflect on Catholic values and who Christ calls us to be.
My husband is the one who uploaded the video to the burner youtube account linked in this post. He’s really tickled that a bunch of people have suddenly subscribed to his channel that just has this one video of AJ on it.
ah ha ha! I’m so sorry. Another casualty in the culture wars, so sad.