Intentionally Racist or Just Stupid – What Should People Make of Diane Abbott’s Tweet?

Diane Abbott’s now infamous tweet accusing white people of playing “divide and rule” was met with accusations of racism and calls for her to resign. But did Abbott really mean to criticize and generalize white people in her tweet? No. If she had, it would indeed be racist and would undoubtedly warrant her resignation. Nonetheless, her tweet was bound to be taken out of context which is why it was such a stupid, poorly articulated, tactless and offensive comment to make.

Abbott tweeted “white people love playing “divide and rule”. We should not play their game #tacticasoldascolonialism”. As an isolated comment, it’s difficult to take her tweet as anything but a generalization of white people. However, it’s Twitter – a social network that limits posts (or “tweets”) to 140 characters. That’s less than a text message. Therefore isn’t it likely that there would be some wider context to her comments? Don’t forget, Abbott is a mainstream MP, albeit one that doesn’t always tow the party line, and an MP for a very ethnically diverse constituency. For her to genuinely think white people seek to play “divide and rule” would certainly be David Starkey-esque in shock value. The difference is Starkey had the context of a discussion to dispel any scope for a misunderstanding of his comments.

The context was actually an exchange over Twitter (it’s since been deleted but can be seen on the BBC) where Abbott was responding to the notion that some black community leaders did not truly represent the communities they claim to (a valid point in some instances). Abbott’s use of “white people” was wrong but given the context and the hashtag, it’s not white people per se that she’s referring to. It’s a reference to colonialism and a cack-handed and lazy way of differentiating white people from black people in the context of the exchange.

In the context of colonialism, Abbott’s comments are correct. European colonialism (which she clarified in a subsequent tweet) was indeed orchestrated by “white people” as the political class and the elite who often employed a strategy of divide and rule to strengthen and expand their empires. Yet this was a crass and ill-thought analogy for her to make. Furthermore, to consider said political class as the upper echelons and influential circles of society in a modern day context, wouldn’t even exclusively mean white people.

Class has arguably become a bigger factor than race in creating divides within society. While still likely to be white people, in that context it could even be “black people”, “Asian people” or any person that Abbott’s comments of “divide and rule” could be targeted at if she had expanded on her comments. Alas, she couldn’t do that within 140 characters. Consequently, she should have refrained from making such a racially charged comment, despite unintentionally.

While some (not just white people) were bound to be offended by Abbott’s comments, much of the criticism directed at her wasn’t due to offence being taken. It was indignation at what was perceived as a double standard of racism.

As many of those calling for her resignation said, had similar comments generalizing an ethnic minority community been made by a white MP, it’s likely they would have been made to resign. Largely due to political correctness, prejudice from an ethnic minority group or individual is often not met with the same response as it would be from a white person. Clearly that isn’t right or fair but that double standard is a flaw of modern society, not one that can be attributed to Diane Abbott.

A further reason for the anger at Abbott’s comments is as a mainstream black politician, she has both been perceived and at times portrayed herself to represent the black community as a whole. Consequently, her comments could be deemed even more racially charged. But before being black, a black person is an individual and race does not automatically facilitate a homogeneous set of values and opinions with those of the same skin colour. It’s fair to say many black people would reject Abbott’s comments even when taken in context. Conversely, many white people might agree with what she said too. There is no need to worry that every black person is thinking whatever Diane Abbott says or tweets.

As an aside, it’s telling that Abbott’s comments were made in the wider context of an exchange regarding the Stephen Lawrence murder trial within the same week that two of the racist murderers were convicted. Those convictions were 18 years after the murder due to a catalogue of failings and institutional racism within the Metropolitan Police and the Crown Prosecution Service. Surely that deserves focus of any discussion surrounding racism rather the furor surrounding Abbott’s tweet.

Diane Abbott has since apologized but has subsequently come under criticism again for yet another tweet. This time she’s suggested some taxi drivers won’t stop for black people (another unfair generalization but not wholly unfounded). Perhaps she should consider if Twitter is the social network for her or better still think before she tweets.

Diane Abbott’s track record shows she isn’t a racist. Was her tweet a stupid comment to make and offensive to white people especially? Yes. Nonetheless, it was not intentionally racist and should not be taken as such once put in context. In the same week as the conviction of two of Stephen Lawrence’s murderers, there are more important issues regarding racism to discuss. Focusing on Abbott’s tweet instead merely detracts from that.


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