Man holds up Black Lives Matter sign near Walmart in Harrison AR and films passers by

[Stevicus]

Man holding Black Lives Matter sign in Harrison faces racist language

A Michigan man said he wanted to have conversations with residents in the "racist town in America" while holding up a Black Lives Matter sign.

The video, which spans a little over two minutes, shows cuts of racist language and vitriolic comments made by people.

The camera is showing Bliss's point of view facing public roads as cars drive by or as people walk in front of the local Walmart while he holds the sign.

In the first 30 seconds, there's a man driving by in a gold sedan, holding up a middle finger at Bliss.

Later, the same man drives by again and says "[in] about 10 minutes you better be f***ing gone." A voice behind the camera replies, "okay, come back."

Bliss said his motivation in choosing Harrison was to start conversations outside of "traditionally liberal areas" and that he regarded the city as "the most racist" due to its history as the KKK headquarters, along with a billboard of an advertisement for a White pride radio station still standing in the city.

He said it's the fact the town has a billboard that states "White Pride," "without any protest at all."

Spoiler: Offensive, racist language

 

[ChristineM]

Good Christian area no doubt.
The only comment i saw that was actually close to it was about 1:05 "all lives matter, not just black".

 

[Stevicus]

Good Christian area no doubt.
The only comment i saw that was actually close to it was about 1:05 "all lives matter, not just black".

I think what struck me was that many of the comments noted that the sign-holder was white, as if that's supposed to make a difference. One person thought he was a Marxist. Another guy thought "This is the next ISIS."

I've never been to Harrison Arkansas myself, although I've been to other towns in AR and elsewhere across the country which are rather similar.

 

[ChristineM]

I think what struck me was that many of the comments noted that the sign-holder was white, as if that's supposed to make a difference. One person thought he was a Marxist. Another guy thought "This is the next ISIS."

I've never been to Harrison Arkansas myself, although I've been to other towns in AR and elsewhere across the country which are rather similar.

I've not been there either but i have been to a few places around Atlanta, Alabama and Louisiana. Racism was not in ya face but christianity was. To the point that i was quite scared what would happen about bring atheist.

 

[Stevicus]

I've not been there either but i have been to a few places around Atlanta, Alabama and Louisiana. Racism was not in ya face but christianity was. To the point that i was quite scared what would happen about bring atheist.

It's somewhat similar here in AZ, although we're kind of on the fringe of the Bible Belt, in more ways than one. But it's not as monolithic as it might seem.

However, you can really find such attitudes all over the country, even in blue states like California and New York, just as you can find small patches of blue in many of the red states.

 

[ChristineM]

The blue and red names really confuse me, it's the opposite way around in (most of) the rest of the world

Red is communist, far left
Blue is conservative, far right

 

[sun rise]

The blue and red names really confuse me, it's the opposite way around in (most of) the rest of the world

Red is communist, far left
Blue is conservative, far right

It just goes to show we're upside down and backwards.

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

Well, Arkansas doesn't exactly have a reputation as a cultured bastion of civilization. It's just another worthless ****hole area of the country that chooses to be left behind.

 

[Father Heathen]

The blue and red names really confuse me, it's the opposite way around in (most of) the rest of the world

Red is communist, far left
Blue is conservative, far right

That was probably done on purpose and for good reason. The association would be an image disaster for the Dems.

 

[Valjean]

And people say racism is dead and we've achieved equality. Here we see what's meant by black lives matter. Blacks really are a scheduled caste; their lives do matter less. This does need to be pointed out.

 

[ChristineM]

It just goes to show we're upside down and backwards.

Tiz the America way ;-)

 

[PureX]

I think what struck me was that many of the comments noted that the sign-holder was white, as if that's supposed to make a difference. One person thought he was a Marxist. Another guy thought "This is the next ISIS."

I've never been to Harrison Arkansas myself, although I've been to other towns in AR and elsewhere across the country which are rather similar.

I have to keep in mind that a great many cars and people passed by this guy without comment. Even in Arkansas not everyone is an ignorant, racist, bigot. In fact, probably most people there are not. But still, the vitriol of those one in ten or twenty that is, is what's so shocking. Why all that anger? What is making these feel people so insulted? Nothing on this guys sign is insulting to anyone. Nothing he says to anyone is insulting in any way. And yet they are all reacting as if he'd just spit in their face.

Why?

 

[Valjean]

I have to keep in mind that a great many cars and people passed by this guy without comment. Even in Arkansas not everyone is an ignorant, racist, bigot. In fact, probably most people there are not. But still, the vitriol of those one in ten or twenty that is, is what's so shocking. Why all that anger? What is making these feel people so insulted? Nothing on this guys sign is insulting to anyone. Nothing he says to anyone is insulting in any way. And yet they are all reacting as if he'd just spit in their face.

Why?

Identity? Tribalism?
A white person is supposed to be on the white team, and to oppose the other teams.

Why do we sort ourselves into teams to begin with, when pulling together will benefit everyone? Is it all just a holdover from our competitive, tribal struggles during our formative millenia as a species?

 

[PureX]

Identity? Tribalism?
A white person is supposed to be on the white team, and to oppose the other teams.

Why do we sort ourselves into teams to begin with, when pulling together will benefit everyone? Is it all just a holdover from our competitive, tribal struggles during our formative millenia as a species?

But we don't viscerally hate people who support or are members of an opposing sports team. We don't viscerally hate other species of primates. I just don;t get the automatic viciousness of their reactions. They literally want to harm that guy, and would if they didn't fear retribution.