Dave Ramsey Staffers Talk BLM and Racism. It gets Woke Really Fast
Anthony ONeal, best-selling author, speaker, and Dave Ramsey personality, recently invited several white folk to come on his show and discuss the topic of racism, white privilege, and Black Lives Matter. The panel was comprised partially or entirely of staff members and employees at Dave Ramsey’s Solutions and far from being a genuine, raw discussion with differing viewpoints, the whole affair came across as a cringe-worthy, unified struggle session that would rival “the Dinner Party” or “Scott’s Tot’s,” for how uncomfortable and apologetic it was. The hour-long interview might be likened to a zookeeper making the rounds, rattling the bars every now and then to get the animals to jump to attention and start dancing and performing, afraid they’re gonna get zapped or whipped if they don’t communicate how much they’ve seen the light, how much they love Black Lives Matter, and what great disgust they feel at their white privilege.
ONeal starts off by asking the panel to describe Black Lives Matter in 4 words. We get “of course they do.” “Change, growth, evolving, offensive.” “Courage, movement, equality, unity.” “Black lives mater period.” and “It’s about time.”
We would have said “Racist. Destructive. Marxist. Anti-Christ,” and then revelled in the ecstasy of the silence and disbelief coming from the hosts and other panelists, offering a true counterpoint that reflects a biblical worldview. We’ve included a small sampling of quotes from different panelists, responding to ONeal’s questions, who pensively sits back nodding his head and saying “Wow” and “Mhmmmm” over and over again. Here is a clip summarizing his behavior though the entire 6-part interview, holding court as lead interrogator. It is physically painful to observe.
Asked how things have changed:
So many things have evolved. Maybe like 5 years ago everyone would be like “Oh, I don’t see color.” And then now, I think as white people, we’re learning that yes, we do see color. I think for so long we wanted to be like “Oh, I’m not racist. I don’t see color. You’re the same as me.” And it’s like, we are different, and we need to acknowledge that, and acknowledge that different races go through different experiences in life, and it discredits the experiences of other races to say “Oh, I don’t see color, and it’s like [you should].”
“For me, as a white male, it’s like if someone calls me racist like, hoo! Like, that is scary…That’s like almost on the same level as, like, being like a sex offender or something. Like it’s like so like highly like vile, and something like you would never…like it’s the first thing anyway one says “But I’m not racist..but I’m not racist.” But we need to recognize that, hey, maybe some of the things I used to do were racist, and I’m growing from that. Or hey, maybe some thing that I’m doing now, and thank you for pointing that out to me, and how can I grow from that? I think that as someone who is privileged as a white male, it is our responsibility to continue this conversation because if we’re the one in a position of power, we’re the ones who have to change the culture.”
How to make things better:
I hope this analogy works in my head. I still can’t get out of my head that the solution that we’re posing right now ends up with an all-white boardroom, of all white men, trying to fix a problem. And this problem and this level of injustice is not solved when everyone – it’s not a matter of bringing black people up to be as comfortable as us, that’s not how that works, right? It is that we’re going to have to get off our addiction to comfort and get real messy man, right? It’s a surrender. Otherwise, it’s just a bunch of white people in a room trying to figure out how to help black people, that’s not the – we’ve done that.
Anthoney ONeal: If there are no black people in the room, white people can’t figure out how to help me. You don’t know me. You hear me, but you don’t know me. So it’s there’s no African American in the room, i appreciate the conversation, but bring me, or someone who looks like me into the room, and when we get into the room you do have to surrender, and you have to listen.
When asked about race and what they hope to pass on to their kids:
People of privilege are saying we’re hearing you…how do we help? What do we do? What’s my next stop? What’s my next move? Because I have been making a lot of moves over the laat 10, 15, 20 years, and now I find I’ve been hurting people the whole way. I didn’t know. So now what? I don’t want to hurt anybody else. Where’s help.. and when it comes to a legacy for my kids, my sons and my daughters have to know that they’re privileged out of the can. They have to know the sidewalks they walk on are different for every kid who walked down that sidewalk.
I really struggle to come up with what I want to know because that again becomes about me. And what do I – teach me. Teach me. Honestly, I am just here to listen. What I want to learn is whatever you want to teach me…The part of you that you held back from me before, I want to see it. As far as my kids. I hope they know when someone is screaming and yelling and setting things on fire and acting ridiculous…there is a reason. There is a reason. And rather than looking at disqualifying someone for their actions, if you would just be patient enough to hang with it, and look for the reason why.
It’s a mess, but as one panelists says “We want to be on the right side of history.” For them, it would appear, history is only the present.
About Author
This is a preamble. It is almost required by the way net citizens function, tear apart, criticize and practice ad hominem attacks when they discover something with which they disagree and find themselves short in the knowledge of the subject and subsequently unable to argue against the offending thought nor to be able to present a clear apology of their position. First a confession. I have prejudices. There is no way around that fact and I know that. Furthermore I’m no paragon of virtue although there are segments of ‘me’ that follow closely some very high standards and in those areas, even as I’m compared to others who are notable in their virtue (true virtue born out of thought and belief and proven by doin’) it is obvious that I’m succeeding. Then chuckle head takes my banner and places it next to the banner of the King and Creator of the Cosmos and I’m not looking so great.
My prejudices are not racial. There are times I see that I’m pre judging someone by their culture. Sometimes the pre-judgement is actually correct and does not flow from hate but from an honest look at something. Other times, and this may have a micro-cultural connection, I’m so irritated by the dude with long hair who wears it in a “man” bun or uses some headband in a way that would look fine on his sister that I will avoid the person. Pretty much any time you need a modifier to qualify as in ‘man’ bun you’re losing the debate. Wearing a toque pulled way back, in the summer, and calling it a beanie gives legitimate reason to disregard the goofy looking hat dude. Yep. I said that. Still in visual cues men who are wearing suits with tight high water trousers, leggings tight along with the rest of the costume, er, suit, including the jacket or suit coat that can’t be button because of a designed ill fit, those men can ride in the back of the bus. Their clothes wear them more than the other way around. Those are superficial prejudices and I haven’t touched on deeper issues such as bullying and the bully.
Race-based prejudices are a different animal altogether. I could say it points to intentional ignorance, often stupidity and mental development issues and leave it at that. Accepting the existence of systemic race-driven prejudices is easy as long as people will succumb to social pressure or the threat of bodily harm, accept the legitimate reports of actual racism and then shine the spotlight on that singular act It must be accepted that another act that looks similar regardless of the truth be considered racist also thereby “proving” the existence of systemic racism. Also, we must accept new definitions to old words and tear down the old definitions even though the new definition and the old accepted definition are disparate.
This video looks like a skit from “The Office” or early “SNL”. If someone wants to change hearts and minds then find examples of racism and I’ll go fight with you. Prove any charge of systemic racism but not with ideas that say words and even thoughts are violence.
This video was hard to watch. I wish it was a skit and would be about the leadership of my employer if this is thought to heal racial strife.
I like your answer, which of course is correct. Their answers are those of brainwashed “useful idiots.” A fifth word also applies, satanic. I have to question if any of these people are even real Christians.
I would expect this type of nonsense from the secular culture, but for those who claim to be Christians, you need to wake up (no pun intended). Galatians 3:28 states, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (ESV). Anyone breaking down the body of Christ with racism and making distinctions between whites and blacks and stirring up strife needs to repent. And for those sitting under so-called evangelical leaders that are causing division in the body of Christ, you need to find another church. Romans 16:17 states, “…watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them” (ESV).
Enough is enough. This world is mired in sin and our society is a decadent and immoral culture. We are living in 2 Timothy 3 times as people are proud, disobedient, arrogant, abusive, unholy, unappeasable, without self-control, not loving good, and lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. There is no accountability anymore. Everything is everyone else’s fault. Jesus is coming back and He’s coming back soon. And He isn’t going to come back with sunshine and daisies. He’s going to be coming back with a sword and His robe dipped in blood and He will tread the winepresses with the great fury and wrath of God. Repent and fear Him!