Anti-racism ad in Duluth creates worldwide hatemail
Seems the world of white supremacy hate knows no bounds:
A close-up of a white woman’s face confronts motorists from billboards plastered along major roads here with the message, in large, black letters: “It’s hard to see racism when you’re white.”
The billboards are part of the Un-Fair Campaign, which also includes dozens of posters that have appeared in office windows, including one poster depicting a young woman with this message written in black marker across her forehead: “Is white skin really fair skin?”
One of the stated goals of the campaign is to create a community dialogue. In that regard, it got more than it bargained for.
Hundreds of the city’s white residents have complained that the campaign’s kick-off images and messages are offensive. The campaign, they say, blames all racism on whites and implies that white people aren’t smart enough to recognize racism.
Meanwhile, the campaign’s defenders and sponsors, including Mayor Don Ness, say they’ve received dozens of hateful messages and e-mails from all over the world, as news of the campaign hit websites that cater to white supremacists and other racists. One message to Ness: “Die, scum, die.”
“I became kind of a lightning rod for groups outside our community,” said Ness, who was accused in messages from as far away as Scotland of inviting “white genocide” and being a “traitor” to his race.
“It was disappointing to see the level of hate and ugliness,” he said.