WFNI-AM sports talker Joe Staysniak, who is white, told listeners Wednesday that black people need to say “I’m going to stop being a victim.” That statement didn’t go over very well with some listeners to the show calling him tone deaf.
A listener called in, an African American man, who said he was outraged by Staysniak’s beliefs. Here’s what the caller said, according to a report at Indystar.com: “I just wanted to say… just from a perspective of a black man, Joe, what you’re saying it’s hurtful man. It really is. You are completely tone deaf. We are telling you what’s happening with our experience and you are giving every single excuse under the sun as to not to see it.”
And, here’s more from the conversation as reported at Indy.com:
Staysniak: “You’re denying anything. You’re denying responsibility, denying anything that could be on your part that has to go toward making this better.”
Caller: “Some blacks are poor and uneducated.”
Staysniak: “So you hate a police officer, you’re afraid of a police officer because of that? At some point you have to stand up and you have to say ‘I’m going to stop being a victim’ and say ‘This isn’t going to happen to me anymore.”
Many comments that followed the Indy.com story called Staysniak tone deaf.
Fire Joe now. He is the epitome of white people that just don’t get it. Or care. There is no place for this today.
Anyone suggesting that blacks need to stand up for themselves when police get over zealous is completely tone deaf and definitely out of touch. Know this about most police officers: 1) Their pay is LOW and 2) They compensate in their mind for the low pay by cultivating, grasping and cherishing their POWER. If you challenge a police officer he generally will relish the opportunity to use that power against you. It’s one of the few things he or she has to help them justify the risk and low pay of their occupation. Think about it!
Just to be clear, I’m not suggesting to roll over. But getting uppity when it’s uncalled for will assure that you will lose the power struggle most every time.