Ok-pop followers are being celebrated by activists and the media for hijacking the #WhiteLivesMatter hashtag throughout the protests over George Floyd’s demise, but it surely’s only a publicity stunt wearing empty activism.
Followers of Ok-pop — a style of pop music originating from South Korea — are being celebrated by liberal activists and the mainstream media for “drowning” out supposed white supremacists on Twitter who tried to get the hashtags #WhiteLivesMatter and #WhiteLifeMatter trending amid the protests over the demise of George Floyd.
Search both hashtag and also you’ll discover little greater than keyboard warriors patting themselves on the again and clips of South Korean pop stars singing and dancing.
Hell yeah us kpop stans have been summoned once more… #WhiteLifeMatter
Finish this racism and luxuriate in this fancan of Wonho pic.twitter.com/ApiBlfzORl
— 사랑해 (@wonhehehe) June four, 2020
Y’all dumb lmfaooo hold altering the hashtag….we’ll discover it #WhiteLifeMatter pic.twitter.com/ftQJGUe4xJ
— cinnamonbinch ⁷ (@Sam044769Ripper) June four, 2020
“Ok-pop followers are flooding right-wing hashtags on social media,” Vice wrote of their story detailing the fanbase’s “newest transfer to assist protesters.”
Rolling Stone praised the Twitter customers for “successfully” taking up white supremacists.
They’re simply two examples of the numerous media tales all however hailing the digital troopers as heroes.
Liberal activists on-line have additionally celebrated the neighborhood. Outspoken Donald Trump critic and ‘Star Trek’ actor George Takei declared the Ok-pop neighborhood “allies.”
Right here's to the KPop followers who noticed that White Supremacists had been attempting to get White Lives Matter to development as a hashtag, in order that they tagged so many fancams, fanpics, BTS and Blackpink movies with that very same tag that that is the stuff you see whenever you search with that hashtag. #Allies pic.twitter.com/e04i36Ef0A
— George Takei (@GeorgeTakei) June four, 2020
The reward is as empty because the so-called activism.
Ok-pop fan accounts on Twitter are often flagged as bots and could be seen spamming trending hashtags usually — typically to a poisonous diploma. These are facets to the rabbit gap that’s the music’s fandom that the present reward in fact conveniently ignores.
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And even when we’re to take the activism as severely as others appear to be taking it, there’s nonetheless little substance to this supposed battle towards white supremacism. Scanning by means of tweets, there isn’t a dialogue of racism or the present protests and no debate one can latch onto.
Drowning out one aspect with spam just isn’t the type of engagement that equates to progress. The media might wish to fake it’s a victory, however dancing movies being hooked up to controversial hashtags imply zilch after we are speaking about points as severe as racism and police brutality. Quickly silencing web trolls with foolish movies doesn’t finish hate in any means.
Empty activism, nonetheless, is commonplace in at this time’s tradition, and it might probably particularly be seen rearing its ugly head throughout these present protests. Whereas companies burn, individuals die, shops are looted, and, sure, peaceable protesters additionally argue towards police brutality, keyboard warriors sit behind their screens and supply up black bars in ‘solidarity’ with the plight of black People — keep in mind how a lot good #blackoutTuesday did?
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This assist proven by means of frivolous social media posts just isn’t meant to interact in debate and it affords no sensible assist to these truly struggling on this nation, however comes off as extra of a option to get consideration by grabbing onto the coattails of a trending situation. Ok-pop followers belong on this class. What good are you doing if probably the most your hashtag conjures up is simply digital pats on the again from different continuous tweeters trying to merely be embraced by the Left on social media?
Ok-pop followers didn’t “drown” out white supremacists and they didn’t “tackle” the Proper. They simply took benefit of a risky topic and cleverly latched onto it to get some consideration. It’s a gimmick the Left eagerly fell for of their desperation to be a part of what they see as progressive change. The truth that anybody sees Ok-pop movies being hooked up to racist hashtags as some type of cultural victory towards racism exhibits simply how lengthy the highway is earlier than individuals may even interact in debate on these points in any severe means.
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