Racism has crept out from dark recesses of internet to our streets

There was understandable outrage when “white pride” slogans appeared on the streets of Perth last week.

Local politicians of all parties were swift to condemn the “It’s okay to be white” stickers that were slapped on lamp-posts and drainpipes throughout the city centre.

Perth Against Racism said it was an example of the “terrifying attitudes” shown to minority groups.

“They have been very clever not to use racial slurs, but the connotation is there,” a spokesperson said.

While the repulsion was widespread, there were others who were left confused: “How is it racist to say it’s OK to be white?”

Others commented: “Would this be a news story if the stickers said ‘It’s OK to be black’?”

I understand the question but, to be blunt, if you can’t see the problem with these stickers, that’s maybe because you are the problem. I’m not saying you’re necessarily racist, but you have fallen into a carefully-sprung trap.

The “It’s OK to be white” slogan was invented by social media trolls in the States, who thought it would be a bit of fun to spark some outrage with what is, on the surface, a fairly innocuous statement.

But the phrase was picked up by white supremacists and neo-Nazis – they had a song about it – and spread by America’s anti-news TV network.

The phrase itself is designed to confuse. It’s meant to be provocative and cause arguments. And then cause arguments about the arguments.

Plastering it on street furniture across Perth may well have been a prank to get on the front page of the local paper (if so, job done), but it also made people feel unsafe in their own home city.

Nobody is saying it’s not OK to be white, but that’s the point – no one has ever said that. It’s like someone telling a dog that it’s OK to be a dog.

To which the dog would reply: “Aye, I know. Cheers.”

It’s a clear example of how racism has crept covertly into the mainstream in recent years, how it has leapt from the dark recesses of internet comments sections to – literally, in this case – the streets that we live on.

Confusion over ambiguous messages only empowers extremist organisations and sows division.

There are plenty of other examples of phrases and words that, if taken at face value, seem relatively harmless but have over time taken on a racist edge and now need to be binned.

These statements shouldn’t be argued about, scrutinised and picked apart. They just need to be pulled down.

“White pride” stickers appeared on the streets of Perth last week.