It’s OK to Be White stickers found in Perth, Scotland, have caused considerable hysteria with the sticker blasted as ‘atrocious,’ comparisons to Nazism being invoked, and a woman left fearing for her family.
The stickers’ message, dubbed as ‘unacceptable content,’ has led to a police investigation into the matter.
The BBC reports that John Swinney, the MSP for Perthshire North, said the “atrocious” stickers had “no place in Perth or any other part of our country.”
Police Scotland said it was “currently looking into the matter.”
On a Twitter post, Mr Swinney said: “We must stand together to resist this unacceptable material.”
The simple five-word phrase, “It’s OK to Be White,” has driven quite a lot of controversy ever since its inception in 2017.
In an interview to The Daily Record, a local BAME (minority) woman said: “[I] was born and brought up in Perth and I am not white, but certainly felt this is my home city. But to know people have that attitude is terrifying.
“This has made me feel unsafe for all people who are not white – I am certainly worried now for my daughters, who are not white but are from Perth.
“It’s sickening and disgusting to know that people think like this.
“[I am] feeling very, very unsafe right now, [I] don’t think it’s safe anywhere now.”
Perth Against Racism said they were “surprised” and “disturbed” at the messages.
It isn’t the first time the stickers have made an appearance in Scotland, either.
Also in 2017, the stickers caused an outrage when they were spotted in Dundee.
Often used as flyers plastered around public spaces and universities, “It’s OK to Be White” contains a simple message tackling the prevailing anti-white left-wing narratives spun by academia, the media, and entertainment.
However, those opposed to the message have come out in full force decrying the flyers as hateful or white supremacist; thus tacitly admitting that they believe it isn’t OK to be white.
The number of overtly anti-white articles published by the media has dwindled in recent months–in part, perhaps, due to growing backlashes and shrinking profit margins for many online publications.
Flyers saying "It's okay to be white" prompt investigation at Tennessee university https://t.co/Kgb9qu0aZA pic.twitter.com/oqmZFoJEuk
— The Hill (@thehill) November 5, 2019
According to the article by The Hill:
The phrase “It’s okay to be white” has been adopted by white supremacist groups, according to the Anti-Defamation League, after being popularized on 4chan, a platform that has frequently been criticized for allowing white supremacist ideology online.
While the phrase itself at face value may not connote offensiveness, there has been a push to associate the phrase with something morally bad, shining a light on the media’s role as a social influencer rather than informer.
National File reported on an incident at Oklahoma City University of Law, where police were investigating similar flyers:
On Thursday, someone left flyers printed with the phrase “It’s Okay To Be White” at the Oklahoma City University of Law. In response, the university dean put out a statement saying the school would be “intentional and relentless” in promoting diversity, and police are conducting a high-profile investigation.
The student was later expelled and visited by the FBI for posting the flyers.
And the hysteria surrounding the phrase has been an international phenomenon, crossing the northern US border and creating a stir in Canada.
The University of Manitoba saw the flyers posted on their campus last year which struck an “element of fear” into foreign and non-white students, it was alleged.
The “It’s OK to Be White” message was dubbed a “message of hate” in an article interviewing a sociology professor posted by state-run publication, CBC.
Since peaking a little over a year ago, the flyers have appeared to have made a thunderous comeback to the horror of academics across North America.
