Trapt Frontman is Still Fighting with Fans on Facebook, Does Not Understand What Racism Is

Chris Taylor Brown, frontman of C-rate nu-metal band Trapt, has a history of getting in political fights with his fans on Facebook. And now he’s up to his old tricks once more!

In the following set of screen caps showing Brown’s public comment conversations on Facebook, sent in by an anonymous MetalSucks reader, Brown displays a shocking ignorance and lack of awareness regarding racism in modern day America.

According to Brown’s logic, the fact that slavery in America ended 150 years ago means that black people here are no longer the subjects of widespread institutional racism — they should simply “pull themselves up by their bootstraps” to achieve success just like everyone else! According to him, all we’re doing by claiming black people don’t have the same opportunities and privilege as white people is allowing “an entire group of people to lay on a crutch and point fingers,” and the fact that some black people are affluent means they all could be.

Wow.

Here’s the thing: I believe that Brown really does believe he is not racist. He can point the finger at avowed Nazis and KKK members and say, “THOSE people are racist, but not me!” Which, OK, he’s not as bad as those people, sure, but he’s still a fucking racist. Racism doesn’t require intent: you can be an accidental racist. And Brown’s worldview does not consider the concept of privilege AT ALL, nor the racism inherent in our society and systems.

Chris: MANY BLACK AMERICANS DO NOT HAVE THE SAME OPPORTUNITIES AS WHITE ONES. It’s that simple. No amount of boot-strap pulling or striving can undo hundreds of years of oppression. How about you take people at their word when they tell you that they’re treated differently than you are every single day? It’s not some big conspiracy to take you down… it’s fucking reality.

This guy needs a fucking wake up call.

Take a look at his exchange below.