Poll of the Day > Let's Watch: "The Space Traders"

(+) Yeah! (+)

"The Space Traders" is a work of Critical Race Theory fiction. Critical Race Theorist Derrick Bell wrote this to explore how society might react if "friendly" aliens make contact with the United States and offer unlimited clean energy and the perfect solution to climate change...if the United States hands over every Black person in the country, to be taken for unknown reasons to unknown worlds.

Video: https://youtu.be/y6-n9axdiOs
Text: https://whgbetc.com/the-space-traders.pdf

Wikipedia: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Space_Traders

I won't spoil the story in this comment, but I'm curious what people think about the validity of this story. What parts resonate with you, and which don't? Do you disavow the entire story, or are there parts you think are valid? Or, if you agree with the story, are there any parts you think are unreasonable?

This story was written and the video adaptation was produced over 25 years ago. How might this story change if it were written today? Would it be less critical or more critical of non-Black society today?

Do you think the criticisms against non-White, non-Black populations that this video makes are valid? (I'm specifically referring to the commentary on the Jewish community's reaction to the aliens.)

What do you think about the protagonist being a Black man who is depicted (and clearly viewed by other Blacks in the story) as being too servile to White society?

How do you think America today would vote?

Other discussions welcome as well

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Can we watch the Master of the Flying Guillotine instead

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Clench281 posted...

Can we watch the Master of the Flying Guillotine instead

No, this classroom is not a democracy

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this is cool. im reading the short story though because the audio/video quality is awful lol

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PunishedOni posted...

this is cool. im reading the short story though because the audio/video quality is awful lol

Good point. I added the text in the original post. :)

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bumping because so many people have passionate opinions on the topic of crt (;

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I've always said that the only real way to eliminate racism is for an alien species to make contact with us, so we can all collectively hate the aliens instead

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pre-read comment

I'm conflicted 'cuz I'm not racist - so I'll flip the script and say the cost is the deletion of all white (which I am) people instead, ... an "infinite" reward will always outweigh any finite cost, I'd be willing to suffer such a cost to benefit that many more people. Of course, I can't speak for all people so that's just me.

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Zareth posted...

I've always said that the only real way to eliminate racism is for an alien species to make contact with us, so we can all collectively hate the aliens instead

Fittingly, this is in line with Derrick Bell's argument about how the Jewish community would react. Essentially, the Jewish community would vote to keep the Black community in the US, because the Black folks are gone...who is the next group Whites will focus their supremacy against?

This isn't an endorsement of Bell's thought experiment, but it is interesting to me nonetheless.

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Lokarin posted...

pre-read comment

I'm conflicted 'cuz I'm not racist - so I'll flip the script and say the cost is the deletion of all white (which I am) people instead, ... an "infinite" reward will always outweigh any finite cost, I'd be willing to suffer such a cost to benefit that many more people. Of course, I can't speak for all people so that's just me.

I don't think it is just for you to sacrifice yourself for the economy.

Didn't America have this argument last year? lol

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wydrah posted...

I don't think it is just for you to sacrifice yourself for the economy.

Didn't America have this argument last year? lol

Not many people have the 'I want to die as long as it's a benefit to someone' mentality I have tho

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Lokarin posted...

Not many people have the 'I want to die as long as it's a benefit to someone' mentality I have tho

well...as long as you don't impose it on others, you do you!

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