"American Ethnocentrism" is still a problem in the U.S

[Epic Beard Man]

Megyn Kelly:

"And by the way, for all you KIDS watching at home, Santa is WHITE. But this person is maybe just arguing that we should also have a black Santa. But you know, Santa is what he is...."

"You know, I mean, Jesus was a white man too. He was a historical figure; that's a verifiable fact-as is Santa, I want you kids to know that."

Phil Robertson:

“I never, with my eyes, saw the mistreatment of any black person Not once. Where we lived was all farmers. The blacks worked for the farmers. I hoed cotton with them. I’m with the blacks, because we’re white trash. We’re going across the field.... They’re singing and happy. I never heard one of them, one black person, say, ‘I tell you what: These doggone white people’—not a word!... Pre-entitlement, pre-welfare, you say: Were they happy? They were godly; they were happy; no one was singing the blues.”

After speaking with one of my co-workers who defended Robertson's right to "free speech," I wondered why in the United States especially at the end of this year, do not have a sit down discussion, like a town hall meeting to discuss these issues. Race is still a problem. I believe in my life time racism will always be a problem, but I also like to think racism is systemic and that we need to get to the bottom of those that propagate the issue, and those that sustain the issue.

Towards the end of the semester in 2009 the year I completed undergrad I took a cultural studies course and we started discussing the issues regarding post-slavery and pre-civil rights, I recall one classmate stating:

"Well why do (insert ethnic group) play the race card so much today? We have a black president!"

The professor kindly responded:

"If your response is to inquire why complaints from minorities exist, then I would say that from the attitude of your response is the reason why many minorities continue to have grievances. The idea that 'hey look, one of your own is in the white house no need to complain anymore' is the very colonialist mentality this class is based around."

I'll admit with prejudice that the very subject that many Americans (including myself) tend to shy away from is the very exact subject we need to address. Megyn Kelley and Phil Robertson's comments are mere reflections of what still ails this country. Whenever you have the likes of Kelley that has the audacity to address kids who are not mentally shaped to be cognizant of varying ethnic identities let alone the ability to process the ethnicity of santa, it becomes not only cyclical, but disturbing. People often ask "why can't people get over race?"

Simple...

Because in the United States people don't want to....

 

[Slapstick]

First of all, in case you haven't noticed there isn't any one specific culture in the U.S.

It isn't a problem in the U.S. One person doesn’t speak for an entire population in America. Everyone speaks on their own accord and doesn’t represent any one group of people unless it is political and even then it is hard to say what a politician actually represents.

Back to more serious news, you might have missed the Russian actor Ivan Okhlobystin that said he would burn every gay (******) alive in an oven if he had the chance. Who thinks gay people are a living threat to his children. “I don’t want my children to think that being a ****** is okay… If a person can’t choose someone similar from the opposite sex for reproduction, it’s a clear sign of a psychic anomaly, it means they need to be deprived of the vote.” Ivan Okhlobystin, Russian Actor, Says He Would Burn Gays Alive In Ovens

You obviously have no opinion or have anything to debate since you did nothing more than quote other people.

 

[LuisDantas]

American Ethnocentrism is not "still" a problem. It has been a growing and disturbing trend since the 1980s at least.

Of course, it also has a lot of internal resistance, although the situation is currently rather sad.

 

[Sunstone]

First of all, in case you haven't noticed there isn't any one specific culture in the U.S.

It isn't a problem in the U.S. One person doesn’t speak for an entire population in America. Everyone speaks on their own accord and doesn’t represent any one group of people unless it is political and even then it is hard to say what a politician actually represents.

Back to more serious news, you might have missed the Russian actor Ivan Okhlobystin that said he would burn every gay (******) alive in an oven if he had the chance. Who thinks gay people are a living threat to his children. “I don’t want my children to think that being a ****** is okay… If a person can’t choose someone similar from the opposite sex for reproduction, it’s a clear sign of a psychic anomaly, it means they need to be deprived of the vote.” Ivan Okhlobystin, Russian Actor, Says He Would Burn Gays Alive In Ovens

You obviously have no opinion or have anything to debate since you did nothing more than quote other people.

My friend, here's a serious tip for you: Never, never compose your post with one hand while vigorously bliss-pummeling with the other. If you do, it will show, and not just in the lack of focus in your post, nor even in the cheap, masturbatory passion of your post, but also in your egotistical concern with only your own point of view. So, by all means, wank for health and happiness. But just not when you're posting.

 

[Slapstick]

My friend, here's a serious tip for you: Never, never compose your post with one hand while vigorously bliss-pummeling with the other. If you do, it will show, and not just in the lack of focus in your post, nor even in the cheap, masturbatory passion of your post, but also in your egotistical concern with only your own point of view. So, by all means, wank for health and happiness. But just not when you're posting.

1) First of all, you aren’t my friend so you can stop pretending.
2) Second of all, your post has absolutely nothing to do with America being Ethnocentric.
3) Third of all, the only people that need to have a conversation about race or any other stereotypes that may or may not exist are people that have problems with them to begin with and it is usually older people that have a hard time overcoming their differences.
4) Fourth of all, anyone that bases their opinion on reality TV sitcoms and cable news is a quack.
5) Fifth of all, this is an open forum and if you can’t accept a difference in opinion then to bad. Get over yourself.

If you have anything you would like to debate just let me know.

 

[Sunstone]

1) First of all, you aren’t my friend so you can stop pretending.
2) Second of all, your post has absolutely nothing to do with America being Ethnocentric.
3) Third of all, the only people that need to have a conversation about race or any other stereotypes that may or may not exist are people that have problems with them to begin with and it is usually older people that have a hard time overcoming their differences.
4) Fourth of all, anyone that bases their opinion on reality TV sitcoms and cable news is a quack.
5) Fifth of all, this is an open forum and if you can’t accept a difference in opinion then to bad. Get over yourself.

If you have anything you would like to debate just let me know.

Again, you really shouldn't wank while posting. You just keep embarrassing yourself with your toss of wacky, irrelevant points that you seem to have momentarily taken as in some way meaningful.

Debate this: Why do you think racism, ethnocentrism, or whatever terms you wish to use for it, is no longer a problem in the US. And please, please don't prattle on about how there is no one specific culture in the US. That's very true. It's also an asinine point to make for it's logically irrelevant to the question of whether racism, etc. are genuine social and political problems.

 

[dyanaprajna2011]

That's because most Americans believe they were created and placed here directly by god, and America was transplanted here from Jerusalem, with the constitution being written directly by the hand of the divine himself. Oh, I should have clarified. Not most Americans, the rich white republican Americans.

 

[bobhikes]

Because in the United States people don't want to....

No, because people of the world don't want to
No, because people are people

I hate the term race but there is not one group of people in the world that do not identify by it, no matter how hard you try to stop them.

So of it is natural built in over thousands of years of evolution. Strange looking people could be dangerous. It can be corrected through education but it is an effective tool for leaders. It is not our fault it was those people. Those people always cause your problems. So we don't educate it out. If everyone liked everyone why would we need government.

It is also used as a weapon by people against people. We deserve special treatment because of what happened in the distant past. I say distant past because most who claim this are well removed from the incident that entitles them. If it is a current incident that effects them it is justice. So the same people that race negatively effects use it to create benefits for them just or not, it keeps race on the minds of all peoples.

There will always be people that believe in a superior race. Challenging them and keeping it in the news is self defeating and people tire of it. We are all entitled to our own beliefs. If you don't want to know them don't ask them.

I an educated homosapien, have no problems with skin color but I do have an issue with homosexuality comprehending what science has said about it but sexually I am prudish as a whole. Do I have that right or do I have to conform?

I would never knowingly use my prejudice against anyone but if interviewed and asked should I blantantly lie or tell the truth?

 

[MysticSang'ha]

Megyn Kelly:

"And by the way, for all you KIDS watching at home, Santa is WHITE. But this person is maybe just arguing that we should also have a black Santa. But you know, Santa is what he is...."

"You know, I mean, Jesus was a white man too. He was a historical figure; that's a verifiable fact-as is Santa, I want you kids to know that."

Phil Robertson:

“I never, with my eyes, saw the mistreatment of any black person Not once. Where we lived was all farmers. The blacks worked for the farmers. I hoed cotton with them. I’m with the blacks, because we’re white trash. We’re going across the field.... They’re singing and happy. I never heard one of them, one black person, say, ‘I tell you what: These doggone white people’—not a word!... Pre-entitlement, pre-welfare, you say: Were they happy? They were godly; they were happy; no one was singing the blues.”

After speaking with one of my co-workers who defended Robertson's right to "free speech," I wondered why in the United States especially at the end of this year, do not have a sit down discussion, like a town hall meeting to discuss these issues. Race is still a problem. I believe in my life time racism will always be a problem, but I also like to think racism is systemic and that we need to get to the bottom of those that propagate the issue, and those that sustain the issue.

Towards the end of the semester in 2009 the year I completed undergrad I took a cultural studies course and we started discussing the issues regarding post-slavery and pre-civil rights, I recall one classmate stating:

"Well why do (insert ethnic group) play the race card so much today? We have a black president!"

The professor kindly responded:

"If your response is to inquire why complaints from minorities exist, then I would say that from the attitude of your response is the reason why many minorities continue to have grievances. The idea that 'hey look, one of your own is in the white house no need to complain anymore' is the very colonialist mentality this class is based around."

I'll admit with prejudice that the very subject that many Americans (including myself) tend to shy away from is the very exact subject we need to address. Megyn Kelley and Phil Robertson's comments are mere reflections of what still ails this country. Whenever you have the likes of Kelley that has the audacity to address kids who are not mentally shaped to be cognizant of varying ethnic identities let alone the ability to process the ethnicity of santa, it becomes not only cyclical, but disturbing. People often ask "why can't people get over race?"

Simple...

Because in the United States people don't want to....

Good post.

As much as Euro-Anglo-Protestant-centric cultural standards remain, there are some people who refuse to acknowledge that they do. It's why it's perfectly okay to judge a person with suspicion if her name is Shaniqua while it's okay to judge a person with assumed acceptance if her name is Sarah.

Beware "non-traditional" practices. Given that "traditional" means anything from the cultures that colonized the countries, uses up that countries' resources, slaughters and/or bombs them back to the Stone Age when necessary, and reminds them that the color of their skin or texture of their hair is evidence of their inferiority.

As much as people typically will admit intellectually that Jesus historically would not be Anglo, any portrayal in media or art that depicts Jesus having brown skin is either ignored, avoided, or protested. It strikes a nerve with many folks in a Euro-centric society.

 

[MysticSang'ha]

Consider how prevalent blues music was throughout America when it was dominated by black artists, and then when white artists began to enter the genre. How media focused on the death of Stevie Ray Vaughan compared to the death of Robert Johnson (who died at 27).

Consider how desirable for a white woman to have full pouty lips and how a black woman having full pouty lips is considered a turn-off by society.

Or how brown nipples compare to pink nipples when a culture determines them desirable.

Or kinky hair compared to straight hair.

Or how rap and hip hop aren't considered "real music" until a white artist enters the fray.

Or how young black men dressed in hoodies are viewed with suspicion, while young white men in hoodies are viewed as athletes (or just wanting to stay warm).

Or how books like "Guns, Germs, and Steel" - written by a white man - is considered a verifiable body of work that examines why European colonization was so dominant...while works by black historians are virtually ignored.

Off the top of my head, at the very least.

 

[Vinayaka]

When I first saw this thread I thought it was about American ethnocentrism, but in reality it's about ethnocentrism being alive in America.

As a Canadian, I become aware of American ethnocentrism in little things when I travel there. Things like my friends trying to 'correct' my pronunciation of certain words, or spelling like 'favour'.
Another one is getting as, when you're asked to put in your postal code. Canadian postal codes don't work, so I always need to go inside to see the cashier because the pump was 'unable to accept'. Rarely have I met an outright overzealous American though.

 

[bobhikes]

Consider how prevalent blues music was throughout America when it was dominated by black artists, and then when white artists began to enter the genre. How media focused on the death of Stevie Ray Vaughan compared to the death of Robert Johnson (who died at 27).

Consider how desirable for a white woman to have full pouty lips and how a black woman having full pouty lips is considered a turn-off by society.

Or how brown nipples compare to pink nipples when a culture determines them desirable.

Or kinky hair compared to straight hair.

Or how rap and hip hop aren't considered "real music" until a white artist enters the fray.

Or how young black men dressed in hoodies are viewed with suspicion, while young white men in hoodies are viewed as athletes (or just wanting to stay warm).

Or how books like "Guns, Germs, and Steel" - written by a white man - is considered a verifiable body of work that examines why European colonization was so dominant...while works by black historians are virtually ignored.

Off the top of my head, at the very least.

This in it self is the exact same stero typing. All this is not true but there is a percentage of people that believe it and that is enough

I don't like full pouty lips on any women but I will still give them an oppertunity to be my friend.

I don't care what the nipples look like at all as long as they are female.

I like wavey hair but its in talking to the woman I am won over no matter the hair.

I still don't believe rap is real music even with the white musicians, it is just a beat and speaking. Hip hop I'm ok with.

I wear a hoodie so I don't think of anything when I see others wearing a hoodie. I also don't call them hoodies, they are sweaters with hoods.

I don't understand the book reference but I enjoy biographies not history books and read across gender and color. I find history to always be biased. The biographies are biased too but they give you a truer picture of the person.

There are many more people like me. But 1 person that see's the world as you wrote and it is societal warfare.

It is not possible to live in a perfect world and you can fight for true issues. Its when you pick on the little things people get upset or things I can't change.

Like Hair, Lips, Music Little things and personal preferences.

History written by the victors, Sweater comments refuse to allow the term. Its not a hoodie, its a sweater with a hood.

 

[Revoltingest]

American Ethnocentrism is not "still" a problem. It has been a growing and disturbing trend since the 1980s at least.

Do you realize that you were saying that the problem was once less so,
ie, that things were better in the past? I don't think so.

Anyway, Santa Claus isn't white. He's a murderous robo-americanistanian!
[youtube]8mMaRmMthWQ[/youtube]
futurama santa song with lyrics - YouTube

 

[Revoltingest]

Oooooo....my turn to play with the buzz kill gal....

Consider how prevalent blues music was throughout America when it was dominated by black artists, and then when white artists began to enter the genre. How media focused on the death of Stevie Ray Vaughan compared to the death of Robert Johnson (who died at 27).

I've heard of Mr Johnson, but who the hell is this Vaughan guy?

Consider how desirable for a white woman to have full pouty lips and how a black woman having full pouty lips is considered a turn-off by society.

If it's a turn-off, then how are these gals get'n so much action?

Or how brown nipples compare to pink nipples when a culture determines them desirable.

They come in pink? Anyway, who cares what color they are....can't see'm when motorboat'n.

Or kinky hair compared to straight hair.

Yeah!....well these same kinky hair gals look down with great disdain on those of us with white hair.
And why are they always behind me drive'n so fast? There's a speed limit...don't git nowhere near it!

Or how rap and hip hop aren't considered "real music" until a white artist enters the fray.

I'd be happy if no one entered the fray.

Or how young black men dressed in hoodies are viewed with suspicion, while young white men in hoodies are viewed as athletes (or just wanting to stay warm).

How about how the new class of "white Hispanic" had to be invented because "Hispanic" just didn't sound evil enuf?

Or how books like "Guns, Germs, and Steel" - written by a white man - is considered a verifiable body of work that examines why European colonization was so dominant...while works by black historians are virtually ignored.

Who reads history books anyway?

 

[Kilgore Trout]

I love watching sheltered white people get all guilty about things they pretend to know about.

 

[YmirGF]

I love watching sheltered white people get all guilty about things they pretend to know about.

One must slavishly appeal to the notion of white privilege - at all costs - and credulity... :flirt:

 

[MysticSang'ha]

I love watching sheltered white people get all guilty about things they pretend to know about.

One must slavishly appeal to the notion of white privilege - at all costs - and credulity... :flirt:

Or one could actually listen to people of color, their experience, and give a damn about what they have to say.

 

[Kilgore Trout]

Or one could actually listen to people of color, their experience, and give a damn about what they have to say.

Confusing crocodile tears with giving a damn seems to be one of those white, ethnocentric things.

 

[YmirGF]

Or one could actually listen to people of color, their experience, and give a damn about what they have to say.

Some of us never stopped listening, MysticHeath'er.

 

[MysticSang'ha]

Confusing crocodile tears with giving a damn seems to be one of those white, ethnocentric things.

Ah, yet I see confusing the recognition of white privilege as equating it to white guilt is one of those Euro-centric assumptions.