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

[Epic Beard Man]

I think people confuse "privilege" with guilt. It's not an indictment. It's not a charge of supremacy. It's an unearned advantage.

Straights can afford to walk up to any judge in any part of the country and ask for a marriage license. Homosexuals in many parts of the country asking for a same sex marriage licenses have to jump through hoops just because of their orientation.

Men can afford to dress how they want in many parts of the country and not be at all concerned for their safety or security. They can walk around unaware of the concept of "showing some skin" and "getting attacked." Women are not afforded that luxury in many parts of the country and in many households.

Whites can afford to be unaware of driving without getting stopped by a police officer just because they "look suspicious" or if they're "on the wrong side of town." Whites are not affected as much as people of color with the "stop and frisk" laws. People of color are affected daily by phenomenons as "driving while black" and racial profiling.

Privilege is the advantage of being unaware of issues faced by people who are at an unearned disadvantage. And privilege offers the advantage to scoff at "mild or stretchy claims" by saying they don't exist. True...they don't exist for privileged people, but saying they don't exist for people of privilege does not mean they don't exist at all.

The above bold lies the truth beneath the muck...

 

[Huey09]

Ummm I've been watching this thread for awhile and just saw that someone said that this was lacking a minority P.O.V , While I don't speak for all black people I'll give my two cents anyway. To me the whole "Santa is white" isn't a surprise, its almost expected (judge me as prejudice if you will). Living in Augusta Ga most white people I have discussed racial issues is often met with feigned acknowledgement, wilful ignorance or blissfully unaware. Things like "Why would you be cautious around police, you're not like most black people." What does that mean? That most black people are ignorant or loud? Yet they are confused when I am disturbed by such comments or I'm told that I "Talk white" as if being articulate is a whites only thing. These are but some of the experiences I have had in my life. If you wanna ask anything I am more than willing to answer.

 

[Revoltingest]

You need to live in Los Angeles for a while

Hah! I have!
(Lived in LA, & worked in Hawthorne in the 70s.)

 

[MysticSang'ha]

Ummm I've been watching this thread for awhile and just saw that someone said that this was lacking a minority P.O.V , While I don't speak for all black people I'll give my two cents anyway. To me the whole "Santa is white" isn't a surprise, its almost expected (judge me as prejudice if you will). Living in Augusta Ga most white people I have discussed racial issues is often met with feigned acknowledgement, wilful ignorance or blissfully unaware. Things like "Why would you be cautious around police, you're not like most black people." What does that mean? That most black people are ignorant or loud? Yet they are confused when I am disturbed by such comments or I'm told that I "Talk white" as if being articulate is a whites only thing. These are but some of the experiences I have had in my life. If you wanna ask anything I am more than willing to answer.

I hear ya. I'm glad you decided to jump in and share your own thoughts (and understanding that you don't speak for all blacks in the same way that I don't speak for all women).

A friend of mine who shared with me how he experienced some of what you have - and that since he "talked white" that he didn't exactly feel like he belonged anywhere - showed me this video the other week before Christmas break. He thought it was hilarious, and I thought so too:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dw_mRaIHb-M

 

[Huey09]

I hear ya. I'm glad you decided to jump in and share your own thoughts (and understanding that you don't speak for all blacks in the same way that I don't speak for all women).

A friend of mine who shared with me how he experienced some of what you have - and that since he "talked white" that he didn't exactly feel like he belonged anywhere - showed me this video the other week before Christmas break. He thought it was hilarious, and I thought so too:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dw_mRaIHb-M

It is both hilarious and my exact thoughts on reverse racism thank you I have felt that I often don't belong and have been hailed huey freeman(The boondocks) hence my avi and how many similarities I share with the character including my afro

 

[Epic Beard Man]

Hah! I have!
(Lived in LA, & worked in Hawthorne in the 70s.)

Good for you, but obviously you aren't aware (or were ignorant to) the Watts riots and years later, the L.A riots.

 

[Slapstick]

Responding to (2)

There lies the problem.....

I swear your ignorance runs deep. I would say have fun living in la-la land, but let’s make a list of all the problems you have before I do.

1) You think just because someone is white and disagrees with you then they do not understand anything you are talking about on a subject that involves: A) discrimination B) prejudice C) racism.
2) You think just because someone is white they do not have friends with other ethnicities or get along with others outside their own.
3) You think everything is based on race.
4) You think just because someone is white they are not subject to any type of discrimination, prejudice or racism.
5) You think the only people that have a problem with race or make comments that you consider to be “inappropriate or uneducated” are white people.
6) You think anyone who isn’t white is constantly subject to discrimination and can’t live a life without being discriminated against.

Based on this list I would say you have a problem with white people. Well that’s nice. I’m glad we got to the bottom of that.

Oh and for the record I grew up in the south being white and went to a few schools where the majority – roughly 80% of the ethnicity was black or African-America. I don’t have problem with race. Anyways, have fun living in la-la land.

BTW: If you care to continue on with this debate then you can start by reading my first post instead bringing your bias prejudices into it.

 

[MysticSang'ha]

It is both hilarious and my exact thoughts on reverse racism thank you I have felt that I often don't belong and have been hailed huey freeman(The boondocks) hence my avi and how many similarities I share with the character including my afro

Hahaaa! Glad you liked it. I think this guy is hilarious and his other stand up clips are just pure gold.

I think ill check out the Boondocks show now. Well not right now right now, but I've got it in my brain queue "watch list." LOL....but other friends I know absolutely love that show and told me I have to see it.

I read it's controversial given its use of the n-word so repeatedly. What's your thoughts on the controversy?

 

[Epic Beard Man]

I hear ya. I'm glad you decided to jump in and share your own thoughts (and understanding that you don't speak for all blacks in the same way that I don't speak for all women).

A friend of mine who shared with me how he experienced some of what you have - and that since he "talked white" that he didn't exactly feel like he belonged anywhere - showed me this video the other week before Christmas break. He thought it was hilarious, and I thought so too:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dw_mRaIHb-M

That is the main problem I have with some cultures. To conjugate verbs and nouns properly and to speak "properly" it is always associated with being "white." Unfortunately colloquialism, slang, and hip-hop speech, it's always associated with people of color. To me, it seems that the psychosis of integrating in U.S society is such that things improper, out of place, are always associated with people of color most specifically black people and things in place and proper are always associated with whites.

 

[Epic Beard Man]

I swear your ignorance runs deep. I would say have fun living in la-la land, but let’s make a list of all the problems you have before I do.

1) You think just because someone is white and disagrees with you then they do not understand anything you are talking about on a subject that involves: A) discrimination B) prejudice C) racism.
2) You think just because someone is white they do not have friends with other ethnicities or get along with others outside their own.
3) You think everything is based on race.
4) You think just because someone is white they are not subject to any type of discrimination, prejudice or racism.
5) You think the only people that have a problem with race or make comments that you consider to be “inappropriate or uneducated” are white people.
6) You think anyone who isn’t white is constantly subject to discrimination and can’t live a life without being discriminated against.

Based on this list I would say you have a problem with white people. Well that’s nice. I’m glad we got to the bottom of that.

Oh and for the record I grew up in the south being white and went to a few schools where the majority – roughly 80% of the ethnicity was black or African-America. I don’t have problem with race. Anyways, have fun living in la-la land.

BTW: If you care to continue on with this debate then you can start by reading my first post instead bringing your bias prejudices into it.

Aside from this post don't worry, I wont respond to you..

(Edit)

If I say "Therein lies the problem" it is not your ethnicity that is the problem, it's your logic in defining what ought to be a social concern which you perceived based on your ethnicity. In previous posts you claim that "nobody has a problem with race" or implied that at least. I responded that "forums tend to dictate social concerns. If I was on blackplanet.com racism would be a forefront concern (because the website gravitates towards African-Americans) as opposed to religiousforums which gravitate towards religion. So alas, if you don't see it being discussed here does not necessarily mean people don't care, it's not something this "environment" tends to foster in discussion.

 

[Epic Beard Man]

It is both hilarious and my exact thoughts on reverse racism thank you I have felt that I often don't belong and have been hailed huey freeman(The boondocks) hence my avi and how many similarities I share with the character including my afro

Regarding "reverse racism" there is no such thing. Racism is racism. I always tell people this that reverse racism implies that there is an inital antagonist which is why I always like to help correct people. Racists are antagonists plain and simple.

 

[MysticSang'ha]

That is the main problem I have with some cultures. To conjugate verbs and nouns properly and to speak "properly" it is always associated with being "white." Unfortunately colloquialism, slang, and hip-hop speech, it's always associated with people of color. To me, it seems that the psychosis of integrating in U.S society is such that things improper, out of place, are always associated with people of color most specifically black people and things in place and proper are always associated with whites.

That's a good point. I think these cultural appropriations tend to be overlooked a lot.

 

[Epic Beard Man]

That's a good point. I think these cultural appropriations tend to be overlooked a lot.

Indeed which brings me to the point that "media" (hence the irony from the thread we participated in regarding the media and women) tend to create these axioms.

 

[Huey09]

Hahaaa! Glad you liked it. I think this guy is hilarious and his other stand up clips are just pure gold.

I think ill check out the Boondocks show now. Well not right now right now, but I've got it in my brain queue "watch list." LOL....but other friends I know absolutely love that show and told me I have to see it.

I read it's controversial given its use of the n-word so repeatedly. What's your thoughts on the controversy?

To me there isn't really a controversy so much as a discussion that must be had. Many black people use the word and some white people as you may notice. The most people who have issues with it are from the older generations the ones to whom it was used in a derogatory state of being like being called "jungle bunny,coon, boy". I even used the word but I define ***** as the negative side of my race the same way white people may call ignorant or negative people white trash or inbred rednecks. To limit the word is too murky a water for me because its a slippery slope from word banning to other parts of our daily lives. That sort of change has to come from the people themselves not the gov. I mean we have many laws for the so called betterment of black people...does this remove racism or merley push those people to the back burners where they lie in wait ignored? Does the word hurt me? Not really being black you often have two choices regarding your place in the world: Harden up or stay soft. Neither so far have been proven the true mistake but I took the harden up way. Any it is an excelent satire of not only the black community but america at large.

 

[Revoltingest]

Good for you, but obviously you aren't aware (or were ignorant to) the Watts riots and years later, the L.A riots.

I smell hubris...& cabbage.
You don't know me well enuf yet to tell me what I'm ignorant of, bub.
Try asking more questions, & making fewer rash statements.
And if you're really nice, I might write you a limerick.

 

[Slapstick]

Aside from this post don't worry, I wont respond to you..

(Edit)

If I say "Therein lies the problem" it is not your ethnicity that is the problem, it's your logic in defining what ought to be a social concern which you perceived based on your ethnicity. In previous posts you claim that "nobody has a problem with race" or implied that at least. I responded that "forums tend to dictate social concerns. If I was on blackplanet.com racism would be a forefront concern (because the website gravitates towards African-Americans) as opposed to religiousforums which gravitate towards religion. So alas, if you don't see it being discussed here does not necessarily mean people don't care, it's not something this "environment" tends to foster in discussion.

My logic is the problem now? When you grow up in the south (GA) and have conversations about race on a regular basis in your household, with friends and family which includes those of different cultures, religions and ethnicities then you can talk about my logic. I don’t base my information on websites, but real world, real life experiences and conversations I have had with other people regarding this very topic in a civil way which includes college classroom discussions and thoroughly researched criteria involving race.

Again just because you think it is a problem and isn’t something that regularly gets addressed or is regularly talked about is hearsay. It is required by law where I live that it gets taught and talked about in history classes. As much as I hate racism I honestly get sick of hearing about it. I get sick of hearing about how bad people had it or still do. I get to learn about every major city that was razed to the ground during the civil war. I get to learn about living conditions of every RACE not just one. I get to learn about people who live in the north and west who think they are bringing issues to the table that need to be talked about when they are some of the major parts of the problem and continuously contribute to it.

I’m actually glad you brought this topic up and decided to debate / discuss it. I have so many friends and have actually gotten a long a lot better with African-Americans and those of other ethnicities (Mexicans, Asians, and Koreans) than I have my own. I can’t remember how many times I have had to be corrected for my grammar by professors and others. It doesn’t bother me one bit. I have known several white people who are in gangs that would be viewed as being predominately black. Yeah, white and black (and other) people get along a lot better in the south than you would be led to believe based on some media hype on a backwoods country bumpkin and some discussion you think kids are not capable of having on race much less the color of Santa.

 

[MysticSang'ha]

Indeed which brings me to the point that "media" (hence the irony from the thread we participated in regarding the media and women) tend to create these axioms.

Interesting!

To me there isn't really a controversy so much as a discussion that must be had. Many black people use the word and some white people as you may notice. The most people who have issues with it are from the older generations the ones to whom it was used in a derogatory state of being like being called "jungle bunny,coon, boy". I even used the word but I define ***** as the negative side of my race the same way white people may call ignorant or negative people white trash or inbred rednecks. To limit the word is too murky a water for me because its a slippery slope from word banning to other parts of our daily lives.

A lot of grey area there, which is important to note. Would you say you use the word in a rather affectionate manner while recognizing the negative side of your race? Like me saying my "tater-tot casserole" is my "white-trash dinner" I serve from time to time? Or when I say my dad is "an old grump", it's recognizing it but that he's my "old grump"?

IOW, it means something different when there is a sense of belonging. I don't know. What do you think?

That sort of change has to come from the people themselves not the gov. I mean we have many laws for the so called betterment of black people...does this remove racism or merley push those people to the back burners where they lie in wait ignored? Does the word hurt me? Not really being black you often have two choices regarding your place in the world: Harden up or stay soft. Neither so far have been proven the true mistake but I took the harden up way. Any it is an excelent satire of not only the black community but america at large.

I totally agree on the culture needing change from the people. The Daily Show did a piece on race not too long ago that is hilarious, but the topic started off with "how difficult it is to talk about race." I think there is a barrier that still exists that is self-imposed, where on the whole, it feels strained and uncomfortable to talk about daily experience concerning race. It's becoming more and more comfortable to talk about the experiences of queers, of women, and now trans people are starting to be recognized. But it still seems as if discussion concerning race has a clear divide....I notice race being talked about in a room full of whites or a room full of blacks (for instance). Rarely when the room is mixed, and with each other.

Funny story, back in the day in the early '90s, my mother and I were invited by her friend and her daughter to go to see "House Party 2" at the theatre. As a group of 4, with the moms being close in age, and the daughters being close in age, and us being white and them being black, we often did a lot of things together. We all went shopping, went to lunches, and went to movies for several years when I was a teenager and as a young adult. So once, I mentioned how much I loved the first "House Party" movie with Kid 'n Play, and so the daughter said we should all go see the second movie.

So we went, and my mother and I were the only white people in the entire audience for that showing. The theatre was filled, too. The movie started, and I was mesmerized by audience members yelling at the screen, jumping up and running up and down the aisles, and being so.....lively.....at the theatre. I turned to the daughter I was with and said, "Oh my god....it's not a myth!"

She smiled and shook her head, and we watched the rest of the movie.

 

[Revoltingest]

A lot of grey area there, which is important to note. Would you say you use the word in a rather affectionate manner while recognizing the negative side of your race? Like me saying my "tater-tot casserole" is my "white-trash dinner" I serve from time to time? Or when I say my dad is "an old grump", it's recognizing it but that he's my "old grump"?
IOW, it means something different when there is a sense of belonging. I don't know. What do you think?

Intent & reception are everything.
To each other, my friends & I are ignorant rednecks, inbred hillbillies, a bunch of dumb ******, & worse.
But to wield the same terms with hurtful intent & result is another matter entirely. Such comraderie must be used with care around others. Tis not for public consumption, & this is where I think many go wrong by being too public & finding the wrong audience.

 

[Huey09]

Intent & reception are everything.
To each other, my friends & I are ignorant rednecks, inbred hillbillies, a bunch of dumb ******, & worse.
But to wield the same terms with hurtful intent & result is another matter entirely. Such comraderie must be used with care around others. Tis not for public consumption, & this is where I think many go wrong by being too public & finding the wrong audience.

Took the words right outta my mind.Which means....you're a telepath! GET OUT OF MY HEAD!! haha

 

[Revoltingest]

Took the words right outta my mind.Which means....you're a telepath! GET OUT OF MY HEAD!! haha

Soon....after I check out some of the porn stored in there.