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

[Huey09]

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

Stop. You dont know what you're doing! The things locked away in there were not meant for mortal eyes..

 

[dawny0826]

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....

Megyn's comments were made tongue and cheek in response to an essay written by an African American woman, Aisha Harris, who stated the following in her essay:

"America is less and less white, but a melanin-deficient Santa remains the default...I propose that America abandon Santa as fat-old-white-man and create a new symbol..."

And then, tongue and cheek, she suggested that Santa be depicted as a penguin.

Megyn Kelly Addresses 'White Santa' Comments - Fox Nation

Megyn acknowledged Harris' concerns and presented them for contemplation/debate. But, people seemed to miss that part altogether, assuming racist context.

Even after reiterating several times, the intent of her comments, there was continued insinuation that her comments were racist. Some of the retorts were quite asinine.

This is the type of hypocrisy that gets under my skin. No one was disagreeing with the concept, validity and importance of adapting a Santa of a different ethnicity or choosing to embrace that which best represents your own culture.

Many of the responses in retort to Megyn's comments, contained more racist context than that which she purportedly projected.

I'm not quite sure what I'm expected to make of Phil Robertons' comments, outside the auspices of reading a personal opinion that may or may not reflect truth.

I am not blind to the injustices and prejudices in my own community, but, I am also fully aware that people claim racism where it does not always exist. And it's hard to accept and embrace culture and to further promote inclusivity, when the very people that often claim that they are outed, neglected and treated unfairly, purposefully keep you at bay and fling unfair labeling in your direction. I have had many uncomfortable experiences where in good faith, I've made myself present in a situation and it's been made known to me that I'm an outsider and don't belong.

I've noticed negative ethnocentric attitudes that exist within minority groups as well. The focus is often on how the majority impacts the minority, as if negative attitudes towards the majority are always justified, somehow. If you've ever been on the receiving end of racist commentary, I can tell you that it hurts and it doesn't matter whether you're black, white, or otherwise. It sucks.

I abhore these discussions as they rarely address this convoluted canvas fairly and honestly, for all involved. There tends to be a lot of blanket labeling, without looking at individual people, circumstances, communities and histories of communities.

 

[Poeticus]

Megyn's comments were made tongue and cheek in response to an essay written by an African American woman, Aisha Harris, who stated the following in her essay:



And then, tongue and cheek, she suggested that Santa be depicted as a penguin.

Megyn Kelly Addresses 'White Santa' Comments - Fox Nation

Megyn acknowledged Harris' concerns and presented them for contemplation/debate. But, people seemed to miss that part altogether, assuming racist context.

Even after reiterating several times, the intent of her comments, there was continued insinuation that her comments were racist. Some of the retorts were quite asinine.

This is the type of hypocrisy that gets under my skin. No one was disagreeing with the concept, validity and importance of adapting a Santa of a different ethnicity or choosing to embrace that which best represents your own culture.

Many of the responses in retort to Megyn's comments, contained more racist context than that which she purportedly projected.

I'm not quite sure what I'm expected to make of Phil Robertons' comments, outside the auspices of reading a personal opinion that may or may not reflect truth.

I am not blind to the injustices and prejudices in my own community, but, I am also fully aware that people claim racism where it does not always exist. And it's hard to accept and embrace culture and to further promote inclusivity, when the very people that often claim that they are outed, neglected and treated unfairly, purposefully keep you at bay and fling unfair labeling in your direction. I have had many uncomfortable experiences where in good faith, I've made myself present in a situation and it's been made known to me that I'm an outsider and don't belong.

I've noticed negative ethnocentric attitudes that exist within minority groups as well. The focus is often on how the majority impacts the minority, as if negative attitudes towards the majority are always justified, somehow. If you've ever been on the receiving end of racist commentary, I can tell you that it hurts and it doesn't matter whether you're black, white, or otherwise. It sucks.

I abhore these discussions as they rarely address this convoluted canvas fairly and honestly, for all involved. There tends to be a lot of blanket labeling, without looking at individual people, circumstances, communities and histories of communities.

Mystic's gonna have a field day with this post.

 

[dawny0826]

Mystic's gonna have a field day with this post.

I'm in no way disregarding ethnocentrism and its negative impacts.

What I'm acknowledging is that not every reported incident of racism (as an example) is valid.

We're all guilty of box-type thinking at times, valuing our own cultural reality at greater significance than others.

I've been called a racist on more than one occasion this year, by clients that I was attempting to help. People may not want to hear it, but, the honest truth was, these people felt entitled to a service that I could not provide them and when I provided information that was deemed unfavorable, I was automatically labeled a racist. It hurt like hell.

When you're on the receiving end of it and you're called a "stupid white girl" just for being yourself and you get this many times throughout your life, you see things from a different perspective. Some will tell me that these people were aboslutely justified, BECAUSE I'm white and they were not.

 

[MysticSang'ha]

Mystic's gonna have a field day with this post.

Any time I have a skirmish with Dawn, I'd prefer to have it in a pool full of jello.

It's more fun that way. :yes:

 

[Poeticus]

What I'm acknowledging is that not every reported incident of racism (as an example) is valid.

True.

 

[Epic Beard Man]

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.

My family are from Mississippi. They share a different story.

 

[Epic Beard Man]

Any time I have a skirmish with Dawn, I'd prefer to have it in a pool full of jello.

It's more fun that way. :yes:

Can I watch?

 

[Epic Beard Man]

Megyn's comments were made tongue and cheek in response to an essay written by an African American woman, Aisha Harris, who stated the following in her essay:



And then, tongue and cheek, she suggested that Santa be depicted as a penguin.

Megyn Kelly Addresses 'White Santa' Comments - Fox Nation

Megyn acknowledged Harris' concerns and presented them for contemplation/debate. But, people seemed to miss that part altogether, assuming racist context.

Even after reiterating several times, the intent of her comments, there was continued insinuation that her comments were racist. Some of the retorts were quite asinine.

This is the type of hypocrisy that gets under my skin. No one was disagreeing with the concept, validity and importance of adapting a Santa of a different ethnicity or choosing to embrace that which best represents your own culture.

Many of the responses in retort to Megyn's comments, contained more racist context than that which she purportedly projected.

I'm not quite sure what I'm expected to make of Phil Robertons' comments, outside the auspices of reading a personal opinion that may or may not reflect truth.

I am not blind to the injustices and prejudices in my own community, but, I am also fully aware that people claim racism where it does not always exist. And it's hard to accept and embrace culture and to further promote inclusivity, when the very people that often claim that they are outed, neglected and treated unfairly, purposefully keep you at bay and fling unfair labeling in your direction. I have had many uncomfortable experiences where in good faith, I've made myself present in a situation and it's been made known to me that I'm an outsider and don't belong.

I've noticed negative ethnocentric attitudes that exist within minority groups as well. The focus is often on how the majority impacts the minority, as if negative attitudes towards the majority are always justified, somehow. If you've ever been on the receiving end of racist commentary, I can tell you that it hurts and it doesn't matter whether you're black, white, or otherwise. It sucks.

I abhore these discussions as they rarely address this convoluted canvas fairly and honestly, for all involved. There tends to be a lot of blanket labeling, without looking at individual people, circumstances, communities and histories of communities.

So were here comments towards kids tongue in cheek?

Really? I'm African-American I love these discussions.

 

[MysticSang'ha]

Can I watch?

I don't know about Dawny, but I charge an admission fee, and extra if you want to jump in.

 

[dawny0826]

I don't know about Dawny, but I charge an admission fee, and extra if you want to jump in.

Works for me!

 

[Sunstone]

I don't know about Dawny, but I charge an admission fee, and extra if you want to jump in.

Can I pay on credit?

 

[MysticSang'ha]

Works for me!

WHOOT! :jam:

 

[MysticSang'ha]

Can I pay on credit?

:slap:

Only if "credit" means gripping testicles and squeezing harder until you cough up the cash.

 

[Sunstone]

Megyn's comments were made tongue and cheek...

Unfortunately for that theory, I've seen the video of her making the comments. And despite that her later claim she made those comments tongue in cheek, she seems exceedingly serious in the original and does not at all come across to me as attempting to be tongue in cheek. Just my opinion though. At any rate, I thought the funniest response came from John Stewart:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pmBUeHhB3Y

 

[Epic Beard Man]

I don't know about Dawny, but I charge an admission fee, and extra if you want to jump in.

LOL I'm willing to pay!

 

[Epic Beard Man]

Can I pay on credit?

Or a barter system lol

 

[Epic Beard Man]

:slap:

Only if "credit" means gripping testicles and squeezing harder until you cough up the cash.

Ouch LOL

 

[Slapstick]

My family are from Mississippi. They share a different story.

Well, if you ever get the chance come to ATL GA during black history month; an entire month devoted to black history in February, there is always a lot going on with plenty of people to talk to about civil rights and human rights. It’s just as much a part of American culture as it is black history. Plus there are colleges that are open to the public that hold different events that are very educational. And as you I’m sure you may already know – ATL has a great nightlife and all of the best R&B, rap & hip-hop groups / artists are from GA.

 

[Sunstone]

:slap:

Only if "credit" means gripping testicles and squeezing harder until you cough up the cash.

I feel so lucky now that my testicles were bronze-plated in an otherwise tragic shop class accident during my early high school years. Sure, the price I've paid is to clang loudly when I run, but even that paid off in my getting a gig as a fire fighter whose job description was to bolt down the streets in front of the engines so as to warn traffic to make way. Of course, my first wife promptly divorced me the day after my balls accidentally slammed against her most sensitive parts on that record-setting coldest night of 1983, so it's all been a mixed blessing -- until now. Now, you have absolutely convinced me it's an overall positive boon to have bronze-plated testicles.