racism

[EbzDirtyHeathen]

You are right about the color-blind thing, I guess...  there was a "reality" show called "Black/White" where a black family and a white family donned the other race (using really good makeup) to live as the other race whenever they went out.  The things each side faced was really eye-opening.  The white mom was a complete bitch... even by the end, after everything she experienced that was negative (and there was a lot more than I would have expected), she was still insisting she was colorblind and that blacks didn't experience what they so clearly DO.  (I forgot about that show when I posted yesterday.)

Unless we can switch bodies for a few days or weeks, neither of us will truly understand what the other person experiences.  I TRY to be colorblind... would that be more accurate?  I don't feel it's hard or that I have problems with it... but maybe I do and just don't see it.

I'll concede there are whites who take advantage of their race... but you'll have to concede there are blacks who take advantage of Affirmative Action and other options available to them by using the race card as well.

Can we agree there are problems on both sides?

Ugh while I love Ice Cube the show Black/White pissed me off....I thought it was crap....... neither family learned anything, oh yeah I remember that mom smh.....good thing he never continued that.....like make=up will put you into our shoes REALLY? there's no way....they can take that off by the end of the season. Wow we totally disagree on the makeup too....oh great make them all dark with kinky hair -_-....really nice. The white makeup was just as bad.

Switching color won't show much, just like skinny chicks in fat suits, you'll get a little feel for it but come on it's nowhere near just throwing something on and being THAT (black, skinny, asian or w/e) everyday and you can't change it inside or on the outside. I'd be pretty insulted if a white girl threw on some brown makeup and they threw cornrows on her and widened up her nose and plumped her lips a little bit and she lives like a black woman for a week or a month vs. me being what she's trying to be everyday. So you get a feel but that feel you get doesn't scratch the surface.

Suprise surprise I'm REALLY against affirmative action. I'm an awesome student....I hold about a 3.87 ..... never really had a gpa lower then that since I've been in college.... admission to my college and any grant or award I'VE gotten I earned. I wouldn't want anyone letting me get a leg up if I don't deserve it but they feel I need that boost because I'm black. You should get where you are by your own merit. There's plenty of racism here in Amerikkka but affirmative action seems necessary but to me it seems like a handout. I used to think the white and Arab/Indian kids gave me funny looks when I stayed in honors housing or walked into an Honors class ..... I dunno if it was because I was new or if they were looking at me like what the hell is she doing here. We can indeed agree there are problems on both side.........blacks who use the race card for everything even if it isn't a factor in a situation and white people who really think there is no advantage at all in just being white.

[SteveS]

What do you mean when you say there is no way that a person can be genuinely interested in the promotion of freedom and individual rights while somehow rationalizing slavery as acceptable under certain circumstances?

What I mean is simple: if a person attempts to rationalize that under certain circumstances slavery is actually justifiable, then I say that person cannot be genuinely interested in the promotion of personal rights and freedoms.  Because the ideas of personal freedom and slavery are completely antithetical - they cannot co-exist.

I expected some disagreement from you on my commentary - but I thought this one was safe  :?  Did you maybe just misunderstand my statement?

I don't recant at all saying how many white people have forgotten the privilege of just being white at all

Okay then.  So - you feel that I have a certain privilege simply by "being white".  You don't think this qualifies as a blanket statement?  Anyway - on to the question,

You think there isn't any?

We're probably going to disagree on the usage of the word 'privilege'.  Its entirely possible that I'm reacting strongly to this on the basis that I find a serious negative connotation in the word 'privilege'.  Since you stated that you too lean toward a libertarian mind set then surely you can understand my deep dislike of positions of privilege.  If I had a privilege, I would consider this to mean special rights, or exemption to laws or regulations, that are available to me that are not available to most; in this case, simply by virtue of my skin being white.

Having said that, I certainly have not detected, in my personal experience, that I have received special rights or exemptions simply as a result of my skin color, nor have I by action ever set to use my race as a means to illicit special rights or exempt myself from the laws that govern (or are supposed to govern) us all.

On the other hand, I certainly acknowledge that I have not had significant racist experiences perpetrated against me.  There have been several minor incidents - untoward comments and such that we've probably all had to experience, but certainly nothing serious - nothing that I felt could be considered criminal - merely bad taste.  I also acknowledge that this experience may well have been different if I was a different race.

Is this what you would consider a privilege?  Its hard for me to think of it that way --- I would say that being a victim of racism is an injustice, not that failing to experience racism is a privilege.  This is a subtle difference, but hopefully you see what I mean.  None of us should feel privileged to be treated justly.  If we are all in possession of the same rights, then none of us are privileged at all - which is a laudable goal.

What do you think?

[pagan1]

Excellent Post!So much to read,so much to understand,my little mind is unable to decide whether or not I am a human being,let alone if I am any particular sub-group,in fact I am not even sure that there is any substantial difference between me and any living creature,now I am starting to question if there is any actual difference between me and non-living matter.Maybe I need glasses,or maybe I should see a psychiatrist and ask why whenever I see an ape of any kind,I want to wave my hands about,climb a tree and shout,"I am almost as good as you!",except I know I'm not,because my particular branch of the family tree has decided that we are not apes,that we are not animals,and that therefore a whole new set of rules should apply.Yes you you can kill your own species,any reason will do,different levels of melanin,slightly different eyes,slightly different faces,slightly different gibberish when talking to yourself in the church,the temple,or the mosque.So I am not even sure that I am a part of the Human(e) Race,let alone any funny little sub-division,now if they changed it to the Insane Race I might have a better understanding of who I am...

[not your typical...]

But what about the word, "nigger"? Or even "nigga" (which is roughly equal to saying brother loosely)? Apparently, I'm not allowed to say either one because I'm white. And it's all due the history of the word. How is this fair? I didn't do anything to deserve having a word cut from my vocabulary. I wouldn't use nigger, but if I were to use the word nigga the way a black person would use it, why is that not fine? Black people say they substitute the "a" onto the word to give it a different meaning and take away its power. Well, I'm all for that, but I can't help because I'm white. Isn't this counter-intuitive? Not allowing me to say nigga simply reinfores the power of the word. If we can't accept that I mean the same by it as black people do, then that means the BLACK PEOPLE aren't ready to accept ME as equal. Damn racists.

In all honesty, it really depends on where you're from. In Philly, I know plenty of white kids who can say nigga, and that's cuz we know they don't mean it in an offensive way, they've proven themselves to be chill. Whereas in Milford, you say it and it's considered fighting words... But that's prolly cuz there are a lot of rednecks here. It also depends on how you say it. There's a BIG difference in 'nigger' and 'nigga'. Call me a nigger and I'll bust a cap in ur ass. But call me your nigga, and we chill. But for the most part, I suggest you avoid doing so, cuz some people take it as offensive no matter who says it.
And on the topic of the 'privilege' of being white, yeah, I'll give some credit to that, but that's only because there are still racist out there.

[Crow]

In all honesty, it really depends on where you're from. In Philly, I know plenty of white kids who can say nigga, and that's cuz we know they don't mean it in an offensive way, they've proven themselves to be chill. Whereas in Milford, you say it and it's considered fighting words... But that's prolly cuz there are a lot of rednecks here. It also depends on how you say it. There's a BIG difference in 'nigger' and 'nigga'. Call me a nigger and I'll bust a cap in ur ass. But call me your nigga, and we chill. But for the most part, I suggest you avoid doing so, cuz some people take it as offensive no matter who says it.
And on the topic of the 'privilege' of being white, yeah, I'll give some credit to that, but that's only because there are still racist out there.

If I said that word in front of any of my mates I would get challenged instantly and a slap round the head, doesn't matter what colour of skin they may be no one is to say that word as its just degrading in every possible manner. Same goes for all racist slurs within the group.

[not your typical...]

If I said that word in front of any of my mates I would get challenged instantly and a slap round the head, doesn't matter what colour of skin they may be no one is to say that word as its just degrading in every possible manner. Same goes for all racist slurs within the group.

Which is why i say it depends on where you come from. If you has grown up in the ghetto in Philly, you'd be able to say it and get away with it, because while from it's background, it might be degrading, it's like how now kids will call their best friend a slut or a bitch. A term of endearment. It shows a certain amount of trust and care amongst the group by saying, 'we can even insult each other, but we know we still love one another'. But if it were some random person, a fight would be started.