did anyone else get stuck in traffic on 288 yesterday from the Trayvon Martin protest? (Houston: condo, townhouses)

[jerbear30]

Originally Posted by PedroMartinez

What "daily institutional violence" is happening?

Here's a funny story that a black man told me:

He and his sister were children back when the Cabbage Patch kids dolls came out. They were waiting in a super long line that stretched outside the store to get a chance at one of those dolls for his sister. They waited and waited while girls came out of the store with dolls in their hands, but eventually something changed: the girls started coming out with tears in their eyes and no dolls. It was too late, they thought, the store was out of dolls. Still, they went in on the hope that one might remain. Inside, they discovered an entire row of cabbage patch dolls, all black. The white girls simply didn't want to buy a cabbage patch doll that was black.

[texsn95]

lol

[jerbear30]

Originally Posted by PedroMartinez

What "daily institutional violence" is happening?

Another example. One that is more Houston relevant:

The visual rhetoric of those butt-ugly townhomes in the fourth ward and midtown. Those townhomes say something: I'm afraid of the locals and I don't care to socialize with them. I don't care about their way of life, the buildings they inhabit or the lives they lead.

Understand that the examples I'm giving are an attempt to show how violence works in subtle ways, as a form of humiliation. There is of course the more banal violence of incarceration rates, police brutality, etc... But I'm sure you won't even acknowledge that these things exist. When a black man is born, he is born more vulnerable than anyone other member of our population, many times to little or no resources and "thugs" like yourself already pointing their finger at him saying, "as long as you" this or "as long as you" that you'll be a member of our society in good standing. Well guess what, personal identity is not that easy. People need to be nurtured and loved and put at the center of things. You can pretend that racism doesn't exist and even believe it so passionately that it makes you angry when other people disagree. Your anger, your rage (which is so much more potent than the rage you attribute to blackness) is the proof of your own secret knowledge that you're wrong. The more you hate, the more you reveal this.

[cajun24]

Protesting is fine but blocking a major freeway is dumb.

[cajun24]

Originally Posted by jerbear30

Actually, I grew up very poor, mostly rural, in trailers and duplexes in Michigan. (I moved to Buffalo to do a PhD about seven years ago and then to Houston to take a job in higher ed which I'm pretty sure I only have because of the "energy" industry.) For several years, however, we lived in a poor urban enviornment with mostly black people while my mom was going to college. In fact, I can remember moving back to our small town and getting in numerous fights with my white rural cohort because I talked like a "n%&*er" according to them. So you'll have to understand if because of my own history I am aware of how much white racism still exists in the us. It's also because I read a lot of books and I will not disavow the intellectual component of my understanding. Only a fool would do that and a fool I am not.

BTW, ad hominem attacks, out of all the rhetorical fallacies, are generally considered the greatest indication you are losing an argument.

[PedroMartinez]

ROFLMAO!!! Those are your everyday institutional violence on the black man?

Yes, I know as a white person, I'll never get it, right?

Let's start with the Cabbage Patch dolls. I remember them well, because at the time I worked at the Mervyn's department store in the toy section. When white, Hispanic and Asian children bought them, they picked out the white dolls. When black children bought them, they picked out the black ones. When the black children bought the black ones, were they practicing institutional violence against white people?

The "visual rhetoric" of townhomes. I'll just leave that where it is.

As far as the rate of incarceration, take a look at the FBI crime statistics. If a given population commits more crimes, the incarceration rate will be higher. If we want to discuss conviction rates, we can go into how that is a matter of economics over race.

This is nothing more then making excuses and trying to show off how "progressive" you are.

The only institutional racism today is BET, Ebony, Miss Black America, Miss Black USA, NAACP, the Congressional Black Caucus, etc, etc.

[texas7]

They are protesting the right way now, at the courthouse as it should be. Perhaps screw loose x wasn't the organizer of this one but I'm sure he is there basking in the warmth of the attention he is getting.

[Oildog]

[quote=jerbear30;30513140]Another example. One that is more Houston relevant:

The visual rhetoric of those butt-ugly townhomes in the fourth ward and midtown. Those townhomes say something: I'm afraid of the locals and I don't care to socialize with them. I don't care about their way of life, the buildings they inhabit or the lives they lead.



What??? How about, I want a 3 bedroom place and a two car garage that's close to downtown. People with more resources often by bigger, newer places to live. Nothing racist about that. If you choose to live, or can only afford, a 1200 sqft place without central air, then go ahead.

[txdemo]

Has anyone tried the almond butter from Trader Joe's?

[ComeAtMe]

Originally Posted by jerbear30

Another example. One that is more Houston relevant:

The visual rhetoric of those butt-ugly townhomes in the fourth ward and midtown. Those townhomes say something: I'm afraid of the locals and I don't care to socialize with them. I don't care about their way of life, the buildings they inhabit or the lives they lead.

Understand that the examples I'm giving are an attempt to show how violence works in subtle ways, as a form of humiliation. There is of course the more banal violence of incarceration rates, police brutality, etc... But I'm sure you won't even acknowledge that these things exist. When a black man is born, he is born more vulnerable than anyone other member of our population, many times to little or no resources and "thugs" like yourself already pointing their finger at him saying, "as long as you" this or "as long as you" that you'll be a member of our society in good standing. Well guess what, personal identity is not that easy. People need to be nurtured and loved and put at the center of things. You can pretend that racism doesn't exist and even believe it so passionately that it makes you angry when other people disagree. Your anger, your rage (which is so much more potent than the rage you attribute to blackness) is the proof of your own secret knowledge that you're wrong. The more you hate, the more you reveal this.

Wtf are you talking about with the townhomes. People buy them because they want all the modern conveniences not because they hate everyone.

So in your opinion I and everyone that lives on my street are racists because we bought townhomes instead of run down 60 year old shacks for the same price or twice as much for a old house that has been renovated.

Just on my street for example

You just labeled 2 sets of empty nesters, 2 gay couples, a firefighter and his family, 4 sets of hipsters, and about half a dozen young professionals in mostly the medical or energy industry all racists without knowing a single one of them because they live in fcking townhouses!! Get over your damn self. You have reached whiny ***** level 1000 congratulations.


I guess this would fall into the category of I would like to see if you have to balls to say that to my face or anyone else that actually lives in these "racist" townhomes