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In my mostly white town, there's one black woman who grew up in the area who is the go-to person for everything on race. She usually takes a conservative redneck point of view.
The demographics of the town are changing, they're have been numerous racist incidents, there is an ingrained racist mindset among the local people, and this woman acts out of self-interest to keep the dialogue from moving forward even to a 1960's consciousness.
I'd like to hear from African-Americans who have experienced an uncle Tom in their community, how you feel about it, and is there anything effective to do about it without being accused of attacking the individual person.
Thanks in advance for your views about a controversial subject.
Personally, I try real hard not to fix that label on someone. We've all (well, most of us over the age of 30) have had our share of bad experiences because of our race. And no one person can demand that another experience things in a same or like manner.
That said, there's an old saying by Harriet Tubman: "I freed a thousand slaves; I could have freed a thousand more if they knew they were slaves". The quote suggesting that sometimes people become so accustomed to coping with their bad experiences, that they dare not do or say things that would worsen those experiences.
To answer your question, I'm not sure that there's something that you can do about the person in your town you believe to be a Tom. What do you do about the Jew who doesn't see much of a problem with neo-Nazi activities in their town? Or the Taino Indian who thinks Columbus was simply misunderstood? Those people are pariahs, outcasts and laughing stocks within their communities. Sure; the closet klansman loves the Black person who salutes the stars and bars. Of course the skinheads love the Jewish person who hates his own Jewishness. But in the end, the people who sell out for their 30 pieces of silver are usually paid in full at some point.
In my mostly white town, there's one black woman who grew up in the area who is the go-to person for everything on race. She usually takes a conservative redneck point of view.
The demographics of the town are changing, they're have been numerous racist incidents, there is an ingrained racist mindset among the local people, and this woman acts out of self-interest to keep the dialogue from moving forward even to a 1960's consciousness.
I'd like to hear from African-Americans who have experienced an uncle Tom in their community, how you feel about it, and is there anything effective to do about it without being accused of attacking the individual person.
Thanks in advance for your views about a controversial subject.
Well, i'm not sure if can answer this question since i'm black lol and not an African American. (PS i cannot stand that term). I digress, anyway, what exactly is an Uncle Tom in today's society in relation to a black american?
I would need to know how you define this and what exactly are "redneck views?" Having not been accustomed to being around large groups of Africans and Rednecks i'd need more clarification.
The other question i'd wonder is why you would place one women with the responsibility of speaking for 35 million other black people? To me this seems a bit "rednecky" and dare i say "racist."
Geez, anytime anyone ask me what "black people" think I respond, "I cannot tell you, because i have not had the time to talk to each one, but I can tell you my individual opinion!"
An Uncle Tom is an oppressed person who adopts the views and value systems of the oppressor. In psychology its called the Stockholm syndrome. Clarence Thomas comes to mind. Black folks call them 'oreos'. Aboriginal Americans call them 'apples'. I know Polish people who won't hire Polish lawyers because they believe Jews are smarter than Poles.
How do you deal with this sort of person? Show them how hurtful their attitudes are. Ask them to think of how their attitudes effect their own family and how that family is perceived. After that, forget them.
I wouldn't label folks like Justice Thomas like that, it really isn't fair. I think you've extended the discussion a bit with the inclusions of other groups, distorting the original question.
My response to the OP would be that I don't see how a single person can be the "go-to" person on everything concerning race, unless the town only has a few hundred folks. If that is the case, everyone knows each other to some degree anyway, so what would be the issue?
Hehe that's funny so i guess thuggy poor blacks would be Uncle Tom's too?
They have the value system of the oppressor. They act like white rednecks and since i'm assuming you're considering whites the oppressor i guess all blacks would be considerd Tom's? Since all American Born Blacks act like Europeans either aristocrates or rednecks right?
I guess 50 Cent is also a Tom if Clarence Thomas is a Tom.
Can you explain to me how Africans from say 1500-1600 era would have acted in relation to modern day American Blacks? Maybe this will help me understand the whole adopts the views and value systems of the oppressor, because it would seem to me all blacks here speak some form of english, act like white people whether rich or poor, and seem to have the same values systems as whites. I'm a bit confused by your definition.
I guess i have yet to met a spear chucking, tribal dancing African that speaks in the African native language from the 1600's born here in America. Perhaps you know a community of these folks, that are not adopting the white oppressors culture and are still speaking in thier native african tongue and still practicing their native african culture from the 1600's?
My response to the OP would be that I don't see how a single person can be the "go-to" person on everything concerning race, unless the town only has a few hundred folks.
The woman is a "go-to" person on race because the Mayor and media use her effectively at covering up problems and sweeping them under the table ,and attacking anyone with an alternate perspective. In other words, she's a useful tool, or dupe.
I would give them the DVD set of the 1st season of The Boondocks and attach a note saying, "refer to Uncle Ruckus"
But seriously, I don't like the term "Uncle Tom"; because that implies that most Black people think a certain way and if you go outside that "norm" then you are an "Uncle Tom". Plus it's a total butchering of the original character in Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel.
The woman is a "go-to" person on race because the Mayor and media use her effectively at covering up problems and sweeping them under the table ,and attacking anyone with an alternate perspective. In other words, she's a useful tool, or dupe.
I don't see how you can change her beliefs, unless she could simply be rejected (shunned) by those she offends.
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