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WHen i was twelve I knew what a merry go round was.
I also knew they were fun, and not at all vicious.
I didn't know what a vicious "marry" go round is, and I still don't
perhaps you will like to share with the group what a "vicious marry go round" is and how it pertains to politics (and other controversies)
As I said previously, you're so narrow minded if you tried thinking out of the box you'd stumble and scrape your knee.
Remember, I'm not the only one that sees your lame posts. You remind me of an insecure friend that can't get over the fact I own a Blackberry and he still uses Cricket. I told you exactly what I meant so no need to repeat myself again. I leave that to you, you're doing a bang up job of it.
I'm sure some groups have higher taste for racism, so i was not attempting to single out West Virgina, but i used the state because it is one of the whitest states, just like i used Detroit because it is one of the blackest cities to make my point about anomalies that differ from the overall assumption. Make sense?
Dorock99
I do understand what you meant, but for the sake of busting stereotypes, here's another theory about why it's one of the 'amorphous blob whitest' states.
WV never had a booming industrial age as most other states with large scale economies have had at one point or another. A long series of starts and fits. WV had railroads passing through, and WV has coal. WV'n natives (generally speaking, Appalachian culture) for some reason lost desire to pursue those priorities. A salt mine here, until the price of salt falls through the floor. Those who did have those priorities moved to that big city elsewhere. Those remaining; my guess is the price of populist version of civilization was far too high by their reckoning. Their ambivalent stance in Civil War deserves examination if anyone were truly interested in understanding Appalachian folk for nothing more and nothing less than what they are.
All of this presumes the whole population of the state is destitute & uneducated. This assumption made by the rest of America is outrageously false. Suburbs and cities exist, some of which continue to do well even with national economy tanking.
Wee bit of deductive reasoning here. The plague of thought that harms certain segments of black population that fail to thrive is perfectly mirrored by the certain segments of white population in this state that also fails to thrive. Both see themselves as victims, neglected by the world at large, and have no faith in any system to meaningfully participate in government or commerce. Coincidence???
Laughin here-- how do 'white people' SOUND? Nasal whine? Brooklynese? Southern drawl? Cajun dialect? Somehow the amorphous white blob doesn't feel threatened by Acadian exiles dominating the culture in La. They embrace it as a good time to be had by all and that darker complexion mysteriously isn't 'lesser'.
I said:
"they notice I sound like a white person. But many Africans Americans also speak perfect english, unlike the media would want one to believe."
I was saying that the media assumes that only white people speak "proper" english. Some people believe this and have a surprised reaction when I talk and say that I sound "white".
I wasn't saying that I sound "white," but telling you the reaction I receive from others. That is why there is a "But" in front of the second sentence. Take the two sentences together. I think I sound the way my schools taught me to sound.
The media perpetuates it. They make it sound like whites are the only ones who are racist. Another thing is that people project onto others what they really are thinking themselves. I think that white people are the scapegoat when it comes to people saying how racist they are so they(non whites) don`t have to look at how racist they actually are and take responsibility for their own life.
The media perpetuates it. They make it sound like whites are the only ones who are racist. Another thing is that people project onto others what they really are thinking themselves. I think that white people are the scapegoat when it comes to people saying how racist they are so they(non whites) don`t have to look at how racist they actually are and take responsibility for their own life.
1. To a large extent, no. The "black community" was only formed in response to willful exclusion from mainstream society by those with an interest in maintaining the dichotomy. But it is not so much tantamount to a rallying cry for a victim identity as it is a stand against victimization from those who would project a negative black identity onto this community as a whole in order to maintain the justifiability of this victimization of any one of its members.
a.) Who formed this black community?
b.) Once the willful exclusion from mainstream society was institutionally banned, what became the mission statement of that black community?
c.) Standing against victimization should be universal theme if the purpose of ridding America of racism were the true objective.
d.) Whatever bad mouthing one cultural group hurls at another (limey, frog, other nasty epithets that would give me a TOS) has almost always concluded those throwing the sentiments are insecure about their own worth, behaving horribly, and generally shunned. Why doesn't this apply to black population equally when you feel obliged to defend them from what you perceive to be a projection originating from white people? Even if that were valid, the only way for the individual to address his relationship with the rest of the world is to grasp introjection. The psychological dynamic cannot be perpetuated without that element and it is within an individuals power to control.
e.) Had a genuine black community taken root, it would be based on positive attributes & cultural flavor unique to the race. Sylvia's soul food isn't in business complaining about French nouvelle cuisine. It would not spend it's lifetime trying to smear/ discredit another to stand tall in it's own boots.
I believe this lack of genuine black community is responsible for the lack of advantages brought up in most arguments, but never owned by blacks directly by creating the community they mean to see for themselves. All others in America cannot be the authors of a black community, and yet we are forever petitioned for sympathy or otherwise assist a non entity.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrSykes
2. Like white identity, it is socially constructed. Indeed, 'black identity' was only created by those in power who sought to demarcate what whiteness isn't.
Black identity was created by whom in power? What's more, what validity does it have when reality black identity is a stark contradiction people have through anecdotal exchanges in daily existence? rastafarian movement
How valid is the commandeering of custom that turns around and claims itself unique? Do you realize that Christian crusades behaved as facetiously & hypocritical towards Pagans, insult to injury they vilified them? How is that not a rebranded version of oppression they claim to be against?
Irish and Italian and German cultures have what in common? There was incredible strife between these groups when immigration kicked in full steam. They came to a gentleman's agreement that deferred to a larger community, the unifying thread of citizenship. Whatever white identity anyone would claim as superior, the demarcation line is not the difference between black non black blah blah-- the difference between those who are well and those who are not present tense has everything to do with embracing citizenship fully far and above their origin. That's the perceived advantage the 'amorphous blob of white folks' have over all others resisting assimilation as if it were mortal threat to core identity. That's the advantage of new immigrants.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrSykes
3. It isn't, nor is it the responsibility of the percentage of the black population who are upstanding to atone for the ways of its non-productive counterparts.
Agreed. If you'll listen again to most criticisms, there is no expectation of atonement. That would be irrational.
So why is the national dialog in the habit of creating programs based on ethnicity when the root sources of the problems cross the bounds of race, creed, gender etc? Turn this same argument around and say it's gender based program. Whatever we would name as a struggle women have can be broken down into identifying the barriers and examining their inability to cope with a social system in place. This is a universal thing among human beings. Why are blacks, portrayed in media as professionals (yet not officially leader/ representative, but sort of they are maybe), using the argument style and perpetuating the myth that blacks have a handicap that the society at large must manage? WHY on earth is this patronization permitted to go on unchallenged?
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrSykes
4. Africans generally aren't viewed as "black" not because of relative sensibility, but exoticism. Some treat this exoticism as a point of interest, others mock it.
Like the attitude some have towards Amish? Does that entitle the amorphous blob of main stream whites to harass Amish? Have they ever committed their communities to rail against Amish existence? Does their poor attitude make Amish lesser?
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrSykes
5. This is a tangential question. I don't think it was ever argued that such people did deserve anything.
Tangential is untrue, it goes to the merit of argument on the other side.
The defense of people doing something wrong based on misplaced loyalty, the silence, the looking the other way... it's the same good old boy network of yesteryear that the majority have renounced through writ and personal rejection. The behavior is perceived to be an abdication of citizenship because that's what it is no matter who's doing it.
Get away from black white dichotomy. We live in a system of representation. Post 911, what would you be left believing of Muslim faith if they failed to renounce violent behavior done in their name? What should the world believe is the implied new definition of catholicism when the Pope fails to renounce an abortion clinic bomber claiming his religion made him do it? What becomes your definition of womankind when women ^5 a wife who murders her husband for failure to make 100k per year? How poorly were we represented as a nation when Bush announced to the world we were embarking on a crusade in the middle east?
Because people need a convenient boogeyman to blame for all of their problems, and since it's un-PC to attack any group other than white male Christians, it's become acceptable for other groups to project their hate and racism unto white people in order to make themselves feel better and not have to accept any responsibility for how messed up their lives are.
Dear be sure and remember that the next time you're projecting your stuff on liberals, dems, progressives, women, gays... how long is this list anyway?
After reading this thread, I am wondering why people mostly assume that white people are the only racist group in public?
To be honest I would say that I experienced less direct racism from white people, and more from other groups. So, I am curious about this and would like your opinion on this topic.
Also, if you want to read that thread, I would start around page 7 or so.
As a Black woman, I know that any group can be "prejudiced" against another race (or even their own race).
Most people know and understand that other groups besides Whites can and often do have racial prejudices but in America the power structure is predominantly White.
The attitude regarding Asian, Latino or Black prejudice against other minority groups is a mute point because they, in general, are not the ones who are hiring en masse or being policy makers. You will always have a few exceptions to this when a "minority" group dominates a certain area and openly discriminates against another minority group (ie Miami, Los Angeles, Detroit)
For example, in Los Angeles there is little outside attention paid to the tensions between Armenians and Latinos, Koreans and Blacks, Latinos and Asians, Latinos and Blacks, Russians and Latinos, etc.
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