Don't Impose Your Democratic Racism on Me!

[I.J. Reilly]

I stumbled across this article the other day.

There are some great quotes in here by people who are overwrought with guilt about their whiteness.

"Canada is a white supremacist country, so I assume that I'm racist," one of the students said matter-of-factly during our first session. "It's not about not being racist. Because I know I am. It's about becoming less racist."

The instructor set the tone, describing an episode in which she'd lectured a colleague of colour about his job. "When I realized what I was doing, I approached him afterward and apologized," she told the class. "I said to him. ‘I'm so sorry! I'm unloading so much whiteness on you right now.' "

Another woman described her torment when a friend asked her to give a presentation about media arts to a group of black students -- an exercise that would have made a spectacle of her white privilege. "Should I say yes? Or is it my responsibility to say no?" she said. "But then [my friend] may say, ‘I want you to do it -- because you have a particular approach ...'

"But wait! Could it be that the reason I have that ‘particular approach' is that I've been raised to think that I could have that particular approach, that I have the ability, that I am able to access education in a particular way? All these things are in my head, in my heart, not really knowing how to respond. On the other hand, I also recognize that the person asking me has the agency to decide that I'm the right person ... so I say yes! ... But then I'm still thinking ‘I don't know if I did the right thing.' I still struggle with this all the time ..."

I'm pretty sure these people could suck the fun out of just about anything. I've known a few people like this; they take themselves way, way too seriously and are perennial wet blankets.

Some of the best stuff comes from the comments section.

As a Canadian of Japanese ancestry, I have spent my entire adult life trying to allay the burden white people carry about their whiteness or my lack thereof. "No. I would prefer if you didn't promote me to comply with your stupid, misguided and racist employment equity program." Or of late: "No. I don't find Sumo suits racist, but I find your pandering to my sensitivities very offensive."

I have had people apologize to me for mentioning "sushi" or "Ninja" in everyday conversation. You don't get more ridiculous than that.

[RobinFinderson]

I think there is really something to the idea of recognizing that we may harbor racial bias that is closer to the wider cultural mean than we may consciously realize. I think it is appropriate to be vigilant when considering one's own bias. I also agree that this kind of self-awareness can get gratuitous and become its own kind of weird prejudice.

One of the interesting things I have learned from playing MW2, where I have to listen to hundreds of strangers from all over the country -- we still have huge amounts of blatant racism and homophobia in this country.

[Pheidippides]

One of the interesting things I have learned from playing MW2, where I have to listen to hundreds of strangers from all over the country -- we still have huge amounts of blatant racism and homophobia in this country.

This was shocking to me, but I agree. I don't know that it is "active" racism in terms of what you had decades ago (I think it's not much more than talk, as the racist people I hear are bragging about making bank at $11/hr) but the number of people who use racial epithets is stunning beyond belief.

[byu71]

I think there is really something to the idea of recognizing that we may harbor racial bias that is closer to the wider cultural mean than we may consciously realize. I think it is appropriate to be vigilant when considering one's own bias. I also agree that this kind of self-awareness can get gratuitous and become its own kind of weird prejudice.

One of the interesting things I have learned from playing MW2, where I have to listen to hundreds of strangers from all over the country -- we still have huge amounts of blatant racism and homophobia in this country.

I hear on CNN and on CNBC all the time how "white" the tea party looks.

I don't ever hear them talk about how "black" the black caucus looks.

If you can infer that racist elements are in the tea party because they look so "white", can you say the same about the black caucus?

I am just asking a question here, so don't start off your response by calling me a racist.

[pellegrino]

I hear on CNN and on CNBC all the time how "white" the tea party looks.

I don't ever hear them talk about how "black" the black caucus looks.

If you can infer that racist elements are in the tea party because they look so "white", can you say the same about the black caucus?

I am just asking a question here, so don't start off your response by calling me a racist.

the question really is can minorities really be racist and if they are, how does their racism negatively affect whites?

[I.J. Reilly]

I hear on CNN and on CNBC all the time how "white" the tea party looks.

I don't ever hear them talk about how "black" the black caucus looks.

If you can infer that racist elements are in the tea party because they look so "white", can you say the same about the black caucus?

I am just asking a question here, so don't start off your response by calling me a racist.

Here is the anchor line-up for MSNBC. Do they ever talk about how white their newsroom is?

CNN's is better, but you couldn't tell that from the reporter home page.

[TripletDaddy]

Why are people talking about "ninjas" in their everyday conversation?

[byu71]

the question really is can minorities really be racist and if they are, how does their racism negatively affect whites?

I have heard that argument. It seems to be the accepted one.

I would guess it would follow then that mormon's can't be religiously biggoted.

Hispanics and asians can't be racist, unless they are in an Asian or Hispanic
Country

Gays can't be homophobes.

[Surfah]

Why are people talking about "ninjas" in their everyday conversation?

My former employer used "ninjas" as a code word for black people.

[RobinFinderson]

I hear on CNN and on CNBC all the time how "white" the tea party looks.

I don't ever hear them talk about how "black" the black caucus looks.

If you can infer that racist elements are in the tea party because they look so "white", can you say the same about the black caucus?

I am just asking a question here, so don't start off your response by calling me a racist.

I don't watch CNN, CNBC, MSNBC or Fox, nor have I paid much attention to the intricacies of the tea party movement, so I'm not really in a position to comment on any of this. Though if I had to guess and offer an uninformed opinion, I would point out the following:

1. The black caucus exists to represent the interests of black people, which will continue to be distinct from those of the wider population as long as there are black neighborhoods that have problems that are distinct from the problems in other neighborhoods.

2. The tea party movement may not have a racist agenda, but those images of Obama as the Joker look racist to me. The images of Obama as Hitler may not be overtly racist, but they really seem disproportionate to what Obama has done, which begs the question of whether or not there is a racist subtext.

3. I wouldn't look to cable news for an enlightened discussion on race. Stupid talk about racism is good for ratings, which is the main reason it gets discussed on these stations. The cable news organizations are unwilling to explore the subject in any kind of meaningful way. IMO, if you are willing to exploit racial problems for ratings, this is its own kind of racism.

[byu71]

I don't watch CNN, CNBC, MSNBC or Fox, nor have I paid much attention to the intricacies of the tea party movement, so I'm not really in a position to comment on any of this. Though if I had to guess and offer an uninformed opinion, I would point out the following:

1. The black caucus exists to represent the interests of black people, which will continue to be distinct from those of the wider population as long as there are black neighborhoods that have problems that are distinct from the problems in other neighborhoods.

2. The tea party movement may not have a racist agenda, but those images of Obama as the Joker look racist to me. The images of Obama as Hitler may not be overtly racist, but they really seem disproportionate to what Obama has done, which begs the question of whether or not there is a racist subtext.

3. I wouldn't look to cable news for an enlightened discussion on race. Stupid talk about racism is good for ratings, which is the main reason it gets discussed on these stations. The cable news organizations are unwilling to explore the subject in any kind of meaningful way. IMO, if you are willing to exploit racial problems for ratings, this is its own kind of racism.

A very reasonable response from someone I thought was the polar opposite of me politically. Perhaps bi-partisanship for the good of the Country isn't a pipe dream.

[pellegrino]

I have heard that argument. It seems to be the accepted one.

I would guess it would follow then that mormon's can't be religiously biggoted.

Hispanics and asians can't be racist, unless they are in an Asian or Hispanic
Country

Gays can't be homophobes.

I didn't answer the question, nor do I have a good one.

[TripletDaddy]

My former employer used "ninjas" as a code word for black people.

I've heard that before and there is a somewhat popular hipster t-shirt that alludes to this, but in the context of "sushi" and when speaking to Asians, I assumed "ninja" was being used to talk about actual ninjas. I can understand talking to someone about sushi because it is a common meal. Ninjas...don't recall ever sitting down to chat about ninjas, although I suppose we are doing that very thing right now. Sorry if I have offended anyone here.

[byu71]

I didn't answer the question, nor do I have a good one.

I wasn't questioning "your" non answer, just adding upon what you said.

[RobinFinderson]

I've heard that before and there is a somewhat popular hipster t-shirt that alludes to this, but in the context of "sushi" and when speaking to Asians, I assumed "ninja" was being used to talk about actual ninjas. I can understand talking to someone about sushi because it is a common meal. Ninjas...don't recall ever sitting down to chat about ninjas, although I suppose we are doing that very thing right now. Sorry if I have offended anyone here.

I mention ninjas all the time in my teaching. I'm specifically referring to having excellent skills, as in "This is how newbs do this, but once you are a 3D Ninja, you will model the object like this..." Maybe all of my students think that I have been racist all of these years .