Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with Racism

What was the economic impact of separate-but-equal?

kirkaracha — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 09:50:58 -0800

What was the economic impact of Jim Crow? During the Jim Crow days, there were "separate but equal" facilities for blacks and whites. Was building two sets of water fountains, bathrooms, lunch counters, etc. economically beneficial or harmful?

I'm wondering if people's bigotry caused them to act in ways that were economically harmful to themselves. Also, I put "separate but equal" in quotes because I suspect that the facilities for black people were inferior to those for white people. Was that the case?

"No sweetie, not all black people drink grape kool-aide."

Eleutherios — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:14:13 -0800

Help! My new girlfriend is skeeved out by minorities. Should I break up with her? I've been dating this girl for three weeks. She's great, she's smart, athletic, cute, and confident. Hell, she was even open to us having a threesome with another girl.

But, there's something that has been bothering me. She's not very confortable being around minorities, as a group. She has already dropped the N-bomb twice. She refers to Hispanics as "Mexicans". She locks her car doors whenever she sees a man of color, even if he's wearing a business suit and she's driving in the financial district! When we go to parties, she's super outgoing even if she doesn't know the people, but when I took her to a black party once, she suddenly got shy and stayed by my side the whole night.

She's not the first one. Back when I dated men, one guy broke up with me, and several avoided dating me in the first place (though they admitting to liking me otherwise), because I had a very diverse group of friends. They thought it was weird, and didn't want to be associated. Don't let me get started on how many times I get turned down, because I'm not blonde. It seems that I am always finding myself attracted to those who turn out to have racial or color issues.

Sorry for going off on a tangent, but I don't know if I can go on dating a girl who has racial prejudices. I have close friends of all sorts of different backgrounds, I even have a somewhat racially mixed family, on my dad's side. Right now, I just can't see her fitting into my life, but I'm really into her. How should I handle this? If I do break up with her, how should I avoid meeting women like this in the future? This is confusing because, I tend to run with very liberal crowds, but somehow I am still finding intolerant people.

Looking for racism tests

shetterly — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 09:28:22 -0800

Do you know of any good tests for racism? I've only found two that seem promising. The first is the race test at Project Implicit, where they found "75-80% of self-identified Whites and Asians show an implicit preference for racial White relative to Black."

The other, described in Color Blind or Just Plain Blind?, isn't as well-documented; it found, "When white participants believed that they were the only witness they helped both white and black victims very frequently (over 85 percent of the time) and equivalently. There was no evidence of blatant racism. In contrast, when they thought there were other witnesses, they helped black victims only half as often as white victims (38 percent versus 75 percent)."

The first suggests 20-25% of whites and Asians are not at all racist or are racist against whites. The second suggests 38% of whites are not at all racist. I'm sure there must've been other attempts to measure racism, but my google fu is weak.

Willie or Won't He?

quelindo — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 07:51:26 -0800

What are some examples of racism [subtle, or not-so-subtle] in advertising? I am aware of some of the web results, but I would like more examples. Recent adverts appreciated.

Golliwog Etiquette

Fiasco da Gama — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 16:02:37 -0800

Golliwog etiquette required. There's an emboiderer's shop in a very public place near my supermarket which has put up a display of golliwogs in their window. There's nothing ironic or historically self-referential about it, they're just a bunch of red-lipped fuzzy-haired black dolls in minstrel clothes.

Is it appropriate to confront the owners about the display, and if so, what's the least pompous or self-righteous way of going about it?

I'm an Anglo bloke, the owners(?) of the shop are a middle-aged Asian couple, and the shop's in a major shopping centre in the inner west of Sydney.

He(lgason) Hate Me

Mountain Goatse — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:07:59 -0800

In a recent MeTa thread, Krilli says that the only racism in Iceland is against the Polish and Asians. Why for? How does racism against Asians in Iceland manifest itself? What are Icelandic stereotypes of Asian people and where did they come from? Should an Asian person visiting Iceland be concerned about this?

You've got to be carefully taught

pseudostrabismus — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:55:36 -0800

A friend is teaching a "Multicultural Education and Identity" class in a high-school setting, and asked me for advice, so I'm asking you, hive. I would like a broad spectrum of anti-discrimination educational resources and materials, for ages 12-adult. Interested particularly in racism, classism, able-ism, and privilege. My friend wants to spice up lectures with visuals, videos, articles, and other supplementary materials. He's looking for a variety of stuff, including, but not limited to, the following:

Some sample topics:
- respectful discussions of privilege
- helpful ideas for privileged people to navigate the world fairly
- ideas for PoC and whites to address racism in real life
- internalized racism, beauty standards, etc.
- reverse racism and whether or not it exists
- racist tropes in pop culture, media bias, etc.
- clear & engaging definitions of key terms and supporting statistics

Ideal Materials could include anything, really: blog posts, articles, essays, YouTube videos, songs, short films, art, visuals, quizzes, interactive activities, stand-up comedy, whatever.

Tone:

- Would really prefer to avoid snark and condescension. Sites like Derailing for Dummies, for instance, have fantastic information, and are fun for PoC to read, but tend to alienate the very people they intend to educate. I absolutely understand how frustrating these issues can be (first hand... believe me) but ideally we'd want these materials to be inclusive, not accusatory.

- On the other hand, we would love stuff like The Deal With Disability, which was recently featured on the blue. Eva's a tiny bit snarky, yes, but her humour and her very unusual vantage point more than make up for it. So I guess SOME snark is okay, if it's thought-provoking rather than abrasive.

Other resources I think would be great, to give more examples:
Chris Rock's "Good Hair"
Kiri Davis' "A Girl Like Me"
"A Class Divided"
Peggy MacIntosh's "Invisible Knapsack"
the Harvard Implicit Association quizzes
Heidi the Sugarmonster's article about why she chose to have weight-loss surgery
Even small doses of pop culture phenoms like Borat and Russell Peters, who sometimes cross the line but could still provide good seeds for discussion.

... More, like those would be really helpful. Thanks in advance!

How do I combat my knee-jerk racist responses?

Anonymous — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 07:50:38 -0800

How do I combat my knee-jerk racist responses? Recently, I moved from an all-white area to a diverse neighborhood. I am having trouble dealing with my reaction to the many young black males who live in the area. My street is middle-class and racially diverse, but there is a low-income, mostly black neighborhood just blocks away, with frequent robberies and occasional shootings. There's a known drug corner 2 blocks away. The crime has spread to our neighborhood, and there are multiple home break-ins every week. We hear police sirens every night. About once a week, someone gets held up at knife/gunpoint while pulling into their garage.

Last week I turned into the alley to park in my garage, and there was an SUV parked directly in front of my garage door with its lights on and the engine running. There was a group of young black men in the alley dressed in stereotypical urban fashions, conversing loudly (but not aggressively) with each other. I froze, not knowing if I should approach. I steeled myself and moved forward, gesturing towards the garage door. The driver didn't know what I meant, so he exited his car and walked towards mine. I opened the window a crack and asked if he could back up. He was unfailingly polite and called me "Ma'am," and at that point I felt like a total jerk for making a racist assumption. I pulled into the garage and nothing else happened.

Earlier in the summer I saw a group of black men across the street in front of someone's yard, talking and drinking beer in front of a rundown car, and I was immediately suspicious, until I saw that one of them was trimming hedges and planting flowers. It's become clear that he lives there and wasn't doing yardwork as a job, and again I felt like a jerk.

I won't claim that "some of my best friends are black," because that's false. I grew up almost entirely around whites. I do currently work with black men (and women) and often find myself in elevators alone with young black men. I have no such trepidation about this. I'm leftist in my politics and just feel like a bad person for feeling this way. Given the levels of crime in my neighborhood and poverty in the adjacent neighborhood, there obviously are SOME dangerous people around, and I don't feel it unreasonable to be a bit more on guard than I would be in a small town or suburb, but how do I combat the pervasive and often racist fear? I'm female, married, and (obviously) white. Moving is not an option, and overall I like the area.

Should I elope?

Anonymous — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 09:34:03 -0800

Should I elope to avoid potential drama? My fiance and I are both in our mid thirties. His mother is his only living parent, and she is a lovely, lovely person. The rest of his family is small, less than ten people. My family, while not enormous, is larger. Both of my parents are living, but I do not have close relationships with either of them. My mother is mentally ill, and my father is just a difficult person. I see them fairly frequently, at least monthly, so it's not the kind of situation where we don't talk at all. We just don't talk about anything personal, if that makes any sense.

My fiance and I have talked about eloping by ourselves, just going somewhere and getting married, and that seems like the practical choice for convenience, our finances, and lack of immediate drama. But... I keep thinking that I would like the parts of my family that are not crazy to be there when I get married. I'm not talking about a big wedding, just a small ceremony followed by dinner.

My relationship with my fiance is a contentious issue with my parents; I am white, and he is black. The rest of my family does not have this problem. There are members of his family that are not particularly thrilled by his choice of spouses, but I feel fairly certain that they will keep that to themselves. I cannot trust my mother in this regard. I believe that my father will be a little more circumspect, but I can't actually guarantee either of them will come if I invite them. I'm afraid my mother is going to say something absolutely horrible and make people uncomfortable.

Has anyone been in this situation before? What did you end up doing, and would you have handled it differently?

A question about the V for Vendetta comic book

Brandon Blatcher — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 14:32:36 -0800

What was the name of a certain tv show and lead character from the V for Vendetta comic book? Was it mentioned in the movie? Can you quote me the lines from the comic book? It was an over the top racist show, featuring a white guy trying to defend a white woman from "black, cannibal filth" or some such.

Itchy runs afoul of an Irishman.

Ramithorn — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 16:10:02 -0800

A (non-Italian, non-Irish) friend of mine insists that pronouncing "Italian" as "eye-talian" or calling an Irish man an "Irishman" has racial undertones. Is this true? Are any Italians or Irish offended by those terms?

How to deal with a racist boyfriend?

lblair — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 23:11:40 -0800

How do I deal with a racist boyfriend? How did you help someone overcome their racism, or did someone help you overcome yours? I have a boyfriend who I get along with and have a great time with, but one thing that absolutely drives me crazy is when the racism comes out. Usually it's when he's drunk and in front 'the guys.'

In general, I would simply not associate with people who I thought were racist, but he really is a good person aside from this, and I want to help him come around. (You know how it goes- the last person you ever thought you'd date ends up being one of the best people you've known, despite their flaws.) In any case, I disagree with an argument that I see a lot on this topic- that racism is a learned behavior. If you read (and agree with) evolutionary psychology, it suggests that racism IS innate and that, in fact, people have to learn NOT to be racist (by exposure to people from other races, and to other people who aren't racist.) I think this explanation makes a lot more sense. I'm not condoning racism, I am not racist- I recognize that I was lucky to be raised by liberal parents in a diverse community. But I do think it helps to explain why otherwise intelligent people, who just happened to be sheltered, can end up this way ( e.g. my boyfriend.) It also has made me a tiny bit more forgiving towards those who are racist. Not in the sense that I would put up with it long term, but in the sense that I would be more forgiving of the occasional slip up if he was genuinely trying to change.

In any case, based on this belief I do believe that it's possible for people who are racist to change- it seems that the younger you are, the easier this would be. He is 26 so I think it would be challenging, but possible. I've already tried a few tactics. I've tried to expose him to people of different races, tell him about my friends and people I know of different races. I've also made it a point to tell him this stuff isn't funny when he starts cracking jokes- but unfortunately, his other friends still laugh when he cracks them. So basically my question is this- if you have seen someone else go from being racist to not, how do you think it happened? If you were the one who overcame racism, how did you do it? I know he makes a pretty good effort to not say things like that around me, but I'd prefer it if he was able to reach a point where he wasn't saying (or thinking) them at all. Although I am willing to be patient now, in the long run it would be a dealbreaker (as in, I would break up with him if the racism did not cease.) I've said as much to him, unfortunately the couple times it's come up have been while we were drinking (while he was cracking the jokes,) so I'm not entirely sure whether he realizes I am serious.

I can also sort of tell that he is afraid of/ feels threatened by black men. Of course, I think it's ridiculous, but I know that when fear is involved, people become irrational. How do I deal with that? Thanks in advance, everyone.

Identify This Essay...

thewalrusispaul — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 13:00:01 -0800

Help me find an essay about a woman working in an affluent toy store during the holiday season and a life like baby doll is the hot ticket item but nobody wants to adopt the minority baby dolls or the "mutant" display doll. The employees had to dress up like nurses and had to pretend to fill out very serious adoption papers with the child getting the doll.

The employees were supposed to be very serious while working in the "nursery" but they would abuse the display doll by pretending to accidently drop it on its head while no one was looking and such.

There is a wonderful description of the look on the affluent white mothers faces when they arrive to do this pretend adoption and they find out there's no white dolls left on the shelves. They try to ask the employees, "nurses," if there are any "you know... dolls that look like they do" in the back store room. When they find out there are none left they are torn between not getting their child this must have status symbol and adopting doll of a different race.

The author describes this agonizing moment with the perfect balance of cynicism and compassion.

Paralyzed With Resentment

Anonymous — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 14:30:23 -0800

How can I stop thinking about my father's bigotry, hatred, and intolerance? With the impending election, emotions are crazy right now. My father (and mother), a die hard Republican, is driving me crazy. I know that Republican does not equal racism or intolerance, but my father is a racist and intolerant. He knows I am voting Democrat this year and we are both tense and on the offensive. I rarely discuss politics with him because it's useless. He is unable to engage in civilized conversation. He mostly yells, interrupts, storms out of the room, and bullies me.

Differing political ideology isn't the only thing that is bothering me. I can't stop thinking about the time (three years ago) he told me he thought faulty parenting caused my cousin to be gay. I can't stop thinking about the time when he wanted to join the KKK, and had literature on his desk about the KKK. I think he was a member for a short time. Other things keep running through my head: The time he told me people that wore Malcom X hats were idiots. The endless and numerous lectures that black people were only looking for handouts. The time he accused my mother of raising my sibling and I as "nigger lovers".

In the last several years he has toned down his language, but I know he still holds these beliefs. He rarely used the N-word around growing up. He never denounced homosexuality outright. He has said, I don't care what gay men do, but some of them "do disgusting things." I hate him for it. He has sent me derogatory, racist emails and YouTube links denouncing Obama. He and my mother think all Democrats are "mean and hateful" and "will bite you on the hand if you let them." They also claim that Democrats are either looking for a welfare check, have class envy, or are elitists. I take all of their opinions as a personal attack and feel paralyzed by it. My chest hurts. I get headaches. I'm stressed. I've started clenching my jaw and grinding my teeth for the first time in my life. I feel like my father is a monster in a way. Who is this man that raised me? I'm ashamed. I'm envious of people that have normal relationships with their parents. At times I feel I don't want my kids around him, even though he never says anything hateful around my kids. I visit my parents almost weekly. On one of the latest visits he apologized for sending me emails. I never complained about the emails, he just apologized out of the blue.

I'm looking for coping strategies. I wish I could forget about his ignorant ways and accept that he is only fearful. How do I continue a relationship with him without feeling defensive and angry? I'm going crazy. I resent my mother for loving and marrying someone like this. I resent her for sharing his views. I'm on the defensive with both of my parents. I live 10 minutes away. I cannot cut ties. My father and I have had a very strained relationship for a long, long time. He was abusive in my childhood, all the way up to my late teens. Some years were better than others. The running theme was that my father never cared about my opinions. He isn't, and was never, interested in my life. In my dreams, aspirations, or thoughts. I don't think he respects my profession or my gender. I expressed interest in returning to school for my graduate degree. He asked, "What for? and "Why would you want to do that?"

I'm afraid of him in a way. I'm afraid of confrontation. I pleaded with my husband not to put an Obama sticker on his vehicle because, "I didn't want to deal with my father's bullshit."

Even if he wasn't a bigot, I'd still have the past abuse to deal with. I don't blame them for my problems but I do have resentment that surfaces on a regular basis. I'm in my mid thirties now. I've been to months and months of therapy. I thought I had all of this behind me. My father and mother are not without their good qualities. I want a relationship with them. Cutting ties at this stage in our lives would be painful, I think. I do try to avoid them. I don't call my parents as much as I used to. I sometimes blow off visits. I mostly dread visiting them. I'm ill at ease when I'm there. When I speak with my mother on the phone, I'm not myself. I'm afraid of what they might think. I'm afraid that they will judge me and think poorly of my decisions.

How do I cope? How can I be around them and stop being so defensive and angry? How can I relax? I want to be the enlightened person that can maintain a relationship with them without wanting to scream, or hate them.

What's the deal with: Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West?

cjorgensen — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 18:20:28 -0800

What should I do with the DVD "Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West"? I got this DVD in the mail. From what I understand it borders on hate speech and xenophobia (which is why I am not linking to their site). So what do I do?

1. Watch it and decide for myself?
2. Throw it away?
3. Mark it "Return to sender," and hope this cost the racists a bit of cash?
4. Invite all my friends over for a viewing?

I like to imagine myself as an open minded type of guy, and I am not afraid of having my world view challenged, but I also would rather not waste my time sitting in front of a propaganda piece (for or against anything).

I'm less worried about what this will do to my world view, and more concerned with: if it really is the vitriolic piece of crap I am expecting it to be, what's the best way to cost them extra cash? Even a buck for return postage would be fine with me (that's one less DVD they can send out).

If I am wrong on my perception, then I would like to know that as well.

Thanks.

"Spanish Lice"?

Third — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 21:46:47 -0800

What exactly is wrong with this Spanish advertisement in which the Spanish basketball teams are slanting their eyes so as to appear stereotypically Asian? My friend, who is Spanish and just spent five weeks in Spain, and I were discussing this picture earlier this evening. We had just seen Tropic Thunder, where Robert Downey Jr.'s blackface performance and the derogatory nature with which mentally disabled people are depicted has drawn some criticism.

I asked my friend, N, what he thought about the teams' photograph. I was joking of course, but he seemed to take it seriously. He told me that there was hardly a reaction in Spain and that it's the rest of the world that is up in arms about the situation. He failed to see what exactly was wrong with the picture.

My other (American) friends in the car thought, like me, that the picture was racist. N said it would be the same thing if Spanish teams put on flat caps and held cups of tea at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Everyone else argued that it would only be on the same level as "slant eyes" if they put in nasty fake teeth. Then more examples came up:

What if the Spanish football team put on dark makeup at the World Cup in 2012?
What if a future set of Olympic Games were held in Munich, and they put on small dark mustaches?
What if the women's basketball team put on full burkas if the Games were held in Baku?

N realized that we thought the picture of the basketball teams was offensive, and asked why it was OK for Downey Jr. to get away with Tropic Thunder, and we responded that Downey Jr. is not representing his country in a worldwide sporting event.

The argument ended in a stalemate, with N calling bullshit on me when I told him that, regardless of the intended meaning of the picture (which he claims is innocuous), it's the perceived sentiment that matters.

When I got inside and sat down, I couldn't really think of a good reason as to why that picture is inappropriate. It's insensitive, sure, but what are the actual complaints being lodged against Spanish athletics? Does it have something to do with Aragonés and Spain's recent bouts of perceived racism in sport? Where is the line drawn between humorous cultural ribbing and outright racism? Would it be OK if, at the fictional Munich games mentioned above, they had mugs of beer and were eating sausages?

Sorry for such a long-winded explanation to a hard-to-answer question, but I happened to start seeing N's side of the story and I wanted to hear what the hive mind thinks.

Mongol Nazis?!

phrontist — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 15:59:29 -0800

A friend of mine has just returned from Mongolia and was describing roving mad-max style gangs of men using Nazi symbols, with apparently limited understanding of their meaning in the west. Where can I read more about Mongolian Nazis? Is this really prevalent? How did they come to hear about Nazis in the first place? Do they get along with western neo-nazis (despite being ethnically Mongolian)? It just sounds so surreal...

Why did Malcolm X frequently use Portugal as a specific example of a Racist Society?

jjjjjjjijjjjjjj — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 15:20:18 -0800

Why did Malcolm X single out Portugal as an example of a particularly racist society in several speeches?

...I'm speaking as a Black man from America, which is a racist society. No matter how much you hear it talk about democracy, it's as racist as South Africa or as racist as Portugal, or as racist as any other racialist society on this earth. - Malcolm X, May 13, 1964

I've been listening to several (6+ hours) of Malcolm X speeches^** for a project. In 3 or 4 different speeches he calls Portugal out, and goes so far as to pair it with South Africa in a manner similar to the quote above.

Now... I know about Portugal's inordinately large role in the African slave trade, but his language would make it seem that he's referencing contemporary [1960s] Portugal. I know about Portugese colonialism in Africa, but A.) racist policies abroad could be attacked individually, and not as being a part of a "racist society" -- which, while true, would be a confusing way to structure the argument, and B.) I've not ever heard of Portuguese colonialism [again, contemporary/1960s] as being notably more extreme than other European country's meddlings in Africa...

So, what gives? Why is Malcolm X singling Portugal out as being more racist than any other European culture of the time? Elevating it to/pairing it with South Africa seems pretty bold and therefore "intentional." I'd like to know more about what that intention was.

For background, I'm from the U.S., born in the 1970s, and I apologize in advance if I'm overlooking something that is (or should be) obvious. Thanks for your help, and please feel free to correct me if you feel that any of the assumptions I have made thus far are off-base.

^** [Here's a handful of Malcolm X speeches courtesy of archive.org if you're interested... Def. worth a look if you like that sort of thing -- they've got other fantastic "great speeches" resources, as well].

Will we be unwelcome in Bronzeville?

applemeat — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 13:15:48 -0800

Seeking advice and opinion about moving to Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood. My husband and I are considering a move from our northside Uptown neighborhood to the historic and historically African-American Bronzeville area. To get to the point here, my husband and I are accustomed to living in very diverse (racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, etc.) urban areas, we both appreciate character, history and architecture, and we both happen to be white. My questions for other Mefites who live in or are familiar with the Bronzeville area are as follows: Do you think that we, as white professionals, are an improper/unwelcome addition to Bronzeville? Is there much (some?) diversity (Latino, white, Asian) in Bronzeville? Are you happy living there?

My biggest concern with moving to Bronzeville is that I might feel isolated there for lack of diversity and because there seem to be fewer markets and restaurants within walking/biking distance as compared to here on the northside.

I would be very grateful for any and all honest comments and insights from Mefites living in or familiar with the Bronzeville area.

Are these racist lawn statues?

caroljean63 — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 12:13:30 -0800

Are these lawn statues racist? I'm familiar with the history of the traditional "lawn jockey" or "coach boy" statues. Does anyone know the background and history of these statues?

Why can't Turner be pink?

reflecked — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 02:43:04 -0800

I want to explain clearly and simply why a joke I was told is racist. Embarrasingly, all I can come up with right away is: If the joke needs to perpetuate racial stereotypes in order to be funny, then it's not funny. I was told this joke:

"A skinny little white guy goes into an elevator, looks up and sees this HUGE black guy standing next to him. The big guy sees the little guy staring at him, looks down, and says: '7 feet tall, 350 pounds, 20 inch private, 3 pound testicles, Turner Brown.' The white man faints and falls to the floor. The big guy kneels down and brings him to, shaking him.. The big guy says: 'What's wrong with you?' In a weak voice the little guy says, 'What EXACTLY did you say to me?' The big dude says: 'I saw your look and figured I'd just give you the answers to the questions everyone always asks. I'm 7 feet tall. I weigh 350 pounds. I have a 20 inch private, my testicles weigh 3 pounds each, and my name is Turner Brown.'

The small guy says: 'Turner Brown. Sweet Jesus, I thought you said, 'Turn around.'

When I said it was racist, I got poopoo'd. I said "Tell it again, and don't specify the men's skin colours... is it stiil funny? If it is, then why does skin colour come into it?".. and dropped it for the moment.

Is there a compelling phrase that I can use that will be more convincing? Am I overthinking this?

The joke was told to me by my daughter. Several people overheard our discussion and disagreed with me (yes, I am re-evaluating some friends). I could pull rank on her, but I'd prefer to educate her. I did a search on the joke. I didn't find much.

Also, I'm sure I have heard this stinker in the past, with another man's name being part of the punchline.

They're not REALLY black...

wafaa — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 15:48:18 -0800

I live in an apartment. The management and maintenance person of the building are racist. I need help with an issue. My refrigerator went belly-up overnight so I called the manager and she sent over Racist Maintenance Man. He asked me if I was being bothered by "those people, you know, we've had complaints, and they are outta here on April 1st."

"Those people" live two doors down from me, and I've never had a problem. They're not loud, they mind their own business, and have always been friendly to me. I don't condone their lifestyle, but as I said, they don't affect me. I told him so.

Before maintenance man left he said, "But we have some good ones--the couple down in 108--but they're not really black-black, I think they're from India or something".

I was listening to this and feeling dumbfounded--then as he was walking out the door he said, "Yep, we're getting rid of 'em, one at a time. Trying to clean the place up, ya know".

OK, I want to slip a note under "those peoples'" door and tell them what I think is going on, but I need opinions. If anyone has a better idea, I'm all for it.

Critiques of The Black Community

Rykey — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 08:40:09 -0800

Canofwormsfilter: Help me find fair, well-reasoned books that critique "The Black Community." I've found lots of good books that highlight the "positives" of black culture and achievement, or that focus on the detrimental effects that racism, white privilege, and class structure have had on the black community.

Now I'm looking for books that fairly critique the black community in terms of problematic aspects of "blackness," failed community leadership, the psychology of victimhood/learned helplessness, etc.

This might be a useful criterion for what I'm looking for: in discussions of race relations, you often hear people say, "While it's true that X and Y are problems for the black community, what's really at the bottom of it is (racism, white privilege, class, etc.)." I'm looking for books that focus on the X and Y. Bonus points for books written by black authors.

My intent is not to be an apologist for racism. I'm honestly trying to round out my readings in race relations, and from my perspective it's only fair to consider the black community "warts and all," as I would any other community. I realize this touches a nerve with many well-meaning white folks, but it's what I'm after nonetheless.

Finally, a plea for civility in this thread. Race and racism are hot-button topics here on MeFi (god knows), as well as in society, and we're going to have some disagreements here about what constitutes "fair" and "well-reasoned" writing, or the line between a critique and an attack. So please keep in mind that I want to build a bibliography, not start a snark-fest.

Any movies that deal with segregation in the southern United States?

czechmate — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 17:57:40 -0800

Please name some movies that deal with segregation in the southern United States. I was talking to a Czech friend of mine today and we began discussing racism in the south. I explained the Jim Crow laws to him, segregation in schools (and later integration), the "whites only" and "colored only" areas... and he didn't believe me. He couldn't fathom any of it and would like to know more about this, but through movies (due to his limited English).
I found some Youtube links, but would like to give him some titles to movies. I've already told him about Malcolm X, but he would also like to see something on Martin Luther King, Jr.
Any suggestions?

Is this racist?

Anonymous — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 09:39:21 -0800

An upper class white Southern lady says of an athlete while watching sports on TV: "Look at him, he's dark. He's like charcoal." Is that a racist comment or am I oversensitive? There were no black people in the room when the comment was made. It made me uncomfortable but I didn't say anything.