Quote:
Originally Posted by DrPhil
 Correct. Our last "Black People Meeting" didn't address how all Black people should feel about and respond to images of the Confederacy. Yet, there is a general understanding of what the Confederacy symbolizes to the average person of the African Diaspora (not just Black Americans), agree or disagree.
Two things have always and will always be the case: "some of my bestfriends are Black" and "the Black people I know don't seem to mind" have been cliche' for generations. One thing to remember is that with the structure of segregation and social exclusion across the country (including the north), the average person remains more likely to express discontent over something with those within their racial and ethnic group. Why? For one, it tends to require much less explanation to those who don't understand and don't get it. There are instances where people will share heartfelt opinions and issues to people outside of their racial and ethnic group. But, that is a very careful process because even the best interracial friendships can be made uncomfortable by such discussions. That is why you will hear people (predominantly white people) say things like "I don't see you as Black, you're just Lauren" or "we come together and don't see race." Therefore, many racial and ethnic minorities who have some sense of the larger implications of many things will nod their heads, take mental notes, and save the in depth discussion for nonwhites.
If I had a dollar for everytime a white person said or did something that I considered racially offensive, rooted in privilege and power dynamics, and/or displayed racialized symbols that can be interpreted in different ways. If I had a dollar for everytime I had to ignore these things as to not lose a professional opportunity, be branded as the "angry Black woman," or have the police knocking at my door. |
Lol at the "Black People Meeting." I totally agree with this but also I've always thought that most Black Southerners (born and bred, especially older folks) express less opposition (at least publicly) to certain things because they are so used to certain things as the norm and also at least some are still stuck in a "stay in your place" mentality where they know not to rock the boat or rock it too much for fear of consequence. Although I'm from the North, I have family still in the South and when hearing about present day stories/incidents from them and asking them why is this? why is that? the answers are usually very sort of on the "that's just the way it is" level, but not that it's okay. Of course, the conversation usually ends with me saying something like..."I wouldn't live there if I had to put up with that!" So the bottom line is, I think that when you're used to certain things and have accepted them as the norm because you feel there is nothing you can do to change it (and it's been a certain way for years and years and you've decided to pick your battles carefully), you might have a less aggressive reaction to something (at least publicly) as opposed to those that aren't used to it at all. Hence the reason why some/many Black Northerners tend to have a much stronger reaction to some things such as some Blacks in the South still accepting the word "colored." A colleague of mine called me "colored" one day and I had to teach her an up North lesson. She is from the South but I still say she should've known better since she's lived up here for so long. She said that she and her family always talk like that but are not racist. It goes back to some Southerners (and others) being just plain insensitive. Just because your neighbors don't say anything, it doesn't mean they are okay with things.