Equal opportunity racism at UVa

Originally posted by PiPhiGirl2005
ADPiZXalum, you rock my world. You say everything I want to say. Keep it up, please.

And I agree completely that a minority group can be racist. Racism has nothing to do with majority or minority or who is in power - it's a way of thinking that anyone can hold, I believe.

Thank you dahling..........

[Taualumna]

For those who believe that minority groups can't be racist, think about this: A lot of Asian people in Asia are racist towards black people. Does that mean that they are no longer "racist" once they immigrate here, even if they carry the same values they did in the old country?

[jubilance1922]

Originally posted by ADPiZXalum
And maybe if you are lucky one day you'll quit blaming everyone else for things they have no control over, like a horrible thing that happened A LONG FREAKING TIME AGO.

Honey, people following me around in stores didn't happen a long time ago.

People telling me that I'm a stupid Black girl didn't happen a long time ago.

I don't blame anyone today for slavery, I blame people for how they act today.

Try again.

[jubilance1922]

Originally posted by Taualumna
For those who believe that minority groups can't be racist, think about this: A lot of Asian people in Asia are racist towards black people. Does that mean that they are no longer "racist" once they immigrate here, even if they carry the same values they did in the old country?

You said the magic word: Asians in ASIA. I would think in their own country they would hold the power.

Originally posted by jubilance1922
If you say so honey....But my EXPERIENCE AS BEING TREATED AS A SECOND CLASS CITIZEN IN A COUNTRY THAT MY ANCESTORS HELP BUILD AGAINST THEIR WILL SAYS THAT YOU'RE WRONG.

But whatever helps you sleep at night....

Oh I'm sorry what were you saying? I have no doubt that people have done that to you. FINE..........My point is don't freaking think that just because I'm white racism hasn't happened to me. Just because you're black doesn't mean you are the only one it has happened to. If people calling you a stupid black girl is racist, how is people calling me a stupid white girl NOT racist? Because there are more white people in power in the US? GIVE ME A BREAK! THAT IS THE DUMBEST THING I"VE EVER HEARD.

[Senusret I]

Originally posted by ADPiZXalum
....THAT IS THE DUMBEST THING I"VE EVER HEARD.

Don't get out much, do we?

[Little E]

For anyone who has not seen the documentry "The Color of Fear" I highly suggest you watch it. Then come back and take another stab at this discussion. The movie is a look into a group of men coming from many backgrounds looking at the role of race, what racism is and how we see the world. It is an eye-opening experience and probably best done with some who will discuss it with you after. The discussion, however, is so open and frank (after it gets going) that it will really open your eyes.

The video is probably available in your library or from a professor.

[Wine&SilverBlue]

My thoughts:

a white person wearing blackface might be worse than a black person wearing whiteface, due to the historical implications, but they are both still wrong!

i still think it is wrong for a black person to wear whiteface -- *ESPECIALLY* if they would be so bothered by the reverse situation. if you KNOW you would be bothered by someone doing it to you, why would you do it to someone else? it's just common sense!

[valkyrie]

Originally posted by ADPiZXalum
Oh I'm sorry what were you saying? I have no doubt that people have done that to you. FINE..........My point is don't freaking think that just because I'm white racism hasn't happened to me. Just because you're black doesn't mean you are the only one it has happened to. If people calling you a stupid black girl is racist, how is people calling me a stupid white girl NOT racist? Because there are more white people in power in the US? GIVE ME A BREAK! THAT IS THE DUMBEST THING I"VE EVER HEARD.

Why the anger?

As a white person, I can tell you that I have never experienced anything close to racism. Even if a black person called me a stupid white girl -- it would make no difference. There is nothing a black person can say or do to me to change the fact that, as a white person, I'm in a powerful position in this country.

If you think that racism isn't rampant in our society, you're incorrect. Believe me, I saw it first hand EVERY SINGLE DAY while working as a public defender in a conservative, predominantly white county. People doing nothing wrong get pulled over while driving because they're black. People standing outside their own apartments smoking cigarettes and minding their own business get harassed by the police because they're black. Innocent kids get followed around in stores by security guards and accused of things they didn't do because they're black. I'd be willing to bet a big wad of cash and my entire handbag collection that none of those things will EVER happen to you or me.

Yes, what happened in the past is the past, but nobody just gets over it. If you're in an abusive relationship for years and one day get out, you're not just over it -- what you've experienced shapes who you are and who you become. If your mom was in an abusive relationship for years, chances are that becomes part of how you are raised and how your view of the world is shaped.

What I want to know is how do we make it better?

[Senusret I]

Originally posted by valkyrie

Yes, what happened in the past is the past, but nobody just gets over it. If you're in an abusive relationship for years and one day get out, you're not just over it -- what you've experienced shapes who you are and who you become. If your mom was in an abusive relationship for years, chances are that becomes part of how you are raised and how your view of the world is shaped.

First of all, I heart valkyrie.

I want to add that events or series of events don't even have to happen in YOUR life's past for it to be relevant. I think the collective history of a people is just as important. I will never understand the holocaust, but I will always be sympathetic to it and the fact that there are issues to this very day that American Jews have to deal with as a result of the legacy of the holocaust.

The legacy of slavery also has left deep wounds on African Americans.....too numerous to list here.

I really thought this thread would end after the first post.

I'm not arguing that racism is not a problem. Of course it is. I'm not arguing the fact that she probably has run into many incidents of it herself. I'm arguing that it is a two sided street whether the African American population wants to believe it or not. Of course they are not going to see it the same way as I do. And no I won't see it the same way as they do. Living in a town that was 97% Hispanic, I guarantee you that people were racist towards me. That was a horrible experience for me. The anger comes from someone saying that because I'm not black and because "my ancestors didn't help build this country against their will" I couldn't possibly understand or have experienced racism. It is a problem that runs rampant through this country. NO doubt..........but it's not just whites against blacks. It is true that I've never been followed in a store or pulled over bc of my race or looked at like I was going to steal something. TRUE...........BUT I have experienced someone being racist towards me. I did go home crying at least 3 times a week for 4 years until finally I was transfered to another school. That's my point. If I knew the solution, I'd be the first to offer a solution. I'm sure I sound like a racist biggot myself but that couldn't be farther from the truth. I really think I'm through discussing this issue, it's making me sick to my stomach.
Thank you for your input Valkyrie. I'm sorry that I've come across as angry, but I hope my point is understood as much as hers is.

[Senusret I]

Originally posted by ADPiZXalum
I really think I'm through discussing this issue, it's making me sick to my stomach.

Oh, but you're not....everybody says that but so few actually follow through.

[BetteDavisEyes]

Me thinks that some people don't understand the difference between racism & discrimination. They are two distinct things.
Racism is based on your ethnicity.

Discrimination is based on your gender, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, etc.

[Taualumna]

Originally posted by jubilance1922
You said the magic word: Asians in ASIA. I would think in their own country they would hold the power.

You didn't read my entire post.

[angelove]

The face-painting subject was beaten to death in another thread, which now I can't find. The point is, in light of the historical negativity of blackface, any type of facepainting - whether blackface, whiteface, fuschiaface, or whatever - is offensive and unnecessary for costumes. If you're dressing up as the Supremes, you don't need to paint your skin - the big wigs, sequined gowns, and singing "Stop in the Name of Love" will enable others to figure out the costume. The guy at UVA could have done his preppy/WASP costume nicely with just the upturned polo collar and the other accoutrements (in fact, it might have been more ironic without the white paint). As one poster in the previous thread pointed out, her Halloween costume with the tall blue wig, green dress, and giant pearls was enough - she didn't have to paint herself yellow to be recognized as Marge Simpson. Leave off the paint so we can concentrate the race dialogue on more productive topics.