The OFFICIAL Anti-Racism Thread

[breathesgelatin]

Ok, so a few events recently (on GC and out) have gotten me really annoyed at people who continue to display racist attitudes. To them, I say, get a life and move into the 21st century.

It really bugs me when Greeks at my school or Greeks that I talk to on GC present a racist attitude. It fact, it makes me sick. I want to start this thread so anyone can post about racist stuff that has happened to them or that has happened in the Greek community, or just to affirm his/her/their chapter's anti-racist stance. I searched and couldn't find another thread like it so I hope this is not a duplicate. But what better way to end racist party themes, racist costumes, and racist attitudes than GC??

Some things that bug me:

A pledge from my school telling me, "I looked for the least diverse school possible because I knew it would be the best one"

Some fraternity brothers showing up at the Co-op at my school on Halloween of 2001 wearing blackface. When they were confronted by some black women they RAN. Cowards.

Threads or posts on GC that seem to support racism.

[librasoul22]

Originally posted by breathesgelatin
Some fraternity brothers showing up at the Co-op at my school on Halloween of 2001 wearing blackface. When they were confronted by some black women they RAN. Cowards.

That's ironic. I came across the same thing at a Halloween party I went to. A guy was dressed up as a graduate from an HBCU in town. He had on a graduation gown, kente cloth, and had full blackface. He spoke in "ebonics" the entire party. I mean, is this even necessary? I would have been able to get his costume if he simply wore the gown. I taped myself cursing him out. Good times.

[starang21]

Originally posted by librasoul22
That's ironic. I came across the same thing at a Halloween party I went to. A guy was dressed up as a graduate from an HBCU in town. He had on a graduation gown, kente cloth, and had full blackface. He spoke in "ebonics" the entire party. I mean, is this even necessary? I would have been able to get his costume if he simply wore the gown. I taped myself cursing him out. Good times.

i'd have beaten that ass. you'd be surprised at how racist people really are when they think they're safe.

[nucutiepie]

Northwestern has had several hate crimes in the past week - its awful. A swastika was carved into a friend's door last night. It's really just unconscionable... beyond the fact that he is the sweetest person I know, I honestly thought this was a school that celebrated its cultural diversity... guess I was wrong

Clearly this is an issue that has been at the forefront of my mind lately - one of my best friends and I stayed up until 4 AM discussing this last night

[KSig RC]

I hate to break it to ya, guys, but it's not just issues of race . . . people (especially of college-age) suck in general.

I just spent 4 hours trying to get people to give their pocket change for a children's cancer fund - they'd rather shoot you a sidelong glance than give a freaking quarter to help a kid. It's unconscionable. If you can't possibly give a dollar, then no worries - but if you won't, perhaps there are other issues . . . and if you value that 43 cents in your pocket that much, you have some huge problems.

I think it's a by-product of the latent small-mindedness we foster up until (and including) college age - all you know is what is immediately around you. We shelter our kids in carefully constructed suburban communities, or create schools based primarily of one race or another - especially with white kids, few are put into positions where interaction with anything other than their exact socioeconomic group is required. Then it becomes easy to think of a group of people as being inferior, or lose any compassion for those less fortunate, because you have no immediate involvement or investure with them. In the case of these kids we're raising money for, they become a nuisence, something you read about and feel glad you're not. In the case of race, it becomes a sort of cartoon, a stereotype of a stereotype of an entire population of diverse people.

We're not talking about ethnic jokes here - it's an attitude, nay a culture, that promulgates actual abasement based on race, etc, WITHOUT EVEN THINKING ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OR RATIONALE BEHIND IT. It's simply surreal.

(yeah I'm pretty hot about this philanthropy thing . . . )

[breathesgelatin]

Originally posted by KSig RC

I think it's a by-product of the latent small-mindedness we foster up until (and including) college age - all you know is what is immediately around you. We shelter our kids in carefully constructed suburban communities, or create schools based primarily of one race or another - especially with white kids, few are put into positions where interaction with anything other than their exact socioeconomic group is required. Then it becomes easy to think of a group of people as being inferior, or lose any compassion for those less fortunate, because you have no immediate involvement or investure with them. In the case of these kids we're raising money for, they become a nuisence, something you read about and feel glad you're not. In the case of race, it becomes a sort of cartoon, a stereotype of a stereotype of an entire population of diverse people.

We're not talking about ethnic jokes here - it's an attitude, nay a culture, that promulgates actual abasement based on race, etc, WITHOUT EVEN THINKING ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OR RATIONALE BEHIND IT. It's simply surreal.

(yeah I'm pretty hot about this philanthropy thing . . . )

No joke!!! I grew up in a very diverse and non-suburban school with lots of whites, blacks, Asians, and Latino/as. If people have honestly mixed with a lot of different types of people their whole lives it is SO much less likely they will grow up to be self-satisfied suburban jerks. I get fired up about this too....

[NinjaPoodle]

Originally posted by breathesgelatin
Ok, so a few events recently (on GC and out) have gotten me really annoyed at people who continue to display racist attitudes. To them, I say, get a life and move into the 21st century.

It really bugs me when Greeks at my school or Greeks that I talk to on GC present a racist attitude. It fact, it makes me sick. I want to start this thread so anyone can post about racist stuff that has happened to them or that has happened in the Greek community, or just to affirm his/her/their chapter's anti-racist stance. I searched and couldn't find another thread like it so I hope this is not a duplicate. But what better way to end racist party themes, racist costumes, and racist attitudes than GC??

Some things that bug me:

A pledge from my school telling me, "I looked for the least diverse school possible because I knew it would be the best one"

Some fraternity brothers showing up at the Co-op at my school on Halloween of 2001 wearing blackface. When they were confronted by some black women they RAN. Cowards.

Threads or posts on GC that seem to support racism.

Thanks for starting this thread. i appreciate your heart.

This didn't happen to me but my friend and I was there. Years ago, my best friend married a Navy guy and had to move to Norfolk VA. She's German and Persian and her hubby is Af-American. Some time later their daughter was born and I was finally able to visit them. One day, we went to the mall near her home. It was Katy (my friend), her daughter Alex, Katy's other friend Stacy and Stacy's daughter, Kelsey. The two kids were the same age, 3. We go to this mall and we come to a jewlery store and both mom's want to have a look so we all go in. By the way, so you can visualize, Katy is caucasain, Alex is mulatto (1/2 black 1/2 white), Stacy is caucasian and so is Kelsey, and I'm Af-American. We walk by one of the counters and this older caucasian woman is behind it. This woman, looks at Alex, then Kelsey, then makes a comment "Oh what a cute little girl!" only in the direction of Kelsey.Then she looked back in the direction of Alex and just made a smirk on her face. Both kids are cute as a button. I looked directly at that woman and under my breath I said " You f****** bitch! How dare you do that to CHILDREN!" I'm sure she heard me because she looked up very startled. I walked out of the store. This happened over 10 years ago and I remember it like it wasa yesterday. People like that are just sad...

[NinjaPoodle]

sorry for the duplicate*

[KSigkid]

Originally posted by KSig RC
I hate to break it to ya, guys, but it's not just issues of race . . . people (especially of college-age) suck in general.

I just spent 4 hours trying to get people to give their pocket change for a children's cancer fund - they'd rather shoot you a sidelong glance than give a freaking quarter to help a kid. It's unconscionable. If you can't possibly give a dollar, then no worries - but if you won't, perhaps there are other issues . . . and if you value that 43 cents in your pocket that much, you have some huge problems.

I think it's a by-product of the latent small-mindedness we foster up until (and including) college age - all you know is what is immediately around you. We shelter our kids in carefully constructed suburban communities, or create schools based primarily of one race or another - especially with white kids, few are put into positions where interaction with anything other than their exact socioeconomic group is required. Then it becomes easy to think of a group of people as being inferior, or lose any compassion for those less fortunate, because you have no immediate involvement or investure with them. In the case of these kids we're raising money for, they become a nuisence, something you read about and feel glad you're not. In the case of race, it becomes a sort of cartoon, a stereotype of a stereotype of an entire population of diverse people.

We're not talking about ethnic jokes here - it's an attitude, nay a culture, that promulgates actual abasement based on race, etc, WITHOUT EVEN THINKING ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OR RATIONALE BEHIND IT. It's simply surreal.

(yeah I'm pretty hot about this philanthropy thing . . . )

The scary thing about this is it keeps going in a cycle...remarkably few people try to go beyond the sheltered parts of their lives, and the cycle continues.

It gets to the point sometimes where I wish whenever someone makes a comment/decision, they can be faced with those affected by the comments/decisions.

It's just a scary world when people look at you as if you have six arms when you're trying to collect for charity.

[damasa]

Originally posted by KSig RC
I hate to break it to ya, guys, but it's not just issues of race . . . people (especially of college-age) suck in general.

I just spent 4 hours trying to get people to give their pocket change for a children's cancer fund - they'd rather shoot you a sidelong glance than give a freaking quarter to help a kid. It's unconscionable. If you can't possibly give a dollar, then no worries - but if you won't, perhaps there are other issues . . . and if you value that 43 cents in your pocket that much, you have some huge problems.

I think it's a by-product of the latent small-mindedness we foster up until (and including) college age - all you know is what is immediately around you. We shelter our kids in carefully constructed suburban communities, or create schools based primarily of one race or another - especially with white kids, few are put into positions where interaction with anything other than their exact socioeconomic group is required. Then it becomes easy to think of a group of people as being inferior, or lose any compassion for those less fortunate, because you have no immediate involvement or investure with them. In the case of these kids we're raising money for, they become a nuisence, something you read about and feel glad you're not. In the case of race, it becomes a sort of cartoon, a stereotype of a stereotype of an entire population of diverse people.

We're not talking about ethnic jokes here - it's an attitude, nay a culture, that promulgates actual abasement based on race, etc, WITHOUT EVEN THINKING ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES OR RATIONALE BEHIND IT. It's simply surreal.

(yeah I'm pretty hot about this philanthropy thing . . . )

Sadly, for many people that have been sheltered in some way or another, it takes a major impact on their personal life before they can think or view things outside of the "box" they've created. I.E. a college kid that didn't think to look twice at you while collecting money for children with cancer. But what if his little brother/sister or himself was suddenly diagnosed (I wouldn't wish that upon anyone). But it really is sad and it pisses me off that it would take something like that to change the way some people think or view things......

[Eirene_DGP]

I dont know if any of you work with the public...But I hate it when people come into the store I work in and throw their money at me or throw whatever they are going to buy on the counter for me to ring it up....WTF???? Is this normal behavior? I noticed that a lot of white people put the money on the counter for me to pick up as if they are afraid that I will touch them... I just play along and put their change right back on the counter after they pay.

[navane]

Originally posted by Eirene_DGP
I dont know if any of you work with the public...But I hate it when people come into the store I work in and throw their money at me or throw whatever they are going to buy on the counter for me to ring it up....WTF???? Is this normal behavior?

Eh? I'm not sure I follow you. If I'm carrying an armload of goods, and I walk up to the counter, what do you suggest I do? Shall I put them on the counter to be rung up or should I hold the items in my arms indefinitely? I mean, last time I checked, that's what a cashier's job is - to ring up goods and put them in a bag.

I suspect that you might really be objecting to a lack of eye contact. You know, people who sort of "throw" items down as you call it and then stare off into space or at the magazine rack or something. In this sense they are not acknowledging you as a person but rather a robot who collects money.

I for one always make it a point to say "hello" as I walk up and "thank you" when receiving my change.

I noticed that a lot of white people put the money on the counter for me to pick up as if they are afraid that I will touch them... I just play along and put their change right back on the counter after they pay.

WOAH. Now you've really lost me. How in the world does a "white person" putting money on the counter translate as "they're afraid that I will touch them"???

I'm white and I generally hand the money directly to the cashier. Though I sometimes put it on the counter. Why? I'm pretty swift, you know. While my items are being rung up I'm already getting my money out. Sometimes the cashier announces the total and I think s/he is about to take the money and I try to hand it over. All of a sudden, they decide to start bagging the goods or changing the roll of receipt paper. So, instead of holding it up, I just put the money down on the counter. Sometimes I have to put the money down on the counter in order to help put the bags into my cart. I mean, there are many reasons why I might put the money down on the counter. Though, when there's no delay, I just hand it to the person at the till - I am not afraid to touch other people.

I suppose you may have a valid complaint if you live in a particularly "racist" (?) area and people really are afraid to touch you (should I assume that you are non-white?). Though, I really don't get how this is an example of a racism experience.

.....Kelly

[VirtuousErudite]

[i]Originally posted by navane [/i

I suppose you may have a valid complaint if you live in a particularly "racist" (?) area and people really are afraid to touch you (should I assume that you are non-white?). Though, I really don't get how this is an example of a racism experience.

.....Kelly [/B]

You would be surprised. This happens quite frequently. Many older whites will place money on the counter instead of handing it to you in your hand even when you are specifically holding your hand out for the money. It's happened to me before and other friends of color (not just AA) who happen to be working at a cash register. Also not so many years ago during the days of segregated restaurants/stores blacks HAD to place their money on the counter and whites in turn placed the change back on the counter because white employees refused to touch their hands. Just as a side note it's funny how some common experiences have obvious racial overtones for blacks and miniorities but whites just "don't get how this is an example of a racism experience". I guess it's all about perception and experience.

[sugar and spice]

I think there is a definite difference between the deliberate ignoring of an outstretched hand and the customer just plunking change down because the cashier is busy ringing things up or bagging them or whatever. I do this all the time and it has nothing to do with the cashier. And obviously throwing money is an entirely different story -- how weird. And rude.

This is a really good idea for a thread, by the way.

[navane]

Hi everyone,

I want to tread very carefully and gently here. Please respect that I am asking an honest question.

Is it possible to be insensitive to white people?

It seems like this is hardly ever acknowledged because the prevailing sentiment is that "the majority [white people] have oppressed the minority [everyone else]." Therefore, it's as if it's not acknowledged that the opposite could be partly true.

Of course I acknowledge that white people have historically had the upper hand. Let's make sure that's clear.

Though, I find that people tend to lump all "white" people into one huge group regardless of origin.

I guess I'm asking because I once had an experience where someone did that to me and I found it discomforting.

I'm from San Diego, CA; a pretty diverse place. My high school had a large and diverse population. One day I was in English class when some students near me started a discussion about race. It was an honest discussion and very interesting. The classmate sitting next to me was a young black woman. She was passionately trying to convey how she felt regarding perceived injustices committed against her because of her race.

Basically, she said that she placed the blame squarely on "white people." I asked her to specify what she meant and she insisted that white people were the ones who kept slaves and therefore it's their fault. I asked her what she thought about the idea that slavery was abolished many years ago and that society is trying it's best to make a positive move forward towards complete equality.

She said that it didn't matter. White people started it back then and so *all* white people today are responsible. That comment really surprised me. I asked her if she would include me, a 16 year old white girl from San Diego into that group. She emphatically retorted, "Yes, YOU are white therefore YOU are responsible."

I then asked her what she thought about the idea of white people being oppressed as well. She didn't go for that concept at all as she didn't think that was possible for white people.

I then explained to her that my family came to the United States from Poland. My family is 100% Polish on both sides and I still have relatives in Poland. I shared with her the story about how the Nazis marched into my grandfather's village during WWII and went about their business of terrifying people, taking belongings and sending people off to die.

My family, which is Roman Catholic, had the best farm in the area. The Nazis decided that they wanted our house for officer's barracks. My poor probabcia (great-grandmother) had to hide her children so that they wouldn't be killed, raped, or conscripted into the German army. My grandfather remembers her being able to convince the Nazis that they were strong and they could work the farm. My grandfather, who was born in the US and grew up in Poland, was sent back to the US by the family against his wishes. He was the only one with a US birth certificate and they wanted him to leave for the US so that he wouldn't die. Eventually, my family was spared when the Russians advanced from the other side and the Nazis fled.

I told my classmate, "My great-grandmother cried and begged the Nazi officers not to kill them or take her son (my grandad's brother) into the army. So, instead they took the house, the farm and made slaves of my family who were lucky to even be spared a trip to the death camps. Do you still maintain that, my family being 'white' could never understand oppression? Am I, as a 'white' girl, still included on your list of people who are responsible for colonial American slavery?"

Everyone fell silent.

She stammered, "Well you're an exception then" and went back to her work.

My post is NOT meant to say that people from racial or ethnic minorities have no case. My classmate had valid feelings and, for the most part, expressed them in an appropriate way. Granted, we were just teenagers then, but that's not the only time in my life I've had that type of conversation, just the best example of one such occassion.

I just wanted to express that I object to all white people being lumped into the category of "the man" who has been keeping everyone down. Some groups of white people have experienced hatred as well.

To this day, it breaks my heart to see my grandfather cry when he thinks back to the days when the Nazis came to town and how badly he was treated by others when he came to America. I was lucky to not have to have experienced that. Though, believe it or not, I still get rude racist remarks about "dumb Pollacks".

It isn't fair for anyone to have to experience racism and hatred. I do feel for groups who admittedly have larger hills to climb; but some people you may not had thought of before had to climb hills too.

Thank you for allowing me to share.

.....Kelly