Racism In America

[Actor87]

Okay, well I am officially cleansing my hands of the subject at hand. Getting a little too heated in here for my tastes and I'd prefer if I stay on good terms with everyone engrossed in this simmering debate.

[Danni]

Actually save Def Jam and Bad Boy, most of those "Black-owned" labels are under a parent entertainment enterprise.

If you want to understand it, the first thing is to stop being defensive about it and actually pay attention to what's been said. It's a fact that white people will not experience racism to the extent that POC have, not when the inherit nature of racism is to ensure that white people remain superior to POC. If you want some text regarding the issue, I'll be more than happy to provide some.

[Bree]

Some of the stuff that comes out of your mouth Danni is complete and utter BS, especially that statement about voting for black people intentionally and it being some underlying racism. Where do you come up with this stupid, stupid, STUPID crap? You need a HUGE reality check.

[KBT]

Danni, in case you have forgotten there are only 12-13% black people in this country so obviously there are going to be more white people in college. I know for a fact there are more black people in college than Mexicans and Mexicans are now the number 1 minority in this country, not the blacks. So with your reasoning, the blacks must have some conspiracy theory to keep Mexicans out of college.

How in the H.E.L.L. am I trying to show how un-racist I am by voting for a black man? What kind of logic is that, its obvious you have already made up your mind about white people. To you all whites are all 100% racist. You need to check yourself because you are sounding like a fool. I simply voted for Ford because I felt he was the better person for the open Senate seat not Corker. You are the one who has hatred for how blacks are treated and I am sorry you have been mistreated somewhere down the line, but not all white people hate blacks, get real!

I will not back down from anyone, so this discussion could go on for years.

Amen sista Bree, wouldn't want Danni to think I was a racist for calling you a sista!

[Marilyn_M]

Thats great that use have taken the time to study black history. I applaud you for that but I don't think its right to go on a tryant like this. Some of the accusations you have made in this thread have been ridiculous to say the least. How is this country suppose to get any better when attititudes like yours help hold us back? You are not doing anyone any favors by spouting off at the mouth. If you took a good look at history, not every white person was a slave owner. Not everyone treated blacks as property. True, when this country first got started, slavery was a big issue and it didn't get resolved for some several hundred years later. If you took a look at the history, you will see it was not just all whites who were racists. That is just a slap in the face to all the Reformers and abolishionists who risked their lives to help end such a nasty part in history. Give them their due respect.

Do you know this person personally? Do you know how they conduct themselves everyday in life? Who are you to call someone out their name? All I see here are a bunch of assumptions, and we know what assuming does. You are doing no one favors in this argument. They could very well have wanted a black man represented as senator. We don't know if they are out to "prove a point" of whether they are racist or not. If we want this country to get any better, attitudes have got to change. With your way of thinking, I feel you are holding us back and never break the chains. You gotta get off the "down with the man" train some point. Things are not perfect now, but they are a hell of a lot better than what they once were. And it can only get better from here if people make the effort.

[Danni]

If you'd take the time to do the research, you'd know very well that everything that I've said is true. You want to know where I come up with this "crap"? Tim Wise, Michael Eric Dyson, bell hooks, Beverly Daniel Tatum, Cornel West, Pauli Murray, Thomas Holt and Elsa Barkley Brown. Do you think all of them are full of crap? Bree, methinks it's you who needs the reality check. Contrary to what you may think, Bill Cosby is not the end all and be all of what black folk should do and 99% of the time he's wrong! He doesn't even take institutionalized racism into account.

I will say this, if you have to go out of your way to try to prove how un-racist you are, there are some lingering issues going on with race. If you aren't racist, then you don't have to go out of your way to prove it. You're not going to win any sort of brownie points or get the magical stamp of approval. What matters more is that when it comes to racial issues, it's important to just listen and be open to what's being said when it comes to racial issues. Stop victim-blaming. It's not my fault that the system exists. I'm merely stating that the system exists. If you don't like hearing it, then I don't know what to tell you. It doesn't change the fact that it's there.

There are white people who are aware of white privilege and actively work to eliminate racism. Unfortunately, the amount is rather small because quite frankly people don't care enough. It will not affect them, nor do they have an incentive to do so. It's easier to stick fingers in your ears and deny it than to actually face the possibility that maybe it's true.

Based on the definition I maintain of racism, only white people can be racists, and you really won't change my mind on that. Also, you can talk about slavery ending, but were things peachy then? Were black people instantly given the opportunities they lacked back then? Of course not. We had Jim Crow laws, and abolishionists weren't exactly rushing to have those repealed. We had segregation and lynching, and it took Emmitt Till's death to jumpstart the Civil Rights Movement. We've made huge strides since then, but is it enough? Not even close. We're nowhere near equaling the playing field. We're just as segregated now as we were back in the 50s. There is only ONE black senator in Congress. That's not just mere coincidences.

On that note, I'll give you a link to some essays that I hope you take the time to read. http://www.counterpunch.org/wise04242006.html

http://www.lipmagazine.org/~timwise/rationalirrational.html

[Q Steph]

Re: Artists/Black Portrayal

I'm torn between agreeing with Dani and Bree once again.

It is true that the conglomerates which own the black labels are comprimsed of whites. They weild ocnsiderable influence and often interject their own stereotypes. However, many walls have beenbroken down and the rising black stars have banaoned their principles for cashmoney. BET sold out and began to profeer itself to the lowest common denominator by creating an auidence for the salaciousness of black women being sexually exploited and degraded in these thugged out videos which depict violence as the only means by which to escape ghetto life. At a certain point, that continual perpetuation of negatives is not white media fed. It's black people pushing that disturbing image down the throats of a pulic in a bid to remove the impurities of such stigmas but the reverse psycholgy has backfired.

We may endorse the word "nigga" amd embrace the language of "ebonics" as some sense of empowerment, but I believe, that is an erroneous danger to pander to such demeaning examples of Black life.We're not all ignorant, uneducated gang bangers who only live for the next rock and bling.

The most recent example has been Flavor Flav. On some level, this man has to know he is being made a mockery of. His show is funny as hell but I'm laughing at him---not with him. He has placed monetary value over his pride. Whereas the John Legend's and Alicia key's are holding onto their self worth without sacrificing intregity and dignity.

Therefore, it is a fair accessment to declare that rappers are engaging in binding consents with those who sign their checks to parade their sorry asses like clowns.

However, beyond the rap videos and their glamorized thug livin, there does exist an inherent disperency on network television to mainstream minorities. UPN( Under Paid Negro's) existed for a while as a platform but it was recently folded to form the CW network. It's a sad reality that so few actors of color are afforded similar opportunities to break into the business because racism is like the unspoken secret. The actors are only casted for certian beahvioral motivated roles such as ho #1, drug dealer, often of little substenance. It's not just blacks, but other minprites who have not enjoyed equal integration and coverage of their peers because the genre has not truly developed beyond their skin.

I would like for there to be better represenation of all aspects of black life and not simply the conventional or politically correct minded, sanitized NACCP sponsered definement. he race should not be pigeonholed to standards set that are too extrme on either side; it creates a slippery slope of disappointment and ultimately, stalled progress.

The wheel needs to be reinvented because it's stuck. There is an institution in place to uphold barriers, but once they've been mounted, the favor should be returned. It can't just be a monopoly on Halle, Tiger, Beyonce and Flavor Flav as to what being "black" is all about. It's a human thing. The same as any other person who bleeds red.

I hope I made some sense .

I've also got my two cents on the college aspect. I'll touch on that later.

[DruRocks]

Steph gets the Applause Applause this week! I agree with every word.

BTW nice to see you back posting.

[Q Steph]

Thanks, Dru Rocks.

I've got an update I just learned about. There is a Supreme Court case contesting the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka decision, which, if overturned, will re-legalize segregation and re-institute "separate-but-equal" standards.

Protestors:

[Danni]

Michigan also passed a bill that will impose heaving restrictions on affirmative action, and honestly it's the worst thing that's could've happened. It will definitely spark a dangerous trend.

Let's not forget just a couple of months ago a city in Kansas wanted to separate school districts based on race.

[Actor87]

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The silence is so eerie. Like the calm before the storm...

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[Toadstool]

Regardless of what you all might think of Danni's opinions and conclusions, she's got it all over you facts wise. I can't believe someone was stupid enough to say slavery ended 400 years ago. You know who you are and you should be ashamed of yourself for such ignorance. I won't mention names but I am very disappointed. And don't go the "it was a typo" route. You want a history lesson? Listen to Danni. She knows what she's talking about. Like I said you don't have to draw the same conclusions but only an idiot would argue with her FACTS.

And yes, in sociological terms , the "ism" or "ist" in "racism" or "racist" is something that belongs to the class in power. Underclasses and minorities can be racially bigoted or prejudiced but the "ist", in its purest terms, applies only to the ruling race or class. Danni does her homework.

Democracy is not only about majority ruling; it should be about the elected officials taking care of all their constituents, even the ones who did not vote in their favour. Yes, I know the USA is a republic and not a pure democracy but the ideology is there just the same, or it should be. Or listen to Danni.

I didn't get it until I started a life with a person of a different race.

[Bree]

That was me who made that slavery remark and I am NOT stupid or ignorant. Many of us are sick and tired of Danni playing the poor victim and crying racism everytime someone has a different opinion of her. She needs to grow up, stop playing the race card, and instead of whining on a message board about how everyone is racist, get up off of her butt and DO SOMETHING, if she's so pissed off. And if she is 18 and over and didn't vote on Tuesday, then she has NO EXCUSE to b!tch.

Thread CLOSED.