[quote name='"rememberlove"']I'm black. I grew up in one of the most diverse cities in the us (oakland) in a mixed neighborhood. I played baseball deep in the ghetto from 5-16 and I went to a private grade school for nine years where I was the only black boy in my grade of 40. For those of you wondering why people get so worked up about something as simple as a collection of letters, it's because of the history of the word. For centuries it was used by European slave owners to refer to their African slaves. "Those ******s belong to me" is something you might've heard back then. Moving on to the civil rights era, ****** was used by those who opposed integration to dehumanize blacks and harken back to slavery times. So, for many black people, the word represents centuries of oppression, and to continue using it seems to show a lack of appreciation for the progress blacks have made in this country - an insult to our black ancestors and forefathers who made huge sacrifices to benefit future generations.[/quote] Yeah so I could see being upset if you lived during those times.. but if you didn't... then why? Like another member said, taking offense or instantly relating it to the negative history will never make for progression. And progressing past the point of letting that word hold power is moving past racism in ways. Only a bit, I admit, bit still. But at the same time I do know a lot of people who believe what you do. What gets me however is that out of those people, 99% of them only feels that way if a white person says it. If a black person says it it somehow doesn't reference those bad times. But if a white person says it its a trip down history lane. I always thought that contradicted the entire argument and sorta took it's credit away. I'm not saying you're like that at all, I'm just rambling haha
[quote name='"ssblind"']The only people I know that talk like that are teenagers/high school drop outs. Dave Chappelle - Black White Supremacist KKK - YouTube[/quote] If anyone is gonna fuck my sister it's gonna be me!!
[quote name='"bayness"'] If anyone is gonna fuck my sister it's gonna be me!![/quote] Hahaha that's one the best quotes from that show
[quote name='"Mogwai"'] Yeah so I could see being upset if you lived during those times.. but if you didn't... then why? Like another member said, taking offense or instantly relating it to the negative history will never make for progression. And progressing past the point of letting that word hold power is moving past racism in ways. Only a bit, I admit, bit still. But at the same time I do know a lot of people who believe what you do. What gets me however is that out of those people, 99% of them only feels that way if a white person says it. If a black person says it it somehow doesn't reference those bad times. But if a white person says it its a trip down history lane. I always thought that contradicted the entire argument and sorta took it's credit away. I'm not saying you're like that at all, I'm just rambling haha[/quote] shit that's why I wrote the second post. I donno why I broke it up. I guess you wrote this while I was writing or something. anyways I think I answered most of your questions there.
It's 2012 who gives a fuck if someone says it. They're just words. We have to move on and forget and turn it into a positive. Based god taught me that
Thing is, mistreatment of blacks in America (And worldwide) is just as bad today as it was back when the Klan was lynching folks. Rockefeller World Population Council, International Planned Parenthood Federation, the war on drugs... These are not past events.
also mogwai, it took me a really long time to formulate these views. when I was young I didn't care about it at all. I felt fine when the Mexican and white kids from my baseball team used the n word, and I used it a SHITLOAD myself. I went to boarding school for high school, and my best white friends asked if they could call me the n word. I didn't mind because they weren't using it to demean me. and I would call them cracka and whatnot. but during my senior year another black kid moved into my dorm and after several hundred high conversations he and I decided to stop using the word (mainly for the reasons in my earlier post). thanks for being curious though, I really appreciate it and this thread as a whole. hopefully we can all learn something
[quote name='"LeftHandLead"'] Thing is, mistreatment of blacks in America (And worldwide) is just as bad today as it was back when the Klan was lynching folks. Rockefeller World Population Council, International Planned Parenthood Federation, the war on drugs... These are not past events.[/quote] Mistreatment of blacks and other minorities is still a problem in our country no doubt. But you'd really say its the same? I think we've come a long way. We still have a long way to go, but progress is definitely being made I think. I wouldn't say its a worldwide problem either. I mean, it is. But it is for every race in some parts. There are parts of the world you don't want to be if you're white, black, or any other skin tone/style. Its a fairly equal problem... not completely equal, but enough that I wouldn't say any race has it good globally. I don't even want to guess how long it'll be before that smooths out though. Some countries are gonna have extreme racial issue for many generations to come I think
Not the same, worse, because the type of racism that's being practiced today is institutional.. It's lulling a lot of blacks who are not politically aware to sleep... Into a false sense of comfort in a system which is actively trying to exterminate you. What do blacks OWN that shows true progress?
[quote name='"Mogwai"'] Mistreatment of blacks and other minorities is still a problem in our country no doubt. But you'd really say its the same? I think we've come a long way. We still have a long way to go, but progress is definitely being made I think. I wouldn't say its a worldwide problem either. I mean, it is. But it is for every race in some parts. There are parts of the world you don't want to be if you're white, black, or any other skin tone/style. Its a fairly equal problem... not completely equal, but enough that I wouldn't say any race has it good globally. I don't even want to guess how long it'll be before that smooths out though. Some countries are gonna have extreme racial issue for many generations to come I think[/quote] it's definitely not the same. I had a white girlfriend in high school and nobody lynched me. Scandinavian countries come the closest to being racial utopias. there's very little cultural or institutional discrimination. in Sweden you are just a human being.
[quote name='"LeftHandLead"'] Not the same, worse, because the type of racism that's being practiced today is institutional.. It's lulling a lot of blacks who are not politically aware to sleep... Into a false sense of comfort in a system which is actively trying to exterminate you. What do blacks OWN that shows true progress?[/quote] Barack Obama is president. I think that counts for something, even if only symbolically. Plenty of black kids in ghettos everywhere who thought their only way out was basketball rapping or slanging dope now at least have someone to look up to and actually believe they can 'make it'. I agree that institutionalized racism is a problem but i think most black Americans have absolutely no idea how good they have it. we are pretty much the only country in the world with a black middle class. in almost every other country blacks have emigrated to, if you're black, you're poor.
[quote name='"rememberlove"']also mogwai, it took me a really long time to formulate these views. when I was young I didn't care about it at all. I felt fine when the Mexican and white kids from my baseball team used the n word, and I used it a SHITLOAD myself. I went to boarding school for high school, and my best white friends asked if they could call me the n word. I didn't mind because they weren't using it to demean me. and I would call them cracka and whatnot. but during my senior year another black kid moved into my dorm and after several hundred high conversations he and I decided to stop using the word (mainly for the reasons in my earlier post). thanks for being curious though, I really appreciate it and this thread as a whole. hopefully we can all learn something[/quote] Yeah man its something I'm really curious about. Like I said I don't understand it all. But then again I'm a white American so how could I really understand it? I can't relate at all so what's my opinion really worth? Racism does really bother me though. It's among the most defining things of ignorance in humanity and that really holds us back. Maybe I'm optimistic though but I feel like its dying out. Then again I think racism will always exist. I don't fuckin' know. I think things will only get better for black people in America though. I personally think we're progressing in that sense, but I'm also bothered because I feel like its being replaced. Middle eastern looking (and I say "looking" because most people are too ignorant to see/question a difference between looks and origin) people are replacing the black people. And its total bullshit. The thing is now is that racism has become taboo and people hate to admit it, whereas a generation or two back people were proud to admit it. I don't know how race issue will work out in the US, but I'm really interested. Like I said though I think the heat, if you will, will be lifted from black people and shifted elsewhere
[quote name='"LeftHandLead"'] Not the same, worse, because the type of racism that's being practiced today is institutional.. It's lulling a lot of blacks who are not politically aware to sleep... Into a false sense of comfort in a system which is actively trying to exterminate you. What do blacks OWN that shows true progress?[/quote] I don't know what you mean by "own". I do know that black people dominate certain markets, if that's what you're getting at. But I may be off because I don't understand what you're getting at Like I said in an above post. People used to be proud to admit hatred towards people of dark skin. Now they're mostly ashamed and its considered taboo largely. That's not progress? Its slow progress.. but slow progress means consistent progress. I know its only worth so much in these days, and life is too short to really see the progress of humanity on issue like this. But I really think things are getting better
It's a false image, do you know how many Africans NATO has killed since Gaddafi was assassinated? FEMA? No president should be looked at as a sign of progression IMO... Because the conditions haven't changed. ^^ Do you know what that picture means?
[quote name='"Mogwai"'] Yeah man its something I'm really curious about. Like I said I don't understand it all. But then again I'm a white American so how could I really understand it? I can't relate at all so what's my opinion really worth? Racism does really bother me though. It's among the most defining things of ignorance in humanity and that really holds us back. Maybe I'm optimistic though but I feel like its dying out. Then again I think racism will always exist. I don't fuckin' know. I think things will only get better for black people in America though. I personally think we're progressing in that sense, but I'm also bothered because I feel like its being replaced. Middle eastern looking (and I say "looking" because most people are too ignorant to see/question a difference between looks and origin) people are replacing the black people. And its total bullshit. The thing is now is that racism has become taboo and people hate to admit it, whereas a generation or two back people were sometimes proud to admit it. I don't know how race issue will work out in the US, but I'm really interested. Like I said though I think the heat, if you will, will be lifted from black people and shifted elsewhere[/quote] I'm definitely on board with your optimism. I feel like today more than ever, for the majority of americans, people see each other as people first and race doesn't matter. that's why we have so many interracial couples nowadays. who cares what the outside looks like when the inside is beautiful?!? I was lucky enough to go to a diverse high school and college, and my close friends are from all over the world. we look different and come from different cultures, but we have our humanity in common. and I firmly believe that smoking a joint and chatting is one of the best ways to discover that common humanity - to exercise our empathy.
Own as in, what can blacks claim as theirs? Hip hop? Sports? No... Blacks don't even own the NAACP, Rockefeller's do.
I agree with your observations about middle eastern looking people. I have medium brown skin and straight hair (had white ancestors back in the day I suppose) and I'm often mistaken for southeast Asian/south American/middle eastern. when I have a full beard though, I almost always get 'randomly' secondary screened at airport security.
Racism for blacks has gotten significantly better the last twenty years and continues to speed up, but like another poster said something else will replace that. People will always need something to be prejudice about and it's down right depressing.
[quote name='"LeftHandLead"'] It's a false image, do you know how many Africans NATO has killed since Gaddafi was assassinated? FEMA? No president should be looked at as a sign of progression IMO... Because the conditions haven't changed. ^^ Do you know what that picture means?[/quote] What? Its fucking America. We still (by a thread) lead the world in many ways. You can imply us having a black president doesn't mean anything, but I think it speaks volumes. I understand sometimes things are shallow and sometimes people are put places because of their image alone. And Obama might be such a person. But if that's so its not because he's black but because of his charisma. He's not the first charismatic black guy, though.. He's symbolic, no doubt. I fuckin' hate the guy but I still think he serves as a legitimate instance. I also think a lot of people will refuse to acknowledge that because they hate the government in all ways, and everything within is a trick of some sort to play the masses.
And I'm saying, how does Obama represent black progression, when the same problems are effecting blacks? Economic chokes on predominately black neighborhoods are still alive and well, leading to gentrification... I posted that picture for a reason and see no one answered me. Do you know what planned parenthood represents in black communities?