Q: Do you walk around seeing racial and ethnic disparities all around you? If so, how do you deal? If not, what do you see?
A: To the contrary, I don't look for racial and ethnic disparities. It's more that I notice trends. All of the questions that have been answered on my blog - others have asked me because I'm a black person. Just today, I was interested in reading up on Ghandi. This man did so much for people in India so that they can gain their independence from Great Britain. Great Britain was trying to force assimilation on their "colony" for years. Black people in South Africa were being forced to assimilate and do as their colonizers told them to do - good ol' apartheid. Then there are the Americas that were colonized - Native Americans killed, shoved into their own territories "reserved" for them and told to be thankful. What about the Japanese Internment Camps? We said, "Yo' Japs (and I'm pretty sure that was a term tossed around by the government), we're lockin' y'all the fuck up. We don't trust any one of you!" How about blacks brought here as slaves. Forced to assimilate. Look how well that's still going hundreds of years later. All of these examples are of racial issues that have developed into issues of today. And all of these issues have a common denominator... hmmm.
So how do I deal with all of this? What can you do? You just live your life the best way you know how. I love raising questions about race with my friends and having discussions. I like to hear others opinions. But I also like to have fun and joke about it. Sometimes I do wonder why other blacks take offense to certain things. Like on the episode on Oprah and they were talking about the Chris Rock documentary, "Good Hair". This black woman was up in arms that Chris Rock outed black women for paying so much for hair weaves and styles. I'm glad he outed them - not that I think it was ever a secret that women (black women in particular) wear weaves. There are some SERIOUSLY HORRIBLY DONE WEAVES out there ladies! That's a whole other story (that can be read here). Just remember, stay away from synthetic!
I have read all of comments from my post on, "Why are Black People So Loud... ?" and in some comments, people have said things like, "Just get over it and move on". That's much easier to say when you're the one who has many people agreeing with you. While things between different races and ethnicities are taking more of a global culture - I recognize (as well as many others) that there is value in having differences. Some blacks ARE loud - but not all. I laugh loud as hell but does that solely belong to black people? No. I had to stop the comments chain on this particular post because people were beginning to no longer read the actual post but being fueled by the comments that took on a life of their own.
Bottom line: There are lots of varieties of people. Lending a little humor to these topics is a fun way to just laugh at ourselves, witness the true nature of some folks = the good, the bad and the downright hateful, and also understanding that opinions are like assholes. Everyone has one. Sometimes I do see the world through rose colored glasses and sometimes I don't. Sometimes my prescription changes and I see things differently while other times I see it as most others do.
This blog is done to raise a certain level of awareness, thought, humor, interest in things people may want to know an answer. It's also a platform to share my wit, humor and whatever insight I happen to have on the subject.
A lot of times I like to think of the world as Louie Armstrong sang it.
Now, just remember to take your multivitamin. Oh and get your Vitamin D in. I've recently learned that most people are deficient. :0)
I am black -well non white at least- and lived in South Africa under Apartheid. Black people there were not "forced to assimilate" which is completely the opposite of what Apartheid was designed to do---i.e. Apart= Apart Heid = ness gives you Apart-ness.
If you don't know such a simple and well known fact, how do you expect people to read the rest of your rant or believe that you are factually correct?
Any black person half interested in racial discrimination would have known what happenned in SA. Your ignorance shows, do your homework. Oh...and its not "because you are black" that you are ignorant of the rest of world...its because you are american ;-)
Thanks for the educational moment. :0) The whole blog is tongue in cheek and I have often wondered what apartheid really meant. Now I know and knowing is half the battle. Gotta love GI Joe cartoons!. There were lots of lessons in those programs just like in a Very Special Episode of Diff'rent Strokes, Facts of Life, Gimme a Break, Blossom, etc.
Dennis, you use "humor" as a very convenient excuse to spout ignorant drivel into the vast expanses of the internet.
You say your "lens is a different prescription" and your opinions are unique to you... but it's a similar disregard for reality, fact, and self-respect that underlies some of the main pervasive problems in American black culture.
Whether or not you attach "humor" to your ignorance it's still ignorance. And when it adds to the cumulative delusions of your culture then it's not only ignorant, but it's harmful. Be more responsible with your words.
Thanks for the comment Citizen. I totally don't mind them.
I continue to say that this blog is about humor. Comedians make jokes all day long about the races and the differences between cultures. That's all I'm doing. Will everyone like it? No. Will everyone get the joke? No. I'm fine with that.
There's a lot of things I don't get. Like, I don't understand why people like music with lyrics that are screamed into a mic. I just can't make out the words being "sang". I also don't get why people wear open toed shoes when they have crusty, dirty feet. It's truly beyond me.
Bottom line is. It made you think. Whether it was something you've wondered yourself or that you haven't ever thought about. It's amazing how many comments have been left that I couldn't even bring myself to post. There were some things that were said by others and I thought, "Wow, there's someone else who thought that too."
I liken it to those funny looking 3-D pictures that were popular in the 90s. You know, the ones where you kinda cross your eyes to see what's really there? Just squint and cross your eyes, be silly, and laugh. A lot of the times in life, that's all we really can do.
Way to ignore the point of my comment. I understand about the benefits of humor. I'm a person that uses humor very often throughout my day. If you were to ask any of my friends about my sense of humor I'm sure they would reply that it's well exercised... but there is a time and a place for everything.
If you're going to tackle serious issues it's fine to lighten the tone with humor. But if you use humor as a way skirt around the fact that you don't know what you're talking about then you're just a clown.
And justifying your evasion of responsibility by saying, "It made you think" is a very limp argument. Everything makes me think. Every experience we have as humans SHOULD make us think. It's a rather moot point.
This concept came up while having a discussion with some friends who are of a lighter shade, hair texture and fondness for rock music. Okay, I have a fondness for rock music too, but I digress.
These friends tend to ask me random questions about being black. I don't have a problem answering the questions - I look at it as a teachable moment, however, I can NOT answer for all black people because people in general are NOT all alike. What I can provide is a view from a black man who grew up with both parents being married, a slew of siblings, having gone to college at a predominately white institution and being a member of a predominantly white fraternity. Might I add that it was in West Virginia? With that said... the view from my lenses may NOT be your prescription!
So, just sit back and enjoy the journey of the sometimes ridiculous questions and sometimes heartwarming stories.
Stumble It!
7 comments:
Nice rant lol! I'm surprised there are no comments, though I will say I have 20:20 vision but the colours are incredibly difficult to read.
Just sayin'.
I am black -well non white at least- and lived in South Africa under Apartheid. Black people there were not "forced to assimilate" which is completely the opposite of what Apartheid was designed to do---i.e. Apart= Apart
Heid = ness gives you Apart-ness.
If you don't know such a simple and well known fact, how do you expect people to read the rest of your rant or believe that you are factually correct?
Any black person half interested in racial discrimination would have known what happenned in SA. Your ignorance shows, do your homework.
Oh...and its not "because you are black" that you are ignorant of the rest of world...its because you are american ;-)
Thanks for the educational moment. :0) The whole blog is tongue in cheek and I have often wondered what apartheid really meant. Now I know and knowing is half the battle. Gotta love GI Joe cartoons!. There were lots of lessons in those programs just like in a Very Special Episode of Diff'rent Strokes, Facts of Life, Gimme a Break, Blossom, etc.
Dennis, you use "humor" as a very convenient excuse to spout ignorant drivel into the vast expanses of the internet.
You say your "lens is a different prescription" and your opinions are unique to you... but it's a similar disregard for reality, fact, and self-respect that underlies some of the main pervasive problems in American black culture.
Whether or not you attach "humor" to your ignorance it's still ignorance. And when it adds to the cumulative delusions of your culture then it's not only ignorant, but it's harmful. Be more responsible with your words.
Thanks for the comment Citizen. I totally don't mind them.
I continue to say that this blog is about humor. Comedians make jokes all day long about the races and the differences between cultures. That's all I'm doing. Will everyone like it? No. Will everyone get the joke? No. I'm fine with that.
There's a lot of things I don't get. Like, I don't understand why people like music with lyrics that are screamed into a mic. I just can't make out the words being "sang". I also don't get why people wear open toed shoes when they have crusty, dirty feet. It's truly beyond me.
Bottom line is. It made you think. Whether it was something you've wondered yourself or that you haven't ever thought about. It's amazing how many comments have been left that I couldn't even bring myself to post. There were some things that were said by others and I thought, "Wow, there's someone else who thought that too."
I liken it to those funny looking 3-D pictures that were popular in the 90s. You know, the ones where you kinda cross your eyes to see what's really there? Just squint and cross your eyes, be silly, and laugh. A lot of the times in life, that's all we really can do.
Way to ignore the point of my comment. I understand about the benefits of humor. I'm a person that uses humor very often throughout my day. If you were to ask any of my friends about my sense of humor I'm sure they would reply that it's well exercised... but there is a time and a place for everything.
If you're going to tackle serious issues it's fine to lighten the tone with humor. But if you use humor as a way skirt around the fact that you don't know what you're talking about then you're just a clown.
And justifying your evasion of responsibility by saying, "It made you think" is a very limp argument. Everything makes me think. Every experience we have as humans SHOULD make us think. It's a rather moot point.
I agree... and welcome back :0)
Post a Comment