Race/Racism discussion

Status
Not open for further replies.
This is from the apartheid movie "A Dry White Season" with Marlon Brando and Donald Sutherland:

 

applecruncher said:
QUESTION: Why is it wrong for whites to use the N-word, but it's okay for blacks to use it when talking to each other or in rap music? ANSWER: It isn't. I know some blacks use the word and think it's okay in music, but I don't feel it's EVER okay, and people I'm related to and associate with agree with me.
Click to expand...

I think the context matters. Sometimes when black guys use I find it absolutely hilarious.

Like in this scene from the movie "Training Day"


I even think that in rare instances a white person can get by using it. But they would have to clear a much higher bar for obvious reasons.
 
@ Trade

I didn't like "Training Day", and I was disappointed that Denzel won an Academy Award for his performance in that movie. I've enjoyed his work in so many other roles, although he also won an Oscar for "Glory".
 

applecruncher said:
@ Trade

I didn't like "Training Day", and I was disappointed that Denzel won an Academy Award for his performance in that movie. I've enjoyed his work in so many other roles, although he also won an Oscar for "Glory".
Click to expand...

Guess we have different taste in movies. I thought training day was awesome. But then Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke are two of my favorite actors. I like them in just about anything. And with both of them together that made it even better.
 
applecruncher said:
Something I've noticed and experienced, especially when I was working. (This doesn't apply to all white people, but suffice to say it happened a lot.)

Often when a white person meets or is assigned to work closely or travel with a black co-worker, the white person will slyly bring up the subject of race by saying "they had a black roommate in college" or "a black couple just bought a house down the street and they seem like really nice people", etc. etc.

This is kinda silly....they go out of their way to try to convince the black person they have nothing against blacks. But when people did this, I found it offensive because it showed they didn't see me as a person - they saw me as a black person.
Click to expand...

You mean like this?

http://blackpeopleloveus.com/
 
@ Trade

omg :rofl: YES!

Once during a job interview the dept. director of a state govt. agency said to me "You're so articulate; your diction is SO good!" This was in 1985. (I got the job, but I shoulda gone upside her head.)

In 1971 I interviewed for an office job at a very large corporation (they had NO blacks in the office except in the mailroom). The personnel manager said "We don't have many black employees (he whispered "black"). But once you prove yourself you should be okay." :wtf: (I got the job, but I shoulda gone upside his head.)

In both these situations, I'm so glad I didn't put my hands on my hips and do da neckroll. :lofl:
 
applecruncher said:
Quite a few people in the US say they don't believe the Holocaust really happened - that it's just "urban legend". :rolleyes: If such a notion were not so horrifying it would almost be comical.

Yes, there has been and still is a lot of prejudice towards Jews in the US and also other countries.

I personally knew two concentration camp survivors (both deceased now). The man had that branded number on his hand. Did he invent his experience and have that number tattooed on his hand just for attention? Umm, I don't think so.

My favorite actor was Marlon Brando. Here is a good scene from "Roots: the next generation". Brando played George Lincoln Rockwell, founder of the American Nazi Party. James Earl Jones played Alex Haley, who worked for Playboy magazine and was sent to interview Rockwell.
Click to expand...

I could take a wild guess as to 'which' people those are...but that would be getting too political.



applecruncher said:
@ Trade, this is YOUR fault...... This is a serious thread and I'm getting silly. :laugh:

I love me some Tom Hanks!

Click to expand...

"Doug"(Tom Hanks) was nailin' it! That must have been a recent edition of Black Jeopardy, judging from the references to present day people/events. I believe I've seen an earlier rendition from several years back...
 
btw, up thread I referred to a 1971 job interview. After I was there about a year, they hired one black male engineer and one white female engineer. Wow, that's PROGRESS, huh? :)
 
applecruncher said:
btw, up thread I referred to a 1971 job interview. After I was there about a year, they hired one black male engineer and one white female engineer. Wow, that's PROGRESS, huh? :)
Click to expand...

Geez, 1971, racial equality was still in it's infancy even-though the 13th Amendment was passed 107 years prior.
 
Anyone want to talk about the fear that white people have of black people? Especially the fear that white males have of black males? I know when I was growing up it was pretty much ingrained in me that black men were physically superior to us white males. Stronger, faster, and of course with bigger penises. But our saving grace was that us white guys were smarter.

The character Clubber Lang character played by Mr. T pretty much played into and reinforced those stereotypes.

 
I read somewhere the the big black ***** story originated back in the days of slavery, ostensibly to frighten the slave-holder's female family members from going down to the slave quarters for a 'visit'.

However, that story may have back-fired, having unintended consequences...
 
I'm glad the thread has been lighthearted.
Some of the things that people call racism are not. They are prejudice or stereotyping and the latter can be pretty funny sometimes.
I think people need to try to know one another and talk, joke, and share a laugh.
The only way I know how to combat racism is more of this.
 
Has anyone heard/seen Jeff Foxworthy lately? I've always liked him. I cringed a few times at his "redneck" jokes - although not racist. I thought some of them were really funny, and his delivery and expression was on target.

I haven't heard much about him since he hosted "Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader?" Cute show.
 
Granny B. said:
Thanks for starting this thread. This is a subject worth discussing until it is no longer a problem--unfortunately, probably forever, since humans seem to fear/dislike anyone who differs from themselves. I hope overall things are getting better.
Click to expand...

(I haven't been on forum for awhile, noticed this topic is similar to one on another forum, and also the subject of a blog post I wrote but haven't had time to post, so I hope it's o.k. if I start by replying to yours)

I fully believe the main reason it's been worsening in recent years is the divisive approaches of 'multiculturalism and diversity education.' All these approaches do is emphasize 'differences,' and that's not the way to encourage people to interact and get along with each other.
 
applecruncher said:
@Janice M
How does educating people about other cultures make them racist? :confused:
Click to expand...

It's not a matter of educating people about other cultures, it's about emphasizing Differences.
In this locale, for example, school kids and adults alike could learn anything they wanted to know simply by becoming friends with other people. But they don't. Instead, it's about (whichever) 'culture,' (whichever) 'community,' and being encouraged to see other people as different from themselves.
 
JaniceM said:
It's not a matter of educating people about other cultures, it's about emphasizing Differences.
In this locale, for example, school kids and adults alike could learn anything they wanted to know simply by becoming friends with other people. But they don't. Instead, it's about (whichever) 'culture,' (whichever) 'community,' and being encouraged to see other people as different from themselves.
Click to expand...

But, assuming that's true, how has that made people divided and racist? I'm still not following you. How has that made this country worse?
 

Status
Not open for further replies.

Back
Top