This discussion about racism (and its subsequent nerve-hitting among members of the board) Prompted me to wonder: is it just about white-black relations that makes the board writers so sensitive? Would you feel the same if say, the question had been, "What do you think of Hispanics?" or, "What do you think of Asians?"
It has been my experience (take this with a grain of salt, as I have already mentioned that this is at least part of my own heritage) that anything that hints towards racism towards blacks instantly makes us uncomfortable, no matter how subtle or even unintended that hint of it is, but we are far more willing to discuss, or at least, not as sensitive towards, white-hispanic relations.
(As an entire aside, the claim "everyone is a little racist" strikes me as indicative of a bias which we are supposedly trying to overcome. After all, isn't that an over-generalization?)
Racism
Moderator: Marduk
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madsquid
Marduk, I assume you're talking about 54383 (and its subsequent response, 54468). Interesting stuff. And I'd like to hear some elaboration, but I think I generally agree with your theory of white-black relations being a touchier subject than, say, white-Hispanic relations, etc. It's like what Waldorf/Sauron said in 54468: "racism against black people is too close, too horrible, and too scary for society to talk about in the terms [ALR] gave us."
My personally favorite part of this whole discussion is Groucho, Harpo, and Karl. When the first sentence of a response is "cut your self-righteous crap," you know a nerve has been hit!
In other news, the site Whistler linked to ("Stuff White People Like") in 54383 is hilarious, and I've read from it before. If someone were to ask me, "what do you think of white people," I would immediately think of the things I've read on that blog (though it really only applies to the subculture of the pretentious Economy-major white people, and not the rednecky or whitetrashy white people (with whom I've had limited interaction) on the extremely opposite end of the spectrum). Anyway, good stuff.
My personally favorite part of this whole discussion is Groucho, Harpo, and Karl. When the first sentence of a response is "cut your self-righteous crap," you know a nerve has been hit!
In other news, the site Whistler linked to ("Stuff White People Like") in 54383 is hilarious, and I've read from it before. If someone were to ask me, "what do you think of white people," I would immediately think of the things I've read on that blog (though it really only applies to the subculture of the pretentious Economy-major white people, and not the rednecky or whitetrashy white people (with whom I've had limited interaction) on the extremely opposite end of the spectrum). Anyway, good stuff.
Yes, I think a question about Hispanics would have warranted a similar reaction. Asians? Not sure - I've come across far more racism in my life toward Hispanics and African-Americans than Asians. If somebody wrote in and asked, "What do you think of Asian people?" I probably would have just been baffled. What is that supposed to mean, anyway?
So did we come off too strong?
So did we come off too strong?
What I mean was, in my experience, not only is racism towards Hispanics far more prevalent (at least in this area. Perhaps in the south, or in the east, it may be different) than racism towards blacks, it seems far more socially accepted. I don't know whether it is because there isn't the history of fighting it like there is of white-black relations, or if it is because of language and culture barriers that are far more formidable in white-hispanic interactions, or what. And it seems to me like we don't hear about it at all. If I were to ask, "what movie depicts racism towards blacks?" I would bet anyone could name at least a half dozen. Were I to ask, "what movie depicts racism towards hispanics?" I don't know that I would get a response.
Hispanics are now the largest minority in the United States. I think this is a problem which we as a country have largely ignored, and honestly, I'd like to know how long it can go on. I mean, I have heard members of my family, even my own mother, called "wetback", told to "go back to Mexico", etc. etc. And my mother is not only a legal immigrant who has been here for almost forty years, she also has a master's degree and speaks English better than those hurling the insults. And yet we call this patriotism.
Anyway, I've rambled quite a bit here, and I'm sure gotten on my soapbox more than is warranted, at least in this particular section. But I'd love to hear some responses. What do you guys think? How is the white-hispanic interaction in this country? Is it better or worse than white-black? (Obviously I'm asking about now, not what it has been, because white-hispanic is a far younger creature than the other) Or any other thoughts that my ranting may have elicited?
Hispanics are now the largest minority in the United States. I think this is a problem which we as a country have largely ignored, and honestly, I'd like to know how long it can go on. I mean, I have heard members of my family, even my own mother, called "wetback", told to "go back to Mexico", etc. etc. And my mother is not only a legal immigrant who has been here for almost forty years, she also has a master's degree and speaks English better than those hurling the insults. And yet we call this patriotism.
Anyway, I've rambled quite a bit here, and I'm sure gotten on my soapbox more than is warranted, at least in this particular section. But I'd love to hear some responses. What do you guys think? How is the white-hispanic interaction in this country? Is it better or worse than white-black? (Obviously I'm asking about now, not what it has been, because white-hispanic is a far younger creature than the other) Or any other thoughts that my ranting may have elicited?
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Waldorf and Sauron
- Posts: 275
- Joined: Thu Jan 22, 2009 3:37 pm
I totally agree, in my lifetime I've seen far far more racism against Hispanics than Blacks. The difficult thing is when racism is obscured by immigration status—it's somehow more okay to stereotype those illegals because "criminals" are inferior. It's not just a problem when this prejudice expands to all Hispanic people, including legal immigrants—it's still a problem when illegal immigrants are stereotyped.
Disney is generally pretty bad on Hispanic representations (such as Ignacio Alonzo Julio Federico de Tito from Oliver and Company). But, I think you're right; we're generally less sensitive to racism against Hispanics because we just don't recognize our racism.
Wait, seriously? Did you read Groucho, Harpo, and Karl's response to the Lion King question today? http://theboard.byu.edu/index.php?area=viewall&id=54465Marduk wrote:And it seems to me like we don't hear about it at all. If I were to ask, "what movie depicts racism towards blacks?" I would bet anyone could name at least a half dozen. Were I to ask, "what movie depicts racism towards hispanics?" I don't know that I would get a response.
Disney is generally pretty bad on Hispanic representations (such as Ignacio Alonzo Julio Federico de Tito from Oliver and Company). But, I think you're right; we're generally less sensitive to racism against Hispanics because we just don't recognize our racism.
I disagree; sure, people are able to overcome racism, but racism isn't something you consciously choose to be. It's the default setting for humans. It's how we naturally react against Others of all kinds (with a little help from the racism embedded in culture), and has to be consciously overcome by rationality and charity. Some people think "of course I'm not racist! I never decided to dislike a race," and that's the wrong way to look at it—if you haven't consciously and with great effort worked to purge racism from your thought patterns, you're a racist. Admission is the first step to recovery.As an entire aside, the claim "everyone is a little racist" strikes me as indicative of a bias which we are supposedly trying to overcome.
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Nanti-SARRMM
- Posts: 1958
- Joined: Thu Apr 03, 2008 10:02 pm
- Location: Beyond the Mountains of the Copper Miners into the Desert of Absolute Boredom
- Contact:
Heck, even our laws to apply for visas are a bit racist I think. It's difficult to get a visa and is expensive. So if you don't pass the test and every little thing, you don't get your money back.
This site, and the opinions and statements contained herein do not necessarily reflect on my sanity, or lack thereof.
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madsquid
Oh man, have y'all heard this song?
Avenue Q - "Everyone's a Little Bit Racist"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbud8rLejLM
Avenue Q - "Everyone's a Little Bit Racist"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbud8rLejLM