Okay one day in class I was having a discussion with my "little table group" and I was making a joke. I go to a county school and so I go to school with 90% white people, and the other 10% is blacks, Hispanic, and other races. So I was making a joke which I usually do. This was the beginning of 2nd semester and there was someone new to our little group and I said, “It’s just cause I’m black" and the other two people in at the table just started laughing because they knew it was just a joke.
The back-story: we were in advanced placement Language Arts, and I was the only black person in the class so I was going to make friends with whoever I sat with. Now we were grading a test and everyone was getting the answers wrong. There was also a Bosnian in the class and he would say, “it’s because I’m Bosnian" or make a joke about his race.
Now one of the girls at the table said, "no its not, it’s just because it was confusing," I was saying it was just a joke. She started going on about how black people always use their race to get ahead. WELL YOU KNOW WHAT SO DO WHITES AND ANY OTHER RACE. EVERYBODY THROWS AROUND THAT QUOTE, “PEOPLE WILL DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO TO GET AHEAD" BUT WHEN SOMEONE DOES IT THEY GET CRITICIZED! THAT IS JUST HYPOCRITICAL! YES I USED HYPOCRITE RIGHT! But anyway, she was going on and on about how racism doesn't exist. And we were debating about it. I said that someone in our class was a white supremacist because he didn't want anything to do with anything but white stuff. He would criticize Jews, blacks, rap, gays, anything that wasn't pure good clean white fun. And I said, “sometimes he acts like such a racist." and she said,” no he doesn't he just doesn't like everything you like." I said there is a difference between not liking what I like and just putting down everything that he doesn't like". We were arguing about that and then she just says, “well people make fun of me because I'm blond but that doesn't mean anything, and that doesn't make people racist" i'm sorry but you cannot compare hair color with RACISM! I started to tell her about things outside her clean little world, about how some, (NOT ALL) white people talk down to me like I'm mentally retarded, and talk to me like I can't understand anything but slang. how some white people come up to me and start talking to me as if I can't talk proper and have to talk to them like they're stupid, they'd come up to me and start saying, " what’s up homey? You got that forty? Etc." And she would have an answer for everything. "They talk to everybody like that and maybe it just seems like they talk down to you because you want them to". “People talk like that to you because they don't know you." well would I want someone to talk to me like I’m stupid? Because I’m not. And why would someone talk to me all ignorant because they don't know me? If you don't know somebody you say “hi" or "hello" or something like that!
I must say that it doesn't matter what race a person is. We all bleed the same color. However when statements such as "It's because I'm black" or "It's because I'm Bosnian" are stated, it gives people the right to make statements such as the girl at your table. When we as people present these opportunities, it only takes one person to jump on them and create problems. I'm not saying that racism doesn't exist because I'm from a part of the country where racism is present all around me.
I'd like to start off by saying that when people dont have to or choose not to deal with certain issues...it doesnt exist to them. If a millionaire chooses to shun every homeless person that tries wiping his/her car window its his/her choice. They can justify it (if they choose to) by ignoring poverty by saying that the homeless person didnt make the right decisions in life, or not justify it at all. Its not their problem...it doesnt exist. Your classmate has probably never dealt with racism and ultimately excuses it, deeming it nonexistant by saying that it is a matter of likes and dislikes of certain things instead of certain groups of people.
On another note, I would like to say that..she is an idiot. You could never compare hair color to racism, it doesnt measure up.
I'm at the point in life where i just view people as intelligent or stupid. If you can justify reasons for your racism, then I will respect your decision, its a free country, and you can feel anyway you want toward anyone. If you can't back it up...then you're probably just following in another dumb persons footsteps and dont know why you hate a group of people who (in most cases) never did anything to you personally.
"Prefiero morir parada que vivir la vida en mis rodillas"
Your title basically says it all. I agree with LL_, the girl at your table doesn't think racism exists because she chooses to be ignorant of it. I think so many times people either don't realize they are racist or they don't realize how hurtful and inappropriate their actions are. It really takes a lot of strength not to slap someone when he or she comes up to me and starts speaking in a "ghetto" accent or asks me something about the hood.
“I hope the departure is joyful and I hope never to return.” - Frida Kahlo
No, you cannot touch my hair
At my job my coworker, Erica, is always called "Ur-eh-kuh"...by my boss and it's really annoying. But i guess thats just how we all pronounce it....
"Prefiero morir parada que vivir la vida en mis rodillas"
because I am a Muslim
because I think Muslim is part of black...
another subset, a unique entity in today's world
I am 21
I read
I write
I listen to music
in other languages
I hate on hate
I curse sometimes
I don't like you,
if you don't like me...
but if I like you
I will bleed for you
I give a damn and
that is just...the fucking old
yet new, special ME.
"He who awaits much can expect little."
- Gabriel Garcia Marquez, No One Writes to the Colonel
(me thinks...I will meet GM in another life)
I was the only black person in the class so I was going to make friends with whoever I sat with
I know you didn't mean it this way, but when I was reading, this comment said to me "if there was a black person in the class I would have made friends with him because we are both black."
Can you comment on that?
I know that people of the same race can relate in ways that others may not understand, especially if they're considered minorities, but maybe you'd get along better with a white person in your class, or the Bosnian, than you would that black person who happens to be in the class.
Just curious what you think.