I once read something very interesting. If you ask a man, a white man, in front
of a mirror: "What do you see." He will more than likey say, "a man." If you
ask a black man in front of a mirror the same question: "What do you see." He
will more than likey say, "a black man."
Prisila,
Interesting experiment. I can see it being true. If it is, I am with you in asking: Why is that?
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My ex-wife, who is black, always saw race in any situation that didn't go her way.Now *THAT* is exactly what I was talking about, Finnrot! Thanks for your post.
Whites and blacks have a totally different worldwiew. If I'm in a department store and
a salesperson comes up to me while I'm browsing, I think it's great that I got such
good service, but my wife would come home and relate the same situation and
complain bitterly that the salesperson thought she was giong to steal something so
that's why she came over and asked her if she needed help. Same situation, different
reaction.
I didn't start this thread to question whether or not there was racism, sexism, status-ism (?). Of course all those isms exist. What I was merely highlighting here is a small (but really not small, once you think about it) mental impediment that Blacks are universally plagued with that is foreign (unknown) to Whites.
Personally, I work to see reasons other than racism for the negative ways I'm occasionally treated. Race isn't always the reason--most times it's *never* the reason--and crying "RACE" is a cop-out that is used waaay too often, imo. Still, the idea is there in the quiet corners of my mind: that I'm being treated this way because of my skin color. And it's an idea that isn't in the mind of most (any?) White folks. That's all I was saying.
As you say, you see being stopped by the cops, being approached by a store clerk for assistance, being treated shitty by others as simple innocuous human interactions. Blacks, even open-minded Blacks like me, harbor at least SOME feeling that race is partly the cause.
I don't think I can help it. As I asked Prisila above: Why is that? I don't have an answer.
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I find that the more conscious I am of my small stature, the more sensitive I am toDantheman,
this sort of thing. I am much happier when I forget about my lack of stature, or my
mediocre looks...Along the same lines, I think the more conscious a black person is of their blackness,
the more they are going to see the deck as being stacked against them and every real
or imagined slight will have racist underpinnings to them.
Interesting comments. Interesting because they suggest that the reason I think the way I do is because of some insecurity on my part. I know you didn't actually say that but that's the way I read it. Could *that* be the reason I think of my skin color when in certain situations? Could be.
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So Blacks can be just as racially hateful as Whites who still hold those feelings.Sableindian,
There's no doubt whatsoever that Blacks can be (and sometimes ARE) as racist as anyone, even in their view and comments toward their own kind. (I've known Blacks like that Herd you spoke of--people who have nothing but judgment and hate for anyone living a life they don't approve of. Truly sad individuals.)
You make a good point. If I were to run across a Herd who treated me negatively, I probably wouldn't see him as a racist since we'd both be Black. I'd just probably say that he's a jerk. Maybe it's the race of the person I'm dealing with that conjures up those thoughts in me that race is the reason.
If a White person has a bad interaction with a Black person, do they think "race"? Six?
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although I know for a fact that racism is, unfortunately, alive and well, I doubt if those peopleSiegswife
dis you because you're black. I'm thinking that they're miserable because their place of
employment sucks. If it was because of race I think you would be sure about it and would
have picked up on it sooner.
Excellent point. My original post may have been misunderstood. It wasn't really a commentary on racism but that at times I can't help THINKING that I'm treated a certain way because of MY skin color. I guess what I'm saying is that the problem probably lies somewhere in ME.
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What a coincidence! You make this post, and I just see the new UPS commercial: UPS drivers*shaking head* @ Six.
of all races, and customers of all races, so happy to see each other... The last scene is a black
delivery driver squating down to hug two little white girls greeting him at the door as their
mom smiles approvingly.
Yeah, Sixo... I've seen that stupid commercial, too. Made me want to puke. Especially the last scene you mention. I mean... come on!! How bogus can an ad be?? Give me a physical break!
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Thanks for your poignant recollections, Swan.
Sad that you have such a memory from so long ago still fresh in your mind. Doubly sad what happened to Raymond at the hands of one who should have been his caretaker.
I like how you put it:
The problem was, I only suspected. I didn't know for sure. I still don't know absolutely. ItThat's exactly what I was trying to say. Thank you.
wasn't overt. There were no racial slurs or anything other than my own gut feelings about
what the real motives here were. That's the problem with prejudice. Sometimes it is overt, but
most of the time it isn't, so how can you be sure. You can't. You just always have your doubts,
suspicions, and hunches.
It's the hunch, the doubt, that lurks in the minds of Blacks at certain times... a doubt that I don't think ever comes up in the minds of Whites. That's all I was saying.