Thought some may find this interesting....

[bliss_eternal]

...a guy attempting to fight those pesky "racist" demons. (linked from video forum)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x159690

Who else finds it interesting that he only uses examples that affect a specific demographic--with hip hop, rap and watermelon? I guess no other ethnic groups have been stereotyped by people making "racist" comments.

Also, I'm curious (and can't bring myself to ask on the thread) but when does "personal accountability" come in? People whose discussion leads begin with "I don't mean to sound racist but...." seem to have a sense that what they are saying is indeed racist.

[ismnotwasm]

1. The guy in the video tried.

Although I call bullshit on the "what you did vs. What you are" little scenario. Racism is not polite. It is not a casual conversation to kick a couple of beers with your best friend, and try to show him/her the light. Fuck that noise. There is also a perverse lack of interest and knowledge in historical racism and it's impact. (Remember the threads defending "Uncle Remus"?) The guy in the video is trying to explain how to "work" a racist mind set, and reminds me of someone familiar with the hip-hop culture. It's a sound communication technique, but not. good. enough. It's been tried. It didn't work. What worked was a goddam revolution.

Racism is an ugly destructive societal disease that kills mind, body and soul. I have no patience with it. I'm white, unredeemed by even being "One eighth Cherokee" or Native American band of your choice. (*I* wonder why more white people don't brag about being 1/8th black. Doesn't seem to show up in the old family history as often, now does it?)

The following paragraph is from a great essay, an essay which I use when dealing with my own white entitlement.

"Whiteness is everywhere in U.S. culture, but it is very hard to see. As Richard Dyer suggests, "White power secures it's dominance by seeming not be be anything in particular" As the unmarked category against which difference is constructed, whiteness never has to speak it's name, never has to acknowledge its role as an organizing principle in social and cultural relations. To identify, analyze and oppose the destructive consequences of whiteness, we needs what Walter Benjamin called "presence of mind. Benjamin wrote that people visit fortunetellers less out of a desire to know the future than out of not noticing some important aspect of the present. "Presence of mind" he suggested, "is an abstract of the future, and precise awareness of the present moment more decisive than foreknowledge of the most distant events" In U.S. society at this time, precise awareness of the present moment requires an understanding of the existence and the destructive consequences of the possessive investment in whiteness that surreptitiously shapes so much of our private lives.

From The Possessive Investment in Whiteness, How White People Profit From Identity Politics by George Lipsitz


It is interesting about demographic. What do white folks generally think of when they think of racism? Blacks of course. We like our "other" easily identified. Which is why we still have the fucking Washington Redskins evidently it's not "racist" enough. Or any dozen other examples I can think of. Sometimes I think by concentrating on racism directed toward blacks, people think it gives them a pass on some of the ugly things said and/ or assumed about Latinos or Pan-Asian cultures--especially Pan-Asian women, to name just two.

[bliss_eternal]

4. Thank you....!

:applause:

...for another kick ass response!

No, racism is not polite.

Anyone that thinks it is needs to go review the Best of DU threads in the African American forum. Look at some of the outrageous shit people post on DU. Look at the varying ways racial bigotry has been confronted, and the endless assertions (no matter how it's confronted) that the problem is that it is being labeled--not the person that is the bigot. Oh and I and others never would have continued with that thread if it was enough to "call people on the behaviour." :eyes:

I've learned that a lot of bigoted (racially, sexist, gender, etc.) crap stays up on the boards because the admins. and mods felt it was "more productive" to allow people to "explain" or "teach" members --exactly how and why their comments are wrong. Well, I call bullshit on that. I didn't come to these boards to teach anyone. I came here like any other progressive. Because I was sick to death of drowning in the bullshit of a right wing agenda--and I fucking resent being used for my gender and background to "teach" the unteachable ignorant masses that really don't want to learn. People have to want to learn.

Why is my participation different? Why am I expected to 'teach' the offensive--en masse? You want me to teach? Offer me a job and pay me--but don't use my participation on a board to teach people that aren't willing to learn. Set a goddamned example by saying, "we won't tolerate this" and they'll get the message. (Another reason why I don't go out of my way to attempt to correct offensive bullshit anymore--I alert, hit ignore and move on).

I'm really sick of those that seem to think those that dare to label bigotry are the one's with the problem. Why are we the problem? Why are we expected to give the bigots, sexists, the homophobes, etc. blankets of "appropriate language" and make them feel all warm and fuzzy?

[noamnety]

7. A quick thought about this:

"I've learned that a lot of bigoted (racially, sexist, gender, etc.) crap stays up on the boards because the admins. and mods felt it was "more productive" to allow people to "explain" or "teach" members --exactly how and why their comments are wrong."

What I've seen that I thought WAS helpful was when mods locked a thread, and explained in very clear terms why they locked it. Something like "locking because prison rape jokes are unacceptable."

When they do that, they lay down the rules of civil behavior (which should not include sexism/racism, homophobic comments, etc.).

When, on the other hand, they leave it open for endless debate, the message is that racism is equivalent to not being racist, and we should be able to have a jolly good debate about it. Sort of like having a debate between truth, and not truth, and deciding the real facts must naturally fall somewhere in the middle if there are two sides.

Well, sometimes one side is just plain wrong.

[bliss_eternal]

8. Great point...

...and I wholeheartedly agree. On both counts--what is helpful, and what is clearly not. Sometimes one side is just plain wrong, at least according to my definition of "progressive."

[Gormy Cuss]

2. I thought he made a good core point, which is don't let the discussion get derailed

by making a character assessment. Focusing on the words or action, when done skillfully, deflates the "I'm no racist.." retort.

It's easily transferable to other situations like "I'm no sexist.."

As for personal accountability, as soon as someone prefaces the statement with "I don't mean to sound racist.." they've opened the door for confrontation because if they didn't mean to sound racist, they wouldn't say whatever it was in the way that they're saying it.

[bliss_eternal]

3. Exactly...

...how many threads do you recall around DU that started off, "I don't mean to sound sexist but Hilary...." or whatever other woman was in the news?

So tiresome. I dare some asshat on youtube to tell me how to feel about sexist comments (or any other form of bigotry) or how to "diffuse" them--and make the bigot feel "better about themselves." How about I just realize the person making the comments is a sexist, and I walk away? How about that?

[noamnety]

5. From what I've seen

even if you say "this was a racist comment" or phrase it in infinitely more delicate terms, the knee jerk reaction is "how dare you call me a racist."

You can see that in action with the white privilege/male privilege checklists when they get posted here. The list is not a personal assault on any individual, it's a critique of anonymous actions. But holy cow, post it and a bunch of people are immediately offended to their core.

[ismnotwasm]

6. Yup

My sense and observation is when those particular comfort zones are challenged, no matter how it's done, the results are the same.

Well practiced skillful communication techniques learned in college isn't going to cut it.


This line from Huckleberry Finn comes to mind.
"The judge he felt kind of sore. He said he reckoned a body could reform the old man with a shotgun, maybe, but he didn't know no other way."

[bliss_eternal]

9. If nothing else....

I've come to see it as rather informative. Cowardice has many forms. It's interesting to see so many people that seem to need approval for their twisted views.

I love the Angelou quote about believing people when they show you who they are, the first time.

Why argue with ignorance?

Most people aren't born in the image of Archie Bunker--it takes years to be taught that level of stupidity. A few inciteful, intelligent arguments on an internet board (or anywhere else) usually isn't going to be enough to change one's mind, heart, etc. Nothing I say or how I say it is going to change that aspect of their character.

I just wish I'd embraced this view a long time ago. It would have saved me a lot of time and energy here. lol.