A Question For The White Folks.......

[basstotheface]

I still wanna see Idlewild; Fishbone was in that movie! And of course Outkast...two of the greatest acts in the world, son

Man, your music taste is great...for an elitist.

 

[macaroni tony]

I can get down with the commoners, too

 

[jokerjkny]

I come from a town which is very mixed ethnically.

I played a gig at an out-of-the-way place down south a while back near the New Forest. One of the punters got talking to me at the end. He asked where we were from, and when I told him, he said, without any apparent malice, " I don't think I'd like it there - too many black people."

Then to make it worse, his friend butted in and said "Shhh - don't say that - they're used to 'em up there."

I was, for once, lost for words. I looked over at our guitarist, and we both had this "Where the **** are we?" look on our faces.

if you start hearing banjo's, YOURUNLIKETHEDAMWIND

 

[Shakin-Slim]

Interesting read so far with some insightful comments.

I'm a white boy from Southern California who is married to a smokin' hot black woman from the Caribbean. Over the 10 years of our marriage we've lived in Orange County, New Zealand, Australia and back in So-Cal (Inland Empire). Our travels have also taken us extensively through the Caribbean and South Pacific Islands. Racism exists worldwide and in every stupidly, imaginable way. Everything from looks of disgust, rude or threatening comments, threats, avoidance.... in the end it comes down to not letting other people's hang ups ruin your day, your relationships and your outlook on life.

It is funny to me though how every time we meet another 'mixed couple' who are black/white how there is always a nod of recognition or a smile and 'hello'. Shared battle scars I guess.

Where in our beautiful country have you lived, friend?

 

[jokerjkny]

i'm in new york.. most gigs in queens / brooklyn / manhattan..

anyone that said something like that at a gig of mine would be pretty likely to get their ass kicked, by just about anyone in the bar, white or not.

hate to say it,

but its amazing what a bubble nyc is, when you realize just how not so diverse the rest of the country is.

 

[Phalex]

hate to say it,

but its amazing what a bubble nyc is, when you realize just how not so diverse the rest of the country is.

I've run into more than one person from the East side of Michigan (Detroit area) at gigs and such, who have said the West side (Grand Rapids area) has a reputation for being rather non-integrated and unfriendly to black folks.

I'm white, and I've lived here my whole life, so maybe I just don't have the perspective to see it. Those conversations are always good and always seem to surprise the visitors from the Motor City.

 

[gttim]

As a mid 40's white male, lots of older white guys just assume they can talk racist with me down here in Georgia. Amazes me what I hear. It usually is preceded by them looking around and the voice dropping. I actually had to toss some friends to the side after they said some racist things during the last presidential election. If I hear it from people I do not know, I just move away. I do not have time to cure stupid.

I tend to date ethnically diverse women. Mostly Asian, but I like them all. I did notice a lot of looks when I was out on dates with a black women I saw. Kind of odd. I am now dating an Indian woman. She commented during the weekend that she gets more looks when she is out with me. I just put my arm around her and told her that was because all the people were jealous she was with me. Then I told her it was really because she was gorgeous. What can you do?

 

[dvs20]

My observation is that most of you guys like to talk about race in terms of individual interactions, especially situations where someone else is being racist. Personally, an individual jackass calling me a N****R is very low on my list concerns.

I think most black people are much more worried about job discrimination, availability of credit, neighborhood redlining, institutional discrimination in law enforcement, than bozos in bars.

The really big problems are beyond getting to know or each other or being a nice guy to all people.

for some reason this post rubs me the wrong way. I haven't figured it out why though.

 

[lowsideonacurve]

It's not just skin color, it's also ethnicity, language, religion, age, obesity, height or lack of it, anything that sets you apart from a person's perception of the "norm".

+1

 

[gttim]

It's not just skin color, it's also ethnicity, language, religion, age, obesity, height or lack of it, anything that sets you apart from a person's perception of the "norm".

Having a humongous schlong.

 

[AfroCubanFunkMa]

I come from a 100% Mixed background which I've always seen as having the big advantage of living in two very strong cultures. One of the many advantages is that I don't get nearly as hung up on labels and try and work with people's actual intentions. Hearing my white grandmother or godmother say the word colored was never taken in a derogatory manner by me or anyone else in my mixed family at all. They just came from a time and place where that term was just used as a description and the word was never used with bad intentions... Course even they knew not to rock the N word ever or any other sort of insulting speech..and would have whooped me if I ever did..

 

[DwaynieAD]

It's the whole "they" and "us" thing I have a problem with in the first place.

when I hear President Obama referred to as the 1st black president instead of America's 44th President (I had to look that number up) it rubs me the wrong way. when you see President Obama as the first black president then you are facilitating racism IMO. To be truly free from racism one would have to see him as President and not Black President

 

[MJ5150]

Recognizing color does not seem racist to me.

-Mike

 

[DwaynieAD]

Recognizing color does not seem racist to me.

-Mike

recognizing color is very different then dwelling on it. also i never said it was racist, dont put words in my mouth. i said it facilitates racism

 

[MJ5150]

I made the comment on my own. None of it was attributed to you.

The first in anything is always notable. I remember Doug Williams, the first black QB to win a Super Bowl. I remember when Sylvester Croom was named the first black head football coach of a SEC team. I could see it being a problem if people started keeping count, as in "he was the third black president", or "he was the fifth black QB to win a Super Bowl". But I think that is pretty much the point you were making, or am I facilitating racism by my comments about Doug and Sylvester?

-Mike

 

[Sav'nBass]

Some people use the N word as an adjective... seriously.. and yeah it is quite ignorant out of anyone's mouth IMO.. but there are ignorant folks all over the place... and considering that he had never seen a person of color in that bar in 40 years.. says a lot.. I personally do not use the word.. never liked it.. I know other black folks who want to make it like a "friendly term of endearment" but that doesn't fly with me.. for too many men of color it was the last thing they heard before they were castrated and hung for me to be comfortable under any circumstances.. but I excuse ignorance and try to look at it as an opportunity to educate.

Real bonfide racists make their feelings known right off the bat with words and actions and there is little mistaking it.

Back in the 80s .. the last band that I played with before I took my long sleep was a Grateful Dead cover band in N.Y.C. based out of Brooklyn.. this was at the height of the whole Bensonhurst, Bumpers,Crown Heights,Brawley business..and we rehearsed out in Bay Ridge.. every week and I drove there from the Bronx. I heard "W*F is that N***** doing around here!!??" on more than one occasion as I drove by or parked my car.. but my car never got trashed... and one night we were playing in a biker bar in Jersey.. and it was right between songs... and a group of bikers.. think stereotypical bikers.. I'm talking tattoos, rebel flags,denim,beards,chains,boots bikers.. and what do I hear between songs .. "Oh $hit!!! There's a N***** on that stage..." Well you know that kind of peaked my ears and I was wondering if I'd have to dodge beer bottles or something before the night was over.. Well by the end of the night I had drunken bikers staggering up to the stage telling me how much they enjoyed my playing... including the big redheaded one that noticed me as soon as he walked in the door..

So ... you never know .. it is thin line between ignorance.. which often manifests itself in racist behavior and outright racism..

I have a pretty diverse crowd of friends.. and none of them would ever use racist language... or I'll say I'd be really surprised if I ever heard it coming out of any of their mouths.. but y'know... sometimes a simple phrase like "them" or "they" or "those people" can be more racist than a more vitriolic term.. I don't tolerate that kind of talk.. and I will correct folks in my presence in a heartbeat.. I had a coworker once and he and a few others were trying to decide where to eat lunch.... I suggested Chinese buffet.. he said.. "Yeah I haven't had any G**k food in a long time..." I was so taken aback by it... but I said to him.. "Wow... y'know I bet you call me N***** when I'm not around huh.." everyone looked away and was so embarrassed.. but he never did that again... to be honest .. even though we still had to work together.. we didn't have too many lunches together after that.

 

[Phalex]

^ Great post Sav'nBass!!