Racial Microagressions

[Phil Smith]

Right.

Let me address a double standard with you. I am especially interested in your opinion as a black man.

If a white person is acting like a monkey, I can say to them, "You are acting like a monkey".

If a black person is performing the exact same movements and sounds, just like the aforementioned white person, and I call that black person a monkey, because they were acting like one, am I racist?

If that act is not wise, then I would like to introduce my own class of microagressions which is the handcuffing of my speech to where I cannot treat people equally no matter their color.

In the scenario presented you want to say that the white person is "acting" like a monkey but you want to call the black person a monkey. There's no equality there.

 

[tastybasslines]

In the scenario presented you want to say that the white person is "acting" like a monkey but you want to call the black person a monkey. There's no equality there.

Semantics. The scenario is supposed to be the same obviously. Assume that I am saying that the black person is "acting like a monkey."

 

[Relic]

Since you have gone to Poland, I'd like to know if you have much of your family history, if you have searched and if you have had any amount of success finding this in Poland? My cousins and I have been looking and it's a bit of a tough task, since my Dad's generation is gone, now. From what we have heard, one of my uncles burned a lot of what they had, for whatever reason- probably because he was PO'd at one of his brothers (pretty common, in this family- far too willing to hold a grudge).

Where is your family from, in Poland? Poznan, here.

Rzeszow.
Poland's tough because a lot of family records have been destroyed in two world wars... kind of sucks. I did a little bit of research but kind of gave up on it.
You still may have luck with church documents; marriage documents, baptism records. Those sorts of things have survived a lot better for some reason.

 

[pacojas]

Well, if you were to say that too someone who was actually acting like a monkey, I should hope your intent would not be misinterpreted. There is however a lot of baggage that comes with certain words. In this case that was a common description used to imply that black people were less than human. I hope you can understand why that could be a problem.

do you really think "Tasty" is that naive?!! (i think not)

hey "Tasty",... grow up, man!!!

In the scenario presented you want to say that the white person is "acting" like a monkey but you want to call the black person a monkey. There's no equality there.

exposed,... lol

 

[BawanaRik]

Well, a smart predator doesn't pick on someone who would win the fight, so....

Sometimes the person picking the fight isn't very smart. Not too long ago a kid attacked a middle aged fat man while hurling the most offensive of racist epitaphs. Virtually in his back yard.

The kid got Owned.

Notice the capital O. Owned.

But due to biases, the hero, whose only crimes were wanting to live and the color of his skin. Will likely spend his life being hunted.

 

[BawanaRik]

Well, if you were to say that too someone who was actually acting like a monkey, I should hope your intent would not be misinterpreted. There is however a lot of baggage that comes with certain words. In this case that was a common description used to imply that black people were less than human. I hope you can understand why that could be a problem.

I doubt if I'll ever understand racism.

 

[BawanaRik]

For some reason this thread makes me want a glass of Orange Juice.

 

[matante]

This is happening in LA county now. And always seems to be some harmless, unsuspecting older person or woman. What possesses people to think this is a good idea, I will never understand

Its definitely alive and well here in St. Louis. I'm on a phone right now but anyone interested can surely find links on stltoday.com.

Isn't it pretty obvious that 99% of what kids do is created by the media? How else do you explain children in LA, Texas, and New York all dressing alike and using the same slang?

Sometimes the person picking the fight isn't very smart. Not too long ago a kid attacked a middle aged fat man while hurling the most offensive of racist epitaphs. Virtually in his back yard.

The kid got Owned.

Notice the capital O. Owned.

But due to biases, the hero, whose only crimes were wanting to live and the color of his skin. Will likely spend his life being hunted.

Didn't you say that you are 60 years old, or something like that? How do we explain that a 60 year old man says "The kid got Owned."

 

[bass geetarist]

Sounds like an ageist microaggression to me :sly:

 

[BawanaRik]

Isn't it pretty obvious that 99% of what kids do is created by the media? How else do you explain children in LA, Texas, and New York all dressing alike and using the same slang?



Didn't you say that you are 60 years old, or something like that? How do we explain that a 60 year old man says "The kid got Owned."

Please Read your post.

There's this thing called the media. Newspapers and such. I read and keep current.

But he got OWNED.

 

[two fingers]

Perhaps this can provide more insight.

Invalid Link Removed

So, are you saying that the press made them do it, or it simply isn't happening? Because either one is not only factually incorrect, but a bold-faced lie. How's that for direct?

"Myth"? Seriously? Gimme a break. Dude, if a white guy does something wrong I am going to SAY he did something wrong. I'm not sure what kind of rationalization you are after here but it is nothing short of silly. You seem like a smart guy. Try a little harder.

 

[tastybasslines]

I don't want to harp on that example as it it's a tad extreme. I hope no one took offense. My point is that the messages on the signs suggest not to lump a person into any specific "category" based on a perceived background or heritage, while sometimes a person cannot treat them as equal because they have to avoid categories created by the subjects themselves.

 

[BawanaRik]

I don't want to harp on that example as it it's a tad extreme. I hope no one took offense. My point is that the messages on the signs suggest not to lump a person into any specific "category" based on a perceived background or heritage, while sometimes a person cannot treat them as equal because they have to avoid categories created by the subjects themselves.

If you have to avoid categories created by the person themselves you are better off avoiding that person.

 

[pacojas]

If you have to avoid categories created by the person themselves you are better off avoiding that person.

+1

i can agree to that!

 

[bass geetarist]

Perhaps this can provide more insight.

Invalid Link Removed

He does seem like a smart guy. I've been trying to follow this thread, as it's gotten quite interesting, but I admit I haven't been able to read every post or link, so I apologize if I'm rehashing, but I did read this one and the ensuing argument...

The author isn't claiming that no crimes occurred, or even that a group of young black men didn't assault someone. He's saying that that this did in fact happen at least a couple times, in different places, and the events were incorrectly portrayed as related in the media, and suggested it was a "game" of some kind. This was not a game to begin with, just random acts of violence connected by the media (but there's no such thing as bad press), and THEN the game caught on..

I can't come down on this particular issue one way or another, as I haven't been following it in the media and don't know much more about it than a few news blurbs, but I think the above scenario is at least plausible, and I do NOT see any sort of counter argument within this thread.

 

[DerHoggz]

He does seem like a smart guy. I've been trying to follow this thread, as it's gotten quite interesting, but I admit I haven't been able to read every post or link, so I apologize if I'm rehashing, but I did read this one and the ensuing argument...

The author isn't claiming that no crimes occurred, or even that a group of young black men didn't assault someone. He's saying that that this did in fact happen at least a couple times, in different places, and the events were incorrectly portrayed as related in the media, and suggested it was a "game" of some kind. This was not a game to begin with, just random acts of violence connected by the media (but there's no such thing as bad press), and THEN game caught on..

I can't come down on this particular issue one way or another, as I haven't been following it in the media and don't know much more about it than a few news blurbs, but I think the above scenario is at least plausible, and I do NOT see any sort of counter argument within this thread.

No, but a point that was not even being made by that post has been counter argued.

 

[bass geetarist]

My opinion is that the counter argument is that using the "press" to reduce the responsibility of the criminals involved in the slightest is being an accessory to these crimes.

The article didn't suggest that the responsibility of the criminals involved should be reduced.

I believe the intention of the article is to suggest that a microaggression (the media lumping random crimes by black people together and calling it a "game") may have actually perpetuated further criminal activity.

 

[Relic]

I doubt if I'll ever understand racism.

Yeah, I'm not overly happy to admit it, but I can honestly say that I really don't fully understand racism.

It's not the obvious racial stuff I mean, most everyone gets that and fortunately most I would think reject it, it's the subtle stuff.
It's rather the sort of stuff that offends two people... one as a "target" the other as a perpetrator of something wholly unintended. Both can walk away with a chip on their shoulder that doesn't really have to be there.
Then there's the media... who I believe perpetuate, inflame and prolong misunderstanding. To an extent that is. They're not fully to blame, basic human nature also plays no small role.
I guess the only thing you can really do is try to listen to each other, treat folks with respect and not believe everything you read in the media as the end all be all.

IMO of course

 

[Relic]

I can't come down on this particular issue one way or another, as I haven't been following it in the media and don't know much more about it than a few news blurbs, but I think the above scenario is at least plausible, and I do NOT see any sort of counter argument within this thread.

+1

It's 100% plausible and I think hits the nail right on the head so to speak.

 

[1958Bassman]

Rzeszow.
Poland's tough because a lot of family records have been destroyed in two world wars... kind of sucks. I did a little bit of research but kind of gave up on it.
You still may have luck with church documents; marriage documents, baptism records. Those sorts of things have survived a lot better for some reason.

I had heard a lot of records were taken and made safe by the many churches, but I need to look further. I do know my 3rd great Grandfather's name, as well as his wife. I may have some of his siblings' names, too. I think I can go back two generations past my Grandfather's paternal side, but that's the only Polish in my lineage. OTOH, he came to the US in 1889, so he had died before I was born. It would have been nice if they had passed their history down to the rest of us, but.....