Comments on: Things You Need To Understand #7

By: Two Separate But Related Issues, Two Separate But Related Posts #2 at K. Tempest Bradford

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 14:04:21 +0000

[...] As a friend recently had to point out to someone: yes, the word racist or sexist or bigot or related is very much a strong word that should not be tossed around lightly. We know that. Boy do we know it. That does not mean we should hesitate to use it when that is what is going on. No matter how twitchy that makes you, especially if the you is a person to whom a particular stripe of bigotry is not aimed. I’ve mentioned this before. [...]

By: laughingyouth

laughingyouth — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 12:52:02 +0000

True, but not always. Some people can feel what other feels even if it doesn’t affect them. We should not forget about them (hopefully they are there actually !)

By: Jose Baars

Jose Baars — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 03:56:32 +0000

Hi,

I’m a white Dutch man and living in the Netherlands. 5 years ago I met a black woman from the UK, and we are since 4 years happily married. My parents have lived in Indonesia in the 1950’s. When I introduced her to my parents their reactions were interesting. My father, who had at that time only half a year to live, was very concerned about her: ‘Don’t you ever get discriminated? I know how that feels from when I was living in Indonesia’. My mother asked my wife to be: ‘When are you going back?’. At the time me and my wife didn’t know what to think of it, but later I realized both my parents were still hurting from the experience 40 years after the fact, and I didn’t even know. I don’t think I will ever fully understand.

By: abw

abw — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 05:50:49 +0000

Exactly. People not experiencing something, even sometimes when they once experienced/are experiencing hardship are quick to try to minimize somebody else’s experience when it pertains to predjudice,bias,or mistreatment. They also feel a need to believe they have a right to speak for the person perceived as a target. This post is definitely on point.

By: Adam Sheehan

Adam Sheehan — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 15:55:23 +0000

ABW,

The elephant that I see standing in the middle of the room on this thread is this: “Can a white person train him/her self to see and understand racism?”

I believe the answer is Yes…up to a point.

It takes a concentrated effort, much study and interaction with others.

All the best…

Adam

By: Carrie

Carrie — Mon, 11 Jun 2007 20:39:03 +0000

Racism hurts us all, no matter who the racism is directed at.

By: profacero

profacero — Wed, 06 Jun 2007 05:39:04 +0000

Yeah – it does affect you if you’re white. You’re just trained not to think so, or to consider the effects positive. Some of the effects are in fact to your advantage, this being what racism is *for*. It has negative effects for white people as well but they are trained not to see these as effects of racism.

By: Carrie

Carrie — Wed, 30 May 2007 18:01:10 +0000

“…Therefore, you may not see nor understand Racism when it happens.”

True. I have black friends who have reported being threatened with jail for running a stop sign and I’m like WTF?! That’s uncalled for and there is lots of racism where the police are concerned.

By: What I Was Talking About « No Snow Here

What I Was Talking About « No Snow Here — Wed, 30 May 2007 04:27:01 +0000

[...] I Was Talking About Published May 29th, 2007 Uncategorized From the Angry Black Woman. I’m reposting the entire post: That which does not affect you, you often do not see or [...]

By: New to the blogroll at Hoyden About Town

New to the blogroll at Hoyden About Town — Mon, 28 May 2007 00:01:03 +0000

[...] This recent post is particularly relevant to Australians during Reconciliation Week: In other words, if you are White, 99% of the time Racism doesn’t affect you. Therefore, you may not see nor understand Racism when it happens. [...]