Uptown Notes

Ok, we must be channeling each other. Besides the fact that we are watching the same damn reality TV programs. I was feeling the same reaction.These idiots drop the n-bomb left and right, and then have the audacity to say “I’m not racist.” Then who the hell is racist? The true answer is that they don’t think anybody is racist unless it is Black people. You should see the responses when I put up the “You Might be a White Supremacist if..” post or my most recent one “White Supremacist or Central Indiana Message Board Participant?” Otherwise liberal people start getting defensive when they realize that their views are similar to those on websites like Stormfront.Anyways, I was so worked up over the MTV episode last night that I decided to watch the after show on MTV overdrive. The two white hosts basically let Davis off really easy. The one guy was like “I know you are not a racist because I’ve talked with you.” Hogwash……I’m ranting too much to be articulate, but I agree with you strongly. LOL!!

Lol, we definitely have been on the same wavelength. I just stopped by the tavern and saw your link and the comments. I was all set to fire back, then I saw that you handled them quite nicely. Good to know that we’re not alone!

“By ignoring racism and the people and institutions that perpetuate it, we retard social progress.”Why you gotta bring retards into this? You are anti-semetic, racist, AND able-ist.

Lol, i appreciate being blazed… too bad folks don’t know how to use a dictionary ;)

Racism is a mental illness; it is in the marrow, encoded in every person from birth and in every institution in this country. It is simply unavoidable. Racism is like breathing. In fact, they are synonymous.I had a thought the other night. Racism is like an Oreo cookie: Superior facade, concealing an inferior core. A superior person doesn’t have to stack the deck in their favor, doesn’t need to discriminate, doesn’t have to horde, mistreat people who are allegedly less than.A superior person doesn’t need white affirmative action in a thousand different shades. However…An inferior, shame based being does, does need the tanning salon, does need the discriminatory lender. How do you get the superior-inferior-white-perso to tear down the facade of superiority – whether consciously or unconsciously held – when it will expose the sham at their core? To admit racism is to admit dependence on an incredibly cruel and inhumane system that barely makes white folk feel human, let alone superior. That’s why they gotta keep taking, taking, taking, buying, buying buying, stealing, stealing, stealing.Then they project their theft onto us, their nihilistic shit on us, analyze US!I believe whites know already know the Big Lie inside, but they are not willing to do the necessary work to reclaim their truest selves.

“The label racist is avoided like Jehovah’s Witness’ on a Saturday morning.”I’m a Jehovah’s Witness, and I find that statement to be offensive to my religion. Contrary to whatever makes you think that all JW’s spend their Sunday’s proselytizing, I prefer to be with my family and read the Word of God.Funny how you are so quick to stereotype all JW’s as being insufferable preachers, whilst proclaiming yourself to be bias free.

Anon/Alex- My apologies, somehow my reponse didn’t post last night when I typed it. In sum, the first thing that I wanted to get across was that I apologize for offending your religion. Secondarily, I wanted to also comment on your comment. In my post I used the example of JW’s and avoidance because it is a common practice among non-JW’s, simply illustrative, I did not encourage the behavior. Instead I poked fun at avoiders. In fact, the entire context of my post suggests that one should be uncomfortable and confront things that are commonly avoided, in that sense, my argument runs counter to your characterization of my notion of JW’s as “insufferable preachers.” I respect your choice to not “proselytize”, I also respect others choices to “proscelytize”. I also wanted to say that I do not claim to be bias free, that would be naive and disingenious. I appreciate you providing feedback.

Dumi. I just wanted to comment on people’s take on black people being “racist”; on blacks (the oppressed) being looked upon as the “oppressors.” As I stated over at Rachel’s, I do not look upon black people as racists. Yes, black people show more “racism” towards each other and themselves in their self-hatred. Hatred of their noses, lips, body physiques, hair and skin color. Thanks to centuries of white supremacy oppression, many black people have internalized racist, self-hatred. And when black people show animosity, hate crimes towards people of other races, I do not look upon this behaviour as “racism”. I look upon it as rage, anger and despondency that has been turned inward upon themselves, and is then turned outward to anyone who either directly, or indirectly is looked upon as being considered by white society as having more value and worth than a black person. Because this white-controlled society has denigrated and devalued blackness as bad, evil and worthless for so long, black people have, and will attack, verbally and physically, anyone who would be deemed “better than” black people in society: -Light-skinned black people-People of other races who are considered better than black people (the hateful “Model Minority Lie” comes to mind)-The constant media images proliferating in America and around the world, that send the message that every one else accounts to value in this world, everyone, but black people. Black people and all that is considered black, have been spit on, shit on, urinated on, and vomitted on by white run America for so long. Black people see this constant bombardment against their worth and integrity. Day in and day out. This is not lost on them. And their rage will be directed, conciously, and subconciously, against those whom they see that white dominated society treats as better than them. Another aspect of this “racism’, is the destruction of those who look the most like them. That is why there is so much black-on-black crime in America. Knowing that they cannot take their anger and rage out on white people on a large level, many black people turn their rage in upon those who have the least value in the eyes of American society: Black people And crime statistics bear this chilling evidence out in police reports, UDOJ reports and FBI reports. Centuries, and centuries, and decade after decade, generation after generation of being told that they are less than human, they are less than all other non-white races in this country, of having constantly hammered and pounded into their minds that everyone has a chance and a right to “be” in this country has taken a terrible toll on the psyches of black Americans. And black Americans see still that they are 2ND, no, 3RD class citizens in the country that they have worked so hard to be a part of. This treatment can only create an outlook of fatalism, no nihilism, that has created discord and rancor in the black community. Black people as racists? I don’t think so. Black people as a race who have been besieged and put upon for forever, and are directing their rage and anger against those who will cause the “least” amount of retribution from white society (black people and other non-white people), do strike out at those who they see that white America favors over black people (at least white society favors them, until white society has gotten its fill, has used up the non-white people that they can, until they can then go on to the next non-white people they can use against black people, the next non-white people they can use for their own purposes). Black people as racists? Until I see black people able to command the power over ANYONE in this country, until I see where black people’s rage and anger directed against other races in the form of hate crimes, until I see black people’s rage in black-on-black crime have the effect on EVERYONE else in this country the way white supremacy affects us ALL, then, maybe people can give credence to so-called “black racism”. Until I see “black supremacy” rule the land, black people, like other non-white people, will continue to just be pawns in this white dominated, white controlled, white loving society. On another note, there have been commentors over at Rachel’s who consider my strong opinions on white America, and especially white males, as “hatred”. Hmm. Well, they are certainly entitled to their opinions. But, I look at it this way: If I did not get so angry at the way this country has, and is stll treating black people, if I did not get so angry at the blindness that white run America shows towards her black citizens, if I did not really care about my fellow white male citizens and what the racist policies have done to them as well as to black people, then that would mean that I just did not give a damn. If I did not care one whit, I would not say anything. But, because I do care, I take everyone in this country to task on what they should challenge and seek to dismantle in all forms of white supremacy. And by everyone, that includes black people, native people, latino people, Asian people, even, omigosh, white people, and most definately white males. If anything, I prefer to call it “tough love.” But, that’s just me. Ann, who speaks her mind. Ann. You always know where you stand with me. DeleteReplyForwardSpamMove… Previous

Just off reading that top paragraph, I’m curious if you’ve read Lawrence Blum’s stellar book “I’m Not a Racist, But…”. It’s magnificent.Great post, too :-).

David, No I haven’t read it. But maybe I’ll give it a read some time. Thanks for the comment

I completely agree that it would be detrimental to racial progress to drop the term “racist” from our lexicon. However, I am still not sure that I see how we “destigmatize” racism by simply keeping it in our conversations around race and racial issues. Furthermore, what exactly is a racist person’s interest in claiming that aspect of his/her identity?

I completely agree that it would be detrimental to racial progress to drop the term “racist” from our lexicon. However, I am still not sure that I see how we “destigmatize” racism by simply keeping it in our conversations around race and racial issues. Furthermore, what exactly is a racist person’s interest in claiming that aspect of his/her identity?

thanks for this post – i hope it’s ok for you for me to link to it? ( http://otherpleasespecify.blogspot.com ) thank you! s

GGIII, I think the value for a racist person in this sense is realizing that racism is not something that is generated inherently out of malice or ill-intention. It provides “the racist” a new way to view individual role in a collective process of disadvantage. Sharon, You’re more than welcome to link!