Typical White Person? Dang Right.

[Drachasor]

More to the point, it is typical, particularly of whites, to have that reaction.

I'm an atheist, freethinker, I believe that we are all equal, regardless of skin color. I believe whites, blacks, and people of all hues are fundamentally equally capable. I believe we have massive inequalities in our social and education infrastructure that needs to be fixed. I believe that we can all come together, pool our ideas, and fix our problems.

Nonetheless, if I am walking alone at night, and I see a stranger out there with me, I have a very different reaction if they are black than if they are white. This is not a thoughtful reaction, but instead an immediate and emotional response. I do use the rational part of my brain to reign in such unfounded fears. I'm not proud of this, but I am not going to lie and pretend they don't exist.

Obama was speaking the truth. If anything, he should have included more people in this comment, for even Jesse Jackson has said he has felt this emotional response. Now he didn't say it in the most politically correct manner, but that doesn't change the fundamental truth that is at the core of what he said.

Let's not demonize someone for telling the truth. That is something we should never do.

[gravity]

1. I have the same feelings

One thing that I noticed is even if a white and black person are dressed the same, I will give the white guy the benefit of the doubt.

I know its wrong, but you can't really control your emotions. This is why the fight against racism is so difficult. It is easier to deny your own feelings than face the truth.

[Drachasor]

3. I agree completely, but the first step to solving a problem is recognizing it

People seem to be avoiding this post for some reason. Not sure if it is because it doesn't add much or if they are afraid of the topic.

Edit: Thanks a lot, I think you got the ball rolling.

[gravity]

8. Racism is such a taboo

People are too afraid of being labeled a racists so they pretend these types of feelings don't exists.

[Drachasor]

10. I think we should think of it like cowardice; you're a racist if you let those feelings control you

Ideally one wouldn't have such feelings, but we don't live in a world nearly that ideal yet.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

2. When I'm out walking with my cousin in Chicago at night, I see people cross the street

They try not to look at us. They try to make it seem like they *had* to cross, or there is some other reason they couldn't stay on this side of the street. We're Hispanic and they do that.


On another thread, a Hillary supporter said that it was not racism to fear black men.

I think, unfortunately, that many people have that problem. I wouldn't say it was "typical" but it is common.

[Drachasor]

6. Even if you don't act on it, it can still be there as a feeling

So I think it is a lot more common than you might think, especially regarding black men. :(

[hfojvt]

35. I've had people do that to me

and I'm white and this happened in the day time. I've also crossed the street suddenly myself and wondered if it looked bad to the people coming the other way. It really has nothing to do with them, I just take an opportunity to cross a sometimes busy street. We do live in a dangerous and paranoid society.

[pdxmom]

4. I'll admit I'm a "typical white person". I realize that I have these reactions

and get angry with myself for having these reactions, but at least I'm self-aware enough to know I have them and work actively to try to change.

And you're right about the demonization. I'm sick of honesty being punished and mocked.

[peace13]

5. I agree and anyone who would blow this statement out

of proportion thinks even worse thoughts when confronted with this situation. Thou dost protest too much, so to speak. I will say that Obama has been good for me already. I loved being in a group of 7500 black and white people all excited by the possibilities. Can't wait to have a real leader again!!! peace, Kim

[knixphan]

7. impressive.

In a good way. Maybe we can get somewhere...

Or at least catch up with our kids-

Hope abides...

[1620rock]

9. I work with some african american friends in a neighborhood

coalition project. In some neighborhoods my african american friends are more leery than I am. Perhaps I feel more secure in their presence than they do in mine.

[Drachasor]

15. If that's in some neighborhoods, then maybe some of those areas are just more dangerous

It's a tricky issue, I suppose, but if the feeling is about an area, then that's probably because the area is more dangerous.

[Drachasor]

11. bumping this up, since I think it is important

[Pringles]

12. Honestly, as a woman

and one who has lived in center city urban areas, I sometimes cross the street when I am alone, in a secluded area or one in which there are no other people around, and I see a man approaching. Race has nothing to do with it. It's purely "vibe" a la Gavin De Becker.

In any event, I'd rather not have anyone speak to my experience as being "typical" of anything. It always runs the risk of wrongly stereotyping and plays on stereotypes. It's a hard sell to begin arguing that one stereotype is apt while another isn't. All stereotypes are based on some group of experiences, and there is always the risk that the stereotype will be applied wrongly in an individual situation. Then it becomes discrimination or prejudice.

[Drachasor]

13. Interesting points

I can easily see how race might play no or a small role, certainly compared to gender. I wonder if that is generally true for women in this situation.

The "typical" part was a poorly chosen word, no doubt. Still, we can certainly speak of trends in society and common reactions. We should be able to talk about that without people getting upset, imho. On this matter, that's part of recognizing the problem, and as long as we are not content to wallow in the problem and do nothing about it, then it shouldn't become a prejudice.

[Blue_In_AK]

30. I'm always a bit apprehensive of men, period,

when I'm out walking alone, especially on a trail or when no one else is around. Alaska has the highest sexual assault rate in the country, so you can't be too sure when approaching a stranger. I try to keep my head up high, though, and look them in the eye and not show any fear. So far that's worked for me.

[NJSecularist]

14. edit: nevermind

[ecstatic]

16. And if I'm walking alone, I have different reaction if they are men vs. women

I'm a typical woman.

[Drachasor]

17. It seems hard to get people to post in here, but I think this is really worth talking about

So please take some time, post your thoughts, and discuss. Thanks.

[Darth_Kitten]

18. Funny, I have problems walking out late at night because of MEN, no matter their colour....

Geez.

[scheming daemons]

20. Typical woman.

;-)

[Drachasor]

22. It does seem like the experience with women might be quite different than that of white males

More than one woman has said this.

[ShortnFiery]

24. I've not felt unusually afraid of men except when I'm stupid and wander

into certain neighborhoods. That's the ticket - social unrest in poor neighborhoods.

For example, when I was a graduate student at SDSU during 1988, a friend and I decided to take "a scenic route" to DISNEYLAND. Oh. My. Gawd. My friend said to me, "Roll up the windows and don't stop for a light NOW! - just f**king run it if you can." I won't go into details but it was a very poor, run down Black neighborhood in LA and I was scared shitless.

Does that make me a racist?

Qualifiers and Context, IMO, mean everything. We need A DIALOG not "sound bytes."

BTW, having enjoyed continuing martial arts training for myself and my daughter puts our mind at ease. However, we aren't stupid and travel "in groups" or "pairs" late at night when we go anywhere. That's not paranoid but SAFE and a behavior men would be well served to follow. :thumbsup:

[Carni]

26. GASP!!!! You too!?!

Damn! Why are we such anti-menites? Shame on us!

[Darth_Kitten]

42. We are bad.

:)

[roseBudd]

19. The reason we have these feeliungs is because of economic & educational disparities between races

Crime other than white collar is not a career choice for the haves or the have mores.

The fear someone might feel in certain situations is a result of racism.

[LaurenG]

21. If I don't know them then I'm skittish of men no matter their color

I would rather meet an old lady in a dark alley and I don't care what color they are either.
The fact remains that we are fearful of that which we don't understand. That would include unknown motivations of strangers.

Obama is telling us about himself the things he has had to overcome and though they are not typical of all of us we can all relate to parts of it. I find it really sad that he can't be black and white since his ancestry makes him both.

Finally, if I said my great grandmother was a typical white grandmother I'd be lying. She was a hateful old woman and a Nazarene tent preacher in the early 1900's. What did make her typical for her time was the racist crap she spewed. My own mother has been known to try calling people of other colors names and she didn't think MLK was a hero.

Racial issues are never simple though because she did vote for Obama in the Ohio primary.

[superkia]

23. Come on! When I walk near cars and the doors all lock, its just...

a coincidence, you guys must be conspiracy theorists or something. :sarcasm:

I don't get mad over it, I just laugh at it when it happens...and it happens all of the time. I understand, the media has everyone believing that any black person is a thief, poor, jobless, ignorant killer. Its not everyone, just the weak minded that allow the media to brainwash them, instead of letting them live from their experiences.

We are all in this together because the elite only need us all to run the world for them physically as their slaves so they can enjoy even more benefits.

[Carni]

25. Oh for Christ's sake!

I am a white woman

A) First off I try not to walk around at night by myself.

B) If I am alone walking on one of my treks (that I avoid taking) I tend to veer
away from ANY man coming my way regardless of his skin color, mode of dress
etc etc

That's called common sense in my book.

If you run when you see a black person coming...then you are not typical of ALL white people.

Obama's comment about his Grandmother IMO was an example of stereotyping and I didn't appreciate it.

[Ron Green]

27. That's not what the OP said.

At all.

[ecstatic]

36. "seven out of 10 white people show unconscious racial prejudice, including those who claim to be

bias free."

http://www.aarpmagazine.org/people/Articles/a2004-03-18-mag-hatred.html

Studies have found automatic reactions in the BRAIN in whites when pictures of unfamiliar black faces were shown.

[Drachasor]

37. As I have said elsewhere in this thread, there does seem to be a difference between men and women

A number of women have said they get uncomfortable with men of any race in that sort of situation. At the moment, I'm on the fence about whether that is "common sense"; it certainly isn't fair to all men in general (but one can't always be fair).

And I didn't say that I "run when see a black person coming", please reread my original post.

[loyalsister]

28. Thanks

I am so glad to see that some people appreciate the honesty of that speech.

There is a huge difference between "latent attitudes" and hateful activities.

With racism, I would argue that between lies and entire range of degrees.
From basically harmless and unintentional latent influential attitudes.
to a range where the attitudes surface occasionally when a person becomes aware of the harm others do is unconcerned about the harm others do.
to attitudes of not minding if a person does harm themself.
to actually acting in varying degrees, etc.

That is a simplistic analysis, but one that basically explains the idea that there are "innocent reactive attidudes" that we should try to understand and acknowledge. Until we understand and respect the full complexity of race relations and respect the origin of all of the reactions we will continue to have problems. These are human relationships based on feelings and reactions. They don't always make logical sense.

[TragedyandHope]

29. deleted

...

[DemocratSinceBirth]

31. I'm Confused

"Obama was speaking the truth. If anything, he should have included more people in this comment, for even Jesse Jackson has said he has felt this emotional response. Now he didn't say it in the most politically correct manner, but that doesn't change the fundamental truth that is at the core of what he said."


You suggested that your "typical white person" has a certain "emotion(al) response" when he sees a black person at night. And then as evidence for your suggestion you contend that even Jesse Jackson has said response...

That doesn't make sense...

[Drachasor]

33. You missed the point there

I was saying at that point, if anything it isn't confined to whites. It is certainly present, however. As an example, I offered myself.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

40. Respectfully, You Missed The Point

You suggested that a certain emotional response is unique to whites and than offered Jesse Jackson as evidence...

Jesse Jackson was intimidated in certain situations by African American males as was Senator Obama's maternal grandmother...

[Drachasor]

44. No, you missed the point, respectfully

I said the emotion was definitely there. It is.

I said it might well not be unique to whites, and then offered Jesse Jackson as evidence. You quoted me on that, read the quote again.

[cooolandrew]

32. He was only really highlighting the component of recail isues which is fear. We gotta reject fear.

[Drachasor]

34. I think it is more than that, for there are deeper socio-economic inequalities involved

Schools and other issues need to be addressed.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

38. Jesse Jackson is a "typical white person" too! remember he said this.....

“There is nothing more painful for me at this stage in my life,” Jesse Jackson said several years ago, “than to walk down the street and hear footsteps and start thinking about robbery—and then look around and see somebody white and feel relieved.”

[Drachasor]

39. As I said, it doesn't necessarily exist solely within white people

I'm not sure if it is more common among whites than blacks, but it certainly seems to be a typical response in whites (according to studies, The Truth Hurts cited such a study above).

[DemocratSinceBirth]

41. Here

I used to post on the now defunct NBA ESPN Board... A couple of my white and African American friends were chatting about race... One of my white friends said he was stopped at a light in Liberty City one night and a African American walked up to his car... He said he hit the gas and took off... One of my African American friends said " he might have needed help or was getting ready to car jack you."

You need to look at the situation...

[gaspee]

43. Try being a woman

I have the same reaction to men, no matter their color. If you are female and out walking alone, you're smart to keep all strange (and some you know) men at a distance. If anything happens to you, you're going to be blamed for being in the "wrong" place, alone.

So for me, it's gender, not race.

I have no negative reaction if I come across a lone female, also walking alone, no matter what color she is.

[Iris]

45. actually, you should reverse you parentheses and keep most men you know at a distance

since most rapes are acquaintance rapes.

I don't choose to live my life that way, but if I did, I'd reverse your parentheses.

[Drachasor]

46. I didn't know that statistic

I'll have to go look up a source. Depending on the percentage breakdown, it might well be ridiculous bias to be so cautious of every strange male.