Dons flame gear: Do we lefties really do pull the race card too much.

[Odin2005]

I rember hearing on MPR when there was a discusion with a black author who was blasting what he called a culture of victim-hood amoung his fellow African-Americans. During the program, the author talked about some experiment where a black guy was given make-up to look while and a white guy was given make-up to look black, and the verdict was that the percieved racist behavior the black guy in the experiment thought was occuring was simply paranoia, since the white guy didn't experience much racism in his black make-up and the perceived racist behavior the black guy thought was occuring still occured when he had been made to look white.

:popcorn:

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

1. Ummmm, Yeah. Whatever.

Racism is just a figment of people's imagination. Yeah. That's the ticket.

:eyes:

[endarkenment]

4. Front page NYT this morning had what looked like

a rather devastating article about the demise of the entire cohort of black males in american society. I only got the first few paragraphs before the latte ladies fixed me up and sent me packing, but it was rather depressing. Nah, no such thing as racism. Not if you are white anyway.

[Minnesota Libra]

2. I've heard of this study before.....nt

[Warpy]

3. No, we lefties don't pull the race card too much

but I've known people of color from several different continents who pulled that card when the real discrimination that was occurring was because of sex or class.

Those are the big two, IMO, much more so than race, itself. In fact, most racial discrimination happens because people of color are simply clicked into the lowest socioeconomic class, whether or not they belong there.

I would rather see us pull the class card more often, but that's going to open up a can of worms the party bosses aren't ready to confront yet.

[pitohui]

5. you get some make-up and try that

you can't slap some white on your face and change your race

nobody is under oath when they're bullshitting on the radio

[Rude Horner]

6. I'll take the bait.

First off, there is absolutely no doubt that racism does still exist. I know plenty of people that still refer to people of other races in a derogitory fashion, for no other reason than the color of their skin.

That being said, I do agree that in some instances, racism can be simply perceived when none actually exists.

From personal experience - About a year ago, I went out of state for a week long class - job related. On the first day, I was waiting in the lobby of the class facility before class started. I took a seat, and shortly thereafter, a black gentleman took the seat next to me. We struck up a conversation - the usual stuff - "where are you from?" yada yada yada. After a while, a woman passed where we were sitting. Just walked by. I watched her. The black gentleman watched her. After she was out of sight, the black gentleman said to me "did you see that?" to which I responded "what?". He then proceeded to tell me of the "look" she gave him, and that it was because he was black.

Now....I was watching the lady's face as she passed. She looked at us, and gave a casual smile. That was it. From that point on, I noticed that throughout this week long class, the black gentleman definitely seemed to see racist behavior where I could see none.

Again, I'm not saying it doesn't exist (racism). But yes, there are probably times that people might perceive things as racist that aren't really.

[noiretextatique]

7. yeah...listen to the 10% of black people who vote republican

instead of the 90% who vote democratic...a for sure cure for what ails <white> "lefties." :eyes:

[Solomon]

16. LOL! Hi. noiretblu!

Well put indeed.

[Forkboy]

22. Heh...some things about DU I did miss

Your cut-through-the-crap attitude was one of them.

:hi:

[KurtNYC]

8. There is no "race card"

It is a term made up by the Right to dismiss all of their racism -- intentional and subconscious.

Why is it successfully dismissive? On my scorecard, when people call out racism, more than 8 out of 10 times they are correct. Life is not a card game so when some accuse others of playing the "race card" what they are really saying is "i'm a racist. And there is nothing you can do about it."

[Solomon]

17. Outstanding post Kurt. They have done this to several other concepts

in america but they really got over when they invented the "race card".

They've done that to the word "conspiracy" as well as some other things. It's a cheap way of avoiding debate and argument.

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

9. "We lefties" like links

You can't extrapolate any conclusions from an "experiment" done with one pair of participants. Ain't scientific. Don't prove shit.

[SmokingJacket]

10. IMHO, racism is much more prevalent than most people think.

Whites certainly have a culture of victimhood; why not blacks and other races? Everyone seems to want to be a victim these days.

However--- I've lived in the rural south and have witnessed racism that would set your hair on fire. I don't think the people of the rural south are genetically different from everyone else, but there is a culture there -- at least where I was -- that allows racist people to feel free to say what they think.

The makeup thing sounds totally silly.

[BurtWorm]

11. I'd like to see examples of lefties pulling the race card.

I see it being pulled much more often on the right, especially when they want to ram a fascist of color through a confirmation process.

[NYCGirl]

12. Is this what you're talking about? It's a series on F/X — and although

it's fascinating, it's certainly flawed.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5249579





(BTW, the smartest one on the show is the teenaged girl.)

http://www.alternet.org/mediaculture/33572/

[MadMaddie]

13. Pulling the Race card too much implies that racism is not

in abundance in this country....

I am the first person to say maybe an incident wasn't racism.....however; racism is alive and well and I can tell you the last 6 years under the * cabal has not been a progressive time for minorities in this country...

Let's look at one issue....
Home lending...it's a proven fact that blacks end up paying higher interest rates than their white counterparts that earn the same wage and have similar credit ratings....

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/business/special_packages/lending/12496753.htm

Just because someone dons makeup to appear black doesn't equate to the black experience...growing up as child experiencing racism...we are shaped by our experiences....

My partner who is white and I am black...she has seen it first hand...waitresses assume that they will get a bad tip or no tip because I am black.....(I waitressed so I always leave a good tip)

When I enter certain retail stores I have people that literally follow me around the store....they approach me several times...when she goes in it's different....

When I see a cop that just happens to be behind me or even in front me...I as a black American make sure I follow all of the rules no matter how riduclous the rules are.....is it paranoia...

I try to look at each situation and I try not to over react and take a step back to evaluate the situation....We are shaped by our experiences....that won't go away....can the environments that we live in and improve to reduce anxiety.....sure....Blacks saw progress under Clinton...that's why he was called the "The First Black President"....

I don't trust the * cabal and anyone associated with them when dealing with blacks!!

[frazzledmom]

14. Oh please....

Bush: "Hehe, are you the only black man living in Utah?"

Coulter: "I think our motto should be post-9-11, 'raghead talks tough, raghead faces consequences.'"
The republicans who were at the event where she said this burst into applause."

Those are examples from just the last couple weeks. Try looking at what some of the righties have been saying about Katrina victims, racism not only exists but in the age of Bush it's getting worse.

[MadMaddie]

15. Good Points....

Don't forget the attacks on the Blacks in the Gulf coast.....

[Solo_in_MD]

18. I have seen the race card over used

and every false claim undermines the cases of those who have suffered actual discrimination.

[More Than A Feeling]

19. No, a lot of people would just rather not discuss race

Which is why we must absolutely discuss it.

[alittlelark]

20. 'Do we lefties do' ROTFLMAO. My kid caught it before I did

Do we 'do the do' While sporting 'blackface'?


WHERE are you from?

PS - gotta link?

[LostinVA]

21. You mean that Eddie Murphy sketch on SNL?

And yeah... I see the popcorn. This isn't the Lounge...

[porphyrian]

23. If it looks, smells and tastes like shit... - n/t

[UTUSN]

24. Another question: Do us Libs QUESTION ourselves too much? n/t