Race/Ethnicity
Questions 541-550
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THE
QUESTION:
R550: How do people deal with prejudiced members of their own
family? For instance, no matter how many times my mother and I tell
him that "colored" is an inappropriate term for black people, that's
the term my father uses. The man isn't stupid, and there's nobody
else in the room but family when he says it, so he's not insulting
anyone to their face. He just doesn't care enough to be bothered to
remember. He's in his 70s and nothing my mother or I say is likely to
change his attitude. Do I stick up for principle, let it go on the
grounds life is too short to have futile fights with my father, or
make a token resistance to show I don't approve and then let it go? I
usually do the third, but I'm interested in others' feelings and
experiences concerning this type of situation.
POSTED DEC. 4, 1998
Susan, female, New York, NY
ANSWER 1:
I'd be very interested in hearing people's responses to
this. My grandfather has a similar problem, but far worse. His is not
just a matter of semantics, but of general attitude. In his heart and
soul he IS prejudiced. For may years we have always explained him to
outsiders as "old school" and a "product of the second World War"
since many of his prejudices are rooted in his experience serving in
that war. But lately, I've found these explanations to be less and
less satisfying and his behavior to be more and more shameful. He is
rather uneducated, but is also an extremely successful business man,
so he's not stupid. Does anyone have more insight/advice for this
type of situation?
POSTED DEC. 7, 1998
D.M.M., 24, female
<donikam@hotmail.com>,
Charleston , SC
FURTHER NOTICE:
Being in my mid 50s I have lived through some of the
"proper" descriptions. I started life in the times of "colored,"
moved to "Negro," experienced "black" and now we are in "Afro
American." Since your father is in his 70s, it is probably that he is
not interested in learning new terms. Having lived outside the United
States for more than 30 years, I can understand his "problem." I
would have problems myself with all the new political correct
terms.
POSTED DEC. 7, 1998
Turk, white male
<turksat@superonline.com>
FURTHER NOTICE 2:
Tolerance, Susan, tolerance. Though neither you or I would
use colored or worse to refer to a black man (No, not Afro American
until the PC police make us refer to Italian-American,
Latvian-American, etc.), you would be showing more respect to your
dad if you simply told him your views on the expression once, and
then stopped trying to mold him to fit your social preferences.
POSTED DEC. 7, 1998
Al, white male, 66, FL
FURTHER NOTICE 3:
I too have family that uses the word "colored" when
speaking of blacks ... or African Americans ... it's very difficult
to keep up with the Politically Correct terms these days. Anyway, I
decided to ask my husband, a black man, if he was offended by the
term. He explained to me that depending on the age of the person, he
would or would not be offended. After all, in your father's time,
black folks were called "colored." My husband would not be offended
in such a case. But if a person were younger and aware of the newer
terms, he would feel offended. Of course, my husband and I come from
a time when black folks were called "black," so this is the term we
prefer. I think political correctness is overrated, and I get tired
of keeping up. It changes it seems like week to week. For instance, I
wasn't aware until recently that Orientals and Asians were offended
by those terms now. It's Asian American all the way. OK, so I
conform, though I personally don't care if you call me white or
honky. Just don't call me Caucasion, please.
POSTED DEC. 7, 1998
Alyce, white female
<alyce13@hotmail>,
Cleveland, Oh
FURTHER NOTICE 4:
Susan, using "colored" was acceptable in your dad's day,
and it doesn't mean he's prejudiced. Leave him alone and enjoy
him.
POSTED DEC. 7, 1998
A.A.W., 42, black female
<ANABWI@aol.com>,
Plantation, FL
FURTHER NOTICE 5:
Leave your dad alone. There are many African Amercans who
still refer to themselves and others as "Negro" and "Colored." I
don't find it offensive because I realize it's a generational issue
more so than an issue of bigotry. If your father isn't intending to
offend anyone (and he isn't using the N-word) and he doesn't use the
word publicly, what difference does it make? "A rose by any other
name... "
POSTED DEC. 7, 1998
Karen H. , 32, African American, Orange, NJ
FURTHER NOTICE 6:
Your question is not unusual. Many people, especially
those from different generational or cultural backgrounds, have
difficulty in making what seems to them to be rather insignificant
changes. I don't believe, however, that people should rule their
everyday life according to what is politically correct. No, "colored"
is not appropriate; we are all colored in some fashion. But if that
is the greatest of his sins, is it worth all of your effort to make
him change?
POSTED DEC. 7, 1998
Jason <nene@wam.umd.edu>,
Silver Spring, MD
FURTHER NOTICE 7:
I don't think you should let it go. Point out to him that
he may infect his grandchildren with his attitudes. If he still won't
change, make sure any children of yours understand what he says is
not right or acceptable to you.
POSTED DEC. 7, 1998
A.C.C., San Antonio, TX
FURTHER NOTICE 8:
Is your father actually prejudiced, or is he simply using
words he is familiar with? When he was growing up, colored was the
term, and even though he has learned tolerance (not insulting people
to their faces), he is probably just using the words he knows.
Nicknames and tags for various ethnic groups are quite common, and
though few respectable people would use them in public, the way your
father behaves in private is probably not as poor as you believe. I
would simply leave him alone. Within my own family there is plenty of
prejudice, and my method of dealing with it is to complain
occasionally but just to put up with it.
POSTED DEC. 7, 1998
Jessica F., white female, 14, Victoria, Australia
<Superwidge@hotmail.com>
FURTHER NOTICE 9:
Although the term colored is no longer politically
correct, I don't believe you can automatically equate its usage by a
70-year-old as racist. I think many elderly reach the point where
they are resistant and possibly resentful of all the change in the
world. Remembering a time when "black" or "African" was considered
insulting, the whole matter may appear as just another fad to someone
in his or her 70s. Unless some more overt type of racist behavior is
evident, I'd advise you lighten up a little.
POSTED DEC. 7, 1998
S.F. black male
<sfinley@wans.net>,
Naperville, IL
FURTHER NOTICE 10:
The term "colored" is not necessarily inappropriate. It is
not considered slang to most people. If anything, the term is
outdated and may be viewed by many to be politically incorrect. My
grandparents also have used the term when referring to a person of
color, and it was never derogatory - just a way to describe a person.
I would not try to change your father at this point. If he is not
implying anything negative when using this term, then leave well
enough alone.
POSTED DEC. 7, 1998
32, American female, Lansing, MI
FURTHER NOTICE 11:
I say ignore it. My father was the same way - I think if
you're not a prejudiced person and someone else is, then let them be.
It's hard to change an older person who has had their values and
beliefs for a long time. Just break the chain. Be yourself and accept
others for who they are or are not.
POSTED DEC. 7, 1998
F.S.
<abqteachr@netscape.net>,
Albuquerque, NM
FURTHER NOTICE 12:
I tend toward the third with my dad, partly for the sake
of family harmony, but mostly because I realize that at his age (64)
he is not likely to change (he doesn't seem likely to give up
smoking, either, even though he was a doctor and knows better). I
wish it were otherwise, but I've found that arguing such points just
makes him dig in his heels.
POSTED DEC. 7, 1998
Gene, white male
<geneand@ix.netcom.com>,
Oakland, CA
FURTHER NOTICE 13:
As a black woman, I think you don't realize that he is
relating to the world from the cultural environment he was raised in.
I don't find the term "colored" an insult or even disrespectful when
coming from someone who doesn't know any better or who is too set in
their ways to change or just confused by all the politically correct
issues out here in society. Cut the man some slack; I'm sure he's a
real sweetie regardless.
POSTED DEC. 7, 1998
S.W., black female
<sweetkali@earthlink.net>,
Los Angeles, CA
FURTHER NOTICE 14:
I sympathize deeply with you. My father is very racist,
primarily toward black people, but toward anyone not white in
general. Nearly every statement he makes contains some slur. My
mother, unfortunately, is the same way, though to a lesser degree.
They are both very homophobic as well. I can only tell you that when
I was younger, I said nothing. I took the stance that I had no right
to speak to my parents about that kind of thing. Now, since I have
been on my own and have cemented my own very different views on those
matters, I have no problem coming out and calling my father a racist.
It can bring about some pretty bad arguments, but we are still
family. As much as I do not want to admit it, I will likely not
change their minds, but if I do not try, I will never know if it was
possible.
POSTED DEC. 7, 1998
John K., 25
<the-macs@geocities.com>,
Cranford, NJ
To respond
BACK TO TOP
THE QUESTION:
R549: A woman was recently interviewed for a job that required
significant interaction with an English-speaking public. The woman
was not hired because she spoke almost no English. Would you consider
this to be discrimination?
POSTED DEC. 4, 1998
Maria K., female, Rowley, MA
ANSWER 1:
I would consider that not meeting the requirements of the
job. I feel that many people today think they can get any job they
want, whether they qualify or not. And if they don't get the job,
they scream discrimination. My father deals with this - he repairs
electronics. He works with very incompetent people, but they cannot
be fired because they cry a river about being fired because of
something else - gender, race, whatever. If the woman you're talking
about was not hired because she's black, or because she's a "she,"
that's discrimination.
POSTED DEC. 7, 1998
J. Sin, white male, GA
FURTHER NOTICE:
Absolutely not. She wasn't capable of doing the job.
Refusing to hire someone who lacks the necessary skills to do the job
is completely appropriate.
POSTED DEC. 9, 1998
Susan, New York, NY
To respond
BACK TO TOP
THE QUESTION:
R548: Why does it seem that professional mens sports teams
(football, basketball) are becoming more and more dominated by black
players?
POSTED DEC. 4, 1998
Maria K., female, Rowley, MA
ANSWER 1:
I feel it's because black people are adapted to physical
activites due to their traditional ancestory. Genetics and evolution
are most likely involved. For instance, most black people have
broader and flatter noses, to allow more air into their lungs. This
is due to the hot climates black people have lived in for thousands
of years in Africa. In contrast, most white people have smaller
noses, due to living in colder climates, so they restrict the cold
air entering their body. One could also argue that it's because most
black people are at a disadvantage when they grow up due to poorer
schools, unequal education, etc., and that sports is a good way for
the disadvantaged to succeed. And unfortunately, there is a large
percentage of disadvantaged black people in the United States.
POSTED DEC. 7, 1998
J. Sin , white male who can't jump, GA
FURTHER NOTICE:
I am sure there are various explanations why it appears
some professional sports are dominated by African Americans. Some may
be based on solid research, while others may be based on myth.
However, there is one important factor I would like for you to keep
in mind: The people who select these fine athletes are for the most
part non-minorities, i.e. Caucasians. The question therefore should
be directed to them - Why do they place such large numbers of African
Americans on their teams?
POSTED DEC. 9, 1998
Joe P., old geezer, black male, Tallahassee, Fl
FURTHER NOTICE 2:
I come from an African-American family and we seem to have
little athletic ability, despite our genetic heritage. I can't sing
well, either. Maybe what you are seeing is a lack of opportunity in
the African-American community for other career possibilities, or
more media exposure for celebrities vs. people in other fields. I
couldn't compete in these careers. I became a physician instead.
POSTED DEC. 11, 1998
Susan, black female, MA
FURTHER NOTICE 3:
To J.Sin: The overwhelming majority of black Americans are
not disadvantaged. In terms of poverty, the last numbers I saw on
black impoverished people was somewhere around 25 percent, which
means 75 percent are above the poverty level. Also, is there any
documentation of a correlation of airflow into the lungs and
attainment of a professional athletic career? Let's be careful.
POSTED DEC. 11, 1998
Black female, MA
FURTHER NOTICE 4:
Why would the size of one's nose have anything to do with
professional sports ability? I'm confused.
POSTED DEC. 11, 1998
Jen, white female, 21
<Jravani123@aol.com>,
Lansing, MI
FURTHER NOTICE 5:
Most people don't want to hear it, but there is much truth
in what Jimmy the Greek once said and was subsequently fired for. The
majority of blacks in this country came from plantation slaves and
were literally "bred" for better performance in their tasks. Just
like livestock were and are still selectively bred. It's not a
dispersion on the race, just the facts.
POSTED DEC. 11, 1998
Griz
<grizzly800@aol.com>,
West Palm Beach , Fl
FURTHER NOTICE 6:
In certain competitive sports, very small differences (a
tenth of a second over 40 yards, for example) separate the top pros
from the also-rans. Genetic differences can be critically important.
I have seen reputable articles, one in Sports Illustrated, descibing
the positive mechanical impact of leg structures more common to
blacks than whites - one dealt with the shape of the heel bone, and
one the ratio of the length of the femur to the lower leg. These are
contributing factors to the success of blacks in sprints, jumps and
sports that emphasize sprints and jumps. Athletics emphasizing arms
aren't as dominated by blacks - pitching in baseball, quarterbacking
in football, throwing events in track and field. Tennis and swimming
may also fit this hypothesis, although cultural and facility access
issues may be at play as well.
POSTED DEC. 11, 1998
B. Hale, white
<halehart@aol>, Hartford,
CT
FURTHER NOTICE 7:
To J. Sin: I work in a health care enviroment and see just
as many black Americans with breathing problems as whites. The one
area I see more role models for black Americans is in sports. Where
you have role models, you have people striving for that field. Gee, I
wonder why. Could it be that when a qualified black applies for a
computer programmer job, it's easier to say the white person is
better qualified? If I can jump higher and shoot baskets better than
the person next to me because I've worked my butt off, it's kind of
hard to say the other person is better qualified.
POSTED DEC. 11, 1998
Alma, lesbian who cant even jump
<pridewks@seacove.net>,
Kempner, TX
FURTHER NOTICE 8:
The first answer was questionable at best. How does a
broad nose allow more air? Besides, people usually breathe through
their mouths when exercising. Genetics may be the answer, but most
likely for reasons other than those the answerer gave, in my
opinion.
POSTED DEC. 11, 1998
Mark S., 30, white male, Houston , TX
FURTHER NOTICE 9:
The differences in black and white physiology are more
easily explained by slavery. In a short period of time (geologically
speaking) the weaker blacks in this country were rooted out. The
ultimate Darwinism was in effect that if you couldn't haul a bail of
cotton or pick half a field, you were killed because you were weak.
True blacks may have developed traits while in Africa, but that
theory crumbles when applied to "African" Americans because of mixed
ancestry. Most "African" Americans are mixed, giving them features
similar to many whites (skin color is the distinguishing
characteristic).
POSTED DEC. 11, 1998
Nigel
<nkwate@home.com>
FURTHER NOTICE 10:
To J. Sin: I don't know where you got the idea of broader
noses helping athleticism. I read extensively that there is no
scientific evidence that blacks have evolved differently than whites.
(There are small exceptions such as, of course, skin color) To Griz:
I don't know where you got all of your facts, either. It's
scientifically impossible for a species of any kind to evolve over a
course of 200-300 years. If anything, blacks would evolve in the
opposite effect and become "weaker" now that slavery has ended. Even
if they were bred that way. What does it mean when you have an
extremely athletic white male who has no African-American heritage in
their backround? It doesn't add up.
POSTED DEC. 18, 1998
J. Harrison, black male
<Jaykid39@hotmail.com>,
Columbia, MD
FURTHER NOTICE 11:
To J. Harrison: Noses are important only in isolated
situations in sports, such as when a football player sprints with his
mouth clamped shut on a mouthguard. Those breath-right strips are
popular, indicating that some pros see a value to better breathing
through the nose. My belief is that white noses narrowed over many
generations to better warm the frigid air entering the lungs in
northern European climates. On the 200- to 300-year evolution thing,
it is possible to change the stock of a community through conscious
effort - for example, marrying all the tall people together and
shipping out the short people would lead to a pretty tall society
after a few generations. I'd like somebody to verify with authority
the extent to which conscious breeding of blacks really occurred
during slavery. Is there a good book on this topic?
POSTED DEC. 21, 1998
B. Hale, white
<halehart@aol.com>,
Hartford, CT
FURTHER NOTICE 12:
The answer to your question is twofold: First, it has to
do with many long hard hours of practice; and second, it's economic
conditions. The athletes you see in the NFL or NBA are at the top of
their respective professions. The didn't get there because of
breeding on plantations or because of their physical makeup. They've
made it there because most love the game they play and they've played
the game tens of thousands of hours. I have a friend, Xavier, who has
a Ph.D. in biology, and he is very prominent in his field. His love
for biology just didn't happen. To the contrary, he has loved biology
and things related to biology since childhood. So while the young
Michael Jordan was on the basketball court practicing his jump shot,
the young Xavier was in his room reading about the anatomy of frogs.
While Michael was honing his skills on the courts in college, Xavier
was honing his in the lab in college. When Michael was a rookie in
the NBA, Xavier was doing his post-doc work. Do you see what I mean?
Secondly, let's face it: There is a disparity between inner-city
schools and suburban schools. This disparity didn't just occur.
Because of this, education isn't always seen as the way to financial
success in some black homes. This thought is held by the kid who sees
someone like himself who is on TV and is a multi-millionaire, as well
as the kid's parent, who may also be under-educated and doesn't value
education. So these parents encourage their kids to pursue their
athletic dreams rather than their academic ones. Most kids never
achieve their dreams (there are a finite number of players required
on any given team). You don't see those young black men on
commercials, and you don't see young white suburban kids hanging
posters of those young black men on their walls. That's because some
are incarcerated, and the others, while they are hard-working,
law-abiding citizens, go unnoticed by most people. But that's OK,
because they still have their dreams, and when they watch Randall
Cunningham throw the ball, they're happy he's achieved his dream.
POSTED DEC. 27, 1998
Tonyway, gay black male
<tonyway@yahoo.com>, San
Francisco, CA
To respond
BACK TO TOP
THE QUESTION:
R547: Do Indians (i.e. from India) feel a strong affinity to
the Taj Mahal, the way other religions feel strongly about, say,
Mecca, or The Western Wall?
POSTED DEC. 4, 1998
Suzanne
<suzanne@virtualjerusalem.com
>
To respond
BACK TO TOP
THE QUESTION:
R546: Many black Americans have what I would call "mainstream"
names, with a definable origin, whether American, African, or Muslim:
James, Ellis, Kwame, Mfume, Yussuf, Ali. What is the origin of names
such as "Laukesha," "Mercural," "Meshawn" and the like? These seem,
to me, like an artificial construct, but I may be bound by my
traditional White Male Anglo-Irish ways. At any rate, peace and love
to all, whatever your name.
POSTED DEC. 4, 1998
Don G., white male geezer, Cleveland , OH
ANSWER 1:
All names are "made-up" - some just more recently than
others.
POSTED DEC. 16, 1998
Tracy, African-American female, 30, Cleveland, OH
To respond
BACK TO TOP
THE QUESTION:
R545: To Asians: How do you view African Americans? I was
recently asked by an Asian friend of mine if I combed my hair every
day. I don't understand what prompted that question. Please help me
understand.
POSTED DEC. 4, 1998
Y.M., 22, African American
<yoyo2003@hotmail.com>,
Toledo, OH
ANSWER 1:
Perhaps I'm generalizing, but I think the older generation
Indian (60-plus) is more inclined to be racist toward African
Americans than someone from my generation would be. But then the
older generation is more xenophobic and is not at ease with any
foreigner, not just African Americans. I do think (and I'm only
thinking of an Asian Indian here, not all Asians) that Indians tend
to lput a lot of emphasis on education, college degrees, intellect,
family background, social hierarchy, etc., and any prejudice an
Indian may have based purely on race/skin color is likely to be
dispelled if the person in question meets these "exacting," somewhat
snobbish, standards. Incidentally, Indians judge each other on these
very same standards.
POSTED FEB. 18, 1999
S.T. ,33, Asian Indian, Dallas, TX
To respond
BACK TO TOP
THE QUESTION:
R544: It seems to me that most black people act like white
people are trash. A lot of the black girls my age (I'm 14) talk down
to white girls, but never to each other. It's like they are only mean
to people who can't defend themselves, or won't. Not all of them, but
most of them. They act like they are God's greatest creation, and
nothing can touch them, especially a white girl. Why?
POSTED DEC. 2, 1998
Michele M., 14, white female
<mitch_1000@yahoo.com>,
Battle Creek, MI
ANSWER 1:
Michele, you have to stand up for yourself; bullies will
bully until you put them in their place. This applies to all people,
not just black girls.
POSTED DEC. 4, 1998
A.A.W., 42, black female
<ANABWI@aol.com>,
Plantation, FL
FURTHER NOTICE:
Michelle, there are plenty of black folks who don't think white
folks are trash. Please don't make an assumption about an entire
group of people based on the actions of a few members of that group.
That's called prejudice. If these girls are putting you down simply
because of your skin color, then you're probably better off not
trying to seek their friendship. Besides their own prejudice, they're
simply rude. It's always best to treat people the way you want to be
treated. Make sure you're doing that, and hopefully you'll end up
with friends who you can truly call friends, regardless of their
color.
POSTED DEC. 4, 1998
Kecia L., black female, Chicago, IL
To respond
BACK TO TOP
THE QUESTION:
R543: I have heard Italians and Italian Americans call African
Americans "Eggplants." Can someone tell me what this term means, and
its origin?
POSTED DEC. 2, 1998
African American
<Crizo@hotmail.com>,
Chicago, IL
ANSWER 1:
I come from an Italian family, and I believe the eggplant
term originated because Italians thought black people's skin
resembled the color of an eggplant. In Italian eggplant is pronounced
"moo-lin-yan," which you may also have heard. In my opinion, it is
somewhat of a slur, but it is a not really a malicious name. I've
only heard it used a few times in my life, when my older relatives
were joking around.
POSTED DEC. 9, 1998
Jim, male, NJ
FURTHER NOTICE:
I am a white Scottish-American female who has had two
Italian boyfriends who have used this term. They actually used the
word "melanzane" (sp?), which is the Italian word for eggplant, and
they seemed to be referring to the similarity of the color of an
eggplant to black skin. They seemed to use it in reference to men
rather than women. I am not condoning the use of this racist term,
just reporting on it.
POSTED DEC. 9, 1998
M. Malcolm, white female, Boston, MA
To respond
BACK TO TOP
THE QUESTION:
R542: How are dreadlocks achieved? Is that style easier to
take care of? Where did it orginate?
POSTED DEC. 1, 1998
Tina, 30, white female, Kansas City, Mo
ANSWER 1:
I believe the term "dreadlocks" originated in the days of
slavery. As the slaves were being transported from Africa, they
didn't have the luxury of taking care of grooming needs, so our hair
became intertwined, creating "plats," or locks. Slaveowners saw this
and thought it looked "dreadful," hence the term "dreadlocks." So in
short, the term is derogatory - the correct term is just "locks."
What others saw as ugly and dreadful, we saw as natural beauty.
POSTED DEC. 16, 1998
S.M., black male
<smoore15@aol.com>,
Baltimore, MD
FURTHER NOTICE:
If you do not comb extremely curly hair (what some folks
call kinky or, derogatorily, nappy hair) for a long time, it will
eventually mat, or "lock." You can create "cultivated" locks by
rolling individual pieces of hair so they're neat. Some people use
gel or wax to try to hold starting locks together, but extremely
curly hair doesn't really need much aside from water or a water-based
holding agent. As the hair grows, you keep rolling the new growth up
into the lock. When you're starting out, it's recommended you not
wash your hair for about a month so that the starting locks don't
come loose. Afterward, you can wash your hair as often as you like.
This counters the common assumption that locks are unclean.
POSTED DEC. 18, 1998
Kecia L., black female who's thinking about growing locks, Chicago,
IL
FURTHER NOTICE 2:
Dreadlocks are part of the Rastafarian religious beliefs
made popular by Bob Marley. It originated in Ethiopia, following the
sun god RA, but was nearly wiped out with slavery. Jamaica was a
central point for many of the slaves to end up, so it was "reborn"
there.
POSTED DEC. 21, 1998
Liam, 22
<liam.hanrahan@nuigalway.ie>,
Ireland
To respond
BACK TO TOP
THE QUESTION:
R541: Why does it seem that many African Americans are so
anti-Jewish? Having been the victims of bigotry, it seems odd that so
many African-American newspapers and spokespeople (e.g. Farrakhan,
Sharpton, etc.) propagate long-discredited anti-Semitic
stereotypes.
POSTED NOV. 29, 1998
Gregg S., 45
<gregg1@alumni.ksg.harvard.edu>,
Boston, MA
ANSWER 1:
I don't hate Jews; my Mom used to take us to temple as
kids just to listen to the cantors sing. We always sat in the back
row, but no one made us feel we were unwanted or out of place. Also
my maiden name is common among Jews and we used to get calls around
Hannukah, Passover, etc. from Jews looking for their friends from the
old neighborhoods in New York. We were even invited to Seder a few
times, until we told them we were a black family. It was a running
joke in our family and we so much looked forward to those calls. Also
my brother had the same name, graduated high school the same year as
a Jewish boy who eventually went on into politics; how we'd laugh
when the two were compared.
POSTED DEC. 1, 1998
A.A.W., 42 black female
<ANABWI@aol.com>,
Plantation, FL
FURTHER NOTICE:
Your suggestion that blacks are anti-Jewish is wrong,
grossly distorts black attitudes and is offensive. At 58, I've yet to
meet a black I would label anti-Jewish. On the contrary, we have a
profound appreciation and empathy for Jewish suffering and have felt
a shared understanding of bigotry and hatred. This may be why many
blacks are especially irritated by what they perceive today as Jewish
indifference to the plights and sufferings of anyone not Jewish.
Also, many blacks have long felt that Jewish businesses, operating in
or drawing their sustenance from black communities, have not been
signficantly inclined to invest anything back into those communities
(as a child in Memphis, a common joke among blacks was that Jewish
businesses thriving in black neighborhoods woundn't give a black a
job sweeping the floor). If these perceptions and feelings have been
ill-founded, then blacks would be the first to want to know and to
know what the truth in these areas really is.
POSTED DEC. 1, 1998
Floyd L. 58, black male
<lastchild@worldnet.att.net>,
Memphis, TN
FURTHER NOTICE 2:
As a young African-American male, I feel that some of the
prevailing anti-Semitic sentiments in the African-American community
are mostly within an older generational context. My mother is
Southern and grew up at time when overt racism was acceptable;
subsequently her impressions of whites and Jews today stem from
earlier experiences. In my conversations with her and others in her
age group, it seems as if many do not deny that African Amercans and
Jews should have a more harmonious relationshp because of their past
but similar oppressive situations. However, many of them feel as if
Jews have historically exploited African Americans, specifically
commercially. Nevertheless I have yet to meet anyone of my
African-American peers who share similar sentiments to those in an
older age group.
POSTED DEC. 2, 1998
Yantee, African-American maile
<Yantee21@hotmail.com,>,
Boston, MA
FURTHER NOTICE 3:
When we finally have an avenue for people to ask questions
they've always wanted to know about other cultures, the questioner
gets slapped in the face for asking to begin with! The question was:
"Why does it seem that many African-Americans are so
anti-Jewish?" If someone asks "Why does it seem that lesbians are
confrontational?", how much progress am I going to make by saying the
questioner is offensive, anti-gay and homophobic? Would it not make
more sense to explain why that assumption is not so? The person was
asking a question, not making an unkind statement. Now, I'm going to
ask a question, and I'd appreciate if you would really think about it
and give a rational answer, because I think others would like to hear
it: In the past 10 years, I have heard numerous non-black Americans
say that they feel that black Americans are becoming the racists of
the 21st Century. Why do you think this is happening? I'll give you a
hint: I have heard the same remark directed toward gays, Hispanics
and Koreans. I have never heard the remark directed toward
Native American Indians.
POSTED DEC. 2, 1998
Alma, lesbian, federal employee
<pridewks@seacove.net>,
Kempner, TX
FURTHER NOTICE 4:
To Alma: I cannot tell you why some things "seem" a
certain way to you, because I cannot view them through your eyes, and
appearences can be deceiving. I can tell you what the truth is, as I
see it, and leave it to you to accept or reject my views, which were
well laid out in my earlier post. Questions can make powerful
statements. In my view an operative point of Gregg S.'s post is "many
African Americans are so [i.e., extremely] anti-Jewish." For this
African American who is not in any way "anti-Jewish" and knows no
other African American who is "so anti-Jewish," the point is so
skewed from the truth, as I see it, as to offend. Regardless of a
poster's intent, if I feel offended (and I am the best judge of
that), then I am offended. If through this forum you truly want, in
your words, "to know about other cultures," surely that must include
knowledge of what offends as well as what pleases.
As to the rumors of blacks being the "racists of the 21st
century," I believe a black or Hispanic or Korean racist is an
oxymoron. Your rumors implicitly admit, and rightly so, that these
groups have not been the "racists" of the 20th century. Racism is a
western European creation, further perfected in the New World, based
on beliefs of, and synonymous with, white supremacy. So while blacks,
Hispanics and Koreans may prejudge and/or discriminate until they
come around to believing and acting on the belief that they are
genetically superior to, and therefore more deserving than, other
racial groups, and until whites come to disimbue themselves of those
views, your blacks, Hispanics and Koreans don't stand a chance of
winning the title of "racists of the 21st century," though there may
be ongoing attempts to annoint them as such (e.g., as through
rumors). The rumors reflect fears that these minority groups will be
increasingly important powers players (in the United States) in the
21st century. The need to relinquish some, or often to just share,
power is usually greeted with resistance by those in power. The
rumors may also be a type of call to arms for those inclined to offer
resistence to this inevitable minority press for power. You hear
nothing about Native Americans because they are still struggling to
recover from near extinction.
POSTED DEC. 3, 1998
Floyd L., 58, black male
<lastchild@worldnet.att.net>,
Memphis, TN
FURTHER NOTICE 5:
Well, lets see. There are absolutely no anti-Jewish black
Americans, yet we have jokes about Jewish Americans, a perceived
indifference by Jews toward blacks, a perception that Jews draw
sustenance from blacks and return nothing to the community. But, of
course, blacks would be the first to know if these perceptions were
ill-founded. Oh yeah, thats tolerance.
POSTED DEC. 4, 1998
Alma, gay american
<pridewks@seacove.net>,
Kempner, TX
FURTHER NOTICE 6:
Gregg's question was a valid one. A recently released
study shows that while anti-Semitism is on the decline in the United
States, African Americans as a group continue to show high levels of
anti-Semitism compared to the population at large. Anti-Semitic
African Americans always have an excuse to offer for their attitudes.
So do racist Jews. Both attitudes are wrong and immoral, and both
groups should know better.
POSTED DEC. 4, 1998
Susan, New York, NY
FURTHER NOTICE 7:
To Floyd L: You say it's offensive that I should even ask
why it seems blacks are anti-Semitic. The reason I asked this
question is that most black leaders in the United States - Jesse
Jackson, members of the Black Caucus, Marion Barry, Andrew Young -
and many black newspapers, including the largest, the Amsterdam News
- are on record as having made remarks that perpetuate old, racist
stereotypes about Jews. When asked to repudiate these statements or
disavow the blatant anti-Semitism of Louis Farrakhan, these mainline
black groups refrain from doing do. Furthermore, the Anti-Defamation
League conducts a regular poll to measure anti-Semitism in the United
States (it's been conducted in 1964, 1981, 1992 and 1998). This
year's findings showed that 34 percent of African Americans hold
extreme anti-Jewish views, as opposed to 9 percent of whites. Given
these facts, I don't see why it is offensive to ask why.
POSTED DEC. 4, 1998
Gregg S., 45
<gregg1@alumni.ksg.harvard.edu>,
Boston, MA
FURTHER NOTICE 8:
I had noticed the incongruity contained in the FURTHER
NOTICE posted by Floyd L. but decided not to reply because I do not
envision the Y? Forum as a forum for debate. Then I saw the FURTHER
NOTICE 4 posted by Floyd L.,and am compelled to respond. In his
FURTHER NOTICE, Floyd L. says that a suggestion that blacks are
anti-Jewish is a distortion and offensive. He further says, "I've yet
to meet a black I would label anti-Jewish." He then goes on to tell
us why "many blacks" are irritated by several perceptions that are
what can only be described as anti-Semitic stereotypes. In his
FURTHER NOTICE 4, Floyd L. displays an old saw that minority groups
cannot be racists, and that racism is limited to western Europeans,
"further perfected in the New World," and is synonymous with "white
supremacy." I don't know about "all" or "most" other blacks, but I am
pretty sure about Floyd L. If he doesn't believe the term "racist"
applies, I'll use another: Bigot. I believe Floyd L is one. He uses
the arsenal of the bigot (or racist, if you prefer). He stereotypes.
He claims an "appreciation and empathy for Jewish suffering ("some of
my best friends are Jews") while excoriating Jews for the
stereotypical practices of "Jewish business" in black neighborhoods.
Honest dialogue between various groups is essential if we are to
reduce mutual misunderstanding. But there can be no honest dialogie
if any participant in the debate refuses to acknowledge the attitudes
that may prevail within himself or herself or within the individual's
group.
POSTED DEC. 4, 1998
Jerry, 65, white Jewish male, Tampa , FL
FURTHER NOTICE 9:
To Floyd: You are entitled to your opinion and to freely
express what offends you, but you do make contradictory statements in
your initial post. And while minorities do not have the political
power or wealth to wield institutional racism, that does not mean
we're incapable of making and holding bigoted and prejudicial views.
I want my views to be known and understood., but I am also willing to
acknowledge when my views are skewed. It seems for most of us it is
difficult to accept that what we believe or hold to be true is not
correct. As a matter of fact, it appears that your views supports the
opinion of the young man who suggests that anti-Semiticism is higher
among older African Americans. I think you were offended because part
of you knows the original postee was speaking truth about some of
us.
POSTED DEC. 7, 1998
Zawadi, black female, 33
<aquarius9@hotmail.com>,
Detroit, MI
FURTHER NOTICE 10:
I reject the notion that to express displeasure with a
real or perceived practice of a group is to be "anti-that group." One
way of dispelling negative, stereotypical views is to expose the
fallacies in those views. This cannot be done through name-calling or
arguments of deflection. Because I identified two
stereotypical views held by a number of blacks (that Jewish people
are indifferent to the plight and sufferings of anyone not Jewish,
and that Jewish businesses do not invest back into those black
communities from which they've drawn their sustenance) I am
labeled a racist, bigot and extreme anti-Semite. Yet my accusers have
neither established that the views are ill-founded nor sought to
demonstrate the fallacies. Identify or show the indicators (not the
"because-I-say-so" argument) that the views are false, and I believe
the stereotypes will evaporate. And no more unproductive
name-calling, smoke-screening or deflection, please.
POSTED DEC. 7, 1998
Floyd L., 58, black male
<lastchild@worldnet.att.net>,
Memphis, TN
FURTHER NOTICE 11:
I am a Black Jew; I was raised Jewish, was barmitzvah,
etc. and have what I believe to be a very Jewish name. In appearance
I am a light-skinned black. I believe the original question has
merit; speaking only from experience, I am typically approached two
or three times per month (I frequent New York City, Boston and L.A.)
by blacks with strong anti-Jewish biases. This is of course skewed,
because the extremists are the ones who tend to approach you on the
street to proselytize; however, by the same token, they're also
extremely visible. Typically, in my experience, there are two groups
that tend to do this; proselytizers and taxicab drivers. In the
former case, I am reliably approached by Nation of Islam members
whenever I walk past them while they're handing out leaflets. After
evincing neutral interest (deliberately) I have never waited more
than two minutes before a comment such as "Of course, we must defy
the oppression of the Jews" or "This politician is racist, but he's
Jewish, so that explains it..." At this point, I tend to hold my
driver's license out and ask them to read it, at which point, there
is either much stuttering and physical retreat, or in rare cases, I'm
called a deceiver and infiltrator. The taxicab drivers, I think, are
just those few who harbor racist biases and have what they perceive
to be a sympathetic person alone - although their seeing me as a
sympathetic person because I'm black is indicative in itself. Jews,
actually, tend to classify me as a Sephardic Jew instead of black,
until they are told differently. I don't experience much of a change
in their behavior, usually; I'm treated as a Jew. I believe the
reason black politicians haven't disavowed their anti-Semitic
statements is that they're politicians, and they're caught in this
systemic problem as well; they're afraid of a backlash from their
support group if they do so. If blacks are their primary support
group, pressure from non-blacks to repudiate statements about
non-blacks offers a chance to show resistance to outside influence,
whereas offering conciliatory rhetoric guarantees loud outcry from
the extremists, who get most of the media attention.
POSTED DEC. 7, 1998
Jacob Z., black Jew, 29
<zimerman@mit.edu>,
Boston, MA
FURTHER NOTICE 12:
Let me try one more time. Floyd used some Jewish
stereotypes, which he denies are stereotypes. Maybe if I put this
debate into the form of African-American stereotypes, he'll
understand the problem. There are people who are racist who will
insist that the following are true: Blacks are lazy; blacks are
dishonest; they are violent criminals; they are sex-crazed. If
someone were to post those stereotypes as the basis for an argument,
Floyd would be properly enraged. And so would I. And the reason for
Floyd's and my rage would be that both of us try to see people as
individuals, and not as members of a group. So I go back to my basic
premise: People who stereotype other people are racists or bigots.
Floyd, please take a look at yourself.
POSTED DEC. 9, 1998
Jerry, 65, white Jewish male, Tampa , FL
FURTHER NOTICE 13:
To Floyd L.: Wait a minute. You go and accept these
unsupported, blanket assertions (that Jews are unsympathetic to the
plights of others, that they don't invest in communities where they
do business), and then you demand that people prove you wrong? When
you're making sweeping generalizations, why don't you first prove
that you're right? Perhaps the reason you don't offer proof is that
you have none. Jews have a long history of more than mere sympathy,
but actual support for other minorities. Jews on a proportional basis
were way over-represented among whites during the Civil Rights
movement. It is your kind of unsupportable,
too-vague-for-serious-response generalizations that are the stock in
trade of anti-Semites the world over, black and white. And to deny,
in these times of Louis Farrakhan and Khalid Muhammad, that
anti-Semitism doesn't exist among some blacks would be laughable if
it weren't so sad.
POSTED DEC. 11, 1998
Andrew, 34, Jewish
<ziptron@start.com.au>,
Huntington , NY
FURTHER NOTICE 14:
To Floyd L.: I have two words for you: Crown Heights. Look
it up. I would love for you to explain where all of those black
people yelling, "Kill the Jews!" came from, since you seem to think
there are no black people who hate Jewish people. From what I can
tell, blacks are just the most recent group to target Jewish people
as a cause of their problems, for whatever reasons.
POSTED DEC. 14, 1998
John K., 25
<the-macs@geocities.com>,
Cranford, NJ
FURTHER NOTICE 15:
To Andrew: Gregg's original post was a very general
question, based on an Anti-Defamation League survey using 11
stereotypical views, as to why it seemed that many African Americans
are so anti-Jewish. (Under the ADL criteria, anyone believing 0-1 of
the 11 was non anti-Semitic, 2-5 was middle and 6-11 was most
anti-Semitic). In my initial response, I identified two very specific
stereotypical views that are so seminal for many blacks that by
dealing with them we essentially deal with all others. Any meaningful
discussion under Gregg's question should therefore address these two
views, how to best dispel them if they are false or change behavior
if they are true. Anything else is noise. The ADL results suggest
that such views are most often held by the less-educated, supporting
my belief that the most effective way of dispelling such views "is to
expose the fallacies in those views," i.e. educate. Anyone truly
desirous of, and holding information useful in, debunking these two
seminal views should engage in the education process rather than
persistent, provocative labeling, which only reinforces the negative
stereotypes. Your comments about the civil rights movement are in the
right direction. Blacks were then quite aware of the moral, legal,
financial and other roles played by some Jews, thus my comment on "a
shared understanding of bigotry and hatred." But my original post
referred to what blacks "perceive today," roughly a half century
later.
POSTED DEC. 16, 1998
Floyd L., 58, black male
<lastchild@worldnet.att.net>,
Memphis, TN
FURTHER NOTICE 16:
I feel Floyd L's. posts contradict themselves so
frequently that it's obvious he is not willing to look at his own
behavior or to attempt to participate in useful discussion. "You
can't teach a pig to sing; it irritates the pig and wastes your
time." What is useful is to recognize that black, white and Jewish
Americans all have a reason to have strong feelings on this subject.
Until all can understand the anger and hurt that each culture has on
anti-Semitic behavior, we will make no headway. There are many blacks
who hate Jews. There are many whites who hate blacks. Period. Now,
let's move past that and look at what we have in common rather than
what makes us different to the point of the stupid need to hate.
We're at that stage where we need to stir or get off the pot.
POSTED DEC. 27, 1998
Alma, white, Methodist-raised lesbian
<pridewks@seacove.net>,
Kempner, TX
FURTHER NOTICE 17:
Please don't justify your feelings that black people are
anti-Semitic on the fact that Al Sharpton and Louis Farrakhan are.
For every black "activist" who is supposedly anti-Semitic, there are
probably two or three who aren't. And if you look at black
politicians - people who have actually been elected by other people
and are therefore representative of the people - none are
anti-Semitic. Sharpton and Farrakhan are out for themselves; they
have their own agendas. They do not reflect the feelings of black
America. Finally, Jews and blacks are both persecuted people.
Historically, these two groups have worked very closely to combat
racism and discrimination in America. Many Jews are active in the
NAACP and were very important in the early days of the struggle, as
they are today. Don't let the media influence the way you think: Know
your history - all of it.
POSTED DEC. 27, 1998
Tony W., gay black male
<tonyway@yahoo.com>, San
Francisco, CA
FURTHER NOTICE 18:
To Alma: This forum is not about "what we have in common";
it is about "People's Differences" and the need to understand and
work through them. The fact that you are not grasping this, while
still grasping for something worthwhile to say, renders your comments
cliched and non-productive, i.e., "noise." This thread is not about
hate. You may be an authority on your hates and other "whites who
hate blacks," but you have not demonstrated the bona fides for making
any informed statement about blacks, one way or the other.
For those interested in understanding and working through
differences: Stereotypes, the real subject here, are basically
popularly held beliefs. They may be flattering or unflattering,
correct or false, but they are fundamentally beliefs. They can be
dealt with as I have consistently suggested throughout this thread-
education. Hate, on the other hand, is profoundly different. It is an
attitude, ugly and deeply disfiguring, wrought with ill-will,
insecurity and fear. It is very common among bigots who are given to
projecting onto others the same ugly attitudes that so characterize
the bigot. Alma's "whites-hate-blacks-and-blacks-hate-Jews" attitude
is a case in point. The recipe for dealing with hate is largely the
same as that for dealing with bigotry, but is dramatically different
than dealing with stereotypes.
POSTED JAN. 5, 1999
Floyd L., black male
<lastchild@worldnet.att.net>,
Memphis, TN
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