Best of the Week
of Sept. 13, 1998
Here are the most intriguing cross-cultural exchanges either begun or
advanced during the week of Sept. 13, 1998, as selected by Y?
These postings, as well as "Best of the Week" entries from previous
weeks, also can be found in their respective
archives, which we invite you to browse.
There, you will find questions that have received answers, as well as
questions still awaiting responses. We encourage you to answer any
questions relevant to your demographic background, as well as to ask
any provocative question you desire. Answers posted are not
necessarily meant to represent the views of an entire demographic
group, but can provide a window into the insights of an individual
from that group.
First-time users should first make a quick stop at our
guidelines pages for asking and
answering questions.
THE QUESTION:
A22: It seems to me that a great
many of the Generation X white population have chosen to act like
black people. Why is this?
POSTED JULY 22, 1998
Rick, 40ish white guy, Virginia Beach, VA
ANSWER 1:
My first response to this
question is, "How does one act black?" It is my observation that what
is happening is that many people in my generation are attempting to
leave racism behind. At my school, everyone associates with everyone.
There are very few black kids who have no white friends and
vice-versa. Most kids I know just act like normal, happy teenagers -
not any stereotype for any race
POSTED SEPT. 19, 1998
K. Baker, black teen, Raleigh , NC
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O20: To General Motors workers: Why
did you strike? It seems you make a good buck. Some might even say
you're overpaid. Why do you feel GM owes you more than that? If GM is
such a bad employer, why didn't you just quit?
POSTED AUG. 2, 1998
Kevin T. <kthompso@cei.net>, Little Rock, AR
ANSWER 1:
I read quite a bit about the
recent strike. Basically, money was an issue, but benefits was the
main issue (health benefits in particular). I find it interesting
that while a company sets record profits, has rising stock profits
and pays its upper management ever-increasing sums, the company will
not raise the pay of the workers and wants to cut benefits. In the
'80s , GM asked the unions to take cuts in pay and benefits because
"We're in it together." In the '90s that's been forgotten. If a
company is making more and more money, who should benefit, the
stockholders? Or the workers, too?
POSTED SEPT. 19, 1998
Linda L., Gainesville, FL
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answer
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THE QUESTION:
GE73: To men: What is your
opinion of women who have had their breasts enlarged? Are you any
less attracted to them if you find out their chest size is
"fake"?
POSTED SEPT. 10, 1998
Steph, 18, Lawrenceville, Ga
ANSWER 1:
Steph, I am a 45-year-old
white male. I have been with women who have had breast augmentations
and those who haven't. My choice? Go with what God gave you. The size
of your breasts has nothing to do with you as a person, lover or
friend. Granted, most men will turn their head when a woman who is
"stacked" walks in a room. Again, based on my experience, I would
rather be with a woman who enjoys lovemaking instead of looking good
in a sweater.
POSTED SEPT. 14, 1998
M.O., 45, white male, FL
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THE QUESTION:
R402: Whenever I see a movie, TV
show or video targeted to black people, there seems to be an
underlying stereotype that all whites are racists and bigots. How
accurate do people (of all races and backgrounds) think this is?
POSTED AUG. 9, 1998
RocketMan <OldsRocket455@yahoo.com>, Akron, OH
ANSWER 1:
Most races do think white
people are racists who discriminate based on color. Because what race
is running this nation? What race came to this continent and made the
Jewish holocaust look like a day at a church picnic when compared to
the near genocide of Native Americans? What race brought African
Americans from their homeland and made them slaves for hundreds of
years? I am a Native American who moved to Akron, Ohio, last week,
and I must say I feel like a fish out of water. But I will say that
each individual has a choice to give into the prejudice or not to
give into it. I prefer not to give into it or to live in the
past.
POSTED SEPT. 4, 1998
Shon J., Native American <shonj@hotmail.com>, Akron, OH
FURTHER NOTICE:
I and most black people I
know do not believe all white people are racists and bigots. What you
see on movies may be over-emphasized (Hollywood with Southern
accents). On the other hand, perhaps it's just what we go through
everyday, and what is portrayed is just that. We don't view all white
people as racists and bigots, but we experience our share of both
(racism and bigotry) everyday. Well, I do. And hey! You're not in
either category, so don't let it worry you.
POSTED SEPT. 19, 1998
Whitney T., 18, Southern black <wkthomps@olemiss.edu>, Oxford , MS
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THE QUESTION:
R458: I live in a university area
and regularly see young, black male students who are branded as part
of their fraternity initiations. I often wonder about the origins and
symbolism of the branding ritual, as well as how, 130-plus years
after slavery, these organizations perceive it as positive to subject
their members to branding.
POSTED SEPT. 14, 1998
Tim Q., 39, white, Cincinnati , OH
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THE QUESTION:
R384: Why do some
African-American fraternities "brand" their members? As a white
female, a brand reminds me of slavery.
POSTED JULY 27, 1998
Monica W., 31, white, Greensboro, NC
ANSWER 1:
This "branding" is nothing
more than a form of tattooing, which has been an extremely popular
practice in many, many cultures for centuries. It asserts the
strength of one's volitional committment and allegiance to a
particular body, set of concepts or ideology. The demeaning branding
in slavery had no such lofty intents, but, like branding of animals,
was a forced stamp signifying that an indiividual was not his own
person but the property of another individual. The number of black
males with fraternity tattoos dims in comparison to the thousands of
white American males (and a large and growing number of white
females) who have been tattooed for almost every conceivable
reason.
POSTED SEPT. 19, 1998
F.L.W. <110555.2423@compuserve.com>, Columbia, MD
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THE QUESTION:
GD31: I am a vegetarian. When I
share this with meat eaters, I am often ridiculed or criticized. Why?
I don't stand on a soapbox trying to convert folks, nor do I
criticize others for their dietary habits.
POSTED SEPT. 4, 1998
Zawadi, 33, black female, Detroit, MI
ANSWER 1:
Take it as a compliment.
People who feel threatened by your vegetarianism are the ones who
believe it is a morally superior position, and feel defensive about
their own lack of adherence to it. (Though there may be an element of
previous bad experiences with more in-your-face vegetarians as
well.)
POSTED SEPT. 9, 1998
Catherine, occasional carnivore <tylik@eskimo.com>, Woodinville, WA
FURTHER NOTICE:
I suppose it depends on why
you are a vegetarian and whether you share that with "meat eaters" (I
prefer to consider myself an omnivore). I have found that vegetarians
who advertise their dietary preference often do so for "soapbox"
reasons, and it is these types I find to be the most hypocritical.
For example, more than a few times I have listened to a soapbox
vegetarian explain his/her stance to be one against the killing of
animals for our convenience, often with contempt directed toward my
own beliefs - and then I looked at their feet. Nine times out of 10,
these people have been wearing leather shoes. I have no patience for
such hypocrites. On the other hand, if a person claims to be a
vegetarian for health reasons or for purely personal reasons - and
leaves it at that - then I can respect that person's stance and can
be fairly sure that mine will also be respected.
POSTED SEPT. 14, 1998
Stephen S., 31, omnivore , San Antonio , TX
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THE QUESTION:
R438: Why is it that many Indian
people, both men and women, prefer to dress in the clothing of their
traditional, historical culture? For example, Indian men seem to
prefer not to have a necktie on when dressed, and Indian women prefer
to dress in many forms of Sari, which are very beautiful. Is there a
hidden meaning for that?
POSTED AUG. 31, 1998
Sue, Bangkok, Thailand
ANSWER 1:
I'm white but asked this same
question of an Indonesian friend. She responded: "In my country this
is the way everyone dressed. In your country you have blue jeans,
mini-dresse, etc. I wear the clothing of my country because it is
what I am used to and comfortable in. If you went to my country,
wouldn't you still wear the clothes you wore in your country? Why
should I be any different?" I hope this little incident helps you a
little.
POSTED SEPT. 10, 1998
Regina W. <reginak@clt-online.com>, Charlotte, NC
FURTHER NOTICE:
I had a wonderful learning
experience related to this. I became friendly with a waiter at an
Indian restaurant that I frequented. He was a Sikh, and when I
expressed interest in his culture, he was very willing to share some
fascinating information. On one occasion, I asked what was the
significance of the two colors of cloth he used on his head wrap. He
replied quite seriously that he chose the colors based on the colors
of the shirt slacks he planned to wear that day! I had a good laugh,
explaining to him that I had expected some religious or cultural
explanation for the choice of colors.
POSTED SEPT. 14, 1998
Darbma, white/Northern European <darbymom@hotmail.com>, New York , NY
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