Isn't sensitivity a two-way street?

[manifold]

As he prepares to be flamed and branded a racist...


It seems to me that issues of race relations between blacks and whites in this country are only improving at a snails pace because the burden of sensitivity is largely viewed as a one-way street. Acknowledging ahead of time that I can only see the matter from my own point of view of course. But my observation is that the more sensitive white people become about what is offensive to blacks, the longer that list becomes. If any real progress is to be made, shouldn't efforts by white people to be more aware and sensitive, necessarily be accompanied by an effort on the part of black people to be a little more forgiving and tolerant? First on the list was ******. No problem, pretty easy to see how that's really really offensive. Next it was negro. A textbook term, but ok, I'll buy it. Then colored was deemed offensive. Then black. Then lynch. Then noose. Then boy.


Again, I have no way of seeing the issue from the black man's perspective but IMO, the more sensitive whites become, the less forgiving and tolerant black people become at even the slightest hint of insensitivity.

Just sayin...

 

[Ravi]

Sho' nuff, massa.

Wese got to be more tolrent.

 

[Ravi]

btw, black, as far as I know has never been deemed offensive.

 

[manifold]

Sho' nuff, massa.

Wese got to be more tolrent.

Good one. But you know there is truth in my post, and that kinda bugs you just a wee bit.

 

[manifold]

btw, black, as far as I know has never been deemed offensive.

I've been told by a black person that it was once after using it.

Only one data point, but there you have it.

 

[AllieBaba]

It hearkens back to the argument from earlier. Racism is racism, no matter who is perpetrating it. And we won't be free of it until everybody is held to the same standard.

 

[Ravi]

I've been told by a black person that it was once after using it.

Only one data point, but there you have it.

Could have been your delivery.

I do understand what you are saying. Is it true that if people laugh off insults they become meaningless? I just don't know.

 

[Shogun]

btw, black, as far as I know has never been deemed offensive.

Read Henry Louis Gates's "Colored People"

he describes accepted nomenclature bouncing from negre, colored, black etc.

[ame]http://www.amazon.com/Colored-People-Henry-Louis-Gates/dp/067973919X[/ame]

 

[Ravi]

Read Henry Louis Gates's "Colored People"

he describes accepted nomenclature bouncing from negre, colored, black etc.

http://www.amazon.com/Colored-People-Henry-Louis-Gates/dp/067973919X&tag=ff0d01-20

I don't want to read the entire book. Can you give me an example of how the word black is deemed offensive...a quote would be nice.

btw, my latin friends call my black friends colored and they aren't offended by that term.

 

[AllieBaba]

But on this site the white screaming liberals are very offended if another whitey uses the term "colored". Which makes no sense at all.

 

[ReillyT]

But on this site the white screaming liberals are very offended if another whitey uses the term "colored". Which makes no sense at all.

Not quite true. I wasn't offended. I just wanted you to know that it is commonly considered inappropriate. Just looking out for you baby.

 

[manifold]

Could have been your delivery.

I do understand what you are saying. Is it true that if people laugh off insults they become meaningless? I just don't know.

I expected your rebuttal to be that the list isn't getting longer, we just haven't gotten through it all yet.

 

[ReillyT]

btw, my latin friends call my black friends colored and they aren't offended by that term.

Wonder if that is a privilege one minority group has with another? A "workers of the world unite" sort of thing.

 

[Ravi]

Not quite true. I wasn't offended. I just wanted you to know that it is commonly considered inappropriate. Just looking out for you baby.

It could be because latins are often referred to as people of color...I dunno. I think a lot of it depends on context. I did a job with a black guy in Dallas once...at work I was invisible (everyone else was black), when we went to dinner at a BBQ place (everyone was white) he was invisible. Was that racist, I don't know but it was kind of strange.

 

[Shogun]

I don't want to read the entire book. Can you give me an example of how the word black is deemed offensive...a quote would be nice.

btw, my latin friends call my black friends colored and they aren't offended by that term.

nope. sorry. feel free to find out for yourself though. but be careful.. I hear reading is a gateway behaviour.


good for your friends. They are probably reflective of the entire span of black history in America.

 

[Ravi]

I expected your rebuttal to be that the list isn't getting longer, we just haven't gotten through it all yet.

See, there ya go again thinking you know what I think.

 

[Ravi]

nope. sorry. feel free to find out for yourself though. but be careful.. I hear reading is a gateway behaviour.


good for your friends. They are probably reflective of the entire span of black history in America.

I've never learned how to read.

 

[Shogun]

because of a pair of testicles, im sure.

 

[Ravi]

because of a pair of testicles, im sure.

Exactly. I'm easily distracted by them.

 

[Shogun]

distracted.. repressed.. it's all in the nomenclature.