Comments on: The Most Racist Thing That’s Ever Happened to ME

By: Charles Duggleson

Charles Duggleson — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 11:23:01 +0000

One fine day (soon), when I get my domain an wot not (not to mention my recently brokified laptizzle) fixed, I’ll tag on this. In degree, my story’s quite similar.

By: P tad

P tad — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 00:21:50 +0000

Ahh……the “I don’t see you as blank” statement of assurance that you exceed someone’s expectations of a group you are associated with. I see two major translations for this statement:

1) “I see black people in one way and you in another despite your blackness.”

2) “I just see you as you and give little thought to your belonging to one group or another. You are my friend, teacher, student, coach,player, supervisor, subordinate, etc.”

I think people express themselves poorly. There’s what you say, and what you meant to say. When you trust someone, I think it is helpful to ask them to clarify (if they can do that without being defensive).

By: Brian

Brian — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 05:04:12 +0000

Ahh, glad I came across a Philly guy. i could just visualize you in front of the Roosevelt Mall when this went down.

By: Leo

Leo — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 19:57:29 +0000

Hey now, don’t slag us in the midwest off.

We’d be more inclined here to say, ‘I don’t think of you as black’ meaning ‘You’re my friend and what the hell does skin color have to do with it’.

Those who look for something are usually going to find it.

By: Jeremy Pierce

Jeremy Pierce — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 19:20:59 +0000

I think there are two things that can be meant by “I don’t think of you as black”. One of them is the one you’re describing, where to think of someone as black is bad, and you don’t think it of your friends despite thinking of every other black person as black. The other is thinking that it’s bad to think of anyone as black, because it’s bad to think of people as having a race. I wouldn’t think someone in that group would be prone to start thinking of you as black. The danger there is that they don’t see the real social forces of blackness and whiteness, and they don’t see that they don’t think of people as black or white but do treat people as black and white despite not wanting to admit it. I’m even suspicious that many people in the northeast and on the west coast would be in the latter category, while people in the south and perhaps the midwest would be more likely to be in the former category. That’s just a suspicion, though.

By: Parvus

Parvus — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 19:11:44 +0000

I really thought that was interesting. But he guy who says I dont think of u as black may just mean I know u well enough that youre no longer part of a group you are an individual.
Maybe. that s what I think when I think those words.

By: King

King — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 19:00:50 +0000

Let me see if I can help:

Wounds from a friend can be trusted,
but an enemy multiplies kisses.
Prov 27:6

Loved what you wrote. Thanks.

By: ed

ed — Tue, 16 Jan 2007 17:48:32 +0000

Hmmm.

The most racist thing?

Frankly I couldn’t say myself if it was racist. It was really strange though.

Had a girl, white, nice, young, pretty, actually drop her pants in front of me to show me a bruise on her butt. She then bent over so I could get a good look. So forth, and so on.

And then the next day wouldn’t go out on a regular date with me because her parents wouldn’t accept an asian guy.

By: Jared

Jared — Mon, 15 Jan 2007 06:14:18 +0000

Hmm - now see, this is one of those pieces where, even though, if I'm completely honest, I'll never be able to completely relate (I'm a realist, here), I can completely pick up what you're laying down. Well-written stuff, Ave. Very thought-provoking for me, anyway. I STILL haven't gotten to Rocky Balboa. But I did see The Pursuit of Happyness, and all I can say is this: for most of the time he's been acting, I've thought that Will Smith was overhyped. I mean, I like the guy's music (yeah, I memorized I think I can beat Mike Tyson in the eighth grade...what of it?), he was fun in Independence Day, and Hitch made me laugh, but for every one of those, there's an Ali, where I thought he was in over his head a little bit, or a Bad Boys, where, well, Michael Bay happened. With this one, though? With Pursuit? He shut me up. Give the man an Oscar. He owns it. Great flick.