Pheurton Skeurto
More tea, Wesley?
-
-
In a development typical of Arizona, the students who walked out on Thursday, protesting the elimination of the district’s Mexican American studies program, have – without a hearing – been directed to perform janitorial duties this Saturday: an amazing message, right out of Newt Gingrich’s playbook (he has been campaigning in the GOP presidential nomination race, proposing the idea that students should be hired as janitors to teach them a work ethic). Apparently, TUSD administrators are paying attention.
The further message of this punishment, then, appears to be that the state and the district do not want students to study Mexican American studies, but they do want them to clean toilets. Perhaps, Gingrich should consider relocating to Arizona, where his message is being fully embraced.Roberto Cintli Rodriguez, Arizona’s ‘banned’ Mexican American books
This is what racism looks like.
(via mohandasgandhi)
-
Nowadays, I lecture around the country in defense of affirmative action and meet plenty of whites who resent the so-called lowering of the standards for students of color but swallow without comment the lowering of standards for the children of alumni. Each year, there are thousands of white students who get “bumped,” in effect, from the school of their choice, to make way for other whites whose daddies are better connected than theirs. Studies indicate there are twice as many whites who fail to meet normal admission standards but who are admitted anyway thanks to “connection preferences” as there are persons of color who receive any consideration from affirmative actions. Yet rarely do the critics of affirmative action seem to mind this form of preferential treatment.Tim Wise, White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son.
-
Although we have to forgive ourselves for the mistakes we make, we must first acknowledge them. We must first face up to the fact that in our resistance we too often reinforce the hierarchical arrangements we strive to oppose. Only by being called out, as I was, can we learn this in most cases. Only by being exposed to our flaws, forced to deal with them and learn from them, can we move forward and strengthen our resistance in the future. If there is one thing I’ve learned, it’s that we who are white (and specifically white antiracists) will screw up more times than we care to count, more times than we expected, and just about as often as people of color already figured we would. Saying this does not diminish us, and it doesn’t mean that we have no important role to play in the destruction of white supremacy. It just means that privilege sometimes costs us the clarity of vision needed to see what we’re doing, and how even in our resistance, we sometimes play the collaborator.Tim Wise, White Like Me: Reflections on Race from a Privileged Son.
-
on racism/sexism.
Tonight I became angry. Not annoyed, but indescribably and physically angry. I could feel it boiling in my heart, spitting scalding lava, escalating into screaming tea kettle status. Sometimes I do not feel people gather how the pity card can backfire and perhaps the I’m-strong-and-unstoppably-awesome mindset was the venerated route.
So tonight, when I am viewing ballet dancer, Misty Copeland, in the fantastic documentary show A Day in The Life, I’m enamored: she’s gorgeous and talented, graceful, accomplished, worldly known. So many hurdles crossed as a ballet dancer; such an INSANELY hard field to make a name in (I can maybe count two on my right hand) and out of her mouth she states, “I wish I had someone, especially a black woman in my field who I could’ve looked up to, I wasn’t interested at all.” Okay, she’s of African American descent; cool — it doesn’t even dawn on me until I hear this comment. But then she keeps going. And going. And continually mentioning skin color, directly to the children she is visiting at a local Boys and Girls’ Club even, “It’s really exciting to see young dancers that look like me, where I came from I was pretty much the only black girl in my class with brown skin, so it makes me happy to see you guys.” So it’s not about dancing or talent suddenly; only your heritage? Way to ruin a potentially good moment.
I’m a relatively compassionate, honest and understanding person. I don’t eat animals or buy blood diamonds. I file my taxes on time. And anyone with a baby or more than 50 years seniority is going ahead of me in line. Always. I’m rational. I know the difference between right and wrong and when someone has a legitimate reason to be tossed a free pass.
But please someone explain to me how pointing out a minor difference EVER helped a cause?
Ever??
It PROLONGS inequality. And we are not that different. Pointing out differences for the sake of you vs. me will only make our situation just that.
Example 1: Hi, I’m a girl with crooked teeth and brown hair. My parents were born in America, I’m paying for school myself, and have a car on lease for the next four years. It doesn’t matter where my family was from because I am young, female, and paying for more than I can afford.
Example 2: Hi, I’m a girl with crooked teeth and brown hair. My parents were born in America, I’m not paying for school myself because I was given an African American scholarship based solely on my skin color and not anything I personally encountered, and have a car on lease for the next four years. It does matter where, not me, but my family is from, and I therefore feel entitled to a large portion of your resources because of what a very generalized race did to mine over 50 years ago.
FACT: I am white. I am only the second generation of my family to go to college. I paid for my education myself. And I had to drop out in my fifth year because I could no longer afford to go.
How is this remotely fair?
And why don’t we, as a society, force a few people to suck it up and actually try? That would actually be a start. Federally-funded wellness programs: free gyms/stress management, drug-tested welfare programs where a positive test results in immediate long-term work-concentric and therapeutic rehab, fully-funded contraception/female care/sex awareness. These are all real things. They are tangible and can be fixed. This is the best part!
I do agree there are many many cases where people deserve and NEED help, and as a person with a beating heart, I have zero qualms involving: the blind, unjustly injured, physically and mentally disabled, etc.
Coming from an African American/Spanish American/Chinese American heritage is not a handicap.
Eating too much food is not a handicap.
Being afraid of people is not a handicap.
SUCK. IT. UP.
But I do, and yes, it’s personal, have a problem with sex discrimination. It’s the one thing we can’t, as human beings, just absorb and assimilate to.
Example: Hi, I’m a girl in the general scheme of girls with breasts and a vagina and a period and things that 95% of our leaders and lawmakers will definitely NEVER experience and perhaps never sympathize with. Like 100% of every girl who’s ever reached menstruation, I’m in horrendous physical and emotional pain for 30% of every month of every year for 30-or-so years until the humbling and socially de-sexualizing event of menopause. Also, my body has the ability to become pregnant for nine months, then fat and depressed for the years following.
[Aside: Male Politicians: Ewwwww…let’s hold a summit about them, make some laws regarding them, and not invite them…]
I get it.
Difference, and especially difference you cannot experience, can be (mostly to the closed-minded and more lower thinking capita) a terrifying prospect. This is childish and embarrassing.
If you are a girl, THAT is a case. That is a definite discrepancy between men and women which should be held farrrr more accountable than it currently is. Women should not have to pay for ANYTHING regarding periods or menopause or pregnancy or labor. In Europe they bait women into pregnancy with promises of lengthy paid maternity leave/paternity leave and full healthcare coverage of both mother and baby with on-site childcare.
THAT is one thing. THAT is a MAJOR difference between human beings.
But if you are a perfectly able darker-toned girl who wants pity, I do not have your back, nor do I feel you have a case because WE are not that different. Chances are, we both grew up in America. We were both around when the equal rights movement was in full effect. When interracial couples could get married. A time when we ate at the same places and paid the same prices and loved the same weather and feared the same losses. We are at a tipping-point where race/color/religion does not matter if we do not allow it. Black History Month is a step back: let’s point out to ourselves and generations for years to come the difference between skin color and how horrifically a group of Caucasian people in America’s history treated people with darker skin tone. African American scholarships are a step back: no, it’s not that you’re the smartest or most creative-thinking person in your class, it’s solely based how horrifically a group of Caucasian people in America’s history treated people with darker skin tone, like you, you’re different. If we want progress, we accept that which we cannot change and move constructively beyond it.
Moral of the story: Misty Copeland is a great ballet dancer, and this is why she made it in America. Talent transcends race. Work hard, be motivated and inspired, and you will make something of yourself.
Alright. Let me jump into this.
In case you are short of patience like me, here’s a summary of the post
“WOW MISTY WHY ARE YOU MENTIONING THE COLOR OF YOUR SKIN. SKIN COLOR MEANS NOTHING. MY LIFE IS HARD TOO AND IM A WHITE GIRL. SKIN COLOR HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ANYTHING. WHITE PRIVILEGE. WHITE PRIVILEGE. WHITE PRIVILEGE. STOP TALKING ABOUT RACE”
First of all from a personal viewpoint. Being black and being in any part of the arts is hard. Especially something so white, like ballet. How often do you actually see black ballet dancers? How often do you see black ballet dancers go as far as Misty Copeland has. You said you didn’t even register her skin color. Good for you. But she’s still black and she will always be black.For example, in theatre, if the role is not specifically for a black person or a PoC (which roles rarely are), then that role will almost always go to a white person. Did you know that Misty is only the 3rd black ballet dancer to dance with ABT? ABT has been around since 1937. So for Misty to become the 3rd black ballet dancer there, AND be a soloist is a pretty big deal and milestone and an inspiration for many black dancers like myself.
Maybe now you’ll start to register race, because it’s extremely rare to see a black woman in ballet. Don’t even get me started on black men in ballet.
Even in my own dance class, I am the only black girl. In the dance class below me there is also one black girl. In the entirety of the dance program at my school there are 2 of us. Including general dancers and the Performing and Visual Arts dancers. So out of about 250, 2 are black. 1:125.
Now
Coming from an African American/Spanish American/Chinese American heritage is not a handicap.
Well, actually when you’re living a place ruled by white people, it is in fact a handicap although it shouldn’t be one. You know why? Because PoC are viewed as lesser. We are viewed as idiots. Either that or we’re invisible, people say they dont see the color of our skin. That we are all the same. Why can’t PoC be treated equally without having our identities be erased to make a white person more comfortable? Why? Why does the acknowledgment of our ancestry, or pride in the shade of our skin bother you so much? Did you really not realize Misty was black? I know she’s lightskinned, but come on now.
I’m a relatively compassionate, honest and understanding person. I don’t eat animals or buy blood diamonds. I file my taxes on time. And anyone with a baby or more than 50 years seniority is going ahead of me in line. Always. I’m rational. I know the difference between right and wrong and when someone has a legitimate reason to be tossed a free pass.
This right here is just a classic example of “LOOK IM A GOOD PERSON IM NOT SO UNDERSTANDING AND COMPASSIONATE LOOK LOOK AT ME SPECIAL SNOWFLAKE”.
Like, do you want a medal? Why are you bragging about how “good” of a person you are? Like wow. Oh my God. You do things that everyone should do always. Like omg. omg. omg. omg. WOW. 4 FOR YOU!
Example 1:Hi, I’m a girl with crooked teeth and brown hair. My parents were born in America, I’m paying for school myself, and have a car on lease for the next four years. It doesn’t matter where my family was from because I am young, female, and paying for more than I can afford.
Example 2: Hi, I’m a girl with crooked teeth and brown hair. My parents were born in America, I’m not paying for school myself because I was given an African American scholarship based solely on my skin color and not anything I personally encountered, and have a car on lease for the next four years. It does matter where, not me, but my family is from…
Did you even bother to do research before you made this post? Seriously. No. African American scholarships are not based solely off skin color. It’s a factor, why is it a factor? Because it’s something that is needed in America. There are black people who are ridiculously talented and smart, but were dealt an unfair hand because of a government that favors white people. So while that smart capable black person is at home trying to get by, theres a white kid who’s barely passing, who only got in because they could afford it in their place. Is that fair?I dont even understand how you could say “based solely on my skin color”. Do you not think black people have to work for those scholarships? Do you not think grades are taken into consideration? Financial stature? Are you stupid?
and I therefore feel entitled to a large portion of your resources because of what a very generalized race did to mine over 50 years ago.
But like, they aren’t even YOUR resources. If anything, every single resource that you think you are entitled to (which is exactly what you implied with that sentence), actually belongs to Native Americans.
And lol, white girl. Racism is not over. People are not equal. Especially when it comes to black people and white people. Either we’re seen as ghetto niggers, or we are ignored completely. And quite honestly, YOU owe US and just about every single other minority out there a whole lot more than scholarships.
But if you are a perfectly able darker-toned girl who wants pity, I do not have your back, nor do I feel you have a case because WE are not that different.
DARKER TONED GIRLS DO NOT WANT YOU TO HAVE OUR BACKS. We don’t need a white savior. We don’t want your help. Talking about being black is not equivalent to “wow, im black, come help me white woman, how will i ever survive without you”.
No one wants your fucking pity. Yes we are different. Refusing to awknowledge differences doesn’t mean they aren’t there. Just because you don’t live my life and you don’t know about my culture and what I do and go through behind closed doors doesn’t mean we are the same. We are not the same. We will NEVER. EVER. Be the same.
We are at a tipping-point where race/color/religion does not matter if we do not allow it.
Black History Month is a step back: let’s point out to ourselves and generations for years to come the difference between skin color and how horrifically a group of Caucasian people in America’s history treated people with darker skin tone.
No, lets just forget about BHM and cover up the shit white people did. Lets tell all future generations that racism never existed and everything was peachy.Classic case of white guilt. Except unfortunately, no1 curr bout your white woman tears.
African American scholarships are a step back: no, it’s not that you’re the smartest or most creative-thinking person in your class, it’s solely based how horrifically a group of Caucasian people in America’s history treated people with darker skin tone, like you, you’re different.
Sigh. African American scholarships, go out to those who are African American, because of the persistent issue of inequality. If everything was fine, we wouldn’t need AAS. And just because those scholarships are restricted to African Americans or PoC, it doesn’t mean it’ll go to any. You STILl have the be smart/creative/innovative…etc. The difference between a normal scholarship and one that goes out to African Americans or PoC is that the AA and PoC one goes to those who aren’t white. The criteria is still the same. You have to be smart. Believe it or not, smart black people exist.
Moral of the story: Misty Copeland is a great ballet dancer, and this is why she made it in America. Talent transcends race. Work hard, be motivated and inspired, and you will make something of yourself.
Moral of the story
Reblog for the God-tier commentary. Yes. This. Thisthisthisthisthisthis
-
White people don’t get to decide if something is racist. On a much smaller scale, allow me to represent this by punching you in the face. Then I get to decide, myself, whether it hurts or not.Anesti Vega (via anestivega)
-
TRUTH!!
Always Reblog!
huh.
(Source: black-culture)
-
