tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post6075196693734791602..comments2024-03-06T08:29:13.333-08:00Comments on stuff white people do: slip past security more easilymacon dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07795547197817128339noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-35651408685974928422009-12-12T20:29:04.311-08:002009-12-12T20:29:04.311-08:00[Dear Peppers, Please read more carefully. I'm...[Dear Peppers, Please read more carefully. I'm not declining publication of some of your comments because I disagree with them -- actually, with some of them, I'm not sure if I disagree or not. I publish a lot of comments that I disagree with, but those are <i>on topic</i>, and they're not deliberate attempts to derail the conversation onto another topic. Your continual efforts at derailment are not only off topic; they also trivialize in the derailing process the seriousness of the topics at hand, i.e., particular manifestations of white privilege/de facto white supremacy. <br /><br />So you see, it's not, as you just wrote, that I "have such a problem with people who challenge [my] point of view"; I have a problem with people who won't even address my point of view about stuff white people do, because they'd rather address stuff other people do -- which isn't the topic of this blog. Sincerely, macon]macon dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07795547197817128339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-11067600640052344262009-12-12T20:11:19.790-08:002009-12-12T20:11:19.790-08:00Pepper wrote,
Maybe they "looked more invite...Pepper wrote,<br /><br /><i>Maybe they "looked more invited" because they also dressed the part and carried themselves in such a way as to infer they were Washington insiders and part of the In crowd?</i><br /><br />"Maybe"? How about "obviously"? How about, "so obviously that it's not even worth pointing out"?<br /><br />What's not obvious -- to a lot of white people, that is -- is that their looking "white" ALSO means they "look invited." <br /><br />As with your comments in other threads tonight, you seem to have a problem with a blog that talks about stuff a lot of white people do. Why is that? In every one of your comments, you're trying to deflect attention from that topic to another one. You should ask yourself, sincerely -- "Why in the world am I doing that, anyway? Surely it's not because I think that white people don't have some common tendencies amongst themselves? Surely I'm smarter than that . . . "macon dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07795547197817128339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-5541687557548533472009-12-12T20:05:30.731-08:002009-12-12T20:05:30.731-08:00AE said..."Also, Macon (and Margeret Cho) are...AE said..."Also, Macon (and Margeret Cho) are saying the Salahis "looked more invited" because they look white."<br /><br />Maybe they "looked more invited" because they also dressed the part and carried themselves in such a way as to infer they were Washington insiders and part of the In crowd?<br /><br />This could be a white thing. It's more likely a class thing. If they looked like Denzel Washington and Halle Berry, and wore the same clothes and same demeanor, they probably would've still slipped by security.Peppersnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-27547869953375980092009-12-07T21:27:50.109-08:002009-12-07T21:27:50.109-08:00Wow. This is nothing we don't already know, b...Wow. This is nothing we don't already know, but it makes me so sad. I'm a white female, and don't always think about how shitty it feels to be treated as a lesser being. I've dealt with sexism, but even I know that it doesn't remotely compare to racism. I feel so fucking sad that people in a supposedly free country have to deal with this on a daily basis. And these kids really help the message come through clearly. This does make me think twice about my assumptions, and the funny thing is, I've been teaching cultural diversity for a couple of years and had never had the issue of racism hit me in the same way this has. It changes your whole future when you're raised in a society that looks at you like this. This isn't to say that I've never been guilty of racism. I know I have. But I'm trying to be more aware of it, and this video helps. Thank you for posting it. I wish it didn't sound so trite to say that I'm sorry for what has happened and what continues to happen to Blacks (and other minorities) in the U.S. I am genuinely sorry, though. I will show this video next semester when I teach.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13036451392145619983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-56333093021635882742009-12-07T08:48:09.271-08:002009-12-07T08:48:09.271-08:00[Dear Anonymous person who didn't bother to fo...[Dear Anonymous person who didn't bother to follow the request on this "Post a Comment" page of using a name,<br /><br />Thank you for your submission of a comment to swpd. Unfortunately, we cannot use your comment at this time, due to its racist claim that black people sleeping in a car would be more of a threat to your white self than a gang of white thugs beating the crap out of a parked car. I suggest that you reconsider your claim that in the video embedded in this post, the black people "appear to be preparing to hurt innocent civilians," merely because they're sleeping in a car. If you can learn to counter such societally instilled, automatic, and racist fears of black people, you'll be a better person, as well as a less threatening presence to actual black people. You'd also be more likely to submit comments to this blog that contribute productively, with respect and introspection, to the conversation here. Sincerely, macon]macon dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07795547197817128339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-41635850141136559002009-12-06T15:09:20.487-08:002009-12-06T15:09:20.487-08:00FM, I'd like to do a better job here of accoun...FM, I'd like to do a better job here of accounting for the variably white/non-white status of Arab/Arab-Americans, so I welcome your critique. <br /><br />Could you let me know more specifically what you think of the "Update" on this matter that I added to this post a couple of days ago? (I did so as a way to acknowledge the "more-complicated-than-simply-white" status of Tareq Salahi). It's in the paragraph that begins "I have no idea how to answer that question." If that Update is not enough to address your concerns with this post, please let me know, as well as your suggestions for how to better address them.macon dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07795547197817128339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-65982985421844440302009-12-06T13:53:55.280-08:002009-12-06T13:53:55.280-08:00AE, as a Middle Eastern person I know that the US ...AE, as a Middle Eastern person I know that the US census classifies North Africans and Middle Eastern peoples as white. I know that the definition of whiteness is arbitrary, and I know that some ME/NA people consider themselves white, and some do not. But in this blog (as well as in most circles), they're not considered white. It would be one thing if Salahi's Arabness was acknowledged, and he was still counted as white, but that's not the case. Macon might be including Arabs as white for this particular post, but I know that in the past he has not. It just shows how arbitrary it all is. My terrorists/dictators point was to show that when an Arab looks white or is a pop star or something else non-stereotypical, they're counted as white in this blog. When they do something like shoot up an army base, they're definitely not white.FMnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-54760696544202965102009-12-06T13:02:46.825-08:002009-12-06T13:02:46.825-08:00Also, Macon (and Margeret Cho) are saying the Sala...Also, Macon (and Margeret Cho) are saying the Salahis "looked more invited" because they look "white." No matter someone's ethnicity (or even race), if they look "white," then they often get taken as white, and they have and can exercise white privilege.AEnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-66455992300687329402009-12-06T12:59:54.902-08:002009-12-06T12:59:54.902-08:00FM, are you saying that even though the U.S. Censu...FM, are you saying that even though the U.S. Census classifies Arab Americans as "white," they're not white?<br /><br />And I'm not following your logic in another way. How could Macon be saying all "Arabs" are terrorists and dictators if he's saying they're white?AEnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-85201057768476963222009-12-06T11:47:11.262-08:002009-12-06T11:47:11.262-08:00I agree with luckyfatima. Just because Tareq Salah...I agree with luckyfatima. Just because Tareq Salahi looks white doesn't make him white. Lots of Arabs look white. I don't like how there's a tendency on this blog to erase ethnic identities to suit an argument (see: Shakira). So, the only time someone actually is Arab or Middle Eastern is if they look or do something stereotypical. So I guess all we are according to you is terrorists and dictators.FMnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-15631587138354171102009-12-06T07:25:58.842-08:002009-12-06T07:25:58.842-08:00Tareq can easily pass for a white person. If i did...Tareq can easily pass for a white person. If i didn't know his surname, i'd assume he was white.skipnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-28885374981498454162009-12-05T22:19:46.275-08:002009-12-05T22:19:46.275-08:00I'm sorry but using 20/20's "What Wou...I'm sorry but using 20/20's "What Would You Do?" series undermines the point you're trying to make. Their videos are so condescending and so obviously set-up to play into their own biases that no thinking adult can or should take them seriously.<br /><br />Other than that, your point about the party crashers was interesting. I hope that couple will be charged, if it hasn't happened already.Peppersnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-72032424262509313152009-12-04T03:21:08.237-08:002009-12-04T03:21:08.237-08:00I think being "read" as white is not the...I think being "read" as white is not the same as being white. Imagine an Italian American (white) who has olive skin and black hair and lives in a locale that has very few people of Italian ancestry, but there are a lot of Mexican Americans and immigrants from Mexico in that town. People will probably "read" this Italian American person as Latino like at shops and so on. But s/he will have all of the cumulative benefits of being white in his knapsack, the legacy of whiteness behind him, so to speak. In the end, he will have white privilege, whereas a light skinned Latino man who could be his brother in looks does not have white privilege.<br /><br />A Palestinian man who passes as white gets the privilege of being light skinned, being "read" as white, and all, but he does not have those cumulative benefits of being white...as a matter of fact, his ancestral nation does not even exist and one of the main reasons for that is that is the indigenous people there are not white and white Europeans with a colonial imperative felt that it was okay to take away that land from the non-white natives , and most white people around the world support this. Salahi waltzed in the placed for being one of those people who gets "read" as white, the visual cues he has show whiteness as well as wealth, surgery barbie white wife to boot. But that does not actually make him white. <br /><br />I think because whiteness is socially constructed we can see that the lines are sometimes blurry. No one has failed to bring up his name, mentioning his heritage in every article after the event. It would be a non-issue if his name were John Callahan or something...do you think one paper would have mentioned Callahan was Irish?luckyfatimahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09401964343346156712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-52433070521858118502009-12-03T12:23:33.592-08:002009-12-03T12:23:33.592-08:00And once more for the cheap seats: I did not say t...And once more for the cheap seats: <b>I did not say that there was no prejudice involved, I'm asking for a closer look at the cause of it</b>. This is the <i>third</i> time I've said it now. Are you for actually studying human behaviour or merely declaring it?<br /><br />AE, you've failed to get my points before and strawmanned my arguments several times. A champion at putting words into my mouth. I wouldn't start throwing out accusations at other people.EPTnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-50487525361024914332009-12-03T05:44:53.331-08:002009-12-03T05:44:53.331-08:00EPT scrawled,
Assuming it's only because of w...EPT scrawled,<br /><br /><i>Assuming it's only because of white privelege is prejudice itself.</i><br /><br />Who here is assuming it's only because of white privilege? It's more that white privilege is one factor, and one that a lot of white people overlook.OF COURSE they looked and played the part in other ways, but wearing skin that appears "white" is one of them.<br /><br />I find your demand for a further experiment in a black neighborhood before you'll be convinced of anything telling. You refuse to acknowledge the overwhelming, but largely hidden (to white people) fact of white power. That is, white hegemony.<br /><br />EPT = concern trollAEnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-57478259987645991952009-12-03T02:13:06.851-08:002009-12-03T02:13:06.851-08:00@blogblogger -
You missed both my points.
Firs...@blogblogger - <br /><br />You missed both my points. <br /><br />First, it's irrelevant whether it's a political meeting or a state party - if you don't look similar to those around, you get questions. I used to work in a hospital and could quite easily get around those wards I never went simply by looking like I belonged there. Never took my ID card. If you look confident and you appear to be meant to be there, it's harder to get caught out. A white couple at a state dinner in China are going to stick out like dogs balls.<br /><br />The other point was something of a matter of science - there was no reference point. Note that I <i>did not</i> say that they vandals weren't judged on race. I said that it's entirely possible they were judged on being different from the local demographic.<br /><br />Yes, this thing happened. But did it happen because the offenders group B were <i>different</i>, or because they were <i>specifically not white</i>? Assuming it's only because of white privelege is prejudice itself. The posted videos are merely 'exploratory studies' and should not be considered remotely definitive. Anyone with a basic grounding in critical thinking should be able to come up with a dozen reasons why it's a bad study to hang your hat on. <br /><br />You say "Why is that so hard to see?"<br /><br />I say "Why is repeating this in a different neighbourhood to strengthen the results so hard to do?" <br /><br />After all, if the difference really is 'staring you in the face', then it should be pretty easy to find the results you want to see. If you really want these bits to be useful, there are a number of ways to tighten the experiment. If you leave it just as it stands, it's merely sensationalism.EPTnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-22892077006767347062009-12-02T16:20:07.533-08:002009-12-02T16:20:07.533-08:00That said, I don't think it's clear yet ju...<i>That said, I don't think it's clear yet just how Saladi's appearance,</i><br /><br />Salahi.<br /><br /><i>It can't be said enough anyway so I just want to take a moment to say: Michelle Obama is a class act.<br /><br />Like really. Getting an Indian designer to do a Western style dress, instead of just appropriating Indian dress, like what most people think to do. Class act. The end.</i><br /><br />Hell yes.Restructure!http://restructure.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-40359177923993266472009-12-02T13:09:25.879-08:002009-12-02T13:09:25.879-08:00http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/michaele-tareq-sal...http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/michaele-tareq-salahi-couple-crash-obama-state-dinner-black-caucus-113009<br /><br />The same couple crashed a Congressional Black Caucus dinner recently as well, but got the heave-ho when they sat down at a table not reserved for them....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-6467278242154462552009-12-01T22:15:39.141-08:002009-12-01T22:15:39.141-08:00It can't be said enough anyway so I just want ...It can't be said enough anyway so I just want to take a moment to say: Michelle Obama is a class act.<br /><br />Like really. Getting an Indian designer to do a Western style dress, instead of just appropriating Indian dress, like what most people think to do. Class act. The end.whatsernamehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15731411057968563416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-7243805262809415822009-12-01T20:57:26.710-08:002009-12-01T20:57:26.710-08:00amelia-eve: In the first few days after the incide...amelia-eve: In the first few days after the incident, Michaele Salahi's Facebook photos were public and showed her with several other (non-Indian, but not all white) women wearing saris and the like, including (if I remember correctly) both Diane Sawyer and Robin Roberts.Jillianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01792137126898623243noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-79036425775047659272009-12-01T19:39:19.250-08:002009-12-01T19:39:19.250-08:00Another thing white people do in instances like th...Another thing white people do in instances like this: appropriate the traditional clothing of other ethnic groups. Michaele Salahi was wearing some sort of pseudo-sari outfit, though as <b>Deaf Indian Muslim Anarchist!</b> points out, she had the scarf draped over the wrong shoulder. <br /><br />This was especially significant as Michelle Obama explicitly chose a Western-style gown by an Indian designer for this dinner with the Indian representatives, rather than attempting to wear a sari herself. Fashion can be an important part of signifying on occasions like these, and I bet there were other non-Indian women on the guest list who also attempted an Indian look in their dress.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-8129093283651770942009-12-01T19:12:09.124-08:002009-12-01T19:12:09.124-08:00Perhaps you could provide a list of names of all t...Perhaps you could provide a list of names of all the black or brown people who have been turned away from this event.<br /><br />Certainly there must be thousands.TruthHurts001https://www.blogger.com/profile/01183674558757778892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-66600747171820258492009-12-01T18:07:54.004-08:002009-12-01T18:07:54.004-08:00I can't believe the racism that still exists! ...I can't believe the racism that still exists! Those white people just walked right into the White House. If they were black they would have been apprehended right away! <br />And then the news segment. Those white people were horrible to treat those african-american kids like that...News programs should expose the horrible racism that still exists in the world today...Warner Luthertonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-27559997168996718582009-12-01T14:52:31.410-08:002009-12-01T14:52:31.410-08:00I love Margaret Cho but would add that Asians tend...I love Margaret Cho but would add that Asians tend to have "model minority" privilege in some instances. Take a half-white/half-Korean aquaintance of mine who regularly broke the law by chronically smoking pot (no pun intended). He could show up to work and anywhere else stoned and bet (correctly) that no one would expect this of him because he's Korean. To boot, he'd often wear a suit and tie, what he referred to as his "monkey suit," to look that much more like a choir boy/goody two-shoes. Also, the recent case of the Hipster Grifter comes to mind--the Korean-American chick who defrauded a string of people, got a job at a cool, hip magazine and got her victims to believe she had cancer. More about her here: http://www.observer.com/2009/style/hipster-grifter<br /><br />As for the Balloon Boy, in the beginning, all we heard about was the father, who is white. I don't think anyone was trying to sweep his Japanese wife and hapa child under the rug. But the initial news coverage exclusively showed a white father in distress. Only after the boy was "rescued" did the public see the mom and learn the Heenes were a mixed family.Nadrahttp://racerelations.about.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-20724456174336157882009-12-01T13:54:43.425-08:002009-12-01T13:54:43.425-08:00Meh. Another article that's about the benefits...<i>Meh. Another article that's about the benefits of being in a majority rather than being specifically white.</i><br /><br />In this instance, I do believe it's about being white, because being white would place one in the majority at this function. If it were, say, a chinese majority function and the same thing happened, then we'd probably be having the same discussion, just with chinese replacing white.Camealnoreply@blogger.com