tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post6042814732544574198..comments2024-03-06T08:29:13.333-08:00Comments on stuff white people do: use the word 'diversity' to avoid really dealing with 'race'macon dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07795547197817128339noreply@blogger.comBlogger56125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-67024686696075655972012-02-14T12:16:06.515-08:002012-02-14T12:16:06.515-08:00As a white guy, I find myself in agreement with th...As a white guy, I find myself in agreement with this article and could not have been worded any better. The whites in question wish to increase inclusion of other peoples just to make the statement that their organization in question has increased its "diversity." That is all, this blog made my day.Not_rmshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00591923708683165648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-79020137002487931112009-10-15T12:08:31.811-07:002009-10-15T12:08:31.811-07:00Hmmm. I came to this site accidentally. While rese...Hmmm. I came to this site accidentally. While researching for my Independent Study. <br /><br />I found this article as another African American feeling discriminated against and outnumbered in the working environment.<br /><br />I am not racist in any way shape or form but if you are to just look at High school dropout rates minorities have a big slice of that pie, and with out that diploma they cannot achieve the "high-end" jobs they fail to make because they do not have the proper education. As time goes on the the number of all races will eventually even out and hopefully that will end all of these race wars that are secretly in the veins of people.Mitchell Wnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-48860307987527875922009-10-09T17:50:51.785-07:002009-10-09T17:50:51.785-07:00Meagan, look around here more closely, please, sta...Meagan, look around here more closely, please, starting with this blog's subtitle. What mostly gets talked about here are common white tendencies. No one's making claims here about what ALL white people everywhere do.macon dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07795547197817128339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-18460621095424382532009-10-09T17:47:12.504-07:002009-10-09T17:47:12.504-07:00I actually have to say that this is an extremely p...I actually have to say that this is an extremely prejudice article. Being a young white female who goes to a 'diverse' university in Chicago, it's hard to hear someone say things that are so narrow minded and misled. Not ALL white people think this way. Not ALL white people think of race when they hear the word diversity. <br /><br />I know when I look around the classroom and see people of other races than myself, I don't think, 'wow, this school is so diverse.' <br />This belief you have of white people is completely hypocritical. You should be careful about what you say about a certain race and how they think, act or feel. <br /><br />Saying 'all white people think the word diversity is all about race' is as stereotypical of saying 'all black people like to listen to hip hop.'CBombhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00635300469450143438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-83166267892228018472009-09-21T12:39:44.933-07:002009-09-21T12:39:44.933-07:00"Diversity" can also include the straigh..."Diversity" can also include the straight-acting gays, lesbians and bisexuals.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09150760612099249739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-58638021144406633622009-08-29T06:31:54.119-07:002009-08-29T06:31:54.119-07:00I just stumbled onto this blog by accident. Not be...I just stumbled onto this blog by accident. Not being an American I'm just curious as to the things being said on here. <br /><br />People of African decent (Black People) have been in America for hundreds of years and people of white decent (Typically European people) have also been in America for hundreds of years. I can understand how an organization which is comprised of mostly white people would like to have workers of color in their company. Obviously, so that there company doesn't look too white, as that would look racist and being racist in America just doesn't cut it anymore, especially in a company.<br /><br />So hire a couple of good educated people of color and race and Voila, you have a 'diverse' team. <br /><br />I understand all this completely - That's how America works. However, the blacks in America and Whites in America have been in America for hundreds of years. The blacks no longer behave like blacks. It's not that they want to be white. Go to Africa and you will really see how Africans are - Nothing like Afro-Americans. And white Americans are no longer like Europeans. A new identity has been forged in the USA with or without you knowing it. <br /><br />Bring a guy from South Africa, a French Guy, a Moroccan and a Russian into a company and that would be real 'diversity' as these people have been raised in their irrespective countries and cultures.<br /><br />However, put a Latino from New York, a Black Man from LA and a white guy from Michigan in a company - you will have a racially diverse team (At least from the way that they look) but they are all Americans. They behave like Americans and talk like Americans. <br /><br />If you put the American born Latino in Mexico he won't fit in, put the Black guy back in Kenya and put the white guy in Scotland or England and see if they feel at home.<br /><br />Good luck to you all in trying to work out how things are run. However, people in power will always stay in control as the rest of the population keeps on trying to understand the race issue.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01395670725198372835noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-68394279000605607102009-08-11T17:23:03.137-07:002009-08-11T17:23:03.137-07:00"the values of people of color."
I have..."the values of people of color."<br /><br />I have never understood how these values differ from my values as w white person. But I am curious to hear some specifics, and how these would be implemented in an institution.<br /><br />Is Howard University run differently, in ways that reflect the values of black people? I'd be curious to hear more about this. And what are white values? Are these the values of all whites?<br /><br />Also I just read your list of euphemisms for white but I didn't see "poor people" as in "....these cutbacks will more severely affect minorities and poor people"Isabelnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-77545944537290861432009-08-03T09:56:40.366-07:002009-08-03T09:56:40.366-07:00Dejamorgana, more whites voted for McCain than for...Dejamorgana, more whites voted for McCain than for Obama. Here's CNN's exit polls - http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/polls/#USP00p1<br /><br />Now, I just read somewhere else that this is a fairly standard breakdown between Republican candidates and Democratic candidates even when they're both white, but it's pretty clear that the number of POC in this country has an effect on politics.<br /><br />That's certainly not to say that Obama didn't have broad support among whites. I'm white and I voted for Obama too, and so did all my white friends - even the more racist ones.bluey512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-10172696904091709602009-07-31T21:46:56.755-07:002009-07-31T21:46:56.755-07:00Bluey, what's the basis for saying that if it ...Bluey, what's the basis for saying that if it were up to whites, John McCain would be president right now? Didn't Obama win by a landslide amongst the whole population?<br /><br />I know for a fact that most white people in my area didn't support McCain. On election night my wife and I were at a concert with several hundred people. At least 98% of the crowd was white. Voting results were coming in during the concert, and the lead singer (a white guy) was watching them on a laptop on stage and kept announcing the numbers in between songs - and the whole (white) crowd went absolutely wild with joy. People were more excited about the election than they were about the concert. If anybody in that crowd voted for McCain, they sure were being quiet about it.<br /><br />I know this is a straw man argument, but it annoys me no end to see people trying to retcon Obama's amazing victory into some kind of battle that white people lost. I'm a white guy, and I voted for Obama -and I'll do it again next time around (especially if his opponent is Sarah Palin).dejamorgananoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-10572087418641715792009-07-31T19:00:42.369-07:002009-07-31T19:00:42.369-07:00If NOW were called National Organization For And O...<b>If NOW were called National Organization For And Of White Middle Class Women, then I would get your argument. Then it would be silly of me to think they need to start representing me.<br /><br />But that's not their name.</b><br /><br /><br />Zing!!!<br /><br />The Witty Mulatto, this was a great post. You pinpointed exactly what bothers me so much about American "diversity." I also feel I was only included in things because I was a "safe" black girl....Doreennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-83561885009185273972009-07-31T14:44:19.722-07:002009-07-31T14:44:19.722-07:00Teaching ESL in Philadelphia (anywhere, I imagine)...Teaching ESL in Philadelphia (anywhere, I imagine), my class is a mixed bag of ethnicities and cultures. I am the lone Caucasian. During the course of any given year, all of us learn how similar, yet different we are. We are all in this together. Last year, my 8th graders drew a mural of a "tossed salad"--many different ingredients (us), with a common purpose and goals. We all agreed that a "melting pot" mentality obliterates our individual characteristics, where a "salad" enhances us. The mural includes the value of friendships and respect, and is signed by all of us, and marks the months or years each have been together as a group.<br />The mural is hot-glued above the classroom whiteboard as a mantra and encouragement to all who enter!Roznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-9537670554607349372009-07-31T07:53:08.819-07:002009-07-31T07:53:08.819-07:00Stuff white people do: feel the need to constantly...Stuff white people do: feel the need to constantly state that white people are a all diverse, independent, special, unique, individuals<br /><br />lest we forget since this is already the dominant assumption in Western culture.modest-goddesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02349577841986972240noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-1594713627443906842009-07-30T21:23:05.762-07:002009-07-30T21:23:05.762-07:00http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRQieGR1iUUhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRQieGR1iUUHanky Pankynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-11731283923411910002009-07-30T15:28:06.339-07:002009-07-30T15:28:06.339-07:00Mecca in the house...
Anyway, on the issue of div...Mecca in the house...<br /><br />Anyway, on the issue of diversity at HBCUs, since many white folks think all black people are the same, they cannot imagine that a place with mainly black people could be diverse.<br /><br />Despite going to schools that have mainly white people.Big Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02510881583909431416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-77424736065751759502009-07-30T11:08:46.646-07:002009-07-30T11:08:46.646-07:00Oh, my fault, I guess I just misread you on repres...Oh, my fault, I guess I just misread you on representation. Having POC accurately represented seems more than fair.<br /><br />"For me, and most anti-racists, the point isn't to get where everyone's so similar that race doesn't matter. It's for racial DIFFERENCES to not matter. Diversity initiatives are usually geared towards the former."<br /><br />Heh, I can't really argue with that. They may or may not be a stepping stone to better things, but I'd be very surprised if most diversity initiatives were actually intended to produce real change.<br /><br />"The whole Melting Pot idea doesn't wash b/c it doesn't affect white people - other than to keep their comfort level in place."<br /><br />I thought about that but didn't really explore it. Now that I think about it again, I'm not sure that's actually true.<br /><br />For one thing, there are more and more POC in this country - whites have a diminishing share in what American culture looks like. And in what its power structure looks like. If it were up to the majority of white people, McCain would be president right now (shudder).<br /><br />Also, whites are pretty diverse. Dejamorgana, it's kind of interesting to me that you bring up the Anglicization of names. I've been thinking lately that the "white" culture that so many different kinds of people (now considered white) have already been assimilated into is a very English sort of culture, and most of our racial issues in this country stem from English class structures and the religious and pseudo-scientific rationalizations thereof.<br /><br />But despite this assimilation, white people vary significantly in culture and appearance depending on region, class, and ethnic origin. A wealthy banker living in NYC is pretty different from a redneck in Appalachia, and they're both different from a lesbian in California and from a suburban Midwestern housewife. White culture is not a monolith. Would we necessarily have to erase differences in order to include even more types of people? Maybe, maybe not - I guess it depends on what "assimilation" looks like.<br /><br />mthgk, I have to say, I totally agree with Witty Mulatto on this one. It's good to recognize that racial categories are not rigorously scientifically defined, but I don't think it's a good idea to let that fact obscure the mass delusion that is, unfortunately, our reality.bluey512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-91459240666879547872009-07-30T06:19:40.311-07:002009-07-30T06:19:40.311-07:00mthgk: Thanks for your mathematical input. As a bi...mthgk: Thanks for your mathematical input. As a biracial/bicultural person myself, I see where you're coming from when you say the numbers are grey. (I got my numbers from government population estimates, but the speciousness of those is a whole 'nother post.) <br /><br />The way I feel is, when I start getting some white privelege, then we can talk about whether I want a white person or POC to represent me. Because at this place in time, white people aren't qualified to represent anybody but their own demographic. <br /><br />That's just one of the questions our changing population raises. When we get to a place where non-whitemales are fully represented, we'll still have a lot of sorting out to do. I wanna just get there. <br /><br /><i>Racial categories are a fabrication of the human imagination used to justify resource hording."</i> <br /><br />No kidding. This is absolutely true. But as long as the people in power still pretend race is a significant difference, we have to pretend it is too in order to tear it down. To ignore it because it's technically not there is the worst kind of colorblindness.The Witty Mulattohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14714368344885684793noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-79094360265822361932009-07-30T04:51:53.801-07:002009-07-30T04:51:53.801-07:00miajere:
OK I'm with you on that "diversi...miajere:<br />OK I'm with you on that "diversity program" thing. It's really insulting to hear "you're a girl, so you'll get in easy." I don't think I've heard the follow-up to that yet: "you only got in because you're a girl," but I probably won't be surprised when I do.Mackenziehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03695808411116664337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-6215157352787593072009-07-30T04:41:03.256-07:002009-07-30T04:41:03.256-07:00Interesting...
At Ohio Linuxfest, we're having...Interesting...<br />At Ohio Linuxfest, we're having a "Diversity in Open Source" Day, but that started out as "Women in Open Source" not "Black People in Open Source."Mackenziehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03695808411116664337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-54822030201341954082009-07-29T18:35:21.686-07:002009-07-29T18:35:21.686-07:00"I think one reason why white people prefer a...<i>"I think one reason why white people prefer assimilation is that if we're all melted into the same cultural pot, then race shouldn't matter. We aren't there yet, but diversity initiatives seem like a good way to help bring it about. "</i><br /><br />The whole Melting Pot idea doesn't wash b/c it doesn't affect white people - other than to keep their comfort level in place. <br /><br />White folks don't jump into the melting pot and come out more informed about or involved with other cultures. They don't jump into the melting pot and come out with their power structures suddenly changed to represent POCs. <br /><br />The melting pot changes nothing for white folks, it just ensures that THEIR status quo remains intact, and that they don't have to change a damn thing.more cowbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17867825812404503048noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-56160077544933373832009-07-29T17:36:28.904-07:002009-07-29T17:36:28.904-07:00Awesome post, Witty Mulatto. I am well versed in ...Awesome post, Witty Mulatto. I am well versed in the double speak of those who perceive themselves as both white and liberal. I am really having trouble with the statistics you and bluey512 are using, though. <br /><br />The U.S. is 65-70% white??? Organizations should be 44% people of color???? Those statistics are meaningless because the concepts of "white" and "people of color" are not rigorously, strictly defined. Nor do I believe they ever have been or ever will be. What does "white" mean? I'm half-Chinese and half-Caucasian- am I white or asian? <br /><br />As a mathematician, I can assure you that you need to have very rigid, well-defined subsets in your sample space if you want your analysis to make sense.<br /><br />The problem with this entire dialog is that racial categories are a fabrication of the human imagination used to justify resource hording. There is no sound, conclusive, scientific basis for racial categories. To highlight the futility of thinking in these terms, I recently heard that the fastest growing racial demographic is "mixed". Thinking racially leads to an illogical, emotional mess for policy makers and people in generall.<br /><br />When people frame their thinking using categories that are at once both empty and meaningless while also being horribly divisive, I think it is a good idea trash the categories altogether, no?mthgkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10085913585539040947noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-36144425453049389412009-07-29T14:50:53.280-07:002009-07-29T14:50:53.280-07:00Bluey 512, assimilation is only good for the peopl...Bluey 512, assimilation is only good for the people whose culture ends up dominating the melting pot. This is usually the majority, and always the group with the political power and economic clout.<br /><br />History has given us numerous examples of cultures that were assimilated by more powerful groups and ended up almost disappearing, while the assimilating culture was influenced very little (think of the Khoi-khoi, or any culture that ever lost a war against the Roman and Ottoman Empires).<br /><br />More currently, white society in the US has a long history of Anglicizing immigrant's names or changing them outright, and minority members still voluntarily change their names to "more neutral" (I.e., whiter) ones. Just the other day I discovered that Jon Stewart's last name was once Liebowitz. He may have personal, rather than political, reasons for the name change, but I can't imagine anybody named Stewart changing his name to Liebowitz. That just doesn't happen.dejamorgananoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-34151879804987485102009-07-29T14:42:32.298-07:002009-07-29T14:42:32.298-07:00Bluey: I should've been clearer. I meant that...Bluey: I should've been clearer. I meant that representation should reflect the general population in all cases, not that there should always be 51% POC's in a company. <br />Much as I personally wouldn't mind seeing it, overrepresenting POC's just wouldn't be fair (and would cause the outcry that current statistics SHOULD be getting). <br /><br /><i>"Like, how would you want to see it implemented? How many POC in leadership positions is enough? Where do we find a balance of power between racial groups?"</i><br /><br />I like those questions. I guess where I would start is with what I said in another comment: I believe organizations should reflect the people<br />the people they serve (or want to serve). The U.S. government needs to be about 44% people of color. (It needs other things too, but I digress.) But the government of DC, on another hand, needs to be majority Black, because that's who lives here. <br /><br /><i>"I think one reason why white people prefer assimilation is that if we're all melted into the same cultural pot, then race shouldn't matter. We aren't there yet, but diversity initiatives seem like a good way to help bring it about. "</i><br /><br />Right on -- that's exactly why white folks love the Melting Pot. But that's not where I want to be going at all. For me, and most anti-racists, the point isn't to get where everyone's so similar that race doesn't matter. It's for racial DIFFERENCES to not matter. Diversity initiatives are usually geared towards the former.The Witty Mulattohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14714368344885684793noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-24761954606640237042009-07-29T14:01:11.517-07:002009-07-29T14:01:11.517-07:00They are, yes, absolutely, and that should change....They are, yes, absolutely, and that should change. I just don't see a good way of making it change except by including POC in white organizations and trying to reduce overt and institutional racism and hoping that they make it to the top in greater and greater numbers.<br /><br />I mention overrepresentation not because it's actually happening, but because that's the only way I can see of having enough POC in positions of leadership to make POC feel represented at a majority of organizations. I could be getting ahead of myself on that.bluey512noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-16972376622548547922009-07-29T12:40:13.256-07:002009-07-29T12:40:13.256-07:00Oh, and to contribute to the possible future euphe...Oh, and to contribute to the possible future euphemisms post, may I suggest "high-risk," as in "a study found that high-risk youth..." This is another term that I think is supposed to be intentionally neutral, but I've always suspected that it actually means black or poor, or both.Juliahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09306553493879018542noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-11980371523877736372009-07-29T12:37:48.320-07:002009-07-29T12:37:48.320-07:00but bluey512, people of color ARE underrepresented...but bluey512, people of color ARE underrepresented (woefully so)in positions of power. Even within organizations that champion so-called diversity. So why the concern over possible over-representation?Juliahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09306553493879018542noreply@blogger.com