tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post8218949095335260179..comments2024-03-06T08:29:13.333-08:00Comments on stuff white people do: think they have the right to go wherever they likemacon dhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07795547197817128339noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-51088683262079317802012-05-15T19:01:25.607-07:002012-05-15T19:01:25.607-07:00When I was little, (I lived in KPK, Pakistan at th...When I was little, (I lived in KPK, Pakistan at the time) I remember sometimes seeing white people. I was really confused, because I didn't think white people would visit Pakistan, and if they did, they would stay in Karachi or Lahore or Islamabad, instead of visiting the villages. My mother used to tell me that they were hippies who wanted to buy drugs, and I wasn't supposed to go near them.Amalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12393938272860250308noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-28958846579310319852009-08-02T10:05:45.576-07:002009-08-02T10:05:45.576-07:00As I've said elsewhere, this piece is...very i...As I've said elsewhere, this piece is...very interesting...in a haunting way. Not sure how to describe it. It is pretty loaded. So much inexpressible things between the lines. And it touched on something that has been bothering me SO much for awhile now. Too much to write in a comment. <br /><br />But I do have to just briefly point something out. You know how you asked to take a photo without really thinking about what you're doing? Don't worry. It's not a 'white' thing. It seems to be a human nature thing. A few weeks ago two hotels got bombed by terrorists (what else could they be right?) in Jakarta (Indonesia). People died. A week later the news was reporting that locals were visiting the site 'with their families' during the weekends like tourists to take pictures of the bombed up hotel facade from across the street. So much that the mobile street food stalls had gathered in the area. Crazy huh?<br /><br />And there are plenty of other similar examples like this happening everywhere. China after that huge earthquake, Aceh after the tsunami, etc. So, it's definitely not a good thing, but it does seem to be our collective nature as humans to be thoughtless sometimes.fromthetropicsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-25172171116811461432009-01-11T11:58:00.000-08:002009-01-11T11:58:00.000-08:00great post, thank you!It also shows the way white ...great post, thank you!<BR/>It also shows the way white people are actually shocked when they are being perceived and treated as a threat. Any Black male entering any space is basically perceived as a threat. That's why they get shot by the police and white women clutch to their purses in the elevator. Any white male entering -even intruding- anywhere : "duh, I guess these people don't understand my good intentions". This fantasy has to stop.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-30715075944429124082008-06-22T10:18:00.000-07:002008-06-22T10:18:00.000-07:00“To be a tourist is to escape accountability. Erro...“To be a tourist is to escape accountability. Errors and failings don't cling to you the way they do back home. You're able to drift across continents and languages, suspending the operation of sound thought. Tourism is the march of stupidity. You're expected to be stupid. The entire mechanism of the host country is geared to travelers acting stupidly. You walk around dazed, squinting into fold-out maps. You don't know how to talk to people, how to get anywhere, what the money means, what time it is, what to eat or how to eat it. Being stupid is the pattern, the level and the norm. You can exist on this level for weeks and months without reprimand or dire consequence. Together with thousands, you are granted immunities and broad freedoms. You are an army of fools, wearing bright polyesters, riding camels, taking pictures of each other, haggard, dysenteric, thirsty. There is nothing to think about but the next shapeless event.”<BR/>--Don Delillo:)https://www.blogger.com/profile/13931442749070882549noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-80122180735999858802008-06-20T20:32:00.000-07:002008-06-20T20:32:00.000-07:00I just found your blog (through Racialicious) and ...I just found your blog (through Racialicious) and I'm very glad I did. Some people have challenged that you are white. I have no trouble believing that you are white...you've just been very honest about your feelings and experiences. I look forward to reading much more of your blog.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-17063660976727114552008-06-19T14:35:00.000-07:002008-06-19T14:35:00.000-07:00@em, I am not sure if the first association of any...@em, I am not sure if the first association of any German meeting an American regardless race in Germany is "American tourist". <BR/>Many will think "American GI" still occupying Germany with your military bases. And while the German government will say, at least officially, that they "appreciate the cooperation", many German citizens are very opposed to American military presence.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-63965793061392325652008-06-19T07:22:00.000-07:002008-06-19T07:22:00.000-07:00this post brought some issues to light that are be...this post brought some issues to light that are behind my reasoning for not wanting to travel. i have only visited Germany, 3 times (I speak the language). I fear visiting a place where I do not know the language, mostly in fear of being seen as a tourist. Perhaps Germany is not hard for me because I can blend in as a German and no one knows that I am a tourist...it's hard enough being seen as an america tourist, but as a white american tourist...things become exponentially more complicated. <BR/><BR/>i don't think that I could ever travel to the carribean islands...or if I did i could not find myself at a hotel or resort. mostly because of feelings of guilt and the truth behind the exploitation of the workers...though i know that the tourist industry keeps the economies of many of these places above water....but the white man is to blame for this situation in the first placeemhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05138089470353932042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-82877840550403719522008-06-17T11:10:00.000-07:002008-06-17T11:10:00.000-07:00I can't help but but wonder if that boy with the m...I can't help but but wonder if that boy with the machete has had to protect his brother from the many (white male) predators who visit his country seeking sex with little boys.<BR/><BR/>The non-profit organization End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography, and the Trafficking of Children (ECPAT) estimates that more than one million children worldwide are drawn (lured) into the sex trade each year.<BR/><BR/>These are children (many below age 10) living in dire circumstances who are lured or forced into prostitution for survival. <BR/><BR/>Child sex tourists are typically white males hailing from nations in Western European nations and North America.<BR/><BR/>Perhaps a sharpened machete is quite the appropriate solution to this evil crime.<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/ceos/sextour.html" REL="nofollow">http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/ceos/sextour.html</A>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-12612355258374639182008-06-16T13:10:00.000-07:002008-06-16T13:10:00.000-07:00Macon, point received. Thank you Sir.Macon, point received. Thank you Sir.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-71911969523414194512008-06-16T08:43:00.000-07:002008-06-16T08:43:00.000-07:00Just Me, I thought it was clear from the post, esp...Just Me, I thought it was clear from the post, especially in the last line, that there's a younger me who didn't understand the things of which you speak, and an older one who does. As you may recall, I recently wrote <A HREF="http://stuffwhitepeopledo.blogspot.com/2008/06/believe-others-consider-them.html" REL="nofollow"> a post</A> on the naive white tendency, which I had to a greater degree back then than I do now, to assume that strangers consider me trustworthy. I agree with you that this issue of trust has different valences in various international settings.macon dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05265182025648127257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-7635281217545340992008-06-15T19:22:00.000-07:002008-06-15T19:22:00.000-07:00Wow.There is a lot of information here. I need to ...Wow.<BR/><BR/>There is a lot of information here. I need to reread this post a few times to process it all.<BR/><BR/>Some of the things that went through my mind were: envy that you got to visit Indonesia or an Asian country where my own racial appearance may not be seen as foreign (as I have not had that experience yet); feeling guilty for being Asian and not emaciated; being very disturbed and disgusted that people's private funerals can be a tourist attraction and that people wanted to take photos.<BR/><BR/>When I read the first part of your post, it also reminded me of how some white people treat Asian minorities, as if they are tourists/travelers and Asians are tour guides. For example, when white people go to "Chinatowns", they act like "tourists" and treat Asians the same way they would treat Asians when travelling to Asia. Basically, they think of Asians in terms of monetary value, that they can treat you like shit as long as they have sufficient money, because you can be paid off. To them, Asian people are worth some x amount of dollars.<BR/><BR/>This post has a lot of information and brought out a lot of confusing emotions in me. I need to step back for a bit and think about my place in the world. I feel disturbed, bitter, sad, and privileged.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-77501802198286552572008-06-15T18:48:00.000-07:002008-06-15T18:48:00.000-07:00I can relate to this as a privileged American, eve...I can relate to this as a privileged American, even though I am a WOC. I have often felt this same unease in my travels to the Caribbean. I like to go on cruises with my sisters, knowing full well that it is a shallow vacation, during which I will enjoy the beaches and the pina coladas and never really experience the culture of the places I visit. On one such trip, we were visiting Jamaica, and were incredibly excited about it and decided to eschew the packaged tours and venture out on our own. The ship stopped in Ocho Rios, and my sister and I just started walking around the downtown area. What we were met with was a lot of sexist catcalls, lots of exhortations for money, and a great feeling of discomfort. The city reminded me of SouthEast D.C., near where I grew up, only with an accent. And tropical vibe or not, it was simply poverty. Every time I glimpse poverty on these vacations, I feel guilty and confused as to my part in it. On one hand, I am putting money into the local economy, and on the other hand, I am this vile American tourist stopping by for a break from my life in a "paradise" that is a complete fantasy.<BR/><BR/>Roxie, there are a couple articles on TheRoot that address the issue of black Americans traveling:<BR/><BR/>http://www.theroot.com/id/46299<BR/>http://www.theroot.com/id/45778nonehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11285430099883802519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-26537463777430443362008-06-15T17:58:00.000-07:002008-06-15T17:58:00.000-07:00Great piece. It's curious, The choices you made se...Great piece. <BR/>It's curious, The choices you made seemed clearly....different to me. There things I would not have chosen..I wonder what prevents me from that? Black & female, I've still got the western thing going. (I hope it's understood where I'm trying to go with that :-/)<BR/><BR/>I also wonder what it's like to travel (internationally) while black/brown? That show is never on the travel channel.Roxiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10989862745571420807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-45176557729207857552008-06-15T14:34:00.000-07:002008-06-15T14:34:00.000-07:00As I walked back from my encounter on the beach wi...<I>As I walked back from my encounter on the beach with those two boys, I did realize that I’d probably intruded on their space. Perhaps that stretch of beach and the coconut trees behind it belonged to their family. One of them might have meant to welcome me with a refreshing drink, or maybe he did want money. <B>The other seemed to see me as a threat, which confused me—me, a threat? How could that be? I certainly meant no harm, and I saw no reason for anyone to want me to stay away.</B></I><BR/><BR/>Macon, I'm fascinated that you didn't see, and perhaps still don't see that yours is the face of the race that people the world over SHOULD NOT EASILY TRUST. I'm almost certain, or at least hope, that many of the non-white readers of this blog can easily understand, as I thought you would have, that the white - european historical record of expansionism, white supremacy - racism, imperialism, militarism, pillaging of native lands and genocide of native people throughout the world is something that many non-white people across the globe have got to be aware of, perhaps innately on a conscious or even unconscious level. Could that have possibly been the reason for the older boy's cautious reaction towards you? Not on an individual or personal level but rather as a representative of the collective that looks (and acts white) like you do?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-39577258859938399482008-06-15T14:26:00.000-07:002008-06-15T14:26:00.000-07:00@lhunfindel:Have you resolved this feeling?No. Tha...@lhunfindel:<BR/><BR/><I>Have you resolved this feeling?</I><BR/><BR/>No. That dead man I wrote about at the end of the piece is still walking. I'm still trying to revive the parts of my humanity that have been numbed, atrophied, or deadened by my training into white American masculinity. I'm making progress, but I don't know if that work will ever be complete since, to such a powerful degree, we become what we've been told we are.macon dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05265182025648127257noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-31480989552839510012008-06-15T14:02:00.000-07:002008-06-15T14:02:00.000-07:00macon,I, too, will read this over and over again. ...macon,<BR/><BR/>I, too, will read this over and over again. It is haunting. The writing requires soul searching.<BR/><BR/>When I went to Yahoo news and saw an article on Bush visiting Europe, just after reading your post, the language used, even about visiting other white cultures, suddenly seemed to corroborate your point metaphorically, white access magnified to the power of the president. <BR/><BR/>I don't know if you'll agree in this case, it was just a synchronicity for me. The power of your post is to see our very language and actions differently:<BR/><BR/>Bush soaks in Europe like only a president can<BR/><BR/>By JENNIFER LOVEN and DEB RIECHMANN, Associated Press Writers 36 minutes ago<BR/><BR/>excerpts<BR/><BR/>It seems President Bush is learning to enjoy the perks of traveling abroad as the most powerful man in the world.<BR/><BR/>this super-glam European tour<BR/><BR/>In Rome, he commented happily about leaving the city "with a little extra culture — and a little fatter."<BR/><BR/>Even so, he skipped Berlin in favor of a helicopter straight to the German countryside from the airport, motored through Rome without stopping at the Colosseum and stayed in Paris without visiting the Louvre or Notre Dame just blocks away.<BR/><BR/>These sorts of experiences aren't on tour guide lists. They are special sights unique to the access offered world leaders of Bush's stature.Karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08222691585701927490noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-29815499843525840022008-06-15T13:54:00.000-07:002008-06-15T13:54:00.000-07:00Wow.What a punch in the gut-this made me tear up a...Wow.<BR/><BR/>What a punch in the gut-this made me tear up a bit.<BR/><BR/>Your words are powerful and I have witnessed my mother do this time and time again, to my chagrin and embarrassment.<BR/><BR/>Have you resolved this feeling?Lhunfindelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04487515086614030326noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-528074983146803930.post-38452183400505591662008-06-15T12:09:00.000-07:002008-06-15T12:09:00.000-07:00Macon,Thanks for writing this blog, this was well ...Macon,<BR/><BR/>Thanks for writing this blog, this was well worth reading, which i will probably read over and over again. I am sorry i am without any comments, as you already know, i have been a witness to this type of events with other white travelers. Again, thanks for sharing. I will be posting something soon, I will let you when I do.La Legione di Resistenzahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05818326093597590053noreply@blogger.com