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let's talk about racism
I know it's not busy at night, but I just had to share this article someone posted on fb. It's amazing. And what's even better, I think it spot on describes Seattle and how it has a very different problem than maybe other parts of the country. Sadly, I went to the racist HS mentioned and remember the whole ordeal over kids not getting into the school.
I actually thought about writing a post like this a couple months ago because I went to the Taproot play mentioned and was also at the public talk that they hosted. It was really good. I think the point briefly mentioned in the article that I thought was really interesting when I was at the discussion night, was when the director said people flocked to the play about the anti-Nazi movement during WWII and then shyed away from the play about racism in modern day America. Most importantly, what Taproot was trying to do was to get us to stop ignoring the subconscious thoughts we have and be open to discussion.
I think different generations also have different ways of 'dealing' with this - schools/society have gone through many ways of teaching about racism: racism is ok, racism doesn't exist, the idea of "I'm colorblind", racism is bad but I'm not racist... lot's of things that haven't really served any one any good. IMO the first step is for people who are white to simply acknowledge that being white is an advantage in our society, period. It's hard to want to admit that and not get defensive, but it's important if we want to see anything change.
I know it's a long read, but it's worth it!
Re: let's talk about racism
lol I know most of the discussion will happen tomorrow, I just read it though and wanted to post!
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um yeah, that's not right... lol
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I read it - I don't know how well I processed it all tonight as I am a bit tired. I want to read it again!
i read the first 5 or 6 paragraphs...then i realized how long it was. i'll have to read more later...but i will mention a few things.
The white Seattle police officer punching a 17-year-old African American girl in the face.
she deserved it. i think we had this discussion before....maybe it was on TK? or maybe it was on another board? i don't really remember...but either way. this young woman has a criminal history of fighting with police officers. i don't remember exactly, since this was maybe a year or two ago? but i *think* he was trying to break up another fight, and she intervened by shoving him...he needed to stop her. what else could he do? there was a brawl of teenagers.
other than that, i do know a little bit about being turned down from a school due to high numbers of a certain ethnic group.....even though i'm not white. i applied to UW as a 2-year transfer student (which i have even more to say about for another topic), and my essay was about being a 2nd gen chinese-american, yadda yadda.... i had very good grades (3.8), and i was denied admission. my other chinese friend....applied the same quarter as me....he wrote his essay on being a 2nd gen malaysian-american (he LIED!). he was accepted with his 3.2 gpa. my black friend....again. same quarter. wrote about the struggles of being an african-american........2.9 gpa. he was accepted. UW was flooded with chinese-americans that quarter i suppose.
i worked very closely with the hiring team at one of my previous jobs...and they said that with "affirmative action", they were required to hire the same "percentage" of people as the groups that applied. which is crap. if someone is a better employee or has more potential..they should get the job, and not be discriminated against because not enough white-folk (or whatever group) applied.
i have lots more to say about racism, but it's late. let's discuss in the morning.
♥ bfp1 06/14/2011 ♥ edd 02/22/2012 ♥
♥ baby jennlin born on 02/15/2012 ♥
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jenn - but I'm white and got into UW without an 'amazing' GPA... so technically I shouldn't have gotten in because we all know that the majority of UW is white. I think you can't look at affirmative action on a case-by-case basis. I used to argue against is all the time until I realized it's not about "you got denied because this other person got in" - lots of people get denied to UW and lots of people get in. So it kind of doesn't make sense to assume they compared your two applications and let the other person in. I also realized that I get the benefit of the doubt and had a completely different growing up experience than the African American kids my age. Affirmative action doesn't fix everything, but it's trying to fix a system that already favors white kids.
*I realize none of this is addressing Asian/Asian-American issues, however that's another situation with a different history. Not to mention Hispanic or Middle Eastern individuals.
(I don't remember the discussion about this) however, I think his point here is not about who was right and wrong - and even if it was, there's a more important message here - as non-African Americans, we should try to approach incidents from their perspective. How do they see this story? Over and over I've heard and learned that their entire life experience and how they interpret situations is completely different from me - passed down for generations. This incident is easy for me to unemotionally discuss, but it's not so simple for them, even if the cop was right (I still think punching someone isn't the answer - just ask whether you think he would have been so quick to punch her if she was male? white? Only he knows that). It's another incident that reenacts hundreds of years of white authority acting violently towards an African American and it sends a painful message.
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That article immediately made me think of this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHKIMOgoJoU
IMO for as long as we want things to fit neatly in to categories and boxes we will always have racism, sexism, ageism and any other -ism out there.
And, like the article said, I'm not sure people know how to define racist anymore, since we've been trying to sweep it under the rug for so long. What one person deems as genuine curiosity someone else may deem deeply offensive.
I think that what really needs to happen is we need to stop putting people in boxes.
what year/quarter did you apply? i'm not saying it was the *only* factor, but we definitely saw a trend. none of us looked into it further than "oh, we got denied"........last night i forgot to mention my other chinese friend with a 3.9 that also wrote about struggles of being 2nd gen american (none of us are creative at all) also got denied. we were all transfer students from scc same quarter (fall 2005) taking similar classes and electives. again..we're sure it's not the only reason, but we couldn't help but feel as if it was.
i agree--to an extent. i think it depends on the individuals running the admission department (to anything...apartments, jobs, school, etc).
yes, asian americans have very very different issues from other ethnicities..unfortunately, i haven't done *as much* research on struggles from other groups, but have studied extensively on asian-americans so this is my strong point and where i base most of my anecdotes.
i don't understand why the media/rights-groups have pulled race into this. the police officer was "white", the group of mobbing teenagers was "black". so what? (i'm not attacking you at all...just the media behind it that made everyone look at it that way). he was a law enforcement officer, who, in the midst of a brawl was attacked. he needed to stop the assailant. how else would he have done it? i don't remember exactly, and am not going to look up the video right now, but there were at least 2 people fighting, and then the "person' that shoved him.
i think this is another story. if a white cop walked up to a random black teenager and punched her, then this would apply. but he was in the line of fire at the moment and needed to do something about it.
(i'm sure there's lots of points i've missed..let me know if you want to discuss anything further).
(and also, i realize tones can be hard to decipher on the internet.....please note, we're not arguing, we're just discussing. i still
you big time 
)
♥ bfp1 06/14/2011 ♥ edd 02/22/2012 ♥
♥ baby jennlin born on 02/15/2012 ♥
who says you can only wear your wedding dress once?
honeymoon bio ♥ married bio ♥ planning bio
jumped ship to the new and improved nest. back to TB for baby boards.
totally
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i don't have headphones today, can you sum this up?
agreed. *however* like amanda mentioned before...due to american history, unfortunately many groups were heavily discriminated against and are still struggling to catch up today.
♥ bfp1 06/14/2011 ♥ edd 02/22/2012 ♥
♥ baby jennlin born on 02/15/2012 ♥
who says you can only wear your wedding dress once?
honeymoon bio ♥ married bio ♥ planning bio
jumped ship to the new and improved nest. back to TB for baby boards.
okay..here's my pregnancy hormone symptom: seeing your smiley face brought tears to my eyes.
♥ bfp1 06/14/2011 ♥ edd 02/22/2012 ♥
♥ baby jennlin born on 02/15/2012 ♥
who says you can only wear your wedding dress once?
honeymoon bio ♥ married bio ♥ planning bio
jumped ship to the new and improved nest. back to TB for baby boards.
LOL I have no excuse now for the small tear in my eye!
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okay let's get rid of this love-fest....must be allergies in your eyes
♥ bfp1 06/14/2011 ♥ edd 02/22/2012 ♥
♥ baby jennlin born on 02/15/2012 ♥
who says you can only wear your wedding dress once?
honeymoon bio ♥ married bio ♥ planning bio
jumped ship to the new and improved nest. back to TB for baby boards.
Lyrics to Everyone's a Little Bit Racist:
Princeton:
Say, Kate, can I ask you a question?
Kate Monster:
Sure!
Princeton:
Well, you know Trekkie Monster upstairs?
Kate Monster:
Uh huh.
Princeton:
Well, he's Trekkie Monster, and you're Kate Monster.
Kate Monster:
Right.
Princeton:
You're both Monsters.
Kate Monster:
Yeah.
Princeton:
Are you two related?
Kate Monster:
What?! Princeton, I'm surprised at you! I find that racist!
Princeton:
Oh, well, I'm sorry! I was just asking!
Kate Monster:
Well, it's a touchy subject.
No, not all Monsters are related.
What are you trying say, huh?
That we all look the same to you?
Huh, huh, huh?
Princeton:
No, no, no, not at all. I'm sorry,
I guess that was a little racist.
Kate Monster:
I should say so. You should be much more
careful when you're talking about the
sensitive subject of race.
Princeton:
Well, look who's talking!
Kate Monster:
What do you mean?
Princeton:
What about that special Monster School you told me about?
Kate Monster:
What about it?
Princeton:
Could someone like me go there?
Kate Monster:
No, we don't want people like you-
Princeton:
You see?!
You're a little bit racist.
Kate Monster:
Well, you're a little bit too.
Princeton:
I guess we're both a little bit racist.
Kate Monster:
Admitting it is not an easy thing to do...
Princeton:
But I guess it's true.
Kate Monster:
Between me and you,
I think
Both:
Everyone's a little bit racist
Sometimes.
Doesn't mean we go
Around committing hate crimes.
Look around and you will find
No one's really color blind.
Maybe it's a fact
We all should face
Everyone makes judgments
Based on race.
Princeton:
Now not big judgments, like who to hire
or who to buy a newspaper from -
Kate Monster:
No!
Princeton:
No, just little judgments like thinking that Mexican
busboys should learn to speak goddamn English!
Kate Monster:
Right!
Both:
Everyone's a little bit racist
Today.
So, everyone's a little bit racist
Okay!
Ethinic jokes might be uncouth,
But you laugh because
They're based on truth.
Don't take them as
Personal attacks.
Everyone enjoys them -
So relax!
Princeton:
All right, stop me if you've heard this one.
Kate Monster:
Okay!
Princeton:
There's a plan going down and there's only
one paracute. And there's a rabbi, a priest...
Kate Monster:
And a black guy!
Gary Coleman:
Whatchoo talkin' 'bout Kate?
Kate Monster:
Uh...
Gary Coleman:
You were telling a black joke!
Princeton:
Well, sure, Gary, but lots of people tell black jokes.
Gary Coleman:
I don't.
Princeton:
Well, of course you don't - you're black!
But I bet you tell Polack jokes, right?
Gary Coleman:
Well, sure I do. Those stupid Polacks!
Princeton:
Now, don't you think that's a little racist?
Gary Coleman:
Well, damn, I guess you're right.
Kate Monster:
You're a little bit racist.
Gary Coleman:
Well, you're a little bit too.
Princeton:
We're all a little bit racist.
Gary Coleman:
I think that I would
Have to agree with you.
Princeton/Kate Monster:
We're glad you do.
Gary Coleman:
It's sad but true!
Everyone's a little bit racist -
All right!
Kate Monster:
All right!
Princeton:
All right!
Gary Coleman:
All right!
Bigotry has never been
Exclusively white
All:
If we all could just admit
That we are racist a little bit,
Even though we all know
That it's wrong,
Maybe it would help us
Get along.
Princeton:
Oh, Christ do I feel good.
Gary Coleman:
Now there was a fine upstanding black man!
Princeton:
Who?
Gary Coleman:
Jesus Christ.
Kate Monster:
But, Gary, Jesus was white.
Gary Coleman:
No, Jesus was black.
Kate Monster:
No, Jesus was white.
Gary Coleman:
No, I'm pretty sure that Jesus was black-
Princeton:
Guys, guys...Jesus was Jewish!
Brian:
Hey guys, what are you laughing about?
Gary Coleman:
Racism!
Brian:
Cool.
Christmas Eve:
BRIAN! Come back here!
You take out lecycuraburs!
Princeton:
What's that mean?
Brian:
Um, recyclables.
Hey, don't laugh at her!
How many languages do you speak?
Kate Monster:
Oh, come off it, Brian!
Everyone's a little bit racist.
Brian:
I'm not!
Princeton:
Oh no?
Brian:
Nope!
How many Oriental wives
Have you got?
Christmas Eve:
What? Brian!
Princeton:
Brian, buddy, where you been?
The term is Asian-American!
Christmas Eve:
I know you are no
Intending to be
But calling me Oriental -
Offensive to me!
Brian:
I'm sorry, honey, I love you.
Christmas Eve:
And I love you.
Brian:
But you're racist, too.
Christmas Eve:
Yes, I know.
The Jews have all
The money
And the whites have all
The power.
And I'm always in taxi-cab
With driver who no shower!
Princeton:
Me too!
Kate Monster:
Me too!
Gary Coleman:
I can't even get a taxi!
All:
Everyone's a little bit racist
It's true.
But everyone is just about
As racist as you!
If we all could just admit
That we are racist a little bit,
And everyone stopped being
So PC
Maybe we could live in -
Harmony!
Christmas Eve:
Evlyone's a ritter bit lacist!
♥ bfp1 06/14/2011 ♥ edd 02/22/2012 ♥
♥ baby jennlin born on 02/15/2012 ♥
who says you can only wear your wedding dress once?
honeymoon bio ♥ married bio ♥ planning bio
jumped ship to the new and improved nest. back to TB for baby boards.
The whole musical is awesome. Have you seen it? I think you'd really like it. I've never laughed so hard in my life.
no i haven't seen it. i don't get out as much as you do
♥ bfp1 06/14/2011 ♥ edd 02/22/2012 ♥
♥ baby jennlin born on 02/15/2012 ♥
who says you can only wear your wedding dress once?
honeymoon bio ♥ married bio ♥ planning bio
jumped ship to the new and improved nest. back to TB for baby boards.
Whatevs. Go see it in NYC when you're there.
yeah, that sounds like it would be entertaining!
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where did you watch it? i just saw the seattle show (few years ago) tickets were $22-70 , and in NYC, they are $90-127. i can't afford this cause i'm broke since my stock market can crash tomrrow.
♥ bfp1 06/14/2011 ♥ edd 02/22/2012 ♥
♥ baby jennlin born on 02/15/2012 ♥
who says you can only wear your wedding dress once?
honeymoon bio ♥ married bio ♥ planning bio
jumped ship to the new and improved nest. back to TB for baby boards.
I missed it in Seattle so I had to see it in NYC. The theater is really small, so even if you get the cheap tix they're still decent seats.
Loved the article, although there were a few things I didn't agree with..personally I get pissed when kids walk slowly down the middle of the street. I think they're just trying to be punks (usually I've seen white kids) and it pisses me off.
Amanda: I agree with pretty much everything you said.
UW: Video is awesome!
About the cop incident, what happened was a girl was stopped for jaywalking, she started to walk away and he grabbed her. Then her friend intervened and tried to push the cop off her friend and he punched her in the face. A lot of people say the cop was justified to protect himself. But why it was such a big issue is (1) this was a freaking jaywalking stop (there have been other incidents in past w/ minorities -- asian I believe -- stopped, how likely is cop to even stop a white person for jaywalking?), (2) not only was she black, but she was female and a teenager and it is perceived that punching her in the face was disproportionate and in appropriate and he could have controlled the situation with less force, (3) there is a history of police/black interactions that are very poor -- but no one pays attention unless there's video to prove it. BTW, this was a national story that I saw in DC while visiting my in-laws (who are black), and surprised to see something like that in Seattle...where the image is that everything is PC and civil.
While this incident may have been justified (not saying I agree), it causes such a storm because it exemplifies, on video, the unfair experiences so many people have. Defending many minorities, they often have horrible stories about their treatment or something unlawful the police did, but they are never believed if an officer comes in and says that's not what happened, or they were justiifed or they're exaggerating...unless there's video (which there almost never is). In fact, all the cases that have made the news this year (girl being punch, carver shot, mexicans stomped on,, black kid kicked by off-duty cop) have been by civilians recording on their own.
I won't get started on affirmative action...I could go on and on about race for days.
yes, I think this is also what I was trying to say (and all the rest of what you posted!). H has been treated poorly by cops before (I think I wrote about it one time) and I think there's a general mistrust of law enforcement. I do also wonder about how extensively they are trained and taught about the racial issues that exist to the point where they approach each situation compassionately and with good intentions.
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