Finally! Black people explain to slow white people what and what not to do: "If you write an article that results in a mass of people denouncing your article and possibly yourself as racist, it's not going to be for some arbitrary reason. Though it won't be comfortable, you need to accept the idea that you may have done what it is you are being accused. Calling the large group of people whom you offended irrational is not going to help." Ha, you think? (via)
Monday, January 4, 2010
11
i don't know if i'm qualified to comment on this.
[redacted]
What is so beautiful about that paragraph is "may have done." Also, the distinction in "your article and possibly yourself."
it is a beautiful paragraph, but where the goddamn hell is the "of" at the end of that sentence? but yes, this paragraph should be nailed to various people's heads.
At last, a touchstone for this difficult concept "racist." The "If a mass of people denounce you..." test!
If you look like a racist, walk like a racist and write like a racist, and the committee over here agrees that you are racist, you may need to consider that you are a racist.
?
http://www.culturekitchen.com/liza/blog/unintentionally_racist_moment_brought_to_you_by_choire_sicha
I'm not saying I agree, this just reminded me I had seen this.
The crazy thing is - is that the article The Awl is referring to was written by a white guy.
I know, I'm the executive editor of Race-Talk.org where this article is published.
Lisa Solod Warren the woman Mike Barber was referring to in his article responded to Mike's article on Race-Talk.org.
Of course, no one talks about the memo that all of us privileged white people got in 1990. You know -- this one:
Dear XXX:
New deal. Don't call black people the n-word. In fact, you don't need to call them anything at all.
With regard to dealing with African Americans, the new policy will be to screen the obvious names and accents, and if someone slips through, then, well, they're probably OK.
If you slip, you lose your job and possibly get humiliated on television forever. But -- and this is very important -- you get to keep all your stuff.
Seriously.
It's a good deal.
Signed,
The Management