A hot topic I have seen as of late is the notion that individuals do not see a color, but a person. This is used occasionally by some individuals with friends and romantic relationships (IR.) Yet many individuals of color feel offended by the notion that they don't see a color, which usually leads to a confrontation. So in this effort of bridging the gap, I will try my best explain both sides equally so we can get to the root of this issue.
On one side, you have the individuals who claim they do not see a color. The majority of times I have seen this statement made by my Caucasian brothers and sisters so it will be tailored more towards them. Unfortunately, a select few of these individuals make this statement in an attempt to hide their "head in the sand" so to speak. What I am referring to is that a few of those who speak this statement, state this to disregard the white privilege that exist within society. So in essence, by denying their color, they are denying that discrimination can exist. However, I believe this is only a small minority. The majority of those who state they don't see a color is trying to look on the inside of a person, not the outside.
In my opinion, those individuals who attempt to look pass a person's color is remarkably brave, because they are attempting to go against the centuries long social construct of race that plagues the USA and the entire world. This construct has lead to the one drop rule that exist, and the rather ignorant statistic that has plagued the USA such as the IQ of blacks are lower than whites. All of these notions are tied towards the idea of Race and Color. So by looking past that, your only seeing an individual who shares the same characteristics of being a human being. So in my opinion, I find this idea extraordinary and truly respect this idea of thinking.
BUT....
The problem lies in situations that are not within the individuals hands. Even though some people wish to disregard the idea of race, unfortunately, many (and maybe more) do not. An excellent example of this is Barack Obama. As we all know, he is a biracial man. Half black, half white. Yet, he is rarely discussed as biracial but black. When his early debut against Hillary, he was constantly regarded as aiming to be the first black president. This line existed in every article msn (a usually suprisely racial friendly news broadcast) published about Barach Obama for around 4 months. Technically, that statement is incorrect. He would be the first biracial male to be president. But many (especially those with power) seems to equalivate any african features with being black. He even stated when he was younger, he was always associated as being black, not biracial, so he saw himself as such. This problem is quite common within our society today.
(An excellent article dedicated towards this struggle can be found by the race relations magazine Rise Up, which is an excellent and free magazine that comes with numerous newspapers. You can also read their articles online. Here is a link to the article. "Walking a Fine Line"
I for example have 3 grandparents that are Native American, so technically I am mixed. But because I appear mostly of african descent, I will always be labeled as black, even though technically I am not. This does not just exist in the caucasian community though, but in America in general. Many times, I have seen black individuals claim their biracial friends as being black even though their friends did not see it that way. It's a society construct that has shape our minds today.
Another negative that happens when you state you don't see a color is you negate the trials and troubles a Person of Color could go through. PoC go through numerous amount of experience. Some go through very little racism in the US (like myself), while others go through a hefty bit. But by removing their color, you disregard the tribulations he/she might go through due to the fact that they are PoC. So just because you are able to look past a person's skin color, does not mean everybody else has.
So perhaps in the far future, we can be a country where skin color does not matter, where everyone is truly treated equal on all fronts and all of our cultures meshes together to make the American culture. But until the day comes, the struggle for PoC will continue. So it's better to have the best of both worlds. To understand how a person skin color might create a different experience than your own, but not let their skin color get in the way of getting to know them as a person.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Does White Privilege Truly Exist?
An often debatable topic among people of different races is the world White Privilege. White Privilege is essentially known as, if you are white, you are given special privileges that others do not enjoy. Things such as not getting pulled over by the cops as frequently, not being watched at the store, easier to obtain jobs because your white, and many many more. Many Caucasians dispute that, saying they have personally not enjoyed any of the privileges associated with being white. In essence, this is one of the key topics that is usually separate lines of racial divide. I believe this topic is a clear situation of people viewing an perspective solely through their own eyes.
Now, do I believe white privilege exist? Certaintly, but not as strong in some areas as some minorities claim. Due to AA, and just the changing of times in general, it's definitely not common for an individual to be turn down due to his/her race or gender. Does it exist? I believe so, even though it would be hard to gather proof. But I personally believe that for every one company that turns you down because your a minority, especially black or hispanic, there are seven other companies who would be more than willing to give you a chance.
Where I believe white privilege is rather strong is in the media, specifically televison and movies, fashion, and history. It is well known that very little history of minorities are dedicated in public schools. A constant and justified complaiment is the lack of information that is given to children about the history of minorities. Yet very little has been done about it. The majority of people who gather their studies of minorities do so during college in certain college courses. I believe this is partially why black history month was created, to sort of buffer the rather little amount of information we have towards black history. However, black history month was only suppose to be a temporary solution until more history about blacks has been added to school books.
BET was another temporary buffer that was meant to be remove when black individuals were given more prominent and main roles in general television. To this day, there are extremely few roles where a main role in either male or female is an minority within a multi-racial cast. Over 86% of main roles on television with multi-racial cast are filled by whites. Now again, the key statement here is a multi-racial cast. Meaning where there are people of all races but the main actor or actress is an minority. True, there are shows that are dedicated solely towards a minority life such as ugly betty, the bernie mac show. But in shows with different races all together, there is rarely a minority main male or female.
Further proof is by a producer who made the hot television drama called brother's and sisters. He was recently removed from his position as head writer due to conflict of interest with other producers. He originally started as a playwriter until he made it big with his show brother's and sisters. Read what a part of what he had to say among his dismissal.
And of course, you have the quite clear news media bias that only seem to show minorities, especially black individuals in a negative light. Rarely do you see news articles showing black people doing anything good. The majority of articles are either black people doing crime, or pulling the race card against an actual or perceived injustice. In my honest opinion, the media is the strongest area that contains white privilege.
Another very strong area is fashion. I'm not sure if many of my caucasian brothers and sisters heard anything about the doll test that took place not so long ago, where almost all children choose white dolls as good and black dolls as bad. Fashion has always attempted to show as white being the clear choice of beauty. It is this belief as to why lighter skin blacks have an easier chance of making it in the fashion business in comparison to darker skin blacks. Because lighter skin are closer towards the white spectrum than their darker kin.
So there is three prime areas that contain a heavy dose of white privilege. But because it's so enwrap into society, it's hard to take notice of it unless someone thinks outside the box. It is clearly enwrap in our environment all across the USA, and only through awareness will people truly see that.
But, I will say that things has slowly but surely been balancing out. In my previous blog post, I discuss about trixton who was black in 90210. One excellent point is that he is the Main male role for a rich area. Certain shows such as grey anatomy has been applauded for their diversity within the show, and it will only continue to get better. Even with fashion, with tira banks being a role model for women of darker skin to show that you can make it in this business. So I believe overtime, (not sure how long), white privilege will cease to exist, and the media/fashion would truly represent the USA as a melting pot.
Now, do I believe white privilege exist? Certaintly, but not as strong in some areas as some minorities claim. Due to AA, and just the changing of times in general, it's definitely not common for an individual to be turn down due to his/her race or gender. Does it exist? I believe so, even though it would be hard to gather proof. But I personally believe that for every one company that turns you down because your a minority, especially black or hispanic, there are seven other companies who would be more than willing to give you a chance.
Where I believe white privilege is rather strong is in the media, specifically televison and movies, fashion, and history. It is well known that very little history of minorities are dedicated in public schools. A constant and justified complaiment is the lack of information that is given to children about the history of minorities. Yet very little has been done about it. The majority of people who gather their studies of minorities do so during college in certain college courses. I believe this is partially why black history month was created, to sort of buffer the rather little amount of information we have towards black history. However, black history month was only suppose to be a temporary solution until more history about blacks has been added to school books.
BET was another temporary buffer that was meant to be remove when black individuals were given more prominent and main roles in general television. To this day, there are extremely few roles where a main role in either male or female is an minority within a multi-racial cast. Over 86% of main roles on television with multi-racial cast are filled by whites. Now again, the key statement here is a multi-racial cast. Meaning where there are people of all races but the main actor or actress is an minority. True, there are shows that are dedicated solely towards a minority life such as ugly betty, the bernie mac show. But in shows with different races all together, there is rarely a minority main male or female.
Further proof is by a producer who made the hot television drama called brother's and sisters. He was recently removed from his position as head writer due to conflict of interest with other producers. He originally started as a playwriter until he made it big with his show brother's and sisters. Read what a part of what he had to say among his dismissal.
Baitz, an accomplished playwright before trying his hand at creating his own show, says he was "ousted, not fired, an important distinction," in an article he wrote for The Huffington Post. If his article is any indication, he won't be longing for a return to mainstream television anytime soon.
"I can no longer argue for tone and can only watch as the demographic demands that have turned America into an ageist and youth-obsessed nation drives the storylines younger and younger, whiter and whiter, and with less and less reflection of the real America, which is made up, to the sorrow of the research departments, of people over 35 years of age and of many ethnicities and incomes,"
http://www.tv.com/brothers-and-sisters/show/58012/story/10645.html?tag=story_list;title;6
And of course, you have the quite clear news media bias that only seem to show minorities, especially black individuals in a negative light. Rarely do you see news articles showing black people doing anything good. The majority of articles are either black people doing crime, or pulling the race card against an actual or perceived injustice. In my honest opinion, the media is the strongest area that contains white privilege.
Another very strong area is fashion. I'm not sure if many of my caucasian brothers and sisters heard anything about the doll test that took place not so long ago, where almost all children choose white dolls as good and black dolls as bad. Fashion has always attempted to show as white being the clear choice of beauty. It is this belief as to why lighter skin blacks have an easier chance of making it in the fashion business in comparison to darker skin blacks. Because lighter skin are closer towards the white spectrum than their darker kin.
So there is three prime areas that contain a heavy dose of white privilege. But because it's so enwrap into society, it's hard to take notice of it unless someone thinks outside the box. It is clearly enwrap in our environment all across the USA, and only through awareness will people truly see that.
But, I will say that things has slowly but surely been balancing out. In my previous blog post, I discuss about trixton who was black in 90210. One excellent point is that he is the Main male role for a rich area. Certain shows such as grey anatomy has been applauded for their diversity within the show, and it will only continue to get better. Even with fashion, with tira banks being a role model for women of darker skin to show that you can make it in this business. So I believe overtime, (not sure how long), white privilege will cease to exist, and the media/fashion would truly represent the USA as a melting pot.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Does being from a different race mean you can't understand?
I hear this statement quite often from some people of color and some whites. The constant believe that we all see things through different lenses. That black people and white people view the world in different contact lenses. That white people can never understand what it's like to be black in this world, and that black people can never understand what it's like to be white in this world. Do you all believe this to be true?
I surely don't. History has proven time and time again that even though we might not directly be inflicted by the hurt, we have the compassion for our fellow man/woman to dive into their cause and fight battles together as humans. Quite often you will see some blacks blame whites for slavery, but rarely would you ever see some blacks give credit to the whites who were against slavery. It usually take one of our caucasian brothers or sisters to bring it up, just for it to be acknowledge. True, there were whites who fought in the war for different reasons other than slavery, but that does not mean we should discredit the whites who fought and died bravely along their black brothers so that we can be free.
The same, and to a greater degree comes with the civil rights movement. Whites were willing to be considered traitors by their own race as they were hosed down with their black brothers and sisters. They had the compassion to know that even though the discrimination did not effect them, they wanted to stand up for what was right.
So if some whites could relate to the issues of the past, why is it so improbable that they cannot relate now.
The biggest issue that prevents us from understanding one another is communication, or the lack of it. Often, I have seen sides only wish to talk, and not take the chance to listen to each others perspective. When your only interested in telling your side of the story, than your not open to what can be a different side to the issue. So because of this, you relate to those who only have the same belief as you. In my opinion, this is partially how the racial divide is created. So only when we truly exercise what it really means to communicate can we understand each other even though we are of different "races".
I surely don't. History has proven time and time again that even though we might not directly be inflicted by the hurt, we have the compassion for our fellow man/woman to dive into their cause and fight battles together as humans. Quite often you will see some blacks blame whites for slavery, but rarely would you ever see some blacks give credit to the whites who were against slavery. It usually take one of our caucasian brothers or sisters to bring it up, just for it to be acknowledge. True, there were whites who fought in the war for different reasons other than slavery, but that does not mean we should discredit the whites who fought and died bravely along their black brothers so that we can be free.
The same, and to a greater degree comes with the civil rights movement. Whites were willing to be considered traitors by their own race as they were hosed down with their black brothers and sisters. They had the compassion to know that even though the discrimination did not effect them, they wanted to stand up for what was right.
So if some whites could relate to the issues of the past, why is it so improbable that they cannot relate now.
The biggest issue that prevents us from understanding one another is communication, or the lack of it. Often, I have seen sides only wish to talk, and not take the chance to listen to each others perspective. When your only interested in telling your side of the story, than your not open to what can be a different side to the issue. So because of this, you relate to those who only have the same belief as you. In my opinion, this is partially how the racial divide is created. So only when we truly exercise what it really means to communicate can we understand each other even though we are of different "races".
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
The Token Black Guy in 90210?!
For those who are interested in television drama's, there has been very few shows that has generated as much hype as the new 90210 series. Set to debut on September 2, the show has some rather huge shoes to fill by taking on the title 90210. What's gathering a lot of publicity is the return of older characters, but what's also creating a bit of a buzz is the black adopted child Dixon Wilson played by Tristan Wilds. Tristan has played in earlier shows like the wire and was given praise for his performance. But some in the black community had complaints towards the character as being the "token black guy" in the cast. Some complaints were due to the fact that he was adopted by a white family, instead of being with a black family. Some blame it on the fact that you do not see black characters as main characters on drama, action, or suspense television shows.
From my personal perspective, I'm am definitely interested in Triston's character. I definitely disagree with the "white savior" mentality solely based on the fact that quite a few caucasian parents adopt black children. I knew a co-worker when I was in the USN who was adopted by caucasian parents, and truly saw them as her parents, not her birth parents. So to bring that perspective to television will be new and exciting, as I cannot recall to this day a television show where a caucasian parent had an minority child. What's even more exceptional is that they are truly stepping away from the stereotypical black young male. He's not a thug that speaks ebonics no matter what situation he is and does horrible in school. He's a preppy young male that is a star athelete in lacross. I for one welcome this change as a significant step in the right direction to provide an alternative side to what is shown in the media.
What also makes a first is that Triston is the Main Role/Character in a drama, something rarely (if ever) seen before in a television drama. I believe that this will give him a huge amount of time on the screen and won't make him appear as just a side character.
Lastly, Triston is pulling in fans that usually do not watch these type of shows. Many posts on the IMDB boards state that they are watching the show because of Triston and his character Dixon. The producers definitely took a step in the right direction with this decision.
Overall, I am very excited about this show. If the writing is as good as the older show, than we might have a hit on our hands, and hopefully this will show to other producers that audience of America is perfectly fine with having a minority as one of the star roles in a drama.
From my personal perspective, I'm am definitely interested in Triston's character. I definitely disagree with the "white savior" mentality solely based on the fact that quite a few caucasian parents adopt black children. I knew a co-worker when I was in the USN who was adopted by caucasian parents, and truly saw them as her parents, not her birth parents. So to bring that perspective to television will be new and exciting, as I cannot recall to this day a television show where a caucasian parent had an minority child. What's even more exceptional is that they are truly stepping away from the stereotypical black young male. He's not a thug that speaks ebonics no matter what situation he is and does horrible in school. He's a preppy young male that is a star athelete in lacross. I for one welcome this change as a significant step in the right direction to provide an alternative side to what is shown in the media.
What also makes a first is that Triston is the Main Role/Character in a drama, something rarely (if ever) seen before in a television drama. I believe that this will give him a huge amount of time on the screen and won't make him appear as just a side character.
Lastly, Triston is pulling in fans that usually do not watch these type of shows. Many posts on the IMDB boards state that they are watching the show because of Triston and his character Dixon. The producers definitely took a step in the right direction with this decision.
Overall, I am very excited about this show. If the writing is as good as the older show, than we might have a hit on our hands, and hopefully this will show to other producers that audience of America is perfectly fine with having a minority as one of the star roles in a drama.
Saturday, August 2, 2008
The Purpose of this Blog
Hello All, This is my first post to this blog and if your reading this, thank you for taking the time to read it.
The purpose of this blog is rather simple, to attempt and bridge the racial divide that plagues this country. I have definitely seen individuals attempt to "draw sides" as if it's us vs them, and that's not how it should
be. We all should be united as Americans under one banner. So I wish to do my part to try and help bridge this gap. So, how will we achieve this? Well my goal will be to place well thought topics for others to discuss, and gathering the latest news pertaining to racial topics to help educate what truly goes on within our country.
What I ask from the readers is to keep an open mind, stop, listen, sympathize, and try to understand all perspectives. As individuals, not everyone will agree upon the same topics, but as human beings and fellow brothers and sisters, we should at least attempt to understand how we think. I hope that those who stick around will find this blog interesting, and enlightening. Thank you and Take Care!
The purpose of this blog is rather simple, to attempt and bridge the racial divide that plagues this country. I have definitely seen individuals attempt to "draw sides" as if it's us vs them, and that's not how it should
be. We all should be united as Americans under one banner. So I wish to do my part to try and help bridge this gap. So, how will we achieve this? Well my goal will be to place well thought topics for others to discuss, and gathering the latest news pertaining to racial topics to help educate what truly goes on within our country.
What I ask from the readers is to keep an open mind, stop, listen, sympathize, and try to understand all perspectives. As individuals, not everyone will agree upon the same topics, but as human beings and fellow brothers and sisters, we should at least attempt to understand how we think. I hope that those who stick around will find this blog interesting, and enlightening. Thank you and Take Care!
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