Who's too sensitive now?

Posted March 23rd, 2008 by Prometheus 6

Race and Identity

How typical of people to become the hypocrite as this whole hoopla over Obama’s grandmother runs its course. As for what he said I can see that we are on a slippery slope when we need to sit and pick out a word such as typical and act as if it is some horrendous racial slur against all that were labeled as such. Being typical is not a slur unless they attach it to a slur such as, typical nigger, typical honky, and typical bitch.But being a typical black or a typical white really can’t be considered a slur since it is in such wide use by scholars, authors, the government and others.

According to the national census the “typical black family” earns 78% of the “typical white family.” Hmm now was that racist, should the government official who wrote that be made to give a speech to the nation apologizing to all black and white families for calling them typical. The firm “Population Reference Bureau” is a company that informs people around the world about population, health, and the environment. This firm used the words “typical black as well as typical white, family, man, woman, teen, child” now what do we make of that? Should they be made to change all of their data collections to make sure not to use this newly invented racial slur so as not to offend?

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I think part of the piece

On March 23rd, 2008 Nquest says:

I think part of the piece oversimplifies the fake outrage over the phrase "typical white person" but it does a good job of showing how common place the language is. The fake outrage tried to make it seem like there was a disagreeable slur there through the power of rhetorical suggestion. The only problem was few if any disputed the 'factual' basis of the idea of 'white fear' of 'black crime.' Indeed, most of what I've heard and read from people who didn't just hope osmosis would make a point for them amounted to trying to justify 'white fear' of 'black crime.'

Of course, they were trying to avoid the race conversation Obama 'asked for' and, instead, tried to pick a fight-argument with him for no justifiable reason. See Obama's speech for what he called "legitimate" white resentment (a word he just happened to mention in the same sentence where he talked about White views on urban crime). Obviously they didn't hear/read that part. Nobody ever said they would. Nobody ever said they had a point either. Most all crime is, was and remains intra-racial.

Typically or should I say at least when Black people object to 'racial statements', it's because there is a negative stereotype that's being objected to and disputed in terms of whether the claim made by the speaker is, well, typical or representative of (most) Black people -- whether it represents the way a majority or significant amount of Black people think, speak or act. Again, by all appearances, there is no such dispute in this "typical white person" stir up the base drama.

But I'm a confrontationalist by net-nature so I have a few questions for people who framed this kind of question:

"If Hillary Clinton referred to a “typical black person,” would we ever hear the end of it?"

Before I say, "that depends," I just want to know:

What would Hillary or anyone White say regarding the "typical black person?"
How is whatever Hillary, etc. come up with the functional equivalent to what Obama said about his grandmother?
Surely, the question implies evidence of past incidents where there were functional equivalents. Examples please.

That's just me making one simple point which is: they have no point.

One rule we absolutely have to have for this 'race conversation' is absolutely "no smoke & mirrors allowed." And when I say functional equivalents that's just what I mean. Seems to me, Obama suggested his grandmother either had an irrational fear (which is the reason why dissenters insist the fear is, in their opinion, well founded) or Obama wanted to paint the picture that the real irrational thing about it is that his grandmother would be justified in "fearing" him, her own loving grandson, in that late night scenario just because of his appearance whether she had reason/rationale to fear black, urban crime or not.

And just to make this fair, while Obama's dissenters work out the details of their knee-jerk (nonsense) claim, I'll be hear working out how the American fact-of-life of intra-racial crime justifies white fear and "white resentment" of black crime as if white crime doesn't exist... as if white fear wouldn't be better placed in being more concerned about white crime, first and foremos, simply because it's more relevant to them considering our age old, but still prominent, segregated living arrangements.

I'll also be here working out my "black anger" over Bare-rack Obama's sure idiocy...

Oh and another thing I'll be

On March 23rd, 2008 Nquest says:

Oh and another thing I'll be here working out: my "black confusion" over what ever happened to the fallout over...

Obama not typical black candidate

Never heard the end of that, I suppose... It is ironic, however, how people all-of-a-sudden feel all sympathetic for grandmothers. Maybe I missed it but I didn't see this reaction to O'Reilly mentioning the fears of his grandmother.

You know, I'm all -- this is almost funny, if it wasn't so dangerous for the nation. We had you [Juan Willians] on because your book, Enough, which is now out in paperback, is a very intelligent discussion about racism in America, and to set up your appearance, I told people about my grandmother and how she feared blacks even though she didn't know any blacks.

And then I proceeded to tell the audience how ridiculous the fear was by recounting a story about me going to Sylvia's restaurant in Harlem with Al Sharpton.

(((see Media Matters for content)))

Prometheus 6