Comments on: How NOT To Talk About Race http://blog.kirkpetersen.net/2009/02/how-not-to-talk-about-race.html ... for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing Wed, 01 Feb 2012 02:43:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Kirk Petersen http://blog.kirkpetersen.net/2009/02/how-not-to-talk-about-race.html/comment-page-1#comment-372 Kirk Petersen Tue, 24 Feb 2009 00:34:00 +0000 http://blog.kirkpetersen.net/2009/02/how-not-to-talk-about-race.html#comment-372 ockraz, thanks for your thoughtful and perceptive comment. I started to respond here, but my response got too long, so I made it into <a HREF="http://blog.kirkpetersen.net/2009/02/al-thug-sharpton-takes-his-incendiary.html" REL="nofollow">a blog post</a>. ockraz, thanks for your thoughtful and perceptive comment. I started to respond here, but my response got too long, so I made it into a blog post.

]]> By: ockraz http://blog.kirkpetersen.net/2009/02/how-not-to-talk-about-race.html/comment-page-1#comment-369 ockraz Mon, 23 Feb 2009 15:47:00 +0000 http://blog.kirkpetersen.net/2009/02/how-not-to-talk-about-race.html#comment-369 I first heard about the cartoon on NPR. They made it clear that people were offended because it was thought to be about Obama, but at least in the initial story didn't offer an alternate interpretation. When I first saw it, that's what I thought too. If the first thing I'd heard had been that a cartoonist thought that the stimulus was so poorly constructed that it looked like it had been 'put together by a monkey' (note to self: must fix doors on kitchen cabinets) and made a cartoon based on the story of a chimpanzee who went crazy and was shot- then I probably would have seen that instead.<br/><br/>It isn't merely our cultural expectations- it's also what we're specifically told to look for that colors our perceptions.<br/><br/>People who heard Sharpton (or NPR) first will probably be more responsive to that interpretation. It's like holding up a Rorschach test and saying, "am I the only one who sees a bat?"<br/><br/>On race generally, it always irked me in college when someone would give a speech about how everyone had a responsibility to think about race and talk about race more than we do. It is the old, "if you're not part of the solution, then you're part of the problem" thinking that ignores the possibility that paying no heed to race is one solution. I first heard about the cartoon on NPR. They made it clear that people were offended because it was thought to be about Obama, but at least in the initial story didn’t offer an alternate interpretation. When I first saw it, that’s what I thought too. If the first thing I’d heard had been that a cartoonist thought that the stimulus was so poorly constructed that it looked like it had been ‘put together by a monkey’ (note to self: must fix doors on kitchen cabinets) and made a cartoon based on the story of a chimpanzee who went crazy and was shot- then I probably would have seen that instead.

It isn’t merely our cultural expectations- it’s also what we’re specifically told to look for that colors our perceptions.

People who heard Sharpton (or NPR) first will probably be more responsive to that interpretation. It’s like holding up a Rorschach test and saying, “am I the only one who sees a bat?”

On race generally, it always irked me in college when someone would give a speech about how everyone had a responsibility to think about race and talk about race more than we do. It is the old, “if you’re not part of the solution, then you’re part of the problem” thinking that ignores the possibility that paying no heed to race is one solution.

]]> By: Sushi Freak http://blog.kirkpetersen.net/2009/02/how-not-to-talk-about-race.html/comment-page-1#comment-368 Sushi Freak Sun, 22 Feb 2009 23:46:00 +0000 http://blog.kirkpetersen.net/2009/02/how-not-to-talk-about-race.html#comment-368 The artist clearly intended to poke at a poorly written bill....one written by a monkey. The race problem, to the extent there is one, comes from those who look at that cartoon and see race. It's like the instances where someone looks as a skyscraper and sees a phallus. It says more about the observer than it does about the person who constructed the object. The artist clearly intended to poke at a poorly written bill….one written by a monkey. The race problem, to the extent there is one, comes from those who look at that cartoon and see race. It’s like the instances where someone looks as a skyscraper and sees a phallus. It says more about the observer than it does about the person who constructed the object.

]]> By: Kirk Petersen http://blog.kirkpetersen.net/2009/02/how-not-to-talk-about-race.html/comment-page-1#comment-367 Kirk Petersen Sat, 21 Feb 2009 13:37:00 +0000 http://blog.kirkpetersen.net/2009/02/how-not-to-talk-about-race.html#comment-367 Da Old Man, you're exactly right, pursuing racial grievances has become an industry. Now that we have a black president, I hope it's an industry in decline.<br/><br/>Paul, MLK's quote is: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." I think that would be a nation where race is discussed less, not more.<br/><br/>Denford, I agree, I certainly don't think the Post intended to compare Obama to a chimp. The Web Goddess is doing quite well, thank you. Da Old Man, you’re exactly right, pursuing racial grievances has become an industry. Now that we have a black president, I hope it’s an industry in decline.

Paul, MLK’s quote is: “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” I think that would be a nation where race is discussed less, not more.

Denford, I agree, I certainly don’t think the Post intended to compare Obama to a chimp. The Web Goddess is doing quite well, thank you.

]]> By: Denford http://blog.kirkpetersen.net/2009/02/how-not-to-talk-about-race.html/comment-page-1#comment-366 Denford Sat, 21 Feb 2009 11:52:00 +0000 http://blog.kirkpetersen.net/2009/02/how-not-to-talk-about-race.html#comment-366 It is possible to be oversensitive about this whole race thing and perhaps America has got into that phase now. The fact that it is still being talked about (race, that is) means it is still a problem over there.<br/><br/>There is a point to be made against the NY Post should have known that this is the sort of society you have made in the USA and been sensitive to it.<br/><br/>I certainly do not think they did it on purpose.<br/><br/>By the way, how is the missus? Still clicking away? Have a wonderful weekend. It is possible to be oversensitive about this whole race thing and perhaps America has got into that phase now. The fact that it is still being talked about (race, that is) means it is still a problem over there.

There is a point to be made against the NY Post should have known that this is the sort of society you have made in the USA and been sensitive to it.

I certainly do not think they did it on purpose.

By the way, how is the missus? Still clicking away? Have a wonderful weekend.

]]> By: PaulsHealthBlog.com http://blog.kirkpetersen.net/2009/02/how-not-to-talk-about-race.html/comment-page-1#comment-365 PaulsHealthBlog.com Fri, 20 Feb 2009 23:44:00 +0000 http://blog.kirkpetersen.net/2009/02/how-not-to-talk-about-race.html#comment-365 The only people that can talk about race and get away with it are blacks. It's a double standard.<br/><br/>I went to public schools with blacks as well as played high school and college football with them. On the high school team, there were 55 players, including 5 white guys.<br/><br/>I also used to play a lot of basketball, full court, 4-5 times a week. I have been where no white man has before, just to seek out the competition and get a good run.<br/><br/>One time, while waiting to get in to a game, I asked a black guy who kept calling the other black guys on the court niggas, why it was okay for him to use that word, while if I said it, the brothers would all be coming after me.<br/><br/>His response?<br/><br/>Black people spell it "nigga", while white people spell it "nigger".<br/><br/>That was his entire explanation.<br/><br/>And I have many, many such stories to tell similar to this one.<br/><br/>I have been called every name on the court and on the field, but I never reciprocated. I simply ignored it and determined to bust their ass at the next opportunity.<br/><br/>My philosophy is a rising tide raises all ships. When one person succeeds, regardless of race, we all succeed. I wish we could all do like Dr. Martin Luther King said in his famous speech and look at people regardless of the color of their skin.<br/><br/>But as long as we live in a fallen world, that is going to be tough to do. The only people that can talk about race and get away with it are blacks. It’s a double standard.

I went to public schools with blacks as well as played high school and college football with them. On the high school team, there were 55 players, including 5 white guys.

I also used to play a lot of basketball, full court, 4-5 times a week. I have been where no white man has before, just to seek out the competition and get a good run.

One time, while waiting to get in to a game, I asked a black guy who kept calling the other black guys on the court niggas, why it was okay for him to use that word, while if I said it, the brothers would all be coming after me.

His response?

Black people spell it “nigga”, while white people spell it “nigger”.

That was his entire explanation.

And I have many, many such stories to tell similar to this one.

I have been called every name on the court and on the field, but I never reciprocated. I simply ignored it and determined to bust their ass at the next opportunity.

My philosophy is a rising tide raises all ships. When one person succeeds, regardless of race, we all succeed. I wish we could all do like Dr. Martin Luther King said in his famous speech and look at people regardless of the color of their skin.

But as long as we live in a fallen world, that is going to be tough to do.

]]> By: Da Old Man http://blog.kirkpetersen.net/2009/02/how-not-to-talk-about-race.html/comment-page-1#comment-364 Da Old Man Fri, 20 Feb 2009 20:59:00 +0000 http://blog.kirkpetersen.net/2009/02/how-not-to-talk-about-race.html#comment-364 The entire race issue is very interesting. Entire groups of people (Sharpton and J. Jackson are some leaders) make a nice living off this divide. <br/>If one seeks offense, one is likely to find it. That cartoon, while not particularly funny, was not at all racist. I can remember seeing many, many, many pictures of George Bush being portrayed as a monkey, yet not a word was said. Yet, if the same satirical theme is used with Obama, it becomes racist? <br/>Wouldn't that, in itself, be racist? The entire race issue is very interesting. Entire groups of people (Sharpton and J. Jackson are some leaders) make a nice living off this divide.
If one seeks offense, one is likely to find it. That cartoon, while not particularly funny, was not at all racist. I can remember seeing many, many, many pictures of George Bush being portrayed as a monkey, yet not a word was said. Yet, if the same satirical theme is used with Obama, it becomes racist?
Wouldn’t that, in itself, be racist?

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