Racism vrs reverse racism?

Question

I have a question, but first a statement. I am not a racist, as you can see by some of my posts and answers. I do not condone it and I think it is awful. With that said, let me ask about reverse racism and why it is so widely accepted.

Flipping through the tv channels, I come across BET. Black Entertainment Television. I have also been witness to Black Ms. America, as well as many other forms of programming and general stuff to do with "Blacks only".

Why is this so widely accepted by our culture today?

Please excuse the abbreviation, but if I were to start WET (White entertainment television) there would be an unending mass of lawsuits filed against me from every sector... If the Ms. America contest did not allow black women to enter (Which they do,a nd they have won in the past), again, lawsuits, cries of racism and so on.

So why do we allow this kind of behavior without saying anything about it? Is that right?

Words are not action is very true, and this is the first time I have asked this.

What can we do about this without the world thinking we're a giant racist?

I wouldn't mind, personally, to see things like this shut down completely and gotten rid of. It's no more right for them to do this than it would be for us to do it. So who would I talk to? How much of a chance would I have of actually making a dent in reverse racism, or would I be hated worldwide and be labeled a white supremist or some other crap?

I would really like some answers from some black people too, as I'd like your opinion on this. Do you think it's fair and should be this way, or do you also see it as a form of racism? Wonder why no one's chirping in on this topic, it is important.

So, if I am understanding what you are trying to say, it is ok for you to be racist now, because of what happened in the past? Your history makes it ok to do the same thing you are complaining about?

I'm sorry, that just doesn't make sense to me. Racism is racism, regardless of how you try and put a spin on it, wouldn't you agree? You were opressed in the past, so were many other cultures, such as the irish that came to america, and many others as well. You do not see them doing something like this on such a grand scale.

Using your past to justify current actions is a poor excuse in my opinion, but I did ask what you think, so I will accept your answer. Thank you.

Answer 1

there is a historical truth which alot of white men can't grasp. focus on the 300-400 yrs of european's living in the US. This is just a fraction of human history.
How have white men faired? Individualizethe events through our short history, brown women? white women? black men? how were things for each group 200yrs ago?, 50 yrs ago? today? Who is more likely to be trusted with power? or a job? or get pulled over?
White culture dominated language, religion, economy to get america where we are. and any black created culture gets assimilated anyway. and not because they force it, but because it's attractive.
If the words i've written haven't been dismissed, and you're still reading, I know you are not a slaveowner.
You haven't kept anyone down.
but have you ever tried to look around from another vantage point? Why do you equate one medium-sized basic cable network and a few beauty pagents to the behaviorand creations of whites.

Answer 2

Actually there are many white or euro only organisations that are not racist.
The Masonic lodges for one. And about 80% of all television is primarily european.

I am not american. But I do have non-white skin.
I am a Maori from New Zealand. One of things I have noticed is that a different culture is just that different and sometimes all the good intentions from outside that culture you still cannot understand so we create our our events for ourselves. Not Racism or Minority more familiarity.

I once heard my uncle say that there are so many call themselves bi-cultural or multicultural but have NEVER known any culture but there own. Just because you live next door to asian does not mean you understand who they are as culture or how they view they world.

I am Maori, It is part of how I see the world and react to concepts. A way of living, It influnces my art and even how I raise my children. I have also lived and been brought up in a euro society. I conform to its rules and methods for business and education.

Also think about the fact that though they are allowed to enter how many times has Ms America as other than a bue eyed blonde? In the oscars how many times other than the last decade did a minority win something major?
How many times in my own country have I heard the words, its very good for a maori. Some minority affirmations are wrong.
In my exams I got graded twice. The first overall was in the 80 percentile for here a high A average then it was marked again. Taken down to a 60% average. Why?
On complainig to the edcation standards I was informed that my grades had to comply with the "maori and pacific island standards" and accordingly were reduced to match.
There were all sorts of scholarships...as long as it was for physical or manual labour based employment. One said that to be able to study medicine.. all that was required was that every holiday I work in the road works crews and for 3 years after study.
Truly an advantage to achieve a med degree and dig ditches for 3 years?

Look closely and you might find that its not always as it appears and quite often carries a hidden catch to it.

I married a white irishman and love him a great deal. But thanks to repeated bullying and racism during school... I panic if he puts his arms around me near my neck. Do you think he would say that a token tv chanel or club makes up for the rest of our lives?

Answer 3

cause white folks have had ALL the right s for hundreds of years. and we hav nt had any till just recently so y'all dont have as much rights as we do. because we are very sensitive people. who will take offense easily and if you say anything about being white we will take that as somehow being racist. and you do not have a right to be anything but nice to us because we have had some much people in the past not be nice, and we demand that you only realize us. and our ways and forget about yourselfs, because we are black.. and by the way we are not colored people any longer. not negroe. people. we demand you call us black. and if we change that.sometime in the future to brown. you had better realize it and take notice because if you do not get it we will take offense and cuss you out because you are white and we are black and that is just the way it is.

Answer 4

I dont understand all of it either. I though one point to the whole civil right movement was that everyone would be integrated. It seperated races more when there are award shows, pageants, etc.. for one race only.

Answer 5

I understand what you're saying. I will try to explain it as I understand it, OK?

You must understand that there was a time when minority members were not allowed into schools, churches, restaurants, etc., with Whites. It was simply accepted; here in the 50s here in the States (my uncle and his Navy buddy were almost arrested while in uniform, the bus stopped and a police officer took them both off the bus and they had to walk several miles to the base... because my uncle refused to allow his buddy, a Black man, to be forced to sit in the back while the entire bus was empty).

ALL schools, institutions, associations, organizations, corporations and even government jobs... it was universally accepted behavior... refused to give Blacks and minority members their share of the so-called American pie... they could not vote, although it was their right to do so, they could not even serve on juries or sit in a court room with others, they were even segregated in the Armed Services until Harry Truman did away with that! It was also accepted that they were called, "boy" or "girl" regardless of their age... even grandfatherly adults were called, "boy" and never treated with the dignified respect of "Mr." or "Mrs." or "Miss." They were cursed and humiliated, not allowed to walk on sidewalks sometimes... oh, some were lynched for just looking or being ACCUSED of looking in the direction of a White woman or jailed on trumped up charges and made to work for White landowners for free... I suspect that you've heard of all of these things before... no? Ever hear of Jim Crow laws? Why is it that so many Blacks, Hispanics and Native Americans have the same or similar views?

Is it that perhaps those organizations KNOW of the common struggle of Blacks, Hispanics, Native Americans while these are too often ignored or forgotten or overlooked by the White dominated organization, institutions, etc.? Is that too difficult for you to understand? Why are there Knights of Columbus? Why are there Greek-American clubs or organizations, Jewish organizations, or Christian organizations, or Albanians, or Armenians...? Do you also question them, too?

I lived through the times and I recall when Blacks nor Hispanics were allowed to work in places where they made purchases... or supported via taxes.

In fact, I also recall being told that it was honorable to sweep floors or drive buses and that someone had to be the ones to collect the garbage... and asked why I studied so hard to get perfect grades... I recall how I was treated when in my innocence I responded that I hardly studied but that the work was so easy! When a teacher repeated this about the "honor" of running an elevator or being a porter or a bus driver, I asked her if she said this to her own children and she tried to slap me! I was denied the opportunity to paint and draw with my classmates because my artistic abilities were so far superior to my classmates (I won an art scholarship to art college when I was 12 years old). I recall that teachers would look on as much taller kids tried to bully me but I was taken to the Principal's Office when I demonstrated my boxing skills (I was in a Boxing Club by age 9 in spite of my very poor vision) against taller and older kids.

So-called "Integration" has only caused us to become invisible, maybe by design moreso than by acident. We are the ones to be overlooked in spite of our talents, skills, potentials or the character of our beings... and no one questions why?

Minority members are still behind in the job and educational areas. Minority members are only just breaking surface; the fields are still not even. Black, Hispanic Associations, Organizations, etc., are only trying to bring the playing field to a level setting where we can all compete on an equal par to ensure that we are not overlooked in the existing organizations, unions, etc., dominated by Whites... which might have hidden agendas, not necessarily coinciding with OUR best interests.

Let me explain it this way, can you imagine if all people were allowed to compete equally .. can you imagine how much talent will NOT be wasted? All the innovations and advances made by THAT many more competitors and participants? Minority members have been held back for a few hundred years... give us a fair chance to compete, equal educational advantages, equal job opportunities, equal housing opportunities... I am tired of hearing how "fair" things are... but I look around and do not see the fairness... perhaps some people are just wearing rose-tinted glasses?

Do you recall how the Rodney King incident was viewed by Whites and Minority members? If Rodney King had been White and the police officers had been Black...?

This is the best country in the world, yes, but there's still room for a lot of improvement... Let's not continue to live a farce... give EVERYONE an EQUAL opportunity to compete in the job market, education and vocational training and we will ALL make this country STILL BETTER than what it is... but let everyone have an equal opportunity... education, vocational training, employment, jobs, health care, etc.

Sooner or later, you will realize that other countries are trying to catch up with us in our technological advances and scientific advances... the MORE people you have competing to bring about cures, advances, improvements, etc., the faster we will continue to improve our livelihood and we will continue to be the one nation all others try to emulate. It's really that simple, as much as it is difficult to accept by some die-hard racists and bigots who would keep certain groups isolated and marginalized.

I wish there was no need for it... but the need is still there, whether YOU and several others wish to believe it or not. The need is very real for those of us denied equal opportunities and a fair and level competitive field of endeavor.

Answer 6

Honestly, people say this all the time, but words are not action.