[elSicomoro]

Originally posted by Elspode
And so do I...but I do feel compelled to point out the automatic negative position that "being on the other side" entails. If, as we agreed previously, that racism is racism, and discrimination is discrimination, then shouldn't it follow that if a thing is valid for one group, isn't it equally valid for another?

I don't see things like Black History and the NAACP as racist or discriminatory. (The Nation of Islam though...that's another story.) Anyone can join the NAACP. And the purpose behind Black History Month (as I understand it) is to not only celebrate that particular culture, but to educate everyone about black history. Now, whether people want to be educated is up to them...hell, even some black folks could give two shits about Black History Month.

*Both* sides in this issue suffer from the "us against them" mentality, but it seems to only be possible for *one* side to ever be guilty of any such transgression. How, logically, can that even be possible, given that such a state of mutual distrust and dislike exists?

Well, like I said before, I think the vast majority of racism occurs against blacks by whites. Racism against whites is a rather new phenomenon in my opinion. Oh sure, it has probably gone on for a long time, but as far as becoming a real issue, that seems to be just beginning--sorta like how sexual harrassment is becoming a very serious issue. Though I do have another example of black on white racism:

A few years ago, we had a couple incidents at a high school in the far Northeast section of Philadelphia. The school is in a predominantly white area, and I would guesstimate that the school is at least 1/4 black, maybe more. (From what I understand, you can choose where to send your child for high school in the city. And given the state of some of the schools in this city, I wouldn't blame any black family for wanting to send their kid to Washington High.)

In any case, some white kid going through a "German appreciation" phase reportedly called this black kid a "nigger". Black kid didn't appreciate this, called the white kid a derogatory name and showed his lack of appreciation with a fist to the white kid's head. Prosecutors were considering a hate crime charge against the black kid, last I heard. Black community shits a brick. Why would the black kid be charged with a hate crime but not the white kid? Because he used race when punching the white kid out. (I'm not sure of what was exactly said, but I believe it was "white motherfucker.")

I don't know what happened with this case. But if the black kid was/is charged with a hate crime, I would be/am for that. It wasn't cool for the white kid to call the black kid "nigger", but the black kid should have kept his head and not punched the guy out. Or at the very least, he should have just called the guy "stupid motherfucker."

And there you have it in a nutshell. Wouldn't it be less combative to say "necessary to promote black history" than to say "necessary to counteract white history?" The entire concept is combative from the get go, but only if white people were to promulgate a similar event would it ever be considered to be combative...or racist. And please understand, I have all the respect in the world for Rho...she was smart enough to latch onto you, wasn't she? But even an educated and articulate person such as herself is subject to the inherent undercurrent of "us versus them", or so it would appear if that was, indeed, her statement.

Nah, I just said that shit to rile you up some more.

Seriously, it's all in how it's perceived. To her, it's still a battlefield out there. And that's coming from an educated, articulate black person that grew up in white suburbia with quasi-conservative parents. She thinks of counteracting white history as a good thing.

And maybe it could have been phrased more positively. But here's the problem: There has been a backlash by some who don't want to see history corrected--Cairo's remarks about an issue like that in Texas with Latinos come to mind. And I imagine the Unsolved History episodes (a Discovery Channel series) about Custer's Last Stand and the Battle of the Alamo have really pissed off some white folk. But who has written most of our history?

I think Bruce's quote in another thread sorta ties into this: "People that are living comfortably aren't going out of their way to seek bad news that rocks the very foundation of everything they know and believe."

So, until things are truly rectified, minorities are still in battle mode. The Affirmative Action case this year was just another battle in the war. It's not 1964, but it's still a war zone.

The real question that needs to be answered is this: "What constitutes things being 'okay' or 'rectified'?" Some will say that things are fine now, but I don't think the question can really be answered.

I welcome and was hoping for commentary, and specifically from you, Syc. You, of all of us, can see both sides of the fence, and I can use a friend and some clear thinking right now.

I appreciate that, Ep.

The truth is...I felt the very same way on these types of issues as a teenager growing up in St. Louis. But as I learned more about racism and other cultures, got more life experience and saw occurrences through my own eyes, it just changed me. To add to that, I learned more about my Native American heritage. And I see how it is still disrespected openly in some cases (e.g. the Washington Redskins or the tomahawk chop in Atlanta), and it just saddens me. Of course, some would say that I'm being overly sensitive about it...they're entitled to their opinion.

I'll have a party the day the Redskins have to change their name. They've already lost copyright protection on it, so that's a start.

The biggest problem this all presents for me is quite simple. If I even broach the possibility that my son is being targeted for harassment because of his race, *I* am going to be perceived as a racist. Yet, how can it not be possible that such a situation exists, given that we know there is, in fact, a cultural war going on in our country?

I would recommend talking with the parents of other white students, to see if they are having problems similar to yours. And if you see a pattern, then take it to the principal, then the school board.

Are you going to be branded as a racist? Sure...by some, maybe even by many. Fuck that...I'm assuming in this situation (demographics-wise), you are the minority. Just don't pull a Rush--"reverse discrimination" is a big no-no.

It's all in the presentation, really...