***flashback to the summer of 2007***
culminating his epic lunchtime journey for msg, the champ finally enters the sushi boat, a chinese japanese restaurant on the university of pittsburgh’s campus. coincidentally, as soon as he walks through the door, “wu tang clan aint nuthin to f*ck wit” begins to play on the champ’s ipod, a fact which is neither ironic nor paradoxical. the champ’s ipod has character.
after much debate, the champ orders seafood fried rice, and saunters to one of the few empty seats in the crowded cafe. the waiter brings the champ his meal a few moments later, and he happily digs in with an unusually large plastic kool-aid spoon he carries in his atache found near the counter, gayer than christmas morning and rod strickland.
as he’s enjoying his meal, cheesing and vigorously nodding his perfectly oval dome to “liquid swords”, the champ takes a quick glance around the room and has an epiphany.
the only black in a room of 20 or so people, the champ was the only one using a freakin spoon¹. everyone else had chopsticks, and everyone was was eating intricate sh*t like fried noodles and octopuss and crab tempura and sh*t while the champ’s black ass was scooping rice and shrimp with a giant spoon like a circus monkey.
after a few more self-aware moments, the champ became convinced that they were all recording this on their phones to be later shown on a youtube video short titled “nigger soup”.
it eventually became too much for the champ to deal with, and he eventually packed his half eaten food in a styrofoam case and left, finishing his spoonfed rice and shrimp in the lonely shameful solitude of a lightless computer lab at work.
more than any other, this sad story single-handedly encapsulates my peculiar feelings about race in america, and how racism has directly affected me.
on one hand, i’m somewhat justified to feel as if i’m under a microscope with each action and reaction under constant scrutiny and surveillance, and i have hundreds of years of evidence to assist my case
yet, the pragmatic asshole in me thinks most of my personal sensitivity is psychosomatic. sure, maybe all eyes were on me at the sushi boat, but maybe only because i was the weirdo eating rice with a giant spoon…not the black weirdo eating rice with a giant spoon.
despite this pragmatism, the hyperracial-consciousness never seems to go away. sh*t, just last week i hesitated for a split second to give up my seat on the bus to a twenty-something snizzle because i didnt want the rest of the anonymous black female bus riders to interpret this act as a public thumbing of the nose to black women.
although i’d never deny the existence, profundity, and lecherousness of racism, i wonder how much of it is in our heads. how much does our star-crossed racial reality affect our perception?
personally, i can honestly say that i’ve never had to experience any blatant racism that directly affected my life, and i’d go as far as to argue that my experience is the rule, not the exception…but i’m still crazy, lol.
hmmm. vsb,am i alone in this neurosis? am i the only one who can say that their experience with race and racism has been more mental than tangible?
we’re all fam and sh*t. don’t be scurred. noone’s watching (i think)
¹after an especially embarrassing moment 18 months ago involving sushi, sashimi, p*ssy, and rice, the champ has since learned to use chopsticks
—the champ
first, im a little troubled that you just started eating with some anonymous spoon you found on the counter at some chinese place…
also, i dont think you can separate being the weirdo with the giant spoon from being the Black weirdo with the giant spoon…there’s no way you could ever know that. you are a Black weirdo, the two are inextricably linked!
@shatani,
all that said, though…i understand what youre saying about wondering sometimes if its racism (or discrimination) because sometimes things are just so subtle….for instance, in my work i end up working with (not alongside) older white men. and i tell ya, it can be very subtle! its interesting to talk to my white co-workers (both male and female) about their interactions with my clients because you really start to see….there’s a LOT of shyt that this man will say to me that he wouldnt say to them. so i wonder…is it because im a black chick, is it because my personality is just different or more inviting than my white counterparts, and so on….
but thinking on it too much will drive you nuts!
@shatani,
“first, im a little troubled that you just started eating with some anonymous spoon you found on the counter at some chinese place”
I know right! Jeebs be some Foot & Mouth Disease for ol’ unsanitary Sam over there.
@Luvvie,
Unsanitary Sam is the best nickname ive heard since Ashy Larry!!! LMAO!
@shatani,
also, i dont think you can separate being the weirdo with the giant spoon from being the Black weirdo with the giant spoon
i wasn’t attempting to separate them. i’m just wondering if the perceived scrutiny had anything to do with me being black and sh*t
@shatani,
Was the original post edited? It seems to now suggest that it was a spoon he carried around.
@kamakula,
early morning readers were lucky enough to catch my first draft. a few even won prizes
@the champ,
I have had this moment! LOL! I thought I was the only person who was that self consious! Hee-Hee! my experience was at a social mixer I attended that was 1/2 work and 1/2 play (You know I was the parties token darkie.. and I’m bi-racial..so i’m really not that “dark skinned”! lol) . I went to the bar and ordered a HENN! I didnt have the self-conscious moment, until one of the ladies that was attempting to infultrate my peer circle asked me what I was drinking. For the breif moment it took for me to look at my glass and give a quick glace around the room, i almost became embarrased to say that i was drinking Hennessy when i noticed EVERYBODY else had a wine glass in their hand. Was i the black ghetto girl drinking henessy.. because you know thats what we drink after we have had our full of chikin wangs and wata-melon!_______________ DEAD! Or maybe i the drunk hitting up the hard liq when everyone else was sipping wine? Any how… enjoyed the blog! Funny!
@Laneianna,
Let no one separate you from the flow of Hennessey. ‘Nuff!
First of all, I hope you’ve since learned to eat with chopsticks. lol. I love to eat with them and learned – as a kid – how to eat with them at home, trying to eat my mom’s mac and cheese with ‘em. I die when friends use forks at sushi restaurants.
Seriously…I’d say 80 percent of my racist experiences were probably drummed up in my head. From the conversations about work “you know they only ask black folk to suck it up and put on a happy face” to situations at a restaurant “we only got this bad table and/or that crappy service cuz we are black”. I say probably because I have no way of knowing if it was racist. Maybe everyone got asked to ‘suck it up’, separately, and maybe everyone felt they got a sucky table/bad service that night at that restaurant. Or maybe it was racist.
The other 20 percent, though…
@iloVEGrits,
i have no idea how to work the chopsticks (that sounds mad dirty!) and prefer forks for everything! including ice cream and thicker soups….luckily, i dont do sushi, so no worries!
@shatani,
ok. we can go get pasta or something.
for with ice cream…only in emergencies right? lol.
@iloVEGrits,
nah, not really…i will reach past the spoons for a fork. thats just who i be! i like the little forky marks it leaves in the ice cream!
im hoping to get some pasta tomorrow!! mmmmm…JB Dawson!
@shatani,
When my (then) girl’s man dumped her and she had to move out, she stole all of his forks because he too preferred forks over spoons. She thought she’d teach him a lesson. lol.
@iloVEGrits,
that would certainly teach ME a lesson! woulda taken the forks and spoons…lets see him eat some pasta with a butter knife!
@shatani,
forks with ice cream? you’re not from newark, are you?
@The Champ,
nope.
@iloVEGrits,
LMAO! Like today when we were all comparing our Chase Debit Cards at brunch and the only white person at the table had the Chase card with the Chicago skyline on it.
VEG: It’s cuz we Black ain’t it?
Me: Yuppppp!
We were gon start chanting “no justice, no peace” but then I pulled out my mom’s debit card and hers has the skyline. All was well in the world then.
@Luvvie,
I ain’t seen yo momma so I have no proof our theory was wrong. lol.
Also, I am gonna need to call her to let her know you jacked her card. Shame…stealin from yo momma’s purse.
@iloVEGrits,
Dont be spreading no untroofs. I had her card cuz I had to do a bank run for her. I just forgot 2 give it back :-p
@Luvvie,
Judge Mathis will tear a hole through that story in ten seconds.
@Luvvie,
that all sounded suprisingly like, “see what had happened wuz….”
@Luvvie,
you know 2520s pay extra for fancy isht a lot of the time, though….dont let that fool you! you know if they tell me i can have the license plate with the woodland creatures on it for an extra 20 bucks, my blackazz will be like, looka here! gimme the free one! always tryna make a negro pay extra for some such!
sidebar: i start talkin like my southern grandma when i feel racism’s afoot!
@shatani,
“i start talkin like my southern grandma when i feel racism’s afoot!”
You have to. It’s required.
ok, idied 4x through this post, lmao. the imagery was just inappropriate for this time at night. i do need clarification on the origins of the spoon, however. unless you have wizard powers and you summoned it, or it apparated…i need you to expound.
i agree that the experience with race is more mental than tangible. i know for me, aside from a few ignorant comments i brushed aside, i can honestly say i didn’t face discrimination.
until that fateful day in ’01.
LOL @ the bus incident though, that’s happened to me many times. i only get up for old people, obv as a guy i can see you wanting to be gentlmanly and all that.
@overit,
“i only get up for old people”
Me too. Or pregnant women. And the woman has to be obviously older than my momma. lol. No chick in her late 40s would get my seat. Standing is good for the veins anyway.
One thing I hate, though, is giving up my seat to a preg-o or an elder when there is a guy sitting near me. Pi$$es me off.
@iloVEGrits, oh yes pregnant woman def. basically if you looking able, you cain sat down…
the cue to bed came early this time:( nighty night.
@iloVEGrits,
Wouldnt it suck to get up for a woman you thought was preggo but was just vehemently un-skinny?
@Luvvie,
well, shoot, as a representative of team chunk, i would say thank you for the offer! lol
@Luvvie,
I’d demand my seat back.
@iloVEGrits,
And u’d promptly get beat up or sat on. I may chortle a lil
@Luvvie,
Ummm…what about having my back?
I need new friends.
@Luvvie,
I hate u for ‘vehemently un-skinny”
Added to my vocabulary.
@overit,
Accio, clean spoon!!!
@shatani, i love you. i really do.
@overit,
right back atcha! *shooter mcgavin pistol and wink*
@shatani,
U’ve done Gryffindor SO PROUD! Burgundy & Gold forever!! *disapparates*
@overit,
i do need clarification on the origins of the spoon, however
ive been known to carry random cutlery in my atache. i also usually have a stapler and at least one chuck klosterman book in there
@The Champ,
Now is it a loaded stapler or one of those stapleless staplers. You know the ones that cut holes and put folds in the papers your trying to keep together.
@WuDaMan,
They have these?! I need one!!
@Me fail english?,
google may help you find em cheaper but this is where I first ran into them. http://www.thinkgeek.com/gadgets/tools/8b70/
@WuDaMan,
thinkgeek is like my FAVORITE site!
Hi, my name is Luvvie, and I’m unable to use chopsticks. Well, until 2 weeks ago, that is. When me and one of my friends went out for sushi and he gratefully sat there and taught me how to use chopsticks. 10 mins later, I emerged victorious in my quest. Would I use chopsticks to eat regular rice, Nay. But sushi, mayhaps.
That is all to say I’m sure I’ve been laughed at by the Asians at many restaurants.
*Sigh* U’d think with my slanted eyes and love of rice, i’d have some kind of innate chopsticks gene. Not so…
@Luvvie,
im so surprised that your pseudo-Blasian look didnt come with some chopstick prowess! sad….
@shatani,
lmao at psuedo Blasian.
@Luvvie,
This deserves a party!!!!
@Luvvie, It’s about d*mned time, especially considering the fact that at least 72% of restaurants you choose for dining out are Asian. And I’m sorry to say that you’ll never be able to eat inhale rice with chopsticks. A shovel would be more appropriate
.
For my unrelated post of the day. Sister Act 2 is on TVOne. I am obligated to watch it and dance to “Joyful, Joyful” and then do the accompanying rap.
I wanted to rock an outfit like Lauryn’s with the cropped top and the baggy pants when this movie came out.
I LOVE that movie, LAWD knows I does!!!
“Joyful, joyful Lord we adore thee and in my life I place none before thee, and since I was a youngsta I came to know…”
@Luvvie,
I approve. Closest you’ve come to church (non holiday related…if you went then) in some time. Get yo praise on, lil heathen.
@iloVEGrits,
daaaang, pullin church cards and such! lol
@iloVEGrits,
On this day the Lord gave us, I shall try not to curse you. But come 12am Monday CST, it’s on! Heffa gon call me out like I’m short. Oh its on, Green Eyes! It is BROUGHTEN!
@Luvvie,
“Heffa gon call me out like I’m short.”
Well…you are.
@iloVEGrits,
5’4 aint short. Thats average height. :-p
Next time I see u, I’mo punch u in the shoulder and u kno u bruise like a peach
@iloVEGrits, that reminds of the story of her cussing out the elderly.
icant.
@overit,
See there? Yall are some hats. I did NOT cuss out the elderly. Them senile peoples tried to lie on me. Yes, my voice had a slightly exasperated town to it. But I’ll b d*mned if I add “Sister ____” as a show of respect to liars! Lying Leonards!
Ugh! You gon have me ranting bout the Black Church in 2.5 secs.
Edit: I was gonna edit my mistake of “hats” to “hatas” but I like the sound of “Yall are some hats” I’m keeping it.
@Luvvie,
“Edit: I was gonna edit my mistake of “hats” to “hatas” but I like the sound of “Yall are some hats” I’m keeping it.”
@Luvvie,
i also love love love that movie!!! and yeah, i wanted to dress like Lauryn when i was young too…i can do the vegas lounge act opening from both movies! its so good, you can almost visualize the sequins and big hair!!
i always replay the Eye Is On The Sparrow scene over and over! me and my friend used to do that part…i would take the high. great times! AND i heard ball of confusion on the soundtrack of some random movie the other day…
@shatani,
“If you wanna be somebody, if you wanna go somewhere, you better wake up and pay attention!”
We need somebody to do the beats on the table and beatbox to make this right.
@Luvvie,
Oh Happy Day!!
@Luvvie, “If you wanna be somebody, if you wanna go somewhere, you better wake up and pay attention!”
LMAO! My jewish co worker and i started humming that at the same time one day, we both fell out, exchanged sister act stories all day, and are bffs! lol
@overit,
when I read “my Jewish co-worker” I immediately pictured a Yiddsh Yenta of 60+ years. Are those my pre-conceptions coming to light?
@Luvvie, That’s one of the movies on my short list of “It’s On And I Somehow Can’t Look Away” films.
@Kindred Smile, is Holiday Heart on that list?
@overit,
Who can resist watching “Holiday Heart”? Sheeee I’d be late to my funegro watching that movie. Ving Rhames in that Aunt Jemima scarf = The newest me being dead and gone.
@Luvvie,
Am I the only one that noticed Alfre/Wanda’s Eureka’s Castle hair in that movie?
@Luvvie,
is it wrong that ive never seen or heard of this movie?
@overit, Now you know that movie was banned from this site…if it wasn’t it should be, along with “Prison Song” aka “Fmylife: The Jail Version”.
@Kindred Smile, you NOT gon talk about my blackbusters like that, lmao.
lol! I studied abroad in China and that was my first time using chopsticks. It was not a good look being the only black female in a restaurant in China trying to learn chopsticks…..I’m usually not too paranoid when it comes to racism, except in little hick towns. I used to drive from upstate NY to DC and go through a lot of little towns in PA and couldn’t even get gas without everyone staring me down.
@Leila,
Trust that I know how you feel.
Every summer I drive to New Orleans (only time I make that drive down 55, I fly the other times!) and in some small towns in Arkansas and Mississippi I get nervous. Reeeeeally nervous. You stop to get gas and dudes in pick-ups with confederate flags draped on the front or wearing full on camo outfits are eyeing you.
I know that ish is race-based.
@iloVEGrits,
alabama is a great state…..(yeah). My aunt moved to Huntsville, Al. The first drive there was weird having to stop for gas, these foolS were lookin @ a sista like they had never seen two black chicks with nappy hair and big breast. We hurried and got DA F*CK OUTTA THERE!
@The dutchess,
“two black chicks with nappy hair and big breast.”
you know, this was actually the original name of “floetry” until they thought it was too long-winded
@The Champ, OMG someone please help me get up off the floor…LMAO
@The Champ, you know, this was actually the original name of “floetry” until they thought it was too long-winded.
i want you to know i did not laugh at this. at all.
@iloVEGrits,
You stop to get gas and dudes in pick-ups with confederate flags draped on the front or wearing full on camo outfits are eyeing you.
I know that ish is race-based
maybe they’re just in heat
@Leila,
girl, the middle of PA is a no stop zone for me….i had a friend that lived a little close to there…used to take me an hour and 45 minutes to get to his house. the closer i got the fewer available radio stations there were…and i would feel like there was a chill over the town! i was literally the other black person in town when i went to visit…and he needed to fill my car up before i headed back home. not. playin.
While I can believe that much of the racism/discrimination we encounter is perceived rather than overt, I’d have to disagree that this experience is the rule rather than the exception…so much depends upon where you live.
For example, I did my undergrad @ the Univ of FL. Gainesville should be considered ‘the country,’ for all intents and purposes, as w/o the school, it would likely be a farm town. But because of the school, a very obvious dynamic is created between locals and the ‘imported elite’ (many of whom are minorities). So, these folk are in constant battle for work, housing and other necessities of life…and since most of the largest, high-paying companies and businesses are owned/staffed by UF, resentment is high among locals and only serves to exacerbate preexisting race relations (or the lack thereof). This was never made more obvious than the day a very unkempt, partially intoxicated vagrant-looking man overwhelmed by his gingivitis berated me and two other black students on a bus w/a lot of “nigg*rs” and other local color, centered around the fact that we – the blacks – were the reason for his miserable existence. Mind you, this route served the school and surrounding housing and was FULL of students of all kinds…however, it was only the black students whom this man was targeting.
I never reacted more than to stare while he was talking or a laugh (out of shock) when he said something completely inane, and he never got closer than 10 ft away and appeared petrified as if his mouth were being controlled by something other than his brain. But I haven’t forgotten that no one, including me, said anything to stop him…that he wasn’t thrown off the bus…that though other students around me attempted to console me by discrediting him, I was still verbally assaulted for about 15 minutes w/no real protection against his ignorance but my composure. Arguing w/him wouldn’t have helped. What would?
@Resident GRitS,
I’d have to disagree that this experience is the rule rather than the exception…so much depends upon where you live.
your statement kind of contradicts itself. you can’t say that something is panoramic if you immediately qualify it with location.
@The Champ,
personally, i can honestly say that i’ve never had to experience any blatant racism that directly affected my life, and i’d go as far as to argue that my experience is the rule, not the exception…but i’m still crazy, lol.
…actually, I didn’t. I contradicted yours.
@Resident GRitS,
…actually, I didn’t. I contradicted yours.
you did.
trust the champ.
@the champ:
It’s mental and tangible. I have a similar sentiment concerning chopsticks. Still haven’t learned how to use them, but will murder some sushi. And I feel guilty as charged.
On the other hand, I’ve been called n*gga on a gig before by a whiteboy, and had it left up to me by my superiors as to whether or not ol’ dude should get his walking papers … that’s tangible.
It’s ironic that you wrote this today. I’m spending my week on race, and the first letter is to “the non-blacks who don’t understand why some blacks support Michael Vick.”
http://thismayconcernyou.wordpress.com/2009/04/19/53-non-blacks-who-want-to-understand/
It’s worth the read. … You explained some of it in here, and it makes sense. It’s good to be conscious of your surroundings. Just don’t be so conscious that you lose sight of who you are and what your purpose is.
@thismayconcernyou,
NICE!!
@thismayconcernyou,
I’ve been called n*gga on a gig before by a whiteboy, and had it left up to me by my superiors as to whether or not ol’ dude should get his walking papers … that’s tangible.
so you were able to give the final word whether or not dude should be fired?
@The Champ,
Pretty much. and trust me, you don’t want that on your conscious. Yes, I chucked him the deuces. … you don’t use either N-word when it comes to a black person … (n*gga or noose).
@thismayconcernyou,
Mayhaps I have no soul, but this would not eff with my conscience in the least. Babies to feed, terminally sick wife and all, dude could go to hell.
Kinda like on the Bad Girls Club when shorty got stomped and kicked in the face and said “I just want [the offenders] to go home. I don’t want them to go to Mexican jail.” WTF? They lucky it wasn’t me they was steppin on. I’da made up some EXTRA ish and made sure they was hangin high by next light.
@Me fail english?,
That’s the case with most of us. But it’s weird when you get to play judge, jury and executioner. Trust me. I felt like I had no conscious in the moment … but as time wore on, I got sicker and sicker about it.
I pray I never get summoned to a jury on a capital punishment case. I will NEVER vote for a man to be killed. EVER. … that doesn’t mean I don’t think some of them deserve it. I just don’t want that type of ish on my conscious or soul.
@thismayconcernyou,
Tight post; I’ll be up on ya’ blog from now on!
racism isn’t a figment of our imagination (at least not all of it).. that ish is real. Example: last week i was at a barbecue (wait white ppl don’t barbecue, they either grill or cook out) so i was at a cookout and everybody knows that the best hotdogs are the ones that were most intimate with the coals. so me being the brotha I am, I opted for the more charred dog. then someone asks “why did you get the darkest hotdog, is it because you are black.” In typical fashion, I undauntedly continued to pursue the tastier dog.
about a month ago, someone asked me how to wash a dread lock (mind you, i dont even have dreadlocks). listen VSP, I couldn’t make this stuff up. unfortunately i am enamored of these questions because i have heard much worse.
@IDaHoe,
My ex, who was Haitian and blessed with melanin, and who also had very few black friends, from any country, had a lot of 2520 friends who would make ridiculous jokes at his expense. One asked him if a tattoo would show up on his skin. Another would constantly make the ‘can you get a tan joke?’. Once, we encountered some 2520 males on a street filled with bars. One asked “what’s up negro?” and my ex shook his hand!!! I cussed this dude (the 2520) the f*** out. My ex then went off on me – the guy was his friends.
This is one of the main reasons I eventually broke up with him…that he’d allow himself to be the butt of racist jokes. He was okay with it and that’s his choice. I was not okay with it and dem fools is lucky they never asked me no stupid ish.
@iloVEGrits,
Damn, this sounds eerily close to a guy a met and was talking to a long time ago. He (black) had a lot of Rican friends who I initially thought were nice but it was like their running joke to call him and some of the other black dudes they ran with “monkeys”. And when I asked him “da eff is wrong with u? Why would you let him talk to you like that?” His response, “Well I call him ‘whiteboy’ bacl so it’s the same thing” Um, NO! It is definitely not. Needless to say I couldn’t deal with him after that. If you can’t respect yourself enough to confront your friend, I can’t respect you either.
And to Champ’s point about whether its tangible or perceived, I say “who the eff cares?”. I’m not waiting for someone to burn a cross on my lawn before I call them racist. Disrespect is disrespect and it makes me no difference whether it’s cause I’m loud or loud and black.
@iloVEGrits,
I have to say I don’t find “negro” offensive or at least, I wouldn’t in that context. I mean, said a certain way and I’d find someone’s use of my own name offensive…
@kamakula,
im not particularly offended by “negro” either…
@iloVEGrits,
Reading this made me angry. I’mo need Haitian Harold not to be okay with being the Donkey of jokes.
@IDaHoe,
lol…welcome and sh*t. and yeah, i can’t even touch a hot dog if it isnt completely 8-rock
I usually try NOT to see racism or negatism, so when it rears its ugly head, its not mental, its actually happening. Racism has never died (maybe subdued, but never died). Now folks are being more bold with showing their true colors.
@Shelia G,
i’m not saying racism is dead, or even dying. sh*t, the tea-parties last week are proof of that. i’m just asking for people to name personal situations that were unequivocally altered by racism
@The Champ, here’s a story:
so, a long time ago during “spirit week” when wide leg jeans were in, my girls and i dressed up as TLC. it was dress up as your fav band day. so, simply bc my hair was long, i got to be chilli lol. (yay for me, all those days singing “i can have any man that i want to, time or place that i choose to” were paying off!)
i was in shop class with my teacher, who sadly resembled a cross between a hog and a ferret. everyone knew he was racist, sexist, and if you weren’t a white male, he hated you.
so overit is in shop getting her wood cutting game on (leave this one alone champ) and i need to use the ladies room. i ask him for the hall pass( a big arse piece of wood with his name on it) and i go.
so, i go do my thing, and am on my way back. when i turn the hall where my class is, i see him out there. he waddles towards me as fast as he could, and to this day i can remember thinking “why on earth is his face always so red??” before i knew it, he had snatched me up! YES, snatched me up by my oversized TLC t shirt.
fat racist: “where were you?!”
me: “the bathroom! you gave me the hall pass, it’s only been 5 minutes”
fat racist: “you were probably out vandalizing the school, that’s what your kind usually does”.
at this moment i called out a timeout in my head, like no this red, ruddy faced, stuck in 1948 Mobile, Alabama fool did not just say “you’re kind”. I need to go home and discuss this with the council (my 4 brothers. oh and is he still holding on to your cot damn tshirt?!
anyways, to make a long story short, i was mad shook up that day, my thug eyes might have leaked a little rage. i went to the principal who happened to be a sista….that forgot she was one. she was like “there’s no way, he’s been here for 20 yrs, blah blah”.
anyways, after consulting with the council, i got to have a little fun. i went to class and called him a “fat f**k” to provoke him.
when he called me out my name and threated to “come over there”, i hit stop on the recorder, grabbed my dereon duffel, and told him i needed to visit the prinicipal to share his wonderful words.
*in case ya’ll are wondering, sellout (the principal) had no choice but to let his fat arse go.
@overit,
The TLC outfit…
The dereon duffle…
…VSB gold. CTFU!
@overit,
*sigh* I heart you so! This entire tale should be made into an Afterschool special. I’d TOTALLY watch it.
And LMAO see? I KNEWD u been having that Dereon Duffle!
@overit, I heart this story. In fact, I already commissioned Susan Boyle to work on the soundtrack to the Lifetime movie entitled “Rednecks and Dead Wrecks: The Overit Story”.
@overit, yay for Overity!!
that’s showing the swine!
Picturing you callin ol’ boy a “fat f*ck” brings warm feelings to my heart.
@The Champ,
I’m not sure if the Teabaggers **insert over-loud snicker here** were summarily racist so much as they were just whining. That doesn’t mean that some of them weren’t bigots, but I don’t think that was their point. But then again… DID THEY HAVE A POINT?
::Aside:: Did no one in that camp think about fully vetting that name before they slapped it up on placards and loudly proclaimed themselves as such?
@blackberry molasses,
“I’m not sure if the Teabaggers **insert over-loud snicker here** were summarily racist so much as they were just whining.”
You really don’t think so? I saw more than a few racist signs. Some of those tea parties could have doubled as klan rallies. lol
@miss t-lee,
Well, the Philadelphia one didn’t have any overtly racist tones… but then again, can’t do that in Philly without asking to get shot at.
I’m not saying that they weren’t there.
I think people just took it as an opportunity to have a safe having for making bigoted statements and enjoying the protections of having rights to peacefully gather, freedom of speech, yadda yadda yadda.
I had a point, at some point… but people keep interruping me and wanting me to WORK today… WTF?
@blackberry molasses,
Gotcha…I’m not sure how they got down in Philly…but I know ours here in Austin was crazy. Our governor even went to talking about seceeding from the US.
I was GTFOWTBS.
@blackberry molasses,
“Our governor even went to talking about seceeding from the US.”
Seceding? Really?
Last time I checked… that fell under a little crime called TREASON, which I believe is still punishable by death.
“If you’ve got the axe, I’ve got the bucket.”
@blackberry molasses,
Texas is the only state in the union that can lawfully secede. But that’s fine with me. “Protect” your borders with your own state money! More fed money for the rest of us
@ me fail
We can’t actually sucede.
Trust me our governor has been actin’ an azz for quite some time. He’s trying his dayumdest not to accept
any stimulus money. I’m so over my state sometimes…lol
Texas cannot lawfully secede. What they reserved the right to do when they joined the union was split into several smaller states. Given that they actually DID secede during the Civil War and were readmitted only after ratifying the 13th amendment, I think it’s pretty safe to say that their original conditions for joining the union are MOOT.
@miss t-lee,
On another note, that teabaggers protest was just more proof of how ‘cism can benefit some while not doing harm to others.
The teabaggers by my crib were ILLEGALLY assembled, walking into cars, holdin up traffic and all that. No cops or anything in sight. Yall can draw your own conclusions about how that protest would’ve went differently had they been a lil more “ethnic”.
@Me fail english?,
I agree. It wouldn’t have went down the same way if the crowd as more “ethnic”.
@Me fail and BB Mo
here’s a link to some of the signs seen across the country…the one with the Black kid just bout killed me…lmao *throat punch to that young lad*
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/04/16/1…r_n_187554.html
@Me fail english?,
My conclusion – Full out riot gear, police on horses, tear gas, city wide curfew…..
I stand corrected. The Philadelphians are insane as well. I saw that picture of our POTUS as the new Hitler, and the caption read “Philadelphia, PA.”
I am ASHAMED for my city.
@blackberry molasses,
I’m not sure if the Teabaggers **insert over-loud snicker here** were summarily racist so much as they were just whining. That doesn’t mean that some of them weren’t bigots, but I don’t think that was their point. But then again… DID THEY HAVE A POINT
you’re right. calling them “racist” is hyperbole. still, i doubt this level of animus would be present if barry o wasn’t gray
@The Champ,
now there, i agree with you. if Barry O were Johnny E or Billary, I think the rhetoric wouldn’t have been neary as vitriolic.
what is this strange phenomenon of me actually liking you today…. I must’ve forgotten to take my ‘Sense and Snark’ vitamins this mawnin’.
I think the mental part is related to not having privilege. The non-privilege tend to doubt instances are what they may be, because we have been conditioned that unless the offending party is wearing a hood, has a giant confederate flag in the front yard, is a card carrying member of a Neo-Nazi party, and has a child named Hitler then it can’t be as racist as we think it is.
@Stank-0,
The non-privilege tend to doubt instances are what they may be, because we have been conditioned that unless the offending party is wearing a hood, has a giant confederate flag in the front yard, is a card carrying member of a Neo-Nazi party, and has a child named Hitler then it can’t be as racist as we think it is.
i think you’re wrong. we’ve been conditioned to find racism even if it doesn’t exist. lol, you can’t doubt our vigilance in this regard
@The Champ,
“i think you’re wrong. we’ve been conditioned to find racism even if it doesn’t exist”
So true. One of my co-workers said Naomi Campbell but he was actually talking about Beyonce (it wasn’t really B, but I can’t think of who). I asked him loudly “So what are you trying to say, all black people look alike?”.
@V Renee,
lmao! yeah, i pull that too…all my older white male clients are constantly mixing up me and the other black woman that works there…the one that is literally 7 inches shorter than me and 2 shades lighter….thats the one. she looks JUST like me.
Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they aren’t after you.
-Kurt Cobain
@maximillian,
I think that’s actually a Joseph Heller quote but very fitting for the post.
@Me fail english?,
yeah, its from “catch-22″, probably the funniest book ever written
@The Champ,
True, “Catch-22″ can be applied to the whole racial dilemma. Race is a social construct that everyone struggles with, whose potency lies in the fact that people won’t stop struggling with it…. and sh!t.
@The Champ,
Catch-22′s even funnier than Broke Diaries?? Hmm why have I never read it?
@Luvvie,
Catch-22’s even funnier than Broke Diaries??
yeah. as much as i love angie nissel, catch-22 is the standard that all literary humor is measured by
I’m almost 99.9999% sure that the Sushi Boat is Japanese fast food, The Champ. Not Chinese. Sorry for the analness
As for the rest of the post, I agree that most racism occurs in our own minds… I do think that it does happen and I think it happens fairly often externally, but not necessarily as a barrier to anything. I think it occurs because in America people are conditioned to label people based on race and class. But I definitely agree that we expect it to be perpetuated at times or are paranoid about it and those thoughts color our experiences.
I received more blantant racism from my own folk. I’ve heard that I’m like a chocolate-covered 2520 more than the number of fingers and toes I have. Apparently since my school was more 70% 2520, I “talk white”, I like foods like sushi, edamame, hummus(I’m talking the real stuff like raw tuna/salmon sashimi), I like to do things like rock climb, sky dive, horseback riding, scuba, hiking, etc. I mean most of my friends are not even black. They come from a mixture of backgrounds. I tend to attract multi-racial and multi-cultural friends. I won’t ever change the way I do things.
@Blue Skyez,
!!SCUBA!! !!SCUBA!! IDK that it is racism or ignorance from my folks. High school I learned to dive. My mother and her family were open to me learning new things and helped me come up with the money. My stepdad on the other hand
(!B*TCH*SS!)
“Dad Im learning to dive.”
“On the internet right? its interactive?!? you know dem folks gone kill ya!”
How the HELL am I dive on the the internet? Slow *ss!
But he was conspiracy brotha (undercover brotha) and every white man was out to get him!
@The dutchess,
“How the HELL am I dive on the the internet? Slow *ss!”
Haha!
@Blue Skyez, what is “talking white?” I never understood that, just because I have learned to use subject-verb agreement does that mean that I am any less black… seriously we need some help in our verbiage.
Don’t blame me because I did well on the verbal part of my SAT’s and you did mediocre work! I know what an oxymoron is!!
You have to learn to turn off and on the hood and proper talk, how would it look if you walked into your office saying “what up son?” to your boss??
NO bueno!
@Liryc,
Lol. The bosses at my old job used to always say “Sup” and “Yo” to me. I don’t think they were racist though. Just dying to be young again.
@Liryc,
Dont act funny! you know what talking white is.
* Correct pronunciation
* Sitting up straight
* looking people in the eye when speaking.
** one time for, subject word agreement
These were examples given to me as a child when I asked my cousins’ parents , “what do you mean I talk funny?”
@the dutchess,
I heard those same comments from family members when I was growing up. It hurt my feelings more than anything.
But taught me a good lesson. family will try just as hard to keep you down as any other colored folks will.
My mother’s response was always, “what they are saying makes no sense, you can’t speak/talk a color”.
Wow, I’d forgotten about that…
it’s funny because i used to pay attention to this but then i began to think, “what’s the point? no matter where the racism comes from the fact still stands that i’m black”.
yes, i have the hot-sauce in my top drawer at work, in my purse, and a lifetime supply at home. but i suppose i’m also slightly racist as i refer to the people of indian decent the non-slumdog millionaires of our office.
but then again, part of me wonders how much of racism is actually perpetuated by the races themselves. like, i know that having the hotsauce at my desk is very black and i’m sure the indian people know that it’s very indian to just be speaking in their native tongue all loud and stuff and i’m sure that mexican’s know that someone is cracking a joke when 5 of them get out of a hatchback.
at the end of the day, i’m black whether i like hotsauce, watermelon, or curry.
@ladebelle,
so what? you, the indians and the mexicans are perpetuating racism by doing things that 2520s do too? the white lady at my office has the hot sauce, the greek guy at my old office used to call his family and speak greek all loud, ive seen 6-7 white folk pile into a dodge neon and head to the ihop…..why are these things uniquely racist if the “assigned” race does them and not otherwise?
@shatani,
“the greek guy at my old office used to call his family and speak greek all loud”
lol. You probably used to work at my office!
That’s a good point though. Growing up in a diverse city and living in such close proximity to other cultures taught me, if nothing else, alot of the “ghetto” stuff that is associated with black people is done by EVERY one. And alot of times other races do it even more than we do! Some of those black stereotypes are true, but not as many as tv would have us believe.
Here’s some of the stuff that I discovered we don’t have the biggest market share in:
-non-payment of child support
-collecting welfare
-drinking 40′s in the park (the gainfully employed, upper middle class non-blacks at my job LOVE to do this in warm weather…yep, actual 40 oz. bottles of malt liquour)
-talking loud in restaurants
@Me fail english?,
LMAO at the your list. But it’s oh so true!
In this day and age, whether it’s tangible or not, I feel like we should always be on guard and expect it. It’s so subtle at times that we might not even see it when it’s staring us in the face so as long as you’re awake and aware, you’ll be more prepared to deal with it as oppose to it coming as a shock to you. Just because Obama is POTUS and Halle Berry is considered the epitome of beauty, doesn’t mean that we have overcome.
@Monk, But isn’t walking around with racism on your mind stressful? I’m not so delusional to think racism doesn’t exist. When I see it, I call it as it is and move on. But I don’t look for it at every corner either.
Here in the community there is a large white school and on the other side of the railroad tracks the #1 HBCU in the nation. Homecoming time rolls around and signs go up at the mall about dress code. I understand that my people can “put on” for homecoming, but dress code signs as though folks are still in high school is a bit much. When the other school plays Miami, and the blondes walk around barely covering their breast, poster boards aren’t up about that!
@The Dutchess, There’s a Miami in Washington, DC…Near Howard U…the #1 HBCU?? LOL
@Hostess,
Ma’am……
For purposes of this debate, I believe we should distinguish between one having hatred or a strong dislike for someone and someone who is a racist. I don’t think minorities can be racist. In order to be a racist, you have to have POWER & AUTHOIRITY along with the concomitant hatred or strong dislike. What do I mean by this? If the Klan just got mad at us because we were black, but didn’t have to the power to lynch, rape and be granted immunity (which is the de jure authority) by the various sheriffs’ dept. in the south, they would have been less effective. In my humble opinion, minorities do not have that kind of power.
@IDaHoe, I disagree.. I think minorities can be racist. How many times have you looked @ an asian person an thought they were smart just cause their asian, or thought something about someone because they had a different background than you?
I believe racism isn’t only b/w color lines, but also b/w backgrounds and nationalities.
@Liryc,
theres a difference between prejudice and racism….youre talking about the former.
@IDaHoe,
Eh, I’d have to disagree here. That’s like saying if David Duke moved to PG County, he’d no longer be racist. I can’t think (off the top of my head) of minorities in America setting in motion any systemic, sweepingly racist policies. But, just riding the subway in my city and knowing my firm opened an office up in Newark, I’ve seen minorities victimize white folks with impunity before.
@Me fail english?,
Granted, I have yet to have my venti Pike Place Roast TM this morning, but I am infinitely confused by your comment. Let there be little doubt. If David Duke went to Mars he would be a racist. Despite your preface, in which you purported to be in disagreement with me, I think our views are virtually indistinguishable. I think support for this theory is here, “I can’t think (off the top of my head) of minorities in America setting in motion any systemic, sweepingly racist policies.” If I were to give a speech on my previous post, this would be my thesis sentence.
Ok we all know brothas who are a little rough around the edges can be intimidating to 2520s, but I think its a stretch to say they do so with “impunity.”
@IDaHoe,
We DEFINITELY do not agree. Esp. regarding this sentence:
“In order to be a racist, you have to have POWER & AUTHOIRITY ”
I couldn’t disagree more with that. White people are not a monolith and even have some ethnocentric strife among themselves. The guidos of Staten Island don’t have power or authority over anything in my life nor did they have much to do with setting up the race/power complex in our country. If they call me the n-word and forbid their daughters to date my brother under threat of violence, they are still racist.
That sentence seems to suggest that a man as plainly racist as David Duke, void of any “POWER & AUTHOIRITY” would no longer be racist. I’d imagine that in a county with as many educated, civically active minorities as PG his power would be severely diminshed. Does that mean he becomes less racist? Absolutely not.
Also, you’re white-washing the last part by calling it “intimidating” cause they’re “rough around the edges”. No these people are being straight up victimized! And if you think blacks attacking whites with impunity is a stretch, ask any stick up kid who they target in these semi-gentrified neighborhood who they target for a jux and how many times they’ve been caught, if ever.
@Me fail english? Preach.
@Me fail english?,
i think what idahoe is talking about is systemic racism…a system designed lift up white folks at the expense of all others. that is the power. tthe individual guido doesnt have to have any specific power over you, but he benefits from the way our social, economic, etc. system is set up in ways that you probably couldnt…
whether or not he is prejudiced towards you is immaterial….
at least i think thats what was being said…feel free to correct me if im wrong, idahoe
@IDaHoe,
I had heard this point of view before. I thought it was right but uhm. This website showed me something different. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/racist
About 50% is in your head. Plus, some non-Blacks are wondering if they are staring at you because you’re Black or because you’re the idiot eating with a spoon. LOL
Do you have any white friends? I mean white friends who aren’t using you to prove they aren’t racists? Having sincere friends with people of other races kinda clears a lot of the ‘Is it because I’m Black’ from the forefront of the mind. It’s still there but just not right behind your optic nerve.
@Hostess,
Do you have any white friends?
all of my male white friends are teammates from college, and my lone white female friend moved out of state last year. i have tons that im friendly acquaintances with, but actual current friends are nil
@Hostess,
Not necessarily.I will skip the middle school recollections because it deals with race on a slightly different level. In college, most of the people in my classes and activities I was interested in (EE, robotics, anime) were white. The other club that I spent a lot of time (at least my first two years) was the organization of African students.
A lot of times, I felt I didn’t fit in with some of the other Black students or African students because of all my white friends, I’m actually not fully African, and there was some weird friction/superiority thing between Black students and African students.
I give the side eye to loud mouth blacks (and whites) who come into establishments, talking extra loud while cursing and sh*t. Does that make me racist?
I do believe a great amount of perceived racism happens in the head. But like someone mentioned above, I do think location can factor in it. THere are places down south where I will NOT go. My daddy has tried to take me in the divest places, and I look at him like Mofo just because your family makes up the whole population of your rinky dink Arkansas city, does not mean I will eat at the diner 10 miles down the road. Do you not see these red necks with confederate flags, shotgun on their lap, beer on the floor and their dog Bud sitting in the passenger seat?? No sir, I’m NOT going in there.
@V Renee
sidenote: We went out to eat at PF Changs last Thurs. to celebratae a co-workers 20th anniversary with the company. Not only was I the only chocalate chip at the table, but I was the only one who ate with chopsticks……
@V Renee,
“I give the side eye to loud mouth blacks (and whites) who come into establishments, talking extra loud while cursing and sh*t. Does that make me racist?”
I don’t think so…I do this too. It’s not so much racist, as it is lack of home training.
I side eyed this little boy of about 10 on Friday cause he was burping, loudly. Now one burp slipping out is fine, but 6? I looked at him so hard he said, I’m sorry, excuse me.
@miss t-lee,
Gross in the worst way. I just think blurping is the pits anyway.
@V Renee,
“their dog Bud sitting in the passenger seat”
This reminds me so much of apartheid South Africa. The black worker would be sitting in the back of the bakkie (what y’all call a truck) and the dog would be in front!
to me that was the goal of racism, segregation and slavery etc..to cripple the mind, to make one feel inferior insides ones own head……
Never blatant, more subtle is how I have witnessed racism…..
thats why i love cool people, cool people are cool people of any race, nationality
@OrangeStar616,
to me that was the goal of racism, segregation and slavery etc..to cripple the mind, to make one feel inferior insides ones own head……
so you’re saying (the fictional) wille lynch is still doing a number on me?
I don’t think its in your head. Sometimes though its not blatant there is an underlying amount of racism in all that we encounter, from television shows (we’re always depicted as the hoodlum or the strung out crack addict or the baby mama/daddy) but for me my encounter with it comes from blacks like myself because I’m west indian! I remember coming to this country and hearing that my people where the originators of AIDS (I’m haitian) and that all haitians did voodoo, and that we had HBO (haitian body odor) or that I was a Haitian Booty Scratcher… And I have my co-worker who is quick to call a white person a “cracker a$$ cracker ” in a heart beat, and I find that offensive cause my great granddad was white…but I digress
When you speak about race relations do you also speak of it in terms of your own people or only b/w whites and blacks?
@Liryc,
When you speak about race relations do you also speak of it in terms of your own people or only b/w whites and blacks?
both
I don’t have any stories like this one (that I can think of right now!) but I enjoyed reading yours… and u have succeeded to make me hungry.
(don’t feel bad for your basic Chinese food meal… I only eat five basic things from there!)
@Nicki Sunshine,
“…and u have succeeded to make me hungry.”
mission accomplished
@Nicki Sunshine,
me too…i like what i like and it takes a lot for me to get something else.
You might not be crazy and your paranoia may be warranted- check out this article that I just read yesterday
http://www.apa.org/monitor/2009/02/microaggression.html
@julian,
great link. thanks.
welcome and sh*t, btw.
@julian,
great article…i read that the other day.
I personally don’t see the big deal that you didn’t eat with chopsticks.
I’ll fumble around with the mf’s for only so long before I ask for a fork.
Am I ashamed? Absolutely not.
Plus most Asian spots I frequent bring you both to the table. I’m not about to starve trying to act like I know how to use chopsticks well.
Far as the racism thing goes. It still exists, it’s just undercover as hell though. Everyone once and a while I still get a random merchant trying to follow me around in a store, but that’s rare. It’s mostly odd stares or the comment of “how articulate you are”.
@miss t-lee,
” Everyone once and a while I still get a random merchant trying to follow me around in a store, but that’s rare. ”
OMG – Something similar happened at the local Chinese hairstore. I went in the store bought some things. Went into another store (it’s in like a strip mall type thing), came back through the hair store to go to my car. Do you know this mofo followed me to my car and asked to check my bag? I let him, then I followed his azz right back in the store, cussed him out, and returned everything. I have NEVER went in that store again. Everytime I ride by it, I give them the finger for g.p.
@V Renee,
Yeah…that’s when I put down whatever I was thinking of purchasing and walk out. Or if I already bought it, it’s coming back to be returned and best believe you’ve been boycotted.
Dayum shame.
Them beauty supply stores are notorious for that ish.
@V Renee,
That’s some bullshyte! Just so wrong!
When I was at varsity, I got a part-time job at some clothing store. The manager had the audacity to tell me to watch the blacks more closely and follow them around the store if need be!
I cussed her azz out and quit that muhfukka! How do you say something like that to a black person?????????
I haven’t read everyone’s comments yet…
I had the unique experience of not really knowing what this ‘racism’ thing was until I was about 12 years old. I lived in Canada until then and up there, people held more allegiance to their cultural heritage than the color of their skin.
It wasn’t until I moved to the U.S. that I got my first introduction to ‘race’. It was weird and still trips me out a little bit to this day.
Most times, when someone acts ‘overtly racist’ (i.e. using the N-word in a non-ironic way) its usually because they are dumb-crazy anyhow. I think of the guy that called me all sorts of n-word/ b*tches when he stepped in front of my vehicle that was moving at 50 mph and I almost ran him over. Dude had a death wish, anyhow.
Now, I will say that there has been some subtle stuff that has happened to cause me to question if I’m hyper-sensitive.
1. Constantly getting pulled over in my parent’s neighboorhood (predominantly white upper-class), especially when my man is in the car with me, or he’s driving.
2. Getting followed around Nordstrom by an associate. I finally turned around and asked her if she was going to hold my purse and zip me up in the dressing room as well– that was fun.
3. The ‘mixed’ clubs around these parts are getting notorious for only letting in ‘certain patrons’ while making ‘other patrons’ wait in line. This just happened Saturday night. I went to a party for a friend, so we were on the guest list and got in with no problems. When I ran outside to get the gift from my car, the line was long and decidedly “chocolatey” while I saw 2520′s slipping past the bouncers with no problems. I shook my head and took my leave not 30 minutes later.
But that can be all attributed to conjecture and paranoia on my part.
What isn’t is when my besties mom started giving her h*ll for dating her current boyfriend. They are high school sweethearts who had married and divorced other people and got back together. Her mom took issue with it… not because he was divorced, not because he had a kid, not because he had anything you could justify as a reason not to date him… but simply because he is Black and she is White.
She never voiced an issue with she and I being friends– best friends at that. She would always come by my parent’s house for holidays (though interestingly enough, she never invited them over… hmmm). She holds me and my hubby and an example of a good relationship because we ‘go together’… meaning we are both Black.
Its going to be really hard not to side-eye her at my mom’s “60th Birthday/ She’s a newly minted PhD” party. Specially since 80% of the guest list is Ghanaian, Nigerian, Trini, Jamaican, or just regular Black folk…. the menu is Afro/Caribbean and we will be playing Highlife, Zouk and Soca all night long.
@blackberry molasses,
“the menu is Afro/Caribbean and we will be playing Highlife, Zouk and Soca all night long.”
*puts bells on*
@blackberry molasses,
Most times, when someone acts ‘overtly racist’ (i.e. using the N-word in a non-ironic way) its usually because they are dumb-crazy anyhow. I think of the guy that called me all sorts of n-word/ b*tches when he stepped in front of my vehicle that was moving at 50 mph and I almost ran him over. Dude had a death wish, anyhow.
thats another question. is there a differentiation between “racist” and “socially inept asshole who hates everybody”?
@The Champ,
“socially inept asshole who hates everybody”
This could have been another title to the movie Gran Tourino…
@WuDaMan,
lol. Why can’t you just be a socially inept, racist assh*le who hates everybody?
@WuDaMan, LOL, you beat me to making that comment. i know plenty of old people who fit this description.
@blackberry molasses,
um…can i come to the party??
Yo The Champ only you can alow someone to make you feel impuned upon. Did you actually observe any action by the other patrons? I mean this is an in your head guess at what’s in their heads.
& ‘you’re a dude disguised as a dude playing another dude.’ Sorry I recently rewatched tropic thunder.
@WuDaMan,
& I heard that when people eat rice w/ chopsticks they put the bowl on they mouth like a cup and scoup the rice in they mouth. I’m just saying Pai Mai was being all high n mighty.
@WuDaMan,
My Japanese clients pick up the soup bowls and drink their Miso this way. I don’t give two screws what the tradition is. I just can’t.
Also, my Italian godfamily always gets on me for “mispronouncing” the names of their food. Sorry folks, but unless I’m gonna say the whole sentence in Italian (which I can’t cuz I don’t speak it) I refuse to call it “moo-tsa-RELL”
@Me fail english?,
Your interactions w/ your Godfamily reminds me of that scene in Malcom X where someone was interviewing him and trying to pigeon hole him. They were like, ‘do you hate white people?’ He answered, ‘I don’t so much hate them as much as I love my own people.’
I see it as a case of people wanting to be loved the way that they see fit. & if it ain’t been done to the n’th degree that they deem fit then it ain’t been done.
@WuDaMan,
that’s because Pai Mei was “a miserable old fool” – Elle “Ol’ One Eye” Driver
@blackberry molasses,
and the word of a miserable old fool is worth…less than nothing!
@The Champ,
you just made me e-love you….
don’t get used to it. you’ll prally say something to make me e-hate u again in 5…4…3…2…
This is kinda funny that this is the topic today. Yesterday, my son’s basketball game was supposed to start at 4:30. We got there at about 4:10. But a couple of the kids on his team still weren’t there yet. And the other team they were playing only had 4 of their kids. Both teams and coaches are black. So the refs were two white dudes, and while we were sitting waiting, they were lookin extra annoyed. Now I was annoyed too, because, dammit, be on time. But I leaned over to my mother and was like, “I know they sayin…”N*ggas. Always late.” She nodded in agreement. Now, they coulda just been annoyed cuz.. again, dammit, be on time. But, hmmmm, iono…
Then again, as the time got later and later, I myself was shakin my head, sayin…”N*ggas.” But I can do dat doe, I can do dat doe!
@nia, LMFAO @ I can do dat doe..
yeah but does it make it right though??
My mom always said after the time is not the time.. get it right or get left!
ummm… my original comment got deleted. Is it bcuz i told the Champ that the Sushi Boat is a JAPANESE fast food restaurant and not Chinese?? hmmmm… something to ponder. Or is this just my own paranoia??
@pgh muse,
good question
@pgh muse,
its prolly cuz you black…
growing up in the south i have seen and been the target of a few things although they could probably be summed up under the ‘it could’ve been worse’ banner. but in my life, i know it to be real, not just a mental thing. but if you spend every waking minute trying to determine someone’s subtle intentions toward you, you would go insane. the truth is, sometimes it’s just a crap shoot.
sometimes, it is what it is (read=racist), but the offender is betting on you to either take that ‘i’m not sure what’s really going on and/or i don’t want to make a fool of myself’ route and you don’t say anything or you say ‘f^ck this’ and go all out and ‘prove’ their point or uphold their insane perception of our race and give them more to talk about.
either way (in their minds), they win right? you stay silent or cause a scene. i’m not sure there’s a right or wrong answer and each situation is different but it’s a battle you face every time of whether or not to act. as someone who has sized up the scene and done both, i think that in some cases it’s just the world we live in and you have to make decisions on the fly everyday.
ironically, some of the most blatant racism i’ve encountered has been in chicago. like sales people not wanting to help me. literally, standing on the other side of a glass case within snatching distance of a chick and she’s acting like i’m not there. tells me she’s helping someone else (cause it takes two of y’all to help this woman pick out a watch) but perks right up and steps away to help the white woman that steps up behind me even after the new lady politely says, well i think she (meaning me) was ahead of me.
another chick was told to help me because the other woman was busy, came over to me with major attitude, asked me what i wanted, i pointed it out, she stared me in my face and then just walked away.
or the cashier who called on the white man standing behind me though i was clearly next. again, the gentleman is like, i think this young lady is first.
or the chick in cache who says nothing to greet me when i enter but speaks to the white woman who enters behind me. then while i’m explaining that i need to exchange a dress, has this cold as ice/i don’t want to be bothered/begrudgingly helping you attitude. and then has the nerve to ask me who told me i could bring this dress back here (i bought it at another location that didn’t have anymore of my size and i needed it for a wedding the next day). um, no one. i didn’t think i needed anyone to tell me i could bring a cache dress back to any cache store…she didn’t like that answer too much.
sorry that was long. i had a few flashbacks. and that’s not even including the louisiana stuff.
@SouthernGirl, Wow, I’m embarassed for my city. Embarassed, but not surprised.
@SouthernGirl, “either way (in their minds), they win right? you stay silent or cause a scene. ”
I know right.
As for the salespeople who don’t want to do their job (because they’re black), this REALLY grinds my gears.
Yeah I always make a point to call them on it. It bugs me to no end.
@V Renee,
grinds my gears doesn’t even begin to cover it.
no sure if this –> (because they’re black) <– is a typo or a different story. i’m referring to 2520′s not wanting to help me, not our sometimes lazy brothas and sistas. though that also is annoying and further plays into the perceptions other races have of us.
@SouthernGirl,
My bad, I meant they didn’t want to help because the customer’s are black…..not the sales associates being black.
@V Renee,
It’s even sadder when it’s black people who do that to you and Lord knows I’ve experienced that. Like the cashier, who’s all chipper and greets the white lady ahead of me with a happy azz “Goodday mam”. When it’s my turn however, no greeting no nothing!
@SouthernGirl, dang, is cache the same everywhere?!
@overit, you had a run in there too?!?!?
i don’t think so. at least not in my experience. i don’t shop there often but have been in many stores over the years but this was my first time having an incident in there. maybe it was the setting. it was in what i call ‘the white mall’ near my job in the burbs. because any time i go in there i am one of four brown people in the entire mall. i swear fo’ BBJ. and they got a louis vuitton store, so…
Anyway. Back to the post, I think most Americans are racist or hold racist thoughts due to our American conditioning to label and categorize people based on color and class. I don’t necessarily think that it’s the barrier it was 30 years ago, but i definitely think it still happens a lot.
@pgh muse,
In complete agreement
@pgh muse,
I wholeheartedly concur.
@pgh muse, church!
@pgh muse,
I think most Americans are racist or hold racist thoughts due to our American conditioning to label and categorize people based on color and class
do you include yourself?
@The Champ, Absolutely positively. I have to actually check myself frequently… because you truly only know what someone is thinking when they act or speak on their thoughts. Perception can be very misleading.
“the only black in a room of 20 or so people, the champ was the only one using a freakin spoon¹. everyone else had chopsticks, and everyone was was eating intricate sh*t like fried noodles and octopuss and crab tempura and sh*t while the champ’s black ass was scooping rice and shrimp with a giant spoon like a circus monkey.”
LMAO. This scenario is all too familiar for black folks. But lemme rewind a second on the racism discussion to rant about my pet peeve (my sister and I always talk about this).
Those yuppie 2520s tryin’ to front like they’re all “cultural” with their chopsticks at Asian restaurants annoys the beejeebus outta me. Sometimes I’m at a restaurant and even see Asians eating with a fork/spoon, but it never fails with 2520s…they always gotta have the chopsticks. I especially have to laugh when they use them at bootleg Americanized places like Panda Express. I know how to use chopsticks, but I don’t be all smug about it and use them everywhere just so people can see me using them. I use them very rarely and it would have to be at an authentic place.
Anyhow.
Racism. Well, it’s more subtle now which is even more insulting because it presupposes that we can’t catch or recognize the ish. And it causes mofos to second-guess themselves and make them think they’re imagining thangs. Like they say, “Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you”.
@Cheekie,
panda express……WHAMO!
@Cheekie,
Yeah Panda Express is kinda gross.
Anyway, those people always make me feel better about not being as well traveled and mutli-culti as I’d like to be. They’re living proof that you can get all the shots, stay in all the hostels, and wear all the authentic cowrie shells you’d like and still not know ish about the culture you “immersed” yourself in.
*is a hater*
Firstly, I want to say that the image associated with this post has to rank in the Top 10 of “most appropriate and relevant to the topic at hand”.
I’m used to being the only raisin in a bowl of grits, and all of the well-meaning-but-ultimately-d@mned-offensive questions associated with it, ranging from the typical hair questions to the infuriating debates re: why being colorblind is both impractical and regressive. Therefore, I can say I’ve encountered ridiculous amounts of ignorance, but perhaps not outright racism.
@Kindred Smile,
Umm, I wouldnt call you a raisin. More like a peanut.
@Luvvie, You gwine respect my tanning skills come summertime, hoe!
@Kindred Smile and Luvvie
I can’t with the two of you today. really, I just can’t.
@Kindred Smile, but isn’t ignorance on the part of someones race just one short stop away from racism??
Ignorance isn’t always bliss!!
@Liryc, You’re right- there’s a huge gray area there. Sometimes I encountered people asking because they simply didn’t know and genuinely were curious. Others got a voyeuristic kick of having their very own Black Friend demystify The Black Experience. Still others came in with a ton of assumptions and just wanted me to verify them. The former would usually get an explanation along with another explanation on why that question was probably inappropriate, the latter two got a swift verbal roundhouse kick.
@Liryc,
“Ignorance isn’t always bliss!!”
Yup, cuz if it was, some people would be perpetually HIGH.
BTW, Happy 420 Day
@Luvvie, Happy 420 Day
I just found out what this is… smh lol!
@Luvvie,
Happy 420! I forgot all about this. It’s just as well as I have no refreshments to celebrate with
@Me fail english?,
you can come to my house… I ususally tie my 420 party into my bday.
@blackberry molasses,
Happy Berfday!
girl… ain’t for 10 mo days… don’t make me be 29 before my time dammit….. I AIN’T READY FOR THE END OF MY 20′s!!!
@Luvvie, am i the only one who associates 4/20 with columbine?
is it cause i went to a mostly 2520 school with a large goth contingent…that overitey made sure to be friends with?
anywho,my etwin said she don’t wanna get high with me, so i’m all alone lol.
@overit,
“@Luvvie, am i the only one who associates 4/20 with columbine?”
Yes.
But on a sidenote, 10 years went by fast! I didn’t even know it had been that long….
@Kindred Smile,
the only raisin in a bowl of grits
this just made me very hungry
Okay … the spoon thing I can relate to very well. I still use a big *ss soup spoon to eat fried rice. I feel no shame about this. Here’s why: I’m a very busty girl and any food that falls lands right there, leaving a stain. It’s use a spoon or wear a bib. I’m too old for a bib.
Now, about the racism thing … it happens. I was called a n*gger b*tch once just because … idk … I’m female and black? It brought me to tears. On another occasion, my sister and I left a little diner because it looked as if we’d walked in on a KKK meeting. Seriously, we were inside for about 2 minutes. My point is, I feel you. Also, you’re not alone.
@B. Nicole,
lol. Girl, I’m top-heavy too and I eat my rice with a fork like the real humans. If something falls in the valley, I pick it up and eat with my hands. Haha. I had no idea so many people ate rice with spoons. That’s easily the most groundbreaking part of Champ’s post today.
@Me fail english?,
sheeeeit…. i use a spoon and a bib. Do you know how hard it is to get jolof rice stains out of double weave polyseter??!?!
@B. Nicole,
lol, so small chested women dont hafta use spoons (or bibs)?
welcome and sh*t, btw
@The Champ, what is wrong with you? lol. small chested women DO use spoons, i know…some small chested women.
@The Champ,
A small chested woman can just put the napkin on her lap where it normally goes. Any food she drops just falls on the napkin. I, and many others, have these huge speed bumps in the way. That’s all I’m saying.
I feel the same way like you, that’s why i rock the chopsticks, lmaooo…
Either way, as a Black man you can never shake the inherent sensitivity towards racism. All we can do is recognize, evaluate, and act accordingly.
@streetz,
All we can do is recognize, evaluate, and act accordingly.
good point and sh*t
Why does the main background of the VSB page have to be WHITE? I’m saying though. White with Black letters on it. And these Black letters still dont amount to the whitespace. Mmhmmmm *raises 1 eyebrow*
I think there’s some underlying RACISM in this. Yupppp
@Luvvie,
You are a clown. lol. I know you’re joshing, but I’m going to humor you: I think the white works better as a background because it makes your eyes focus on the black letters as well as enhancing the color you do implement into your page. …
Past that, having any color than white on your work computer doesn’t seem legit. IDK … can I get a co-sign or three on the previous sentence? Anybody else notice that?
@thismayconcernyou,
BOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Dont be giving me no logical answer. You failed. lol
@Luvvie,
You know me. Logic is my life. Empirical by default. lol. If logic fails, give me my “F” and I will wear it with honor. lol.
Anyway, you done used all your Race Card swipes in a comment, and gotta wait until you pay the bill down at the end of the month. lol.
Oh, and BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO back at you. lol.
@thismayconcernyou,
“having any color than white on your work computer doesn’t seem legit”
Haha. That’s what I was thinking. Last thing I need in these TETs is some nosy ass coworker saying “Me Fail, what’s that green site you’re always on?”
@Luvvie,
What about the white ball in pool knocking all the “colored balls” in the pocket to win? And why the last one to win the game is the black ball?
Hockey same thing – mostly white men knocking a black puck into the goal.
The only game where WE represent is bowling – the black ball trying to beat, I mean knock down all the white men, I mean pins.
@V Renee,
And those pins have RED NECKS!!!! Yeeah!
@blackberry molasses,
ijustdied.
i QUIT you!
@Luvvie, all of you are some fools!!
But to ad to the tom-foolery, ever notice how everything associated with black is seen as wrong..
Black Sheep
Black Hole
Black Plague
To name a few.. why are there so many thing wrong with black!
Sometimes even having too dark of skin is seen as wrong! (back to Champs shade of black post)
My mama: He black like the ace of spades.. not for my baby!
Dave Chapelle: Charlie Murphey… Darkness.. MIDNIGHT!!
*now back to our regularly scheduled discussion!*
@Liryc,
I’m thinking you and Luvvie just finished watching the prison scene in Malcolm X where he’s reading the dictionary…lol
And while we on the subject, why can WhiteOUT erase Black ink? See??? Is it just me, or is it a… Conspiracy, my bruthas and sistas?
*puts on tacky Americanized Kente that smells like dollar store*
@Luvvie,
DEAD!!!
Anyway Champ, good post and sh*t.
@kamakula,
thanks and sh*t
For the DMV folks, WIA has an affinity for foods of all type.
The new kick is Korean. But it’s not about kalbi or bulgogi, but fried chicken. I went to Cheogajip in Annandale, and that fried chicken in hot sauce killed me.
A black man?
Not finish a whole chicken?
A Jamaican @ that?
I trained this time though, but switched venues. Bon Chon, also a korean chicken spot in Annandale.
Lemme get that spicy chicken.
Chicken comes. I eat. I finish. No detection of heat.
Thinking that I got okey doked, my mug was on the Seoul to Soul network or something, I spoke to my K-Pop homey @ the j.o.
He said he went recently with his Korean peoples and they got blanded.
*takes race meter from Khalid Muhammad status to Barry Obama*
@WestIndianArchie,
you’ve just forced me to meet some koreans, so i can eventually try to persuade them to fry me some chicken
@WestIndianArchie,
Dang all the way to Barry WIA? LOL. Maybe you should practice @ home w/ some rotierie jawns and tobasco or some off the shelf hot hot sauces. Then go back and be prepared to be like yo stank lilombastard gimmie the hot chicken. Hot! Hot! Hot!
@WestIndianArchie, LMAO @ Annandale, welcome to korea! yeah, they have some hella spicy food. i cant.
I’m from Louisiana…the DEEP South so the times I have FELT something was because there WAS something.
Being raised by a militant father who thought EVERY.SINGLE.THING was because he was Black made me be very discerning in the area as to not look the fooleywayI learned early on that not EVERYTHING is because I’m Black. Being raised by a militant father I’m also comfortable letting said racists (as I’ve stated to the recent teabagging teabaggers) know that they aren’t the only ones with guns. TRUST.
@CreoleInDC,
Being raised by a militant father I’m also comfortable letting said racists (as I’ve stated to the recent teabagging teabaggers) know that they aren’t the only ones with guns. TRUST.
**reminding self to not include creole in the perfunctory food fight at the vsb bbq**
@The Champ,
Want to get me REALLY mad? Grab a bunch of teabags and have bullish azz reasons why you’re mad be about taxes. You know…taxes that have been structured so your ignent, poor azz could BENEFIT. Um…yeah. TELL EM WHY YOU MAD SON AND SWING ON DEEZ!
Deez what you ask?
You already know since you’re teabagging.
I HATE stoopit people. I’m not fooled. yall mad cuz a Black man REALLY.DID.WIN. And I need to remind you fools that he won by a MAJORITY. He is, in essence, the ANTITHESIS of Bush. Teabag that. Idjits.
@CreoleInDC, Being raised by a militant father I’m also comfortable letting said racists (as I’ve stated to the recent teabagging teabaggers) know that they aren’t the only ones with guns. TRUST.
This is DEEP. my dad was a super militant garveyist, malcolm x-ist, extreme far-leftist, also.
@pgh muse,
Yeah…and to make it even more complicated, my father was Creole. Confused much daddy? ROFL!
@CreoleInDC,
lol. Those racially ambiguous ppl are some of the most fervent militants around with their little blue eyes and blond locks. lol
@Me fail english?,
Well you’re obviously not talking about my father because his eyes were green. DAMN YOU ME FAIL ENGLISH!
LOL!
@Me fail english?, lol. Those racially ambiguous ppl are some of the most fervent militants around with their little blue eyes and blond locks.
why did an army of blue eyed, blond locked, militant fatgiue wearing creole oompa loompa’s pop in my head?
i need to go eat. bee arr(matey!) bee!
@Me fail english?, u know what? I was thinking this but didn’t know how to say it unoffensively (or at least in a way that I found to be unoffensive… so i just didn’t say ne thing
me fail @ pc blog convo).
Aside: Anyone from the NY Metro Area hear about the Teabaggers and immed. think of DJ Self @ Eugene’s circa 2007? Or was that just me?
“TEEEEEAAAA BAAAAAAAAG!”
I grew up in Alabama…aka the dirtiest of the dirty south so I’m pretty sure some (but definitely not all) of the subtle racism I experienced was actually real. In elementary school around 1985 or so I was told that I was to be the leader of our group for this project my PACE class was doing and this younger kid tells me “you can’t be the leader because you’re black.” He’s lucky I didn’t pop him in his little blonde head. Unfortunately I hadn’t yet developed the social adeptness or verbal sparring skills to school the young man yet so I just ignored him and carried on in my role as leader of the group. He had obviously gotten his ideas from somewhere and Im pretty sure the sources of his ideas answered to the names mom and dad.
@klysha,
OK. We all know Bombingham was pretty ruthless in its hey (16th Street B.C. bombings, Bloody Sunday on the Edmund Pettis), but my place of origin was (is) pretty bad too. I am from the M – I – crooked letter. That said, we may have to duke it out for the “dirtiest” of tha Dirty South. In the essence of time, we will table this battle for a later date.
I think you are on-point here. My first encounter with THE MIGHTY RACISM was when I was a sixth grader and my best friend Eric (who happened to be white) was uprooted from our elementary school and supplanted into Rebel Academy (the nomenclature of this institution alone scares the he!! out of me). FOOTNOTE: shortly following the Brown decision in which SCOTUS held that “separate but equal is unconstitutional,” such private institutions sprang up everywhere in the south.
For some reason, I never could understand why (1) Eric would never show up at my birthday parties and (2) he could only communicate with me before his parents got home. Unfortunately, Eric was (I hope he still is) a great person and its sad that his dad saw fit for him to attend a school that undoubtedly indoctrinated him with perhaps the most evil of the learned behaviors – hatred.
@IDaHoe, Mississippi is of the few places that think could give Alabama a run for it’s money on dirtiest of the dirty south….As a matter of fact I’d venture to say that people in Alabama probably look to Mississippi and think “well at least we don’t have it as bad as Mississippi”
True story: a friend of a friend, which makes him my friend by association, would NOT, I repeat, WOULD NOT eat chicken in public. As I heard it, son would order it and take it back to the comforts of his own spot. I don’t know if it was to downplay the rumor of ninjas loving chicken, but that sh*t bothered the hell out of me when I heard it!! *shaking head*
Oh yeah–I’m back!!
@AO,
RIGHT!! What is that about?? I will not deny myself the enjoyment of fresh out of the grease wings for any reason, but I have friends who are in that group of blacks who feel that it will reflect bad on the race for them to have wings or watermelon in public. That is ridiculous.
I feel that while alot of the perceived racism may be real, it is our history, experiences, and social setup that makes us take notice to everything as a possible act of racism. Perhaps the sales associate at Nordstrom was hurting for commission and wanted to ensure that once you were ready to make a selection, she would be there to claim you as her sale.
What’s funny to me is how often people will make statements, that we assume they were only comfortable making because of our race, and we take mild offense. However, we tend to use a completely different dialect amongst ourselves from what we use with “others”/2520s. Isn’t this the same thing?
I understand that we recognize these instances because of our innate paranoia and sensitivity regarding race, so my question is,is it better to ensure that our being offended is noted, by telling the restaurant manager that we demand to be seated further from the kitchen, or should we work on this, quite possibly, hypersensitivity, and buy into the possibility that PERHAPS, just maybe, 80% is in our heads, and not because we’re black?