Racism, prejudice and terminology (Bad News: EGYPT spinoff)

[Tarik Sultan]

Yes. There is always something people try to look down other people to get feel superiority than others even in the same race, ethnic group or anything you can think or pick.

I read the book “In Praise of Shadows” by Junichiro Tanizaki years ago in my English literature class. In this book Tanizaki explained some skin color in Japan. He said in ancient Japan, you can tell their “class” by their skin color. Upper class people were always inside the house so their skin is fair. On the other hand, farmers, fishermen, and other people who always work outside got darker. So, you can tell by their skin tone to their class or occupations. Of course these upper class people look down others for sure. I don’t know about now, because like Dipali said skin whitening products were very popular in Asia, and many people want to be fair skin color. I don’t know if there any class related reasons for it, but maybe just a trend or created by cosmetic company’s product image.

Last 30 or 40 years, there is “Ijime” or bullying common at the school in Japan, and every year some children commit suicide by this. Kids pick up some girl or boy that nothing different by skin color, hair color, or any physical appearance from other kids, just pick small thing to bully a kid. Sometimes it is just a kid wear grasses, has mole, or just nard or too smart. Not only in the school, but sometimes this happen in the company in adult world as well. I guess like Tarik said these issues are not based on skin color, or different race, but deep inside of fear and greed. Yeah, they have racism against Koreans, Chinese, Africans, South Asians and all immigrants from other part of the world too, but not much against Europeans or Americans. I assume that deep down inside of any people have some kinds of feeling of superiority, fear, greed, and other feeling make you feel better than others. However, most of people control this feeling and associate with other people.

Yes. It is the basic feeling of personal insecurity and fear that is at the root of all these problems of discrimination. This is what we have to get people to realize. This is why we need to focus more attention on our present spiritual evolution than we do on the results of our distant past physical evolutions. When we are able to confront our own fears and insecurities we can build a consciousness based on genuine self appreciation, confidence, security and love. If we really knew that we were okay and loved OURSELVES the way we should, we wouldn't have the need to artificially build ourselves up at the expense of another person or people.

 

[Pirika Repun]

It took a while to understand the black thing, I just didn't get it. Then at some point I learned about the 1 drop rule. One drop of African makes you 100% Black. Later still I found out that a significant percentage of African Americans are actually Tri Racial, African, European and Native American in varying degrees. However, as blacks, we are suppose to ignore or be ashamed of the other parts of us, especially the European and only recognize the African. So if you are obviously of European extraction, you should feel like you're damaged goods and try to compensate by being EXTRA black. This means playing up all the urban stereotypes to the hilt. If you don't, then you're accused of acting too white. This can be such a pain in the ass, too white or white acting for Black folks, but too black or black acting for white folks.

Where can I start….. :think:

I know the US started with black and white after Columbus arrived at the US. As an Asian in the US, I feel many times we Asians are even not count as race or people in this country even though there are many “China Town” in all over the states and cities. Maybe this is only me, and I’m sure many Asians do not feel this way. Yes, we are new comer for this country and new to the history as well. Like Tarik mentioned the “one drop rule” that is for define “black” but how about Hispanics and Asians? Yes, we are non white and therefore we are in “black” category in this one drop rule. However, blacks not accept Asians as black, because we are not. Now Hispanics grown in number in the US, so now they have power as minority. How about Asians? Non. We do not belong neither black nor white, just minority. Again, I know this country’s history, always black and white first, and maybe talk about Hispanics, but very rarely to mention Asians. Even Hispanics they can belong to either black or white y their ancestor. Some one mix with Asian and black such as Tiger Woods (Golf) , Haines Word(Korean –Black, NFL), Brian Cray (Japanese-Black, T&F) can belong to blacks because their parent are black. Maybe Apolo Anton Ohno (Japanese-White: Short track/Ice skate) can belong to white, because he has more white feature than his father (Japanese). How about Asians? Just Asian, that’s it. Some of them feel close to white, some of them feel close to black, depends on the person’s feeling, but never be quite belong one of them. I don’t know if my point is clear or not. Like Tarik was so frustrated about blacks situation in this country, often I feel frustrated too, because I feel we don’t belong no where. :wall:

I began to question this when I noticed that the majority of BLACK things were negative. To be black I had to only speak slang, shouldn't do too well in school, be physically and verbally violent, live in the ghetto, preferably in the projects, be poor, preferably on welfare. The only areas that I should excel in were music appreciation, but nothing other than Disco, R&B and Hip-hop, (Rock and Roll was White boy music, even though it was invented by blacks), sports, preferably Basket Ball and dancing... Okay, well..... maybe some of them were not too bad But living in a nice house or neighborhood was white. Getting good grades in school was white. Speaking intelligently in standard English was white. Going down town was white. Going to an ethnic restaurant that wasn't Chinese was white. I had to explain to a friend of mine that a Moroccan restaurant was not a "white place", after all Morocco is a country in north West AFRICA!

I understand your point, but no my friend. I have many black friends who are black and they have great educations, carriers that include you of course. One of very good friend on mine who used to teacher then correction officer now own barber shop in Bet-Sty Brooklyn. He is deeply involved in community service in the area and he try to educate youth and young adult to not use any curse words in the barber shop. So, they can learn how to use appropriate language when they speak with other people. Also, many my friends have open minds that are why I can be friend with them, and my best friend is black man who has Haitian (& African), Native American, and European blood. Many people feel comfortable with their own kind of people, but at the same time, your own people are the worst enemy for you.

It made me wonder why Americans don't have a sense of national identity. Why do we need to put ourselves into groups? Egypt doesn't and their world hasn't fallen apart. Americans find it so difficult to live in a society that isn't color coded, no matter how nonsesical and full of shit those codes may be. This is why they have such a hard time with the question of the Ancient Egyptians and what race they were. They want the whole world to play by the rules of maintaining the illusion of putting people clearly defined exclusive boxes and the fact is that Egyptians never were just one thing. They were always a combination of Africans, non Africans and god knows what else and that makes us very uncomfortable because it undermines the whole world view of race and what it means.

America is still young country just has less than 300 years of history, and started with immigrants. So, most of people identify themselves as their originated country than just American, like you said yourself “Jamaican( born in America)” Not American. So, I think you know the answer. Like you feel and I feel we don’t feel we belong here, but somewhere else. Compare to the US, Egypt or China have long history as country, and especially in the Egypt there has ling human history. Long history means more mix and more variety of people. I assume that because of America created by immigrants and they wanted keep their original identity than blend in to others. That is again fear, greed, envy and all other feelings combined together.

I think all people need to be aware of just how man made and arbitrary these classifications are and to ask questions. Most importantly WHY? ESPECIALLY for people who are of mixed "race" marriages so that they don't grow up with feelings of alienation and identity crisis. WHY did people come up with these classifications in the first place? Why do they think it matters? Is this something I should continue, or begin to let go of? WHY? Everyone needs to know WHY, so that we can understand what is really going on when we encounter these attitudes and realize that it has nothing to do with us, but is is other people's stuff from a long time ago being carried around. Stuff they want us to agree about ourselves, stuff they want us to agree about other people, but in the end, stuff we need to begin to discard so that we have more room for our own lives so that we can create new and better stuff!

I have three friends (all of them are black) who married with Japanese ladies and had kids, but their marriage fell a part and all ladies brought their kids back to Japan! In the US, these kids can be black or mixed race kids and can blend in. However, in Japan, I don’t know. I’m pretty sure they will have some identity crash. Actually, one of lady was hate the guy, so she started poisoned her son to tell how terrible his father was…. If you hate your child’s father is fine, but if you denied or hate your child’s one half, especially different race or ethnicity, how they feel about their half personality as black or white or whatever…. I just worry about children, and I hope they do not get identity crash hard in foreign country.

When I start taking about racial situation, many times I confuse myself and many times I contradicted myself. I hope this time some what clear my idea...

 

[khanjar]

Racism, is a product of personal insecurity, and it is the racist that should be pitied for being unable to fit into the human race.

How often do you hear of a lone racist, they always need the comfort of numbers to be comfortable in their segregation of others, something which just smacks of insecurity.

Perhaps a way to fight back against the racist, is to make them aware, that it is they that are failing in their ability to be a human being.

 

[sultan]

"Why do we need such categories in the first place? "


We don't.