TRUTH? Black people need to self-impose a cease and desist when attempting to validate the racist nature of an issue. The whole scenario is counter-productive. Instead, play it like a surgeon and dissect the matter from thirty-thousand feet to ground zero.
RaceWire is the blog for Colorlines, an online zine that focuses on race and politics. Today RaceWire published a news post on whether or not [Is] Mayor Pat McCrory a racist? On the table are comments made by McCrory regarding the large percentage of Black youths imitating (or actively participating in) a gangland lifestyle. The post on RaceWire also links to the original news article on MSNBC.
Black people, is it important whether or not this cat is racist? Or, is it more important to impact the racial-mindset behind his statements (i.e. his perception about Black youths and gangs)? My comments on RaceWire highlights the same sentiment:
The larger question is whether or not there is a sliver of truth in his proclamation. Consider a lot of cats out there raised by media babysitters with a compelling visual hustle (e.g. MTV’s high-life hype). There is a percentage of youngbloods out there (male and female alike) that are caught up in what they believe is that next-level format.
Doesn’t matter if the Mayor is callin’ similar white youths/institutions into question — this one is part of our community and we have a chance to exact some change. We can get down with a format that focuses on an increased exposure to a hustle & flow that stands for something — perception can’t be changed out in the world until it actually changes within our own sphere.
You dig? BTW — is the Mayor racist? Likely he adheres to a mindset that highlights a negative Black perception. Does it mean the man is completely sideways? Probably not. Are there any stats out there to contradict what he’s puttin’ on Front St.? If not, lets rap about how we can impact his administrations spreadsheets.
TRUTH? Right or wrong, we are all human beings who are going to adhere to some sort of mindset, regardless. Instead we need to get down with managing the perception about Black people, or we could be found guilty of reinforcing the negativity by letting it slide. BTW — I hit my man Baratunde with the link and he weighs in on it as well. Get down with the science he is dropping.
[...] @ 19:10: The first commenter on the post at RaceWire asks a good question in his response and followup on his own blog: Black people, is it important whether or not this cat is racist? Or, is it more important to [...]
Thanks for pointing me here, Clarence, you always get me thinking. Happy to follow the dialog.
My impression? EVERYONE is racist. Everyone. Swell! Move past it. Here’s the question: how far do they let their racial biases impact their decision-making, and how much will it impact ME?
If someone’s out there saying, “these youth” and they’re really meaning “these BLACK youth,” that’s going to impact things. Right? Because it means he’s got wood for taking on a culture.
But what if someone is arguing against imitation gun violence in hiphop videos? Trickier, right? Because if they want to fight that, they have to fight 24. And no one’s whiter than Jack Bauer. Still racist.
We’re all racist. It’s just a question of how it gets applied, and how much of an impact it will have.
And we’re all homo/heterophobes, and we’re all drug-averse, and whatever too.
Don’t make me get started. But can I tell ‘em that I really never had a gun?
–Chris…
Bump what white people think!!
We need to tell adult Negroe males who have sired children; to be good fathers, concerned fathers, loving fathers, caring fathers to their children.
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Chris, that’s a solid point and I think it soundboards what I was reaching for. Each of us is likely to rock a racist-mindset to some degree (oftentimes even towards our own — let that marinate).
Even in small doses, a racist-mindset can be damaging forreal. One way to address the implications of our own racist design is to continue to educate (using the RIGHT information to educate us — MSNBC/CNN ain’t gonna cut it!) Take that clue and stamp it on the forehead of a racist scenario. Continue to go upside the head until the ink lays down permanent. You dig?
NSangoma, you can’t get down in a silo. You can’t ignore what anyone thinks. At some point you need to address the perception — especially if it hits you at home. Perception may not be reality, but, the traction that perception holds is as real as it gets.
On the essence of Black fatherhood — lets broaden the scope and say that any knucklehead father needs some act right. Are you a Pop Dukes? If so, let your personal hustle & flow be an example. That’s going to apply to Black, Brown, and all other types of fathers on this rock. You feel me? ‘Preciate you comin’ through and adding to the mix.
Alternately, interact with someone solely through machines, where you can’t see their skin. If race is only skin deep, let the machine filter out prejudice. Be friends first virtually and stereotypes get a lot harder to deal with in person when you do meet up.
Shoot! I wanted to say one more things about machines and their role as ‘prejudice filters.’
In private schools, uniforms are worn to help control socio-economic labeling and prejudice. It doesn’t work. People find ways to differentiate. Everyone has to wear blue pants and brown shoes. How expensive were your shoes? Brand name? etc… became the new identifiers for the rich and poor castes within the class.
Mac? PC? What is your avatar? Is it clip art? Custom? I couldn’t agree more that “stereotypes get a lot harder to deal with in person when you do meet up.” Especially when the virtual encounter allows us so much anonymity. The tabla rasa provided by the virtual encounter lets us start over, to become who we ‘think’ we want to be. But, THAT version of ourselves is not real. It has not had to drag around a past full of mistakes (and successes). It has not been shaped by time and has no conviction.
I have heard that online dating has taken a real hit because so many people are discouraged when they meet the person face-to-face. They are finding people are NOT who they said they were. And this is happening between two people that are being INTENTIONAL about meeting others and finding someone. Simple solution. Be honest from the beginning, right? Sure.
But I think the only way to be honest is to be personal. And, that includes a physical presence. I hesitate even posting this because it is a disagreement with your suggestion Mr. Penn and we have never met. I’d hate for you to misinterpret the spirit of my comments. A spirit you could only know if you had hung out with me when I was at my best AND my worst. Likewise, perhaps your comments were a snapshot of a massively complex social solution that you have found to be vastly productive in mending and healing complicated lives!? But, I wouldn’t know.
I will trust that because we are here, on this particular blog, that we are both friends of Clarence, whom I (we?) do know personally. And therefore, will trust that Clarence speaks for us both as worthy of the discussion! Thanks.
The book Blink by Malcolm Gladwell (http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?EAN=9780316010665) talks quite a bit about how much our prejudices are conscious vs. unconscious. It’s an interesting book, and sort of counter to Chris Brogan’s post in that Gladwell’s contention is that we can’t control some very basic associations that have (in Gladwell’s example, between “black” and “bad”). To support Chris Penn’s statement, Gladwell goes on to explain how anonymity can lead to diversity. In symphony orchestras, simply putting up a screen during tryouts so that the conductors were choosing just on what they heard — not what they saw — had remarkable results. Orchestras have become more diverse, both along racial and gender lines, because prejudices (e.g., women innately don’t have the strength to play the trombone at the symphony level) were factored out of the audition process.
I’ve got to that it’s just as important to consider whether there’s truth in statements - as one is considering the motivations and mindset of s/he who made them.
Otherwise, we’re perpetually defending ourselves from any perceived affront - always the victim, always noble, always blind as a bat.
I merely want to say that I am loving the hell out of this website! Thanks Clarence! I made reference to you at a second life gig last night (I’m a live streaming musician there). :D
Ok…if you are going to have the conversation, then I’m in. I’ve started following you on Twitter as well. As for Truth? Well, people may want to believe it depends on the mindset, but that is not the reality.
Tony
Heh. Nice. I can be ticklish about my friendly complaint Sorry, for off top, i wanna tell one joke) What do you call a veterinarian with laryngitis? A hoarse doctor.