DHS employee put on leave after wearing 'offensive' costume

And do you suppose there might be a reason for that?

 

Oh for pete's sake -- the reason ended 200 years ago. We have welcomed them into our "Americanism"; many of them want no part of it. Oh wait, they want the "good" parts, all the benefits and such. They are so busy making sure that they are viewed as separate from the general American populace, that it slips by them that this situation is of their own making. Slavery ended years ago -- it was wrong -- most Americans agreed on that. But many blacks STILL think all other races OWE THEM for something that was ended hundred of years ago. My feeling is if you don't want to be ostracized or looked at as different (which they clearly DO want), then just be an American, whatever color that happens to be.

 

'They'... ? Whilst it's impressive that you feel confident enough to speak for all black Americans, I think it's a bit rough on them.

I'd say that 'they' most likely just want to live their lives just like you do, without prejudice. When you say 'just be an American', what does that mean exactly? What are they doing if not 'being an American'? Don't these people hold passports or something?

 

To be fair the current state of affairs is more or less a direct result of the oppression the blacks suffered in the past. It takes more than just a formal change in laws to bring true equality. Therefore I must conclude that at the very least the costume was poorly considered.

 

Really? So segregation in the 1950's didn't exist? And you really believe that prejudice against blacks doesn't exist now? I honestly didn't think you were that naïve, Spelly

Racism doesn't have to be that blatant to still be racism.

Well, unless he's actually been to prison, he could have gone as a white convict. The fact that it was just a costume is entirely beside the point.

 

First off, if you note in my second line, I stated "many of them", not all of them. There is a distinct group that feels that whites, or any non-black actually, owes them a living, for the injustices of a few hundred years ago. I have many black friends that agree with me on that point. I've also spent many years in the Carolinas -- went to college in South Carolina and lived outside of Charlotte, North Carolina, which is predominantly black. I've spent many years around their culture -- and I say "culture", because they make a point of it being different from American culture.

My point in all of this was -- they make a point of wanting to be considered different. Many want to be considered "Black Americans" rather than "Americans" -- they want special treatment, special favors, special opportunities, etc. But after they've created this identity entity and set themselves apart from everyone else consciously -- then when they are noticed as such, or criticized as such, they scream the race card. It's a double standard that I have zero sympathy for.

Actually Splunge -- many blacks wanted their own schools. Segregation wasn't a cultural issue, it was a political one. A good friend of mine that I went to school with is from Huntsville, AL -- We've had this discussion many many times -- he told me of many conversations with his black friends and their parents back in Huntsville -- relaying the fact that most blacks DIDN"T WANT to go to school with the whites. They all saw it as political posturing.

 

Spelly, I wasn't talking so much about schools as just the general segregation and subjugation of blacks - drinking fountains, buses, the whole Rosa Parks thing, etc. Of course, it would have helped if I had made myself more clear in my post.

Edit:

But not recognising it unless you're hit over the head with it is just turning a blind eye.

 

ok -- and I understand your point. I just have no sympathy for them in these times. The whole "sins of the fathers", I don't buy. Times have changed -- I've seen poor people of all kinds -- in the back hills of the Carolinas -- tin roof shacks, no shoes, etc. Has nothing to do with color. I'm for everyone trying to do the best they can with what they have -- not having past behaviors from generations ago thrown up in my face on a continuing basis. I think it's gotten way out of hand -- they demand, not ask. They want payment for grievances from long ago and it'll never stop. In essence, it's the "you owe me" mentality. I think the time for debt collection has long since passed.

 

Sure. As I said in my first post, he could just be a dumb-ass who doesn't realize that he's being racist. But one doesn't have to know that they're a racist to be a racist.

Look, I'll admit that this is somewhat low on the racist scale. But there does exist a prejudice against blacks, and there does exist a stereotype of convicts being black, so for a white guy do dress up as a black convict - well, I just can't see how there isn't at least an underlying element of racism here.

Edit: Spelly, I think we're arguing two different things. You're basically saying they should "get over it", and I can't say I totally disagree. But that doesn't mean that racism still doesn't exist, and that's where I'm coming from here.

 

You say he is playing a stereotype Black Convict, but what if he was playing a SPECIFIC convict? Maybe one that happened to be black, and have dreds... Im sure with the huge numbers of convics in america, past and present, there would have been some black, dreadlocked convict...

 

Barmy, I live in an environment that has a lot of black people in it and, while the older generations certainly just want to live a good American lifestyle, the vast majority of my generation seem to genuinely think they are owed something by every other race (yes, even asians and hispanics). There are some that genuinely follow their parents models and live as responsable citizens, they are generally labeled as 'white wannabes', 'race traitors', and 'white puppets' by their black peers. I have no problem with them trying to maintain their racial identities, I don't complain about half of them being named things like 'Chauntiqua' and 'Duvon', but when they complain that none of the keychains have their names, when they expect that they can make a living simply by being angry blacks, and when they think I should appologize for being white near them, I have a problem.

And with all this, believe it or not, I'm not racist. I don't care about their race. I have had some very good friends who where named 'Chiquita' and were very into African culture, but they didn't think everyone should apologize to them personally.

 

@BTA: I think where you fail to see eye to eye is that you are talking about intent and we are not. The guy may have never intended to play to the "all blacks are criminals stereotype", but the stereotype is still there. The reason that dressing as a black convict is not the same thing as a black man dressing as a white hick is because we don't actually have a pervasive "white people are hicks" stereotype. I've had several black friends who have been pulled over for "driving while black". Having lived for years in a "black neighborhood", I've seen first hand the dichotomy between the way I am treated by the police and the way my neighbors are treated. Discrimination of blacks is still a very real thing and, whether intentional or not, that costume played right to it. I agree that there are lots of (either non-plausible or non-complimentary) explanations for why this guy chose to wear that costume that don't involve racism, which is a big reason that I am not convinced that they should fire this idiot, but not intending to play to a pervasive and nasty stereotype is not the same thing is not doing it.

Well, NOG, I disagree. In my view, this is just a subtler, more pervasive form of the same racism that has plagued our nation for years. Simply put, any time you make blanket statements about an entire group of people, you are doing something wrong.

 

Drew said it much better than I have so far.

Well, I suppose that might be true, except that I'm white, so it would be pretty hard for me to be racist against my own race.

 

Drew -- I think he's going by experience, as what my comments were based in. We were not speaking for all blacks -- but there is a large contingent of black individuals who feel precisely that way and vocalize it every chance they get.

 

You seem to be under the impression that the formulation of an 'African American' identity preceded racism. I don't know how to respond to that.

The empirical data provides a rather different view than your anecdotal evidence does. The census tell us that 8.1% of whites were at or below the poverty line, compared with 24.9% of blacks.