NAACP Calls Hallmark Graduation Card Racist

[aurelemsrealm]

People like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, and groups like the NAACP, make me think I could easily become racist.

I grew up in a small town in southern Illinois, and it was all white, and largely redneck. I grew up commonly hearing everyone I know using the N-word or other such terms to refer to black people. Despite that, I'm not racist, myself.

I never was around many black people for an extended period of time until I went off to college. My first roommate was a racist Jesse Jackson-wannabe with a "major in political science and a minor in criminal law." That's actually how he introduced himself to me. Despite him, I still am not racist. I just simply hated him for being a prick about his views and always trying to pick fights. Then came that final day during the middle of the semester when he started making racist comments about my family, and I slung a pot of hot coffee on him because I'd had enough of his passive-aggressive bullshit. Amazing how quickly he shut up and cowered in the corner when I finally snapped off on him. I stopped short of doing anything worse, but did tell him exactly what I thought of him. I then went to the RA to tell him what happened. So, he got the other RA for our floor, and the three of us went to the RD.

What was funny was that roommate was the one who ended up curled up in the corner bawling on the phone to his mother about his blood pressure when I returned with the RAs and RD so they could get his side of the story. He wouldn't even talk to them about what happened. All three of them told me then that he had caused similar problems with previous roommates before I transferred there because he wanted a private room, but couldn't seem to afford it. So, after that mess, I put in for a room transfer and moved out. Incidentally, the RD was himself black, and told me he didn't blame me one bit for snapping off on my roommate like I did that day.

I even ended up being nominated by one of the RAs and elected as a floor representative the next semester because of that mess. That really got to the roommate because he "knew more about government" than I did. I just had to laugh and tell him the other politicians would probably eat him alive because he'd have to cry to his mother when they were mean to him.

Despite that nonsense, I have met plenty of really awesome black people.

[Fryk]

There are too many differences for me to even mention right off the bat between the black people I know here in MI, and the ones I worked alongside in New Orleans. When I have more time, I'll start a list on notepad and paste it here.

[KnitShoni]

Are you serious? Why? What does it matter? Can *you* list all of the differences between white people? What possible purpose can it serve? The point is that there are differences, and as many of them as there are between white cultures/religions/politics/etcetera.

I'm just wondering if I have enough space to list them all. And, yes, I would be greatly interested in a list of all the differences among Whites in the US.

ETA: I said all. I don't know all the cultural differences among Blacks in America.

[the_std]

Are you serious? Why? What does it matter? Can *you* list all of the differences between white people? What possible purpose can it serve? The point is that there are differences, and as many of them as there are between white cultures/religions/politics/etcetera.

[Red Panda]

"Do you want the differences between those who are considered Black enough and those who aren't? How about between those who wish they were White, those who are happy being Black but don't hate Whites or think they're all racist, and those who maintain Whites are the devil, can't be trusted, and should be killed off? "

Those aren't enough? Should I add religious differences? Is there enough of a difference between the African Methodist Episcopal church, Black Muslims (Nation of Islam), Black Israelites? Do you want political? Social?

I want all of the differences.

[KnitShoni]

"Do you want the differences between those who are considered Black enough and those who aren't? How about between those who wish they were White, those who are happy being Black but don't hate Whites or think they're all racist, and those who maintain Whites are the devil, can't be trusted, and should be killed off? "

Those aren't enough? Should I add religious differences? Is there enough of a difference between the African Methodist Episcopal church, Black Muslims (Nation of Islam), Black Israelites? Do you want political? Social?

[Red Panda]

People are pretty good at saying black culture is differant without actually giving examples. Lets just use America. Name five differant groups of black people and how they are signifigantly differant.

[Boozy]

Try naming some major differances between groups of black people. Its much harder then with the differant Eurpean countries.

It's difficult for white people to name major differences between black cultures because we're generally ignorant of black cultures. Ignorance of something does not mean it doesn't exist.

[KnitShoni]

Are we talking among different countries, different sections of the US, urban vs. suburban vs. country?

Let's start with just this country. Do you want the differences between those who are considered Black enough and those who aren't? How about between those who wish they were White, those who are happy being Black but don't hate Whites or think they're all racist, and those who maintain Whites are the devil, can't be trusted, and should be killed off?

As far as among other countries: You really don't think there are major differences among Blacks in the different countries in Africa? How about the West Indies? Anywhere in Europe? You really believe Blacks are the same the world over?

[Nyoibo]

Try naming some major differances between groups of black people. Its much harder then with the differant Eurpean countries.

Not really.

[protege]

Our roots are not quite as easily traceable as everyone else.

Yep, unfortunately, very few records were kept.

[Red Panda]

Try naming some major differances between groups of black people. Its much harder then with the differant Eurpean countries.

[KnitShoni]

Black culture is more uniform then whites anyways. Differant groups of whites have way differant traditions while Blacks have smaller differances due to how they came to America

Really? You now this how, exactly?

[Red Panda]

Black culture is more uniform then whites anyways. Differant groups of whites have way differant traditions while Blacks have smaller differances due to how they came to America

[KnitShoni]

So why don't these "black groups" have to rename themselves into something like the Hutsi organization or the Massai Foundation? Why are all blacks simply lumped together?

Because in the US, the vast majority of Blacks don't know where they came from. Our roots are not quite as easily traceable as everyone else.