Racist Stereotypes live on
A response to an awful image circulating today.151 total reviews
Comment from Solrac
When I saw all the reviews this author received in less than 24 hours I said to myself, Of course, it is written by adewpearl, it've got to be good. But it wasn't. It was spectacular. What a lesson in Commentary and Philosophy Non-Fiction. A wake up call for many. Including I.
reply by the author on 20-Oct-2008
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When I saw all the reviews this author received in less than 24 hours I said to myself, Of course, it is written by adewpearl, it've got to be good. But it wasn't. It was spectacular. What a lesson in Commentary and Philosophy Non-Fiction. A wake up call for many. Including I.
Comment Written 20-Oct-2008
reply by the author on 20-Oct-2008
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Thank you so very much, you are most thoughtful and most flattering. I truly appreciate your support. Peace, Brooke
Comment from schiestyboy
Well put! It's incredible how rampant racist sentiments run out there, no matter where you go, it rears its ugly head. I wish it would stop, too.
reply by the author on 20-Oct-2008
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Well put! It's incredible how rampant racist sentiments run out there, no matter where you go, it rears its ugly head. I wish it would stop, too.
Comment Written 20-Oct-2008
reply by the author on 20-Oct-2008
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thank you for your most supportive review :-)
Comment from nora arjuna
hi Brooke. I'm an outsider but I've noticed the racism towards the black people often pictured in movies and story books. Over here in Asia, there is a slight tendency too, for the fair skinned to look down upon the darker skinned, but it's not as degrading. Thanks for sharing this great essay.
reply by the author on 20-Oct-2008
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hi Brooke. I'm an outsider but I've noticed the racism towards the black people often pictured in movies and story books. Over here in Asia, there is a slight tendency too, for the fair skinned to look down upon the darker skinned, but it's not as degrading. Thanks for sharing this great essay.
Comment Written 20-Oct-2008
reply by the author on 20-Oct-2008
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thank you for your thoughtful reply - do people in your country have other prejudices other than color? In our country this is not the only cause for division. For instance, there are class prejudices. Peace, Brooke
Comment from Live2Write
Wow. I hadn't heard about this or seen it until you pointed it out and before I read your essay, I had to find it for myself. It's horrible. You have every right to be outraged. To publish something like that and claim ignorance is low and disgusting. For somebody who is still enraged, your essay was very well written. Thank you for sharing this.
reply by the author on 20-Oct-2008
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Wow. I hadn't heard about this or seen it until you pointed it out and before I read your essay, I had to find it for myself. It's horrible. You have every right to be outraged. To publish something like that and claim ignorance is low and disgusting. For somebody who is still enraged, your essay was very well written. Thank you for sharing this.
Comment Written 20-Oct-2008
reply by the author on 20-Oct-2008
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thank you so much for your supportive review - yes, one really has to see it oneself to get the full effect! Peace, Brooke :-)
Comment from mhjones2001
I don't know if you want an actual critique or not. However, I will go ahead and make one.
Overall, a good article. You show passion yet, for the most part you stay focused on the issue. A couple of things:
1. In places, it was a little awkward. You repeat the fingerfood thing with chicken and watermelon. This doesn't have to be bad, but it might be best to repeat the idea, not virtually the same words.
2. I would suggest you consolidate the cowardly aspect of the whole thing - list the watermelon stealing and the chicken stealing, then point out the cowardice, ineptitude, etc.
3. And just a a tug at your sensitivities (you seem very concerned about equity and treating others well), a lot of Blacks dislike the term African-American. We consider ourselves Americans and feel no more allegiance to the continent (much less a specific country or tribe within the content) than the average White American feels some great allegiance for say, Ireland, Sweden, or Upper Slobenia.
I, for one, have never been to Africa. And generally, except as an interesting place to visit, I have no great desire to go to Africa.
As I have said at times: I will call myself an African American with we start refering to Teddy Roosevelt as a Dutch American or Dwight Eisenhower as a German American.
But again, good article.
Oh, and stop shaking. People are stupid. One of the problems I have as a Republican, is the fact that many republicans are such dullards when it comes to race.
reply by the author on 20-Oct-2008
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I don't know if you want an actual critique or not. However, I will go ahead and make one.
Overall, a good article. You show passion yet, for the most part you stay focused on the issue. A couple of things:
1. In places, it was a little awkward. You repeat the fingerfood thing with chicken and watermelon. This doesn't have to be bad, but it might be best to repeat the idea, not virtually the same words.
2. I would suggest you consolidate the cowardly aspect of the whole thing - list the watermelon stealing and the chicken stealing, then point out the cowardice, ineptitude, etc.
3. And just a a tug at your sensitivities (you seem very concerned about equity and treating others well), a lot of Blacks dislike the term African-American. We consider ourselves Americans and feel no more allegiance to the continent (much less a specific country or tribe within the content) than the average White American feels some great allegiance for say, Ireland, Sweden, or Upper Slobenia.
I, for one, have never been to Africa. And generally, except as an interesting place to visit, I have no great desire to go to Africa.
As I have said at times: I will call myself an African American with we start refering to Teddy Roosevelt as a Dutch American or Dwight Eisenhower as a German American.
But again, good article.
Oh, and stop shaking. People are stupid. One of the problems I have as a Republican, is the fact that many republicans are such dullards when it comes to race.
Comment Written 20-Oct-2008
reply by the author on 20-Oct-2008
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I suppose since I spent so much time in a university with blacks who were scholars in African American Studies, I met more who prefer that term. I am very much into addressing any person by the term he or she prefers, and so I am sorry if I was at all offensive to you as someone who does not.
The writing style stuff is all valid - I was writing spontaneously without an eye to editing and certainly would edit any more scholarly article. I appreciate your honest input. Thank you for your review. Peace, Brooke
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Please don't be too quick to hear offense. I didn't say I was offended. I said I don't like it. I don't like cough medicine, but it doesn't offend me. I simply don't think of myself an African-American any more than you think of Roosevelt as a Dutch American or Teresa Heinz Kerry as an African American (she was born in Mozambique (Africa), and became an American, thus African American).
That moniker is one given to us by the "Scholars in African American Studies," not us.
I wasn't looking for scholarly. But gosh, if you are going to just put something out there why should I give an effort at critiquing it? Shouldn't you put your best out here whenever you put something out here? It's unfair to us when you don't. Heck, it's unfair to you as well.
But I rant.
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I don't think putting out emotional at a time when true emotion is felt is less than putting out my best - I taught grammar for over 20 years and don't believe that the most put-together piece
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I don't think putting out emotional at a time when true emotion is felt is less than putting out my best - I taught grammar for over 20 years and don't believe that the most put-together piece is always best. I have always believed in posting only my best on this site. I am sorry if this piece was not all you had hoped it would be, but it was all I meant it to be and the best I had to give.
Comment from chaswriter
Brooke - This is quite a rant on a issue that still persists to this day. It's good to read a different side of your writing personality. I enjoyed it.
As a Nisei after WWII living in the deep south, I saw those prejudices you allude to and felt those cuts deeply. Here's a quick story: When I was about 8 and just returned from Japan, I was in a department store and drank from a water fountain. My American grandmother was so mad at me because I drank out of a water fountain labeled "For Colored". To this day I have never understood her anger.
Someday, when the races have melded together, these prejudices will fade, or will they? Thanks for writing your expose.
Here are some suggestions:
editor of the newsletter = newsletter's editor
(")I eat chicken and watermelon,(") the editor's daughter stated.
My graduate work in African American Studies (I am white) centered on the racial stereotyping of blacks in our country, especially from 1880-1920, in the images of popular culture. = My graduate work in African American Studies (I am white) centered on the racial stereotyping of blacks in our country in the images of popular culture, especially from 1880-1920.
This allowed white culture to make the charge that blacks were thieves(,) but also reassure(d) themselves that blacks
Too many "Again's" in the "Chickens are no Better" paragraph.
Either the farmer chased them or the chickens themselves confronted them and either scared them to death or outwitted them. - awkward sentence with the two 'either's'.
They depict African Americans as outside the pale of society, manners, (and) law(,) yet buffoons at it.
Think about eliminating "most awfully".
If you were not aware of these stereotypes, as the editor of this newsletter's family claim they are unaware, please be assured = If you were not aware of these stereotypes, as the editor of this newsletter's family claim, please be assured
What was the significance of Kool-aid? I drank that stuff through college.
Hope that helps. Charlie.
reply by the author on 20-Oct-2008
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Brooke - This is quite a rant on a issue that still persists to this day. It's good to read a different side of your writing personality. I enjoyed it.
As a Nisei after WWII living in the deep south, I saw those prejudices you allude to and felt those cuts deeply. Here's a quick story: When I was about 8 and just returned from Japan, I was in a department store and drank from a water fountain. My American grandmother was so mad at me because I drank out of a water fountain labeled "For Colored". To this day I have never understood her anger.
Someday, when the races have melded together, these prejudices will fade, or will they? Thanks for writing your expose.
Here are some suggestions:
editor of the newsletter = newsletter's editor
(")I eat chicken and watermelon,(") the editor's daughter stated.
My graduate work in African American Studies (I am white) centered on the racial stereotyping of blacks in our country, especially from 1880-1920, in the images of popular culture. = My graduate work in African American Studies (I am white) centered on the racial stereotyping of blacks in our country in the images of popular culture, especially from 1880-1920.
This allowed white culture to make the charge that blacks were thieves(,) but also reassure(d) themselves that blacks
Too many "Again's" in the "Chickens are no Better" paragraph.
Either the farmer chased them or the chickens themselves confronted them and either scared them to death or outwitted them. - awkward sentence with the two 'either's'.
They depict African Americans as outside the pale of society, manners, (and) law(,) yet buffoons at it.
Think about eliminating "most awfully".
If you were not aware of these stereotypes, as the editor of this newsletter's family claim they are unaware, please be assured = If you were not aware of these stereotypes, as the editor of this newsletter's family claim, please be assured
What was the significance of Kool-aid? I drank that stuff through college.
Hope that helps. Charlie.
Comment Written 20-Oct-2008
reply by the author on 20-Oct-2008
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Have no idea why they threw Kool Aid into the mix!! Thanks so much for your most thoughtful review and for your input.
Peace, Brooke
Comment from raimie
Oh Pearl! I had no idea that something so vile was in circulation! You did a great job of educating on the message behind such demeaning "art" work. It is sickening to think in this day and age that suppossedly intelligent people have to stoop to such underhaded tactics such as what they did. IT makes me shake with anger too!
reply by the author on 20-Oct-2008
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Oh Pearl! I had no idea that something so vile was in circulation! You did a great job of educating on the message behind such demeaning "art" work. It is sickening to think in this day and age that suppossedly intelligent people have to stoop to such underhaded tactics such as what they did. IT makes me shake with anger too!
Comment Written 20-Oct-2008
reply by the author on 20-Oct-2008
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you are most supportive and thoughtful - thank you!
Comment from Cairn Destop
I must admit to ignorance as to the reasoning behind the steriotype image and why such a caracature is considered a racial insult. As the ladies said, I too eat watermelon and chicken. The thing I found more upsetting is imposing these images with a presidential canidate.
For me, the use of food stamps provided the racial overtone since the prevailing perception is that minorities live off such hand out and prefer it to work. As I remember, the reality is quite different. Racial distribution for food stamps closely mirrors the mix for whichever region they are disbursed.
No SPAG noted.
reply by the author on 20-Oct-2008
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I must admit to ignorance as to the reasoning behind the steriotype image and why such a caracature is considered a racial insult. As the ladies said, I too eat watermelon and chicken. The thing I found more upsetting is imposing these images with a presidential canidate.
For me, the use of food stamps provided the racial overtone since the prevailing perception is that minorities live off such hand out and prefer it to work. As I remember, the reality is quite different. Racial distribution for food stamps closely mirrors the mix for whichever region they are disbursed.
No SPAG noted.
Comment Written 20-Oct-2008
reply by the author on 20-Oct-2008
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I think if you could see the many thousands of vile depictions of blacks drooling over melon and chicken that they've just stolen, you would understand more :-) You are quite right about the racial implications with the food stamp.
Thank you so much for your thoughtful review. Peace, Brooke
Comment from Mandika
All I have to say is thank you and as an African American we are reminded every day who we are, you are right about that. We also know many caucasians, unlike your self want to understand nor do they even try. I had a caucasian girlfriend who took up African American studies and I valued her even more because she cared enough. She didn't have another motive except that, to at least try to relate to, always having our guard up and why we feel as we do so when a person does I have to recognize that. Thank you adewpearl-smile.
reply by the author on 20-Oct-2008
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All I have to say is thank you and as an African American we are reminded every day who we are, you are right about that. We also know many caucasians, unlike your self want to understand nor do they even try. I had a caucasian girlfriend who took up African American studies and I valued her even more because she cared enough. She didn't have another motive except that, to at least try to relate to, always having our guard up and why we feel as we do so when a person does I have to recognize that. Thank you adewpearl-smile.
Comment Written 20-Oct-2008
reply by the author on 20-Oct-2008
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Mandinka, thank you so much for your understanding and supportive review - thanks also for sharing about your friend. Peace and smiles, Brooke :-)
Comment from Broken Fingers
Hi
This piece you have written is SO necessary, if only for the fact that it underlines the innate racism that lies within societies. I congratulate you on this "heads up" to all concerned and hope that it pricks a few consciences.
Gavin
reply by the author on 20-Oct-2008
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Hi
This piece you have written is SO necessary, if only for the fact that it underlines the innate racism that lies within societies. I congratulate you on this "heads up" to all concerned and hope that it pricks a few consciences.
Gavin
Comment Written 20-Oct-2008
reply by the author on 20-Oct-2008
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Gavin, thanks ever so much :-) Peace, Brooke
