So my humble blog was thrust in the Jezebel spotlight yesterday when someone decided to post a link to Monday’s blog, where I jokingly suggested that White folks stay home to accommodate Blacks who wanted to attend the Inauguration of Barack Obama in DC next week. I was certainly unprepared for the firestorm of constructive criticism, mind boggling ignorance and unabashed racism that was unleashed. I certainly am grateful to Jezebel for giving more exposure to my blog and, most importantly, setting off a very needed, though painful, conversation about racism. Yitadee!
I originally wanted to do a video response but I’m having a terrible hair day the whole subject is pretty emotional for me and I don’t think I’d be able to adequately express myself on camera especially whilst worrying about “my prettiest angle”. So, here goes…something…
I’ve been blogging since 2006. My audience is primarily Black, largely female and my readers are scattered all over the country. I discuss the sometimes quirky things that happen in my day-to-day life, my joys, my sorrows, my near-obsession with 90′s music. And sometimes, I release that Black rage that lies within me, that lies within so many people like myself. The feeling of being systematically oppressed and devalued in a country that was built by the hands of my ancestors, that has been sustained greatly by the manpower and wit of my people. A country I am supposed to be loyal to, pledge allegiance to. A country populated largely by people who fail to see my humanity, where I know my brothers can be snuffed out so easily by a nervous police officer’s ignorance. Where my children can be abducted and not garner five minutes of the local news program. Where I can be sexually assaulted and know that the police will not take the crime seriously as they would were I White. Where even a “liberal, non racist” White person can deny me employment because their subconscious prejudices won’t allow them to see me as a qualified candidate. Where I can be followed around in a department store like a potential thief, or completely ignored as if I cannot afford to make a purchase. Where White (and lately, Asian) women with the same level of education and professional footing as I will clutch their purses when I walk by. Where I can’t get a cab in New York City in the dead of Winter, even if I’m NOT going to Brooklyn.
Yes, I sometimes use MY blog of which I am the master of MY domain (wakka wakka wakka) to vent MY pain. I’m not bell hooks, nor Tim Wise, ain’t James Baldwin either. I’m not as scholarly, my pen game is not so magnificent. If you like what you see, welcome to the family! If you don’t like my sense of humor, then don’t read it. That’s fair.
Here’s what I found troubling about what transpired yesterday:
1) Even if my wit needs work, it should have been obvious to anyone with half a brain that my post was in jest. It’s impossible that someone would have been able to attend the last 43 inaugural festivities (except for Phillis Diller, I am pretty sure she is 1,000 years old). I posted a picture of a Black ball player in a night club alongside a picture of Woodstock, for goodnessake. How could you POSSIBLY think I was serious? And did you really think, angry irrational people, that I would have been trying to spearhead some sort of movement to keep White people out of DC on my BLOGSPOT blog, one week before the inauguration? Does…that…even…make…sense?
2)I’m a daily Jezebel reader. I rarely comment, which is about to change because I think sisters need to make our voices a little more heard around those parts. I find the snarky, biting humor of many of the Jezzies to be hilarious. However, many of the comments I read yesterday confirmed my longstanding belief that so many White self-proclaimed “liberals” and “non-racists” are about as enlightened about Black frustration as Sarah Palin is about the Nation of Islam.
3) Jezebel is the internet stomping ground for these seemingly intellectual,largely liberal/feminist humor snobs. And while many of the comments I got on the site were wrought with “righteous” indignation, a lot of the remarks made anonymously on my blog looked like they were from card carrying Klan members. So, am I to take it that people are checking Jezebel from their work computers and Stormfront from their Blackberrys?
4) White people tried to tell me how to FEEL about White people.
5) Many people are completely unaware that Black folks can be “snarky” too. Furthermore, with no context (read: understanding of my little brand and how my blog works), folks refused to even try to understand my writing and went straight to “that’s racist”. I was compared to Hitler. HITLER. MOTHERFUCKING HITLER!
6) Idiots are many, thinkers are few.
I am sorry if the humor in my post was lost of some of y’all, but I will continue to reiterate my message that racism will only cease to exist if White people work to destroy it. White folks have lived comfortably as a result of racism for too long. If my blog caused some a momentary feeling of discomfort…good. I guarantee it was not 1/10th of one millionth of what an average Black person will experience by the time they hit 30. For those White folks who have taken the time to educate themselves and others about racism, good job! I don’t give people excessive props for doing the right thing, but kudos to you for stepping outside of your comfort zone to make the world a better place.
I’m glad that conversation took place yesterday, because as upset as it made me, I realize that we have to get these feelings out and we have to discuss and debate if we plan to get ANYWHERE. I’ll lay down and die before I let some White person tell me how I am supposed to feel about racism and how I have been touched by it, trust. I hope that Jezebel continues to post content that provokes these needed debates, but I also hope that they add a few writers of color so the only voices of authority on the site won’t belong to White women. I hope that as some of the Jezebel readers who discovered my little site plan to return, some of my readers head over to Jezebel and let our voices be heard. There is a segment of the population that claims to be liberal or enlightened, and is yet completely ignorant about Black people. We need to make this group of people see who and why we are, not to validate ourselves but to seek the level of understanding that we deserve from our White neighbors.
So, to any pissed off/frustrated/open minded Jezebel readers who came back today, as a Black Nationalist (and proud feminist, like many of you claim to be)…I ask that you bookmark my site and come back. You might find that you hate me even more next week than you did yesterday or you might find that you learn something about how many Black people in this country feel. You may find that you and I aren’t so terribly different but for the disparity of our experiences that make it so hard for some of you guys to understand me. If you are truly vested in having a better country that is less wrought with racism and hatred, then you have to listen to Black people even when it isn’t comfortable. As someone said on Jezebel, people of color are unfairly charged with explaining themselves in a way that is easy for White people to digest. It’s a bitter pill, face it. I took a LOT from some of the comments I read yesterday and I hope I wasn’t the only one because the taking stakes were less high for me than they were for some of y’all. I understand Black pain because I experience it.
This is getting long. I’ll just add that 1) Barack was the clear and present best candidate and voting for him doesn’t mean you aren’t a racist, it means you voted your interests over any racial prejudices you may have and 2) Negritude went from margin to center on Jezebel for at least a day! I can’t be too mad about that.
Sincerely mine,
Sister Toldja
Hey Toldja,
I’d never read your blog before yesterday, but I immediately “got it”. It was funny. I used to read Jezebel almost every day, but find that myself staying away these days because of the commenters. I got sick of being told how Black folk ought to feel by people who don’t understand my experience but think they do. But Jezebel did me a solid by linking to your blog, which I’ll be checking up on frequently. Don’t let any of this nonsense stop YOUR flow.
Dang Toldja, somebody must’ve put your blog under a bridge yesterday because the trolls were everywhere. I’m glad today you gotta mostly supportive audience.
However I must post that the best way to get rid of trolls is to ignore them. Reasoning does not get through to the unreasonable.
Keep fighting the good fight Toldja I was so disturbed after I seen all the damn hoopla over your blog I was beside myself. Keeping putting your foot in the asses of those that needed it, hopefully eventually something will click in their brains.
Stay blessed.
Wow – I go away for a few days and come back to find that you’ve scurred the Whites again.
Seriously – as a rule, White liberals are ruled by fear and guilt, not reason. It surprises me not a bit that they didn’t get what you were trying to do.
That said – great post and keep on keepin on.
Peace Sister Toldja!
As usual, you handled yourself with class. keep up the good work.
It’s funny because when people think of racism they think of Jim Crow era southern segregation. There is racism on so many levels. Unfortunately, very few of us are willing to actually have a mature discussion on it.
I also understand that just talking about it isn’t going to make things go away. we have to confront our fears and we have to get uncomfortable. All of us. I like feeling good just as much as the next person, but there is no progress without struggle.
I read the post yesterday, and while I didn’t find it necessarily funny (well, the comparison of the two pictures kinda was…) I did think it was snarky (and thus, fabulous!). What appalled me were the nasty comments (BOTH sides of nasty comments).
I truly appreciated what you wrote today, however, I think it is really sad that you felt compelled to explain yourself (very eloquently, by the way)…A joke is a joke. But this proves even further that there is a conversation to be had, and I hope that maybe your site and Jezebel can spark it. Keep writing things that get under peoples’ skin. Let’s keep this alive; I see you as my sister, not because of our skin colors (however different they may be), but because we both have to struggle to live in this world, maybe for different reasons, maybe some the same.
The best of luck to you! I have bookmarked your site, and will be back often.
Hey, I’m another person off Jezebel. In regards to what you said about racism ending when white people work to destroy it, I think you’re right. Look what happens when you honestly explain experiences you’ve had as a black woman- people refuse to believe it or think you’re hyperbolizing. So I do agree that it’s important to have active, visible white people saying, “Hey, you know school funding systems are pretty fucked up and leave inner city and rural schools with subpar facilities and materials,” or, “Hey, you know institutional racism still exists, and if it doesn’t, tell me why there aren’t more black CEOs, politicians, everything.” I’ve never understood why people are satisfied with a world in which the percentage breakdown in races isn’t reflected across careers like it is across the general population. To me, that would seem to say everyone’s getting a fair shake. (And I’m not talking about affirmative action, I’m talking about a future in which everyone gets equal chances.)
I guess my problem, and the problem of other white people who care, is that we don’t know HOW to help. I find race relations really interesting, so I read about it and think about it and talk about it with my friends and family. But when it comes to bigger action, I don’t know what to do. When I hear people say something fucked up, I call them out on it, and I vote for politicians who I think will try to address the issue, but beyond that I’m at a loss.
I will say that I think one important step for white people is to recognize the racism they’ve internalized. Most people will deny it, but it is impossible to grow up white in America and not get some of it. I’m military, and I’m from a military family, so my parents grew up with people of different races and then worked with people of different races and now I work with people of different races and we’ve always had a very open household in which we talk about stuff like racism. And yet, even with that non-biased background, even with all the reading and talking I’ve done, there will be times when it’s dark and the only other person around is a black man and I tense up. I instantly recognize what I’m doing is wrong, but the fact that I do it before thinking says something. I don’t think it says I’m evil, I don’t think it says I’m racist, but I do think it says that the culture of racism in America is so pervasive that it’s inescapable even for those who are trying to get out of it.
I’m deeply ashamed by those reactions and have never spoken about them before, instead berating myself silently and correcting my behavior. I know that I cannot possibly be the only liberal (or conservative) white person this has happened to, but no one talks about it. We need to, though.
Anyway, sorry to put so much of my shit in your space, but I think it’s worth mentioning. Or maybe it wasn’t. But what is for sure true is that you speak the truth, and you’re also 100% right about IKEA. I really enjoy your blog and will be sending friends your way. Now back to my regularly scheduled lurking. : )
I kinda wish you weren’t kidding. Everyone seems to be so much more okay now that its so obvi a joke!
“Satire! It works because thankgoditcouldneverhappen!!”
Great rebuttal!
I hope everyone who came to your post and cried “racism” all over it will do the same for the racist a** BART police officer that shot a black man IN THE BACK for no reason! Or for the police officers in New Orleans who shot a man 12 times in the back…that’s some racism for your a**! I mean, if you really want to get up in arms about something!
So, I’ve found that unless a white person has several true Black friends, there’s a lot of stuff they don’t get. The first, and most important thing, is that RACISM isn’t limited to lynchings, liberal use of ‘nigger’, separate water fountains and schools, and raping Black women at will. My white friends have seen what happens when we meet to shop and I get there after they’ve been in the store shopping. They see how the workers act. They have heard the comments of other whites. But it’s only because their ears and eyes are open. They (and I) also don’t think everything is about racism. But they pay attention.
I say all that to say, if we had more REAL friendships with people who don’t look like us, open friendships where feelings get hurt and discussions are had, there would be a whole lot more understanding.
It’s funny…I am a Jezebel reader (a biracial one…and one often disenchanted with the readership there) who skipped that post yesterday when I read the summary – it seemed obviously loaded and unserious, and I wasn’t provoked…but this rebuttal is pretty awesome. Lots of wisdom. I’ll be back!
Hi.
I didn’t get that the original “controversial” post was a joke when I read it until I started reading the comments on the Jezebel post. I attribute that confusion to being unfamiliar with your writing style. (Sometimes, my sarcasm meter is broken.) Looking at it after that knowledge, it’s easy to spot the satire. I didn’t really contribute to the shitstorm of comments at the time, because everyone was talking first and thinking later.
I did, however, point out that I thought the point of decrying racism was not to use its tools; specifically, the language of some of your commenters bothered me. It upset me to see people called “YT” in the comments on your site (which, yes, I had to find on Urban Dictionary). “Whitey” sounds like anybody who doesn’t quite understand where you’re coming from (despite being willing to listen) is a card-carrying klan bigot. “Whitey” is a word that, to me, describes a caricature of a white person that is far from a real person. It bothered me to see myself boiled down to a cartoon character, just as it bothers me to see ANYONE summarized as a grotesque of stereotypes.
I know that conversations about race are often tough and uncomfortable. Awful things were done, and are still done, because of race. I want to listen to what people have to say, and I want to treat everyone involved with respect. I don’t think it’s right for anyone in the discussion to call names like that.
Additionally, I thought I’d point out that the woman who posted the article to Jezebel, Anna, is not white. This post seemed to infer that there are no women other than white women on Jezebel’s editorial/writing staff, which is simply untrue.
I will bookmark your blog, because reading some of your posts made me think critically. That’s a wonderful thing. I’m not sure that racism will ever be erased; as long as we live, there will always be someone to disagree with us on each and every truth we hold dear. It’s a struggle I’m willing to keep up, even if it sometimes seems I’m on the losing side. No one should be written off as a statistic.
Thanks,
Laura
Your main point in this comment is that you were joking, and that anyone should have seen that, am I right?
Yes, you were, and clearly Jezebelians overreacted, but at the same time, your post yesterday was not wise. Whether you know it or not, the human brain incorporates messages such as these into its subconscious memory and schemas. Even when someone realizes that you are in jest, the information is still processed. Jokes like these perpetrate hatred and bitterness, and impede progress towards the end of race discrimination; they simply serve to spread these ideas, implant them in brains that might not have ever thought in that way before.
I understand your frustrations and anger, but they alone do not justify that post- in jokingly complaining about the discrimination that your race and you have undergone, you are also, maybe unknowingly, helping to create a new form of discrimination against “white people,” or whatever you want to call them.
Saying things like that is risky business- the past has shown that is takes just a few remarks like that to create hatred, bitterness, and discrimination. Don’t spread it.
And as for your accusation that “Jezebelians don’t get that black people can be snarky, too,” I have to call bullshit- do you even know the demographics of the staff and readers?
hell naw. you wasnt jokin u was serious. if u wouldve left the part about why whites voted for obama, i mightve took the blog as a joke. but you sound like all the other reverse racists. im black, i go to an hbcu, and they ignorant asses always talkin bout my president is black. how bout yo president is just? yo president is christian? yo president is family-oriented.
Sister Toldja for President 2012!
Ooh. Shame on them for not understanding satire.
This is a much more honest, direct, and productive blog than your previous one, but I still have a few problems with it. It is YOUR blog, but that doesn’t make spreading racism, EVEN IN JEST, okay. In fact, racism IN JEST only perpetuates racism because it makes it more palatable and ‘funny’ and therefore okay. If anything, if you want to be racist or communicate racial views, just do it, but do it honestly.
Also, you said: ‘If my blog caused some a momentary feeling of discomfort…good. I guarantee it was not 1/10th of one millionth of what an average Black person will experience by the time they hit 30.’
This type of reasoning really bothers me because it goes to show that you are not in fact working for equality in our world. Rather, you are trying to even the score, like it’s okay to abuse others as long as you’re abused more. Unfortunately, abuse begets and perpetuates abuse. Not mention abusing or hurting anyone else deliberately is wrong.
I agree that white people need to do more and educate themselves and try to end racism, as do all races. But just like black people, white people didn’t choose their race, and with the benefits come the drawbacks, whether we ask for them or not. Everyone is typecast in their own way, and it can be both a blessing and a curse.
For the Record:
I am white. I am a Mills College woman. And I am offended by your postings, but I understand why you posted them. Please just consider what I’ve said, and try to create true unity and equality instead of focusing on the divisions between us all…
Another one from Jezebel. For me, the main discussion relates to context, which is important for “satire” especially, and to sensitive topics such as racism. Jezebel is organized for a certain kind of reading – anyone can see there is a certain mix of articles, starting from soundbyte-equivalents and the few that go to a certain length, but none go to the longer blog-post length of dedicated-topic sites. It keeps a certain shared tone and attitude that is organized for the comments to be part of the discussion and to that extent, the writing should also target that context, rather than make them suddenly guess. If you leave the context or play with the assumptions then of course, the posts can operate like a rohrschach test, with alot of projection coming out.
In terms of racism dialog, I don’t think “YT” really serves anyone in the long run, it serves short attention span discussions, mostly hit-and-run. Sure if you want to address the mostly white, old boys club of the Senate, go ahead. If you want to address mostly white CEO club, it’s a truism there too. But when you want “us” to understand “you” in society, I and my family and my culture don’t fit to “YT” nor to African-American.
As to not writing like bell hooks or Baldwin or whomever – sure no problem, but you do obviously KNOW them… and while certainly some (usually in fiction) utilized a kind of terminology for those who oppress with racism, it belongs to their era, usually civil-rights, and so on. I don’t recall hooks needing “YT” to make her points. Maybe that’s why they still exist in syllabi and in a contribution to a challenging discourse. Because they raise the stakes, and if the terms are there, their work provides a context for using them. It’s always about positioning each other to understand other perspectives. And I think that incudes if you want to publish in another kind of blog-format, you have to see how the readership works, not just flatly state they must be all white or like some 1960s “harper valley pta” hypocritical kind of mindset. Diversity is as diversity does – and “YT” doesn’t speak of a politics of diversity, but a continuing perspective of division.
Hi there Beautiful Stranger,
I came to your blog through jezebel and i loved it so much i started reading all your posts upto like april 2008 or something! its so cool, im an east african and obama’s win affected me as the culmination of all immigrant parents’ dreams everywhere. it was not just a success for african americans.
about racism, when i was 14 my dad told me ‘you are black, you are female, and you are a muslim: you have three strikes AGAINST you, so you need to work three times as hard’. i loved what management to whitey white boy: that ‘my great is your average’, because iv always felt like that all my life. i had to be the best and iv never relied on a level playing field.
i hope you post often but il keep myself going looking back through your old posts.
Right on, Jamilah, Write on!
why are white people so sensitive?
@ Anon 1:38- How is “my president is Christian” any less divisive? And what HBCU has failed you so that you don’t understand why your classmates are proud?
Bookmarking.
I found your blog by way of Debra Dickerson’s post at Mother Jones, and I thought the post was funny and insightful. And though you were unprepared for the en masse white ass-showing that followed, I think that was important. It was, at least, a really good demonstration of a whole lotta how white privilege works. (And before the “ZOMG REVERSE RACISM!” responses to this comment from other white folks get underway: I’m white.)
Anyway, I poked around a little bit while I was here, and your blog is awesome, so I’m going to keep reading.
@ Cheekie: “Blacks can’t be racist against whites! Know why? Because we can’t benefit from it! Racism is about superiority. Can’t have surperiority as a Black person in America.”
THANK YOU for making this point! All the conversation yesterday about reverse racism totally ignores the fact that racism is a function of power: the power to limit/oppress a group of people.
In the US black people cannot be racist against whites – because they don’t hold the power. (They can use stereotypes to write satire, but that’s different. And funny.)
“Reverse racism” is, the context in which it was used yesterday, impossible.
good point, Cheekie…just making it again cause I think it’s important for white Americans to remember.
I found your post via Mother Jones where I read the call to give my inauguration tickets to an African American. I loved the post and came rolling over here to see, though I think I’ve been by before. As for Jezebel the readers ( or at least most of the commenters) are not the brightest bulbs but I have no doubt they are reflective of what is out there and it’s pretty ugly.
I don’t post often, but I read you at least a couple of times a week. Your response was SPOT ON!! I always appreciate your prospective, even when we don’t fully agree. That’s what grown, educated people do after all.
Don’t let people tell you how you see the world doesn’t matter. That’s what’s wrong with the world now. Hurt some feelings in your life. That’s when you know people are listening.
I must say though, some of these comments to your reply post are doing my heart a world of good. The silver lining always shows itself at the proper time.
So from one sista to another, keep doing what you do.
I just saw your blog mentioned on newser.com. After reading what you’ve written about white people staying home from the inauguration, I’m sad that I decided to visit your site and add to your site hits. You are perpetuating everything that you profess to loathe. Not only do white people need to work on overcoming racism, but so do the black folks. Racism is not one-sided. It has multiple sides and it’s never pretty. By even suggesting that white folks stay home from watching OUR future President become sworn in, you are branding yourself a hypocrite. Obama will be a President to ALL, every day, not just after Inauguration Day. As a minority myself, I am sickened by your utter lack of thought and foresight. If it’s reparations you seek, then by all means, get out there and fight for it, but if you just don’t like racism, then don’t make a plea for a voluntary segregation at the inauguration. Put your fine writing and potential to greater uses. Write something that will bring all races together. Or just toss my comment off as I’m sure you’re much more inclined to do.
I guess this is what you wanted, popularity. Congratulation!!! You are still racist and ignorant, and so the black people who think you are funny. very sad
Keep up the good work. It is rare these days that people are willing to stand up for what they believe.
Well alrighty then! I’m glad you vented (it was a good read), but brush that ish off your shoulders.
The very last comment you made on Jezebel on this issue was in response to a white woman who poured her sincere heart out. She shared the negativity she encounters daily living in Atlanta.
Your response, skin colour aside, was cold, heartless and selfish. And extremely narrow minded.
It blew away any valid points you made (and they were few with most being negative and quite frankly threatening). So yeah, you’re doing more harm than good. I hope Jezebel returns to more helpful articles rather than inciting hatred and divisive writers.
I’m a lurker and a fan from another blog that we used to know and love (which I won’t post because that would only make the crazies go crazier – shout out to Chris). I kept quiet with the Banana Chick but this Jezebel mess is a bit much. The riteous indignation of some of the posts is hilarious. People please. It was satire. If you didn’t get it, either you’re intellectually challenged (which appears to be the case in many instances) or it wasn’t meant for you to get. No harm, no foul. Move along. Buh-bye.
macloserboy said…
I said it on Jezebel and I’ll say it here: your post didn’t work because it wasn’t funny, period. As far as others who didn’t get it, someone rightly pointed out, “When you go for offensive humor and the humor fails, all you have left is offense.”
You know what macloserboy? You’ve stated that complaint so many times on Jezebel and now here I take you think you must speak the gospel and qualifying that you’re black places you square on that bingo race card . And then you trotted out all your other meaningful credentials, as if to say “I don’t quite think my fellow Gawkerettes are getting fair reperesentation, let me just tip the scales a little more in their favor.”
Yeah, cause the stuff I’ve seen you post on an on going basis is just all WORLDS of awsesome! And now, knowing you’re black just makes it more so! Oh how I wish. The sad, sad fact of this entire hypocritical gangbang of “She’s not worthy of us! She can’t DO snarky! If she didn’t wanna get trashed she should’ve dotted her I’s and crossed those T’s!” is that nearly nothing, no, nothing, is as witty coming out the keyboards of Jezebels nay, Gawkerites, or as scathing or on target as they themselves perceive it to be. Even the most self effacing comments read like vanity snippets. It’s one of the primary reasons so many lurk as opposed to speaking out. Because it’s just one big train wreak of an eternally clueless and collegiate circle jerk over there. Each article is a piece of meat thrown to the wolves, with a hierarchy to boot where someone inevitably has to land a foot on the ground like thunder to get anyone to shut up and absorb a point. Group think and all. Individuality my ass.
After the Marcotte controversy and having read the Jezebel threads (as well as Feministe) I would have hoped minds had expanded/improved but nope! Total Fail. Again. No. You can not be a hipster and have your cake and eat it too by claiming feminism/progressivism/liberalism/. I used to believe you could, but you guys just. keep. doing it wrong.
Thus far I’ve seen four disturbing trends in the Sister Toldja Backlash of 2009:
1.) The black womens are ugly yo! meme that seems to foster such an am-hot-like-kim-kardashian lily white scorched earth policy. These are the same women who will call out any and all stereotyping of black males but will condescendingly tell black women that we’re coming across wrong, that if we’d juuuuuust be a lil bit softer/classier/more articulate we’d be better understood.
2.)I’m biracial and I’m with the offended! Sit. Down. You’re as bad as the “I’m black and just didn’t think it was funny” bodyguards of the pearl-clutching crowd. Hey. I’m black too! Guess what? I don’t/can’t speak for all black people. I also shouldn’t make it my job to do Higher Standards Control, which brings me to disturbing trend no. three.
3.)Somebody else’s writing style/blog/capacity to translate well to essentially, outsiders/newcomers to one’s personal space is NOT YOUR MOTHERDUCKING CONCERN. I heard at least three people of color use that argument on Jezebel. And I ask why. If Sister Toldja had submitted her satirical rant for wide spread circulation I could see it, but being as she speaks to a more intimate audience (you know, the difference between someone’s livingroom and a public event), those critiques read like the most stifling pound cake speeches ever. And my family rolls old school so I’ve heard ‘em all. If it had just been funnier. Smarter. What? You wouldn’t have had to face palm yourself as a black person watching white folks positively lose their sh*t? So now that becomes Sister Toldja’s role too? To serve up the credit to her race meme so YOU wont have to bust her cajones to prove you aren’t in lockstep? So sad. That makes me face palm.
4.)The she isn’t polished (and by implication smart) enough meme. Wow. Just, way to hang a sister with so many other worthwhile things to say, worth reading, worth LISTENING to with open heart and mind, out to dry.
Folk at Jezebel take very, very unkindly to newbies and even veterans entering their space with objectional anti-feminist language. To flood this site based upon one post with unenlightened criticism just filled to bursting with white privilege? So not cool.
Hey Sister Toldja…as a sister from across the pond have to say at first read got your humour straight away.. (can people lighten-up a bit and take a chill pill)…what’s with all this policitally correct bullshite!…Your bookedmarked and will be coming back for more xox
wait hold up! this was all satire? drats!
I heard many ppl jokingly say “white ppl should stay home”..I even laughed at it, but then realized BARACK OBAMA is as much white as he is black (actually more white..but w.e)…and ppl tend to forget that. They see him and classify him as one race, and feel that that race is tha only race that can appreciate him
Tell it, Sister.
There are a lot of white folks out here who need the education of your words of wisdom. And, apparently a lot of them who need to get a sense of humour.
And hey, people? Racism, hatred or intolerance from ANYONE is just icky. Okay?
This is an interesting discussion. If I had read original blog post without seeing this first, I’m sure I would’ve just read the whole thing as a (mostly) joke.
I think you should check out my video.
Over the past week, I asked hundreds of people to pick a word to describe how they feel about Obama’s inauguration. I gave them 26 words to choose from including “Hopeful,” “Joyful,” “Skeptical” and “Angry.” Then I took their portrait with the word.
The result is this video/photo essay, which is very moving:
http://www.emilytroutman.blogspot.com
or directly, http://vimeo.com/2895468.
It seems to be getting equally positive responses from the black and the white community. I’d be curious on your take. Which word would you choose?
It never ceases to amaze how blog commenters will cosign any and every point of view offered by the blog writer. If Jezebel had linked to your blog and praised it as funny & thought-provoking, EVERY single angry anonymous commenter on that post would have been giving you props instead of cussing you out.
Your post was CLEARLY tongue-in-cheek but sheeple simply followed whatever their blog leader told them think. Amazing.
All I can say is “Wow!”
Discussion is healthy, though.
Ummm. . yea. . I’mma lil lttle late. . but I just wanted to say, Your my shero! Keep doin’ what you doin’!!
hi,
So I’ve been reading your blog since I found it on Jezebel, I didn’t notice this post though until I checked out your sidebar (I tend to read it on my reader) First let me just say that I’ve already learned a lot from you being one of those feminist, white, liberal girls you talked about. What’s worse is that I’m from a predominantly white neighbourhood and the number of black friends I’ve had in my life I can count on one and a half hands. So I guess I’m what you could call theoretically unracist and not practically unracist.
So on the one hand, the task that you’ve set for white people is a daunting one. WE have to get rid of racism since we are the racists with the best abilities to make the lives of other groups miserable. Like where do we even start?
On the other hand, I feel like there just hasn’t been enough interracial dialogue. There is plenty of dialogue between all kinds of non-white groups, but maybe what we need is dialogue between all groups. I mean, it would be nice if you could sit the liberal white people down and say “look, I know you think you’re trying, but this is what you’re doing wrong” but unfortunately life isn’t like that and it wouldn’t work.
So… what do we do?
I read your commentary in Essence magazine re: Reggie Bush being on the cover. I am 30 year old graduate of an Ivy League law school and i would never have had the words to express myself on the issue as clearly and eloquently as you did. Too often we feel guilty for feeling that way, or we pretend like we too are going to “find something new” when we know it ain’t true or we silence ourselves lest we be called reverse racists or get lectured on how love sees no color. I did not buy the Essence issue with reggie on the cover – i was sickened, but I got this month with Barack and Michelle and found your commentary. Well said, you now have a new fan of your blog!.
glory wins.
That is all.