....as they say in other countries.
Is it normal for a college soccer team in New England to have probably 90% black (or maybe I should say non-caucasian, some of them are mixed) guys? Some people think not. One day one the sideline, I heard someone say "what is this? affirmative action?" And it was kinda funny in its own way but I really don't know these days if people are still truly sensitive to these things and whether they are offended. I know I'm not. My friends aren't. I make comments about white people; some of my closest friends are as white as they come, no big deal, I say to them "you damn white people!" And I'm as mixed as they come so I guess I have no say hehehe.
Now of course I don't consider myself naive but sometimes it strikes me when people are so race-sensitive. Once in the airport with a friend, I felt there were some strange glances and I had to ask her if she noticed. And I don't usually feel affected by these things but I had to wonder if people thought it strange to see a white person and a (relatively lol) black, let's say "coloured" person hanging about in the airport. I experienced that a bit on my Scandinavian trip as well but then that was different, I guess I looked "exotic". But this really shouldn't be happening at JFK airport.
Then the other thing is my sister-in-law. I'm telling her about soccer camp, coaching in general, my girls' teams I have now, and somewhere in there she often manages to ask "so it does have any black chil'ren?" I have never said anything to her about it, probably because I only think about it afterwards, but why ask that?? I don't even see that anymore. Does she want to know if black kids also play soccer here? If the opportunity is equal? If there is interest? Or if I only interact with white people? Am I being influenced by white people !?! ...GASP! I've gotta remember about this next time...
damn i gotta post more often...
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
5 comments:
Yes, you gotta post more often :)
(and you gotta e-mail me more often. I know I suck as a friend, but if the two of us suck, then it won't work, will it? :) )
I guess in our own little way, everyone has some preconceptions and misjudgements and "racism" inside. Even if it's just the "how can i be politically correct?" way of behavior that shows in a racist way. By thinking how to behave, you are judging the fact that you are not allowed to behave normally, because what will other people think of your behavior? So, you change - that's kind of racism, isn't it?
I get mad when people call me hispanic or say I'm not white. Mostly because I'm pissed at their ignorance (hispanic = speaks spanish), lack of knowledge or just laziness, but isn't it racism? Why can't i just relax about it? Do I have a "white supremacy x hispanic" mindset? I doubt it, but it could be seen like that, couldn't it?
All I'm trying to say is (and I don't want to be misunderstood, because this is a walking on glass topic), even though I consider myself to be extremely open-minded and non-judgemental and totally non-racist, deep inside we all have our own thoughts we hold not to let them come out. You, me, your sister-in-law, and George Bush - the difference is the amount, the kind of prejudice, and if you let it come out or not ;)
WRITE ME! I know you still love me :)
O Costa...most philosophical as usual... I don't personally think its racist, you just want to be identified as what u are. But yes its true we all have our private thoughts, if and how we choose to express them is another story...
this is ian interesting topic and it's one i thought about more when i was in trinidad, since i was the minority then. it seemed to me that trinidad has a much more relaxed attitude about discussing or acknowledgin differences. i wasn't sure if it was because there was a closer balance between afro-trinidadians and indo-trinidadians and then so many that are such a mixture of ethnicities. whatever it was, i noticed that in trinidad it was ok to refer to someone as de negro guy, de dougla-ish gyul, red woman, chinee boy, etc etc. or even make relaxed jokes about it. the references and jokes were never derogatory or offensive but there was a greater openess in even identifying people whereas in the US, at least where i grew up, one generally was expected to avoid making any kind of reference (be it positive, neutral, or negative) to another person's race while in that person's presence. i had a couple friends who often just referred to me as 'white gyul.'
Same thing about other obvious differences like being fat/thin, tall/short, etc. in trinidad it seems ok to remark on what is obvious, so long as it is done neutrally or positively or even with some good natured picong. whereas in the states, we are supposed to pretend we don't see those things.
i was kind of sad when i started seeing the more PC american attitudes creeping into Trini conversation because i didn't see the former Trini openess as a bad thing, just a rleaxed and honest thing.
Gyul, you would be surprised to know just how conscious people are towards race - even kids. I went to college in Missouri a few years back and a kid (not older than three) in the kiddie seat of the shopping cart passed by me, pointed at me and said, "mommy look a black man". I kid you not.
THanks for the comments:
Lime, its true that we are more relaxed in most situations, I think ppl are more PC now bcuz of the BS'ing poloticians making things more charged than they should be
Manicou, I suppose I make this observation simply bcuz I have experienced MORE of being around the non-discriminating eyes. My college has one of the highest percentages of foreign students in the country
Post a Comment