I’m white, but I look very ethnic. Dark skin, very dark brown eyes and brown/black hair.
All 4 of my grandparents were immigrants; one each from Ireland, Germany, Norway and Wales. All 4, as far as they knew, were caucasian.
My dad, like me, looks to most people like he’s Cuban or half-black.
No one was switched at birth. We were both just the recipients of every recessive gene in our family apparently.
Here’s the kicker, I went to a 99% white school and I know racism is alive and well today because those kids were BRUTAL. For one thing, they couldn’t figure out what I was, so I got all the slurs. Mexican slurs, Black slurs, Native American slurs.
My teachers didn’t seem to treat me any differently, thankfully. But my classmates really broke my spirit at times.
I have to wonder where they learned those terms and I wonder if they’re still using those words as adults today. I think there’s better than a good chance that many of them did not outgrow their ignorance.
While I don’t feel like racism is as bad as it was in the 60’s and earlier, for some of you to suggest it is no longer a threat is off base.
Statistics continue to show that females still earn less on average than men and that the same goes for minorities. What accounts for that? Perhaps racism isn’t to blame for 100% of it, but I think there’s indeed probability that racism is part of it.
This student who is suing may sincerely feel she’s been wronged. I think she’s probably been ill-advised by a greedy attorney and she will regret her decision to sue.
Having a ‘nappy head’ or being a ‘ho’ isn’t specific only to black people, but there certainly, in my opinion, seems to be a racial tone in Imus’ comment.
But the point, Lynn, is that you survived just fine. You come across as intelligent, certainly well-spoken, and well-balanced in your assessment of events to which you were subjected.
There is a “professional underclass” of blatently self-conscious people–such as the complainant in the Imus dispute, who seek from the system and from others that which they have not earned and are not entitled. To make matters worse, there are those (Al Sharpton types) who have opted to earn their living, and to stay in the public limelight, by being the self-appointed talking heads for the complainants.
Come on folks–get on with your lives. Do something worthwhile with your time and energy. Follow Lynn’s lead.
This is nauseating….its not a black/white issue…its greed!!! It is a slick individual who sees an opportunity to exploit an already horrible situation and make it worse! The lady needs to get a life & just wake up.
I’m not running down any sport, but who actually knew the individuals on this team before they started making public appearances? Imus is not someone I would ever listen to on any topic. Shock jocks make me sick. I just have to wonder along with many others, when any actual harm was been done, during the broadcast in question or during the self-publicizing by the individuals slandered after the fact.
this has been a very enlightening discussion! I completely forgot what it was like growing up in Pennsylvania, where because of my heritage, I was called “hunky” and “fish-eater” on the way to and from school, even stoned by those kids…they were indeed BRUTAL..and I cried when they didn’t pick me for pick up baseball at the sandlot but that is how kids can be when they are left to their own devices (William Golding wrote about that). But I was brought up to be responsible for MYSELF…as I said before, I would not have thought to sue anyone for anything; but if I ever did it would be to address a physical harm that was done to me, such as a bodily injury auto accident. But you know every time someone else hit me, the insurance company went out of their way to head off a lawsuit; I never felt cheated or entitled to more than what I was owed. And that is all I can say about this affair: that if the young lady felt she was harmed, she should have said so AT THE BEGINNING of this incident, not after, what I believe to be the case, talking to an attorney. But that’s America now. After an accident, call an attorney first, then call the ambulance…I don’t think that’s too hard to understand and to put this in perspective. Thanks to all for some real good food for thought for this week. May you all have sunshine in the morning and pleasant days thereafter!
I think I survived because my parents were loving but also tough. They made it very clear that education was my number one priority. They said I had a choice as to whether or not I let them get me down. Choosing to ignore them was, at times, extremely difficult and I admit, I failed often.
But you’re right, I did survive. Not too sure if I’m a better person for it because I have a bad habit of being cynical about teenagers. Almost as if I’m an “age-ist”. I don’t know the term for someone who irrationally fears teenagers, but I have absolutely been guilty of it. I don’t throw rocks at them or anything. (Although the temptation is there. LOL That’s humor, people. Just kidding!) But I admit I would be the last person to apply for a job at a high school.
However, I do take the time to talk to my kid (age 14) and his friends about bullying, racism and discrimination. Surprisingly, they’ve been very frank with me about their experiences and have admitted some participation in bullying.
You can bet as they get older I will talk to them about when it’s appropriate to sue someone over a harmed reputation or lost pants and when it is NOT. Take that one to the bank! ;)
Regardless of what you think, irregardless is a “real” word. 649,000+ Google entries can’t all be wrong. It is more of a nonstandard redundancy word, which are allowed (debone, unravel, inflammable, etc.).
A double negative applys to sentence structure, in the nonstandard usage of two negatives used in the same sentence so that they cancel each other and create a positive. I don’t dislike you for not knowing that, and I won’t ask you not to do that in the future.
Sorry to open this can of worms, but the race card has been played, and the stuff has been flying…
Ok, if I correctly read your commentary, artistically, young white people primarily listen to abusive, abrasive “black” music produced because white record company executives tell the black artists that if they don’t keep pumping out this crap, instead of what the black artists would really like to be producing, They will stop promoting them or should they really want to express their artistic talents in another direction they would not be supported, and black artist just like the money too much to stop putting out the crap they do…
Have you just not yourself religated Black hip-hop and rap artists to a new level of stupidity and slavery, controlled by what this original, original post was all about?
GREED, AND THE MONEY!
Nice Circle. Regardless of race, the Woman from Rutgers has allowed her opportunistic lawyer to denigrate herself for GREED.
I doubt that if some dried up old prune of a man had directly hurled that crap DIRECTLY at her on the street, she would have paid much attention to him at all.
She might have responded, flipped him off, and without much additional thought or consternation, proudly walked on down the street.
Brian – your comments are amazing and perfectly summed up what many people on here are thinking and feeling.
I will point out one pet peeve of mine with respect to something you stated regarding people and their “categories” for lack of a better word. A person does not prefer or make a preference to be sexually attracted to other person (same or opposite), they just are attracted to that person. I mean, did you actively choose who you were attracted to? I think not. So it is better to use the term sexual orientation instead of sexual preference. Now if you used the term religious preference I am fine with that because someone chooses to become religious and chooses a certain religion to believe. Just a thought for you.
To Chip and to the English Prof. don’t get your panties in a bunch about what is a word and what isn’t, that is just ridiculous. If you need to correct someone there are certain, mature ways to handle it. To help correct someone by saying those comments is just completely unnecessary. There is no place for that kind of immaturity. To express your opinion is one thing but to be downright rude and mean about it, well…there is no place for that. Grow up and start acting your ages. Unless you are 2 with no concept of feelings, only then might you have an excuse to say those things.
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I’m white, but I look very ethnic. Dark skin, very dark brown eyes and brown/black hair.
All 4 of my grandparents were immigrants; one each from Ireland, Germany, Norway and Wales. All 4, as far as they knew, were caucasian.
My dad, like me, looks to most people like he’s Cuban or half-black.
No one was switched at birth. We were both just the recipients of every recessive gene in our family apparently.
Here’s the kicker, I went to a 99% white school and I know racism is alive and well today because those kids were BRUTAL. For one thing, they couldn’t figure out what I was, so I got all the slurs. Mexican slurs, Black slurs, Native American slurs.
My teachers didn’t seem to treat me any differently, thankfully. But my classmates really broke my spirit at times.
I have to wonder where they learned those terms and I wonder if they’re still using those words as adults today. I think there’s better than a good chance that many of them did not outgrow their ignorance.
While I don’t feel like racism is as bad as it was in the 60’s and earlier, for some of you to suggest it is no longer a threat is off base.
Statistics continue to show that females still earn less on average than men and that the same goes for minorities. What accounts for that? Perhaps racism isn’t to blame for 100% of it, but I think there’s indeed probability that racism is part of it.
This student who is suing may sincerely feel she’s been wronged. I think she’s probably been ill-advised by a greedy attorney and she will regret her decision to sue.
Having a ‘nappy head’ or being a ‘ho’ isn’t specific only to black people, but there certainly, in my opinion, seems to be a racial tone in Imus’ comment.
But the point, Lynn, is that you survived just fine. You come across as intelligent, certainly well-spoken, and well-balanced in your assessment of events to which you were subjected.
There is a “professional underclass” of blatently self-conscious people–such as the complainant in the Imus dispute, who seek from the system and from others that which they have not earned and are not entitled. To make matters worse, there are those (Al Sharpton types) who have opted to earn their living, and to stay in the public limelight, by being the self-appointed talking heads for the complainants.
Come on folks–get on with your lives. Do something worthwhile with your time and energy. Follow Lynn’s lead.
This is nauseating….its not a black/white issue…its greed!!! It is a slick individual who sees an opportunity to exploit an already horrible situation and make it worse! The lady needs to get a life & just wake up.
I’m not running down any sport, but who actually knew the individuals on this team before they started making public appearances? Imus is not someone I would ever listen to on any topic. Shock jocks make me sick. I just have to wonder along with many others, when any actual harm was been done, during the broadcast in question or during the self-publicizing by the individuals slandered after the fact.
this has been a very enlightening discussion! I completely forgot what it was like growing up in Pennsylvania, where because of my heritage, I was called “hunky” and “fish-eater” on the way to and from school, even stoned by those kids…they were indeed BRUTAL..and I cried when they didn’t pick me for pick up baseball at the sandlot but that is how kids can be when they are left to their own devices (William Golding wrote about that). But I was brought up to be responsible for MYSELF…as I said before, I would not have thought to sue anyone for anything; but if I ever did it would be to address a physical harm that was done to me, such as a bodily injury auto accident. But you know every time someone else hit me, the insurance company went out of their way to head off a lawsuit; I never felt cheated or entitled to more than what I was owed. And that is all I can say about this affair: that if the young lady felt she was harmed, she should have said so AT THE BEGINNING of this incident, not after, what I believe to be the case, talking to an attorney. But that’s America now. After an accident, call an attorney first, then call the ambulance…I don’t think that’s too hard to understand and to put this in perspective. Thanks to all for some real good food for thought for this week. May you all have sunshine in the morning and pleasant days thereafter!
Thanks, WooWooWoo. Very kind of you to say.
I think I survived because my parents were loving but also tough. They made it very clear that education was my number one priority. They said I had a choice as to whether or not I let them get me down. Choosing to ignore them was, at times, extremely difficult and I admit, I failed often.
But you’re right, I did survive. Not too sure if I’m a better person for it because I have a bad habit of being cynical about teenagers. Almost as if I’m an “age-ist”. I don’t know the term for someone who irrationally fears teenagers, but I have absolutely been guilty of it. I don’t throw rocks at them or anything. (Although the temptation is there. LOL That’s humor, people. Just kidding!) But I admit I would be the last person to apply for a job at a high school.
However, I do take the time to talk to my kid (age 14) and his friends about bullying, racism and discrimination. Surprisingly, they’ve been very frank with me about their experiences and have admitted some participation in bullying.
You can bet as they get older I will talk to them about when it’s appropriate to sue someone over a harmed reputation or lost pants and when it is NOT. Take that one to the bank! ;)
Regardless of what you think, irregardless is a “real” word. 649,000+ Google entries can’t all be wrong. It is more of a nonstandard redundancy word, which are allowed (debone, unravel, inflammable, etc.).
A double negative applys to sentence structure, in the nonstandard usage of two negatives used in the same sentence so that they cancel each other and create a positive. I don’t dislike you for not knowing that, and I won’t ask you not to do that in the future.
Sorry to open this can of worms, but the race card has been played, and the stuff has been flying…
Ok, if I correctly read your commentary, artistically, young white people primarily listen to abusive, abrasive “black” music produced because white record company executives tell the black artists that if they don’t keep pumping out this crap, instead of what the black artists would really like to be producing, They will stop promoting them or should they really want to express their artistic talents in another direction they would not be supported, and black artist just like the money too much to stop putting out the crap they do…
Have you just not yourself religated Black hip-hop and rap artists to a new level of stupidity and slavery, controlled by what this original, original post was all about?
GREED, AND THE MONEY!
Nice Circle. Regardless of race, the Woman from Rutgers has allowed her opportunistic lawyer to denigrate herself for GREED.
I doubt that if some dried up old prune of a man had directly hurled that crap DIRECTLY at her on the street, she would have paid much attention to him at all.
She might have responded, flipped him off, and without much additional thought or consternation, proudly walked on down the street.
Brian – your comments are amazing and perfectly summed up what many people on here are thinking and feeling.
I will point out one pet peeve of mine with respect to something you stated regarding people and their “categories” for lack of a better word. A person does not prefer or make a preference to be sexually attracted to other person (same or opposite), they just are attracted to that person. I mean, did you actively choose who you were attracted to? I think not. So it is better to use the term sexual orientation instead of sexual preference. Now if you used the term religious preference I am fine with that because someone chooses to become religious and chooses a certain religion to believe. Just a thought for you.
To Chip and to the English Prof. don’t get your panties in a bunch about what is a word and what isn’t, that is just ridiculous. If you need to correct someone there are certain, mature ways to handle it. To help correct someone by saying those comments is just completely unnecessary. There is no place for that kind of immaturity. To express your opinion is one thing but to be downright rude and mean about it, well…there is no place for that. Grow up and start acting your ages. Unless you are 2 with no concept of feelings, only then might you have an excuse to say those things.