Essay 229

Here’s the follow-up to the column presented in Essay 218…

-----------------------------------------------------------

Readers sound off on what blacks can do, whites can’t

November 13, 2005

BY MARY MITCHELL SUN-TIMES COLUMNIST

Responses to my “What Blacks Can Do, What Whites Can’t” column were overwhelming in volume and in intensity. Blacks are definitely divided on this subject. Some African Americans went so far as to call me “self-hating,” for bringing up the double standard many of us are operating under.

I was also not surprised that some of the applause came from whites who have a low opinion of blacks, period. But “What Blacks Can Do, What Whites Can’t” isn’t about them. It’s about starting the conversation that needs to take place between blacks about blacks disrespecting blacks.

I also heard from members of the “hip-hop heads” who accused me of being out of touch. The only thing I can say to that is this: If not using racial slurs means I’m out of touch, I don’t want to get in touch. If not believing that black women and girls are “hos” and “B’s” puts me out of touch, I’ll just stay out of touch.

Now, here’s what some of you had to say via e-mail:

“I’m a Latina, and there are times that I see how Mexicans are portrayed and it really does sicken me,” wrote a reader in Iowa. “On the other hand, I also see how Latinos perpetuate these stereotypes, and so the issue struck me.”

What’s interesting about the hip-hop mania is that youth from every culture want to be part of it. For example, one day last summer, a carload of Hispanic males pulled up in front of my house with their radio blasting filthy lyrics. They got out of the car and stood beside it, talking loudly and addressing each other as “N----- this” and “N----- that.” It was appalling.

“It may not be my place to comment on this issue, but … (I) have seen firsthand that there is much wasted potential and talent in the African-American community and anyone that has the courage to attempt to rectify this problem deserves tremendous encouragement and credit,” said a reader who identified himself as having grown up in Evanston.

Thanks, but no thanks. When it comes to these sensitive racial matters, a white person’s praise doesn’t help. Ask Condoleezza Rice.

And, whatever the topic, it’s always the media’s fault.

“The media does not want to focus on ‘elected’ representation. The media does not want to tell the story of hard-working, non-music, non-athlete, non-movie-star persons of color. We as a community appear to be so starved for recognition that we accept any ink, on anybody, that fits the image dujour,” a reader wrote.

As Sen. Barack Obama’s brilliant memoir reveals, biracial children and people who are involved in interracial relationships catch it from both ends. They, perhaps better than others, understand that blacks can be just as prejudiced as whites.

“Many blacks think it is o.k. to use racial slurs directed at my family,” he wrote. “In 10 years of marriage, I have yet to hear one white say anything racially degrading towards my family, yet we get racially degrading remarks from blacks on a monthly basis.”

He obviously forgot Rule No. 1: Blacks can degrade each other in public, but whites can’t say anything that could even be construed as degrading about a black person. Still, that doesn't mean that whites aren’t talking about this man like a dog behind his back.

Whites respond

Here’s one from a white guy who only agrees with my column when I’m taking black people to task:

“You actually had something bad to say about your race. What you need to address is the fact that many blacks are [prejudiced] against whites and that is ok … but if whites don’t like blacks, mostly because of the way they act. Then that is horrible, and they deserve to be ostrized. [sic]”

OK. I understand that mostly. But it’s the partly that is usually a problem. And as revealed by the next e-mail, whites still don’t understand why they dont get to criticize black leadership.

“Personally, I have a HIGH disrespect for the Sharptons, Jackson Srs., Farrakhans of the black community. Why -- not only because of their contempt for ‘white folk’; but also their well honed capability to manipulate the black community to ridicule those deserved of respect such as Thomas and Rice.”

Really, why should black people give a heck about what white people think about black leaders? They aren’t following them. Didn’t they learn anything from the Marion Barry comeback?

Finally, a black male student at the University of Chicago got to the crux of the controversy.

“I want you to come to this campus and sit in our library so a white student can look at you, confused and ask if you are a part of the janitorial staff,” he said. “I want you to come to this campus so a white student can introduce himself to the white person standing next to you with a handshake and then address you with ‘wassup my sista, how you livin.’”

Black people who make it to U of C don’t want to be associated with these images from the ‘hood.

Still, it’s not up to white people to change those images. That’s on us.

Copyright © The Sun-Times Company
All rights reserved.