Friends ... I have to weigh in on this, I have no choice, as Rob has placed this squarely into the ongoing debate on tacit racism that exists everywhere and of course here in Brookland. This is not about being good, or being bad. It is not about conscious decisions (except in a few cases) it is about the pervasive attitudes and perceptions that are ingrained in our culture, attitudes and opinions that we hold because media, or social environment, and our role models have placed them there. How could we not? Anyone born in before the civil rights act and for many, many years thereafter (and ...it still goes on ie; Fuzzy Zeller) has been inundated with meda, movies, TV. popular culture, blatant racism at all levels of our society.
I am a caucasoid mongrel: French, German, Irish, Scotch (at least that, and who knows what else, Poodle maybe? ) yet, like the dolls in the short video ... I AM WHITE. Those attitudes we saw were being expressed by young black children ...what would happen if they were white children? It that video does not open your mind to the power of years of conditioning (mostly unconscious but conditioning none the less) then nothing else I, or anyone else can say will open your mind and heart to the facts as they are objectively presented to you.
I don't beieve Rob is attacking us for being racists. He is reminding us that racism in an inherent part of our lives and personalities and that some will take advantage of that to push their agenda. It is in the black community as well ... remember, those babies were black! How sad is that? We must stay observant, watch our language as the language of racism is subtle ...
I don't expect a response here. I expect some will read this and other will laugh at me ...truth is I really just wrote this for my own conscience and to remind me that racism is in me and I need to strive always to cast it out.
Jerry on Lawrence
----- Original message -----
From: Rob <indianrob@gmail.com>
To: "ward5@yahoogroups.com" <ward5@yahoogroups.com>, Ward 5 Google Groups <wardfive@googlegroups.com>
Subject: [WardFive] A "Fried Chicken" Course
Date: Wed, 22 May 2013 12:47:07 -0400
Good Afternoon,
What has really changed over the last 20 years from Fuzzy Zeller's Racist towards Tiger Woods. Sergio Garcia (pro-golfer) said he wasn't even aware of the "fried chicken" comment made years earler by Fuzzy Zeller, but somehow has the same thought process of what is "customary food" fit for a African American. Can the remark be anything but racist? And does that same thought process reside within many other cultures towards African Americans. From an East Indian Perspective, it does for the most part and this "fried chicken" comment is only the tip of a huge iceburg!!!!
In light of the Sergio Garcia remarks about inviting Tiger Woods to dinner and serving Fried Chicken, I am sharing a very sad but real video of how imaging from a subliminal to visual perspective starts at a very young age. From a larger perspective, how does this imaging manifests even in a most professional arenas and in mature adults. Do we ignore this or just live in denial?
Just imagine how many attacks our black kids suffer (throughout their day) on their self image simply because they are Black. Then our kids are expected to perform equal to with subpar environmental, educational opportunities, dietary and financial support or reinforcement. Even at a basic level of building a Futuristic Middle School here in Brookland -- we build an "art" school for our under-performing kids, we refuse to even understand how important it is to properly provide a Football/Soccer Field for our children to recreate; Sub-Par to say the least!!
After viewing the video, no one should ever argue subsidizing our children in any way.
| | | |
Rob Ramson
3744 12th Street, N.E.,
Washington D.C., 20017
202-438-5988
"We must become the change we want to see" - Mohandas Gandhi-
(Together, for a Brighter Tomorrow)
3744 12th Street, N.E.,
Washington D.C., 20017
202-438-5988
"We must become the change we want to see" - Mohandas Gandhi-
(Together, for a Brighter Tomorrow)
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