Race/Ethnicity Questions 541-550

THE QUESTION:
R550: How do people deal with prejudiced members of their own family? For instance, no matter how many times my mother and I tell him that “colored” is an inappropriate term for black people, that’s the term my father uses. The man isn’t stupid, and there’s nobody else in the room but family when he says it, so he’s not insulting anyone to their face. He just doesn’t care enough to be bothered to remember. He’s in his 70s and nothing my mother or I say is likely to change his attitude. Do I stick up for principle, let it go on the grounds life is too short to have futile fights with my father, or make a token resistance to show I don’t approve and then let it go? I usually do the third, but I’m interested in others’ feelings and experiences concerning this type of situation.
POSTED DEC. 4, 1998
Susan, female, New York, NY

ANSWER 1:
I’d be very interested in hearing people’s responses to this. My grandfather has a similar problem, but far worse. His is not just a matter of semantics, but of general attitude. In his heart and soul he IS prejudiced. For may years we have always explained him to outsiders as “old school” and a “product of the second World War” since many of his prejudices are rooted in his experience serving in that war. But lately, I’ve found these explanations to be less and less satisfying and his behavior to be more and more shameful. He is rather uneducated, but is also an extremely successful business man, so he’s not stupid. Does anyone have more insight/advice for this type of situation?
POSTED DEC. 7, 1998
D.M.M., 24, female <donikam@hotmail.com>, Charleston , SC

FURTHER NOTICE:
Being in my mid 50s I have lived through some of the “proper” descriptions. I started life in the times of “colored,” moved to “Negro,” experienced “black” and now we are in “Afro American.” Since your father is in his 70s, it is probably that he is not interested in learning new terms. Having lived outside the United States for more than 30 years, I can understand his “problem.” I would have problems myself with all the new political correct terms.
POSTED DEC. 7, 1998
Turk, white male <turksat@superonline.com>

FURTHER NOTICE 2:
Tolerance, Susan, tolerance. Though neither you or I would use colored or worse to refer to a black man (No, not Afro American until the PC police make us refer to Italian-American, Latvian-American, etc.), you would be showing more respect to your dad if you simply told him your views on the expression once, and then stopped trying to mold him to fit your social preferences.
POSTED DEC. 7, 1998
Al, white male, 66, FL

FURTHER NOTICE 3:
I too have family that uses the word “colored” when speaking of blacks … or African Americans … it’s very difficult to keep up with the Politically Correct terms these days. Anyway, I decided to ask my husband, a black man, if he was offended by the term. He explained to me that depending on the age of the person, he would or would not be offended. After all, in your father’s time, black folks were called “colored.” My husband would not be offended in such a case. But if a person were younger and aware of the newer terms, he would feel offended. Of course, my husband and I come from a time when black folks were called “black,” so this is the term we prefer. I think political correctness is overrated, and I get tired of keeping up. It changes it seems like week to week. For instance, I wasn’t aware until recently that Orientals and Asians were offended by those terms now. It’s Asian American all the way. OK, so I conform, though I personally don’t care if you call me white or honky. Just don’t call me Caucasion, please.
POSTED DEC. 7, 1998
Alyce, white female <alyce13@hotmail>, Cleveland, Oh

FURTHER NOTICE 4:
Susan, using “colored” was acceptable in your dad’s day, and it doesn’t mean he’s prejudiced. Leave him alone and enjoy him.
POSTED DEC. 7, 1998
A.A.W., 42, black female <ANABWI@aol.com>, Plantation, FL

FURTHER NOTICE 5:
Leave your dad alone. There are many African Amercans who still refer to themselves and others as “Negro” and “Colored.” I don’t find it offensive because I realize it’s a generational issue more so than an issue of bigotry. If your father isn’t intending to offend anyone (and he isn’t using the N-word) and he doesn’t use the word publicly, what difference does it make? “A rose by any other name… ”
POSTED DEC. 7, 1998
Karen H. , 32, African American, Orange, NJ

FURTHER NOTICE 6:
Your question is not unusual. Many people, especially those from different generational or cultural backgrounds, have difficulty in making what seems to them to be rather insignificant changes. I don’t believe, however, that people should rule their everyday life according to what is politically correct. No, “colored” is not appropriate; we are all colored in some fashion. But if that is the greatest of his sins, is it worth all of your effort to make him change?
POSTED DEC. 7, 1998
Jason <nene@wam.umd.edu>, Silver Spring, MD

FURTHER NOTICE 7:
I don’t think you should let it go. Point out to him that he may infect his grandchildren with his attitudes. If he still won’t change, make sure any children of yours understand what he says is not right or acceptable to you.
POSTED DEC. 7, 1998
A.C.C., San Antonio, TX

FURTHER NOTICE 8:
Is your father actually prejudiced, or is he simply using words he is familiar with? When he was growing up, colored was the term, and even though he has learned tolerance (not insulting people to their faces), he is probably just using the words he knows. Nicknames and tags for various ethnic groups are quite common, and though few respectable people would use them in public, the way your father behaves in private is probably not as poor as you believe. I would simply leave him alone. Within my own family there is plenty of prejudice, and my method of dealing with it is to complain occasionally but just to put up with it.
POSTED DEC. 7, 1998
Jessica F., white female, 14, Victoria, Australia <Superwidge@hotmail.com>

FURTHER NOTICE 9:
Although the term colored is no longer politically correct, I don’t believe you can automatically equate its usage by a 70-year-old as racist. I think many elderly reach the point where they are resistant and possibly resentful of all the change in the world. Remembering a time when “black” or “African” was considered insulting, the whole matter may appear as just another fad to someone in his or her 70s. Unless some more overt type of racist behavior is evident, I’d advise you lighten up a little.
POSTED DEC. 7, 1998
S.F. black male <sfinley@wans.net>, Naperville, IL

FURTHER NOTICE 10:
The term “colored” is not necessarily inappropriate. It is not considered slang to most people. If anything, the term is outdated and may be viewed by many to be politically incorrect. My grandparents also have used the term when referring to a person of color, and it was never derogatory – just a way to describe a person. I would not try to change your father at this point. If he is not implying anything negative when using this term, then leave well enough alone.
POSTED DEC. 7, 1998
32, American female, Lansing, MI

FURTHER NOTICE 11:
I say ignore it. My father was the same way – I think if you’re not a prejudiced person and someone else is, then let them be. It’s hard to change an older person who has had their values and beliefs for a long time. Just break the chain. Be yourself and accept others for who they are or are not.
POSTED DEC. 7, 1998
F.S. <abqteachr@netscape.net>, Albuquerque, NM

FURTHER NOTICE 12:
I tend toward the third with my dad, partly for the sake of family harmony, but mostly because I realize that at his age (64) he is not likely to change (he doesn’t seem likely to give up smoking, either, even though he was a doctor and knows better). I wish it were otherwise, but I’ve found that arguing such points just makes him dig in his heels.
POSTED DEC. 7, 1998
Gene, white male <geneand@ix.netcom.com>, Oakland, CA

FURTHER NOTICE 13:
As a black woman, I think you don’t realize that he is relating to the world from the cultural environment he was raised in. I don’t find the term “colored” an insult or even disrespectful when coming from someone who doesn’t know any better or who is too set in their ways to change or just confused by all the politically correct issues out here in society. Cut the man some slack; I’m sure he’s a real sweetie regardless.
POSTED DEC. 7, 1998
S.W., black female <sweetkali@earthlink.net>, Los Angeles, CA

FURTHER NOTICE 14:
I sympathize deeply with you. My father is very racist, primarily toward black people, but toward anyone not white in general. Nearly every statement he makes contains some slur. My mother, unfortunately, is the same way, though to a lesser degree. They are both very homophobic as well. I can only tell you that when I was younger, I said nothing. I took the stance that I had no right to speak to my parents about that kind of thing. Now, since I have been on my own and have cemented my own very different views on those matters, I have no problem coming out and calling my father a racist. It can bring about some pretty bad arguments, but we are still family. As much as I do not want to admit it, I will likely not change their minds, but if I do not try, I will never know if it was possible.
POSTED DEC. 7, 1998
John K., 25 <the-macs@geocities.com>, Cranford, NJ
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THE QUESTION:
R549: A woman was recently interviewed for a job that required significant interaction with an English-speaking public. The woman was not hired because she spoke almost no English. Would you consider this to be discrimination?
POSTED DEC. 4, 1998
Maria K., female, Rowley, MA

ANSWER 1:
I would consider that not meeting the requirements of the job. I feel that many people today think they can get any job they want, whether they qualify or not. And if they don’t get the job, they scream discrimination. My father deals with this – he repairs electronics. He works with very incompetent people, but they cannot be fired because they cry a river about being fired because of something else – gender, race, whatever. If the woman you’re talking about was not hired because she’s black, or because she’s a “she,” that’s discrimination.
POSTED DEC. 7, 1998
J. Sin, white male, GA

FURTHER NOTICE:
Absolutely not. She wasn’t capable of doing the job. Refusing to hire someone who lacks the necessary skills to do the job is completely appropriate.
POSTED DEC. 9, 1998
Susan, New York, NY
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THE QUESTION:
R548: Why does it seem that professional mens sports teams (football, basketball) are becoming more and more dominated by black players?
POSTED DEC. 4, 1998
Maria K., female, Rowley, MA

ANSWER 1:
I feel it’s because black people are adapted to physical activites due to their traditional ancestory. Genetics and evolution are most likely involved. For instance, most black people have broader and flatter noses, to allow more air into their lungs. This is due to the hot climates black people have lived in for thousands of years in Africa. In contrast, most white people have smaller noses, due to living in colder climates, so they restrict the cold air entering their body. One could also argue that it’s because most black people are at a disadvantage when they grow up due to poorer schools, unequal education, etc., and that sports is a good way for the disadvantaged to succeed. And unfortunately, there is a large percentage of disadvantaged black people in the United States.
POSTED DEC. 7, 1998
J. Sin , white male who can’t jump, GA

FURTHER NOTICE:
I am sure there are various explanations why it appears some professional sports are dominated by African Americans. Some may be based on solid research, while others may be based on myth. However, there is one important factor I would like for you to keep in mind: The people who select these fine athletes are for the most part non-minorities, i.e. Caucasians. The question therefore should be directed to them – Why do they place such large numbers of African Americans on their teams?
POSTED DEC. 9, 1998
Joe P., old geezer, black male, Tallahassee, Fl

FURTHER NOTICE 2:
I come from an African-American family and we seem to have little athletic ability, despite our genetic heritage. I can’t sing well, either. Maybe what you are seeing is a lack of opportunity in the African-American community for other career possibilities, or more media exposure for celebrities vs. people in other fields. I couldn’t compete in these careers. I became a physician instead.
POSTED DEC. 11, 1998
Susan, black female, MA

FURTHER NOTICE 3:
To J.Sin: The overwhelming majority of black Americans are not disadvantaged. In terms of poverty, the last numbers I saw on black impoverished people was somewhere around 25 percent, which means 75 percent are above the poverty level. Also, is there any documentation of a correlation of airflow into the lungs and attainment of a professional athletic career? Let’s be careful.
POSTED DEC. 11, 1998
Black female, MA

FURTHER NOTICE 4:
Why would the size of one’s nose have anything to do with professional sports ability? I’m confused.
POSTED DEC. 11, 1998
Jen, white female, 21 <Jravani123@aol.com>, Lansing, MI

FURTHER NOTICE 5:
Most people don’t want to hear it, but there is much truth in what Jimmy the Greek once said and was subsequently fired for. The majority of blacks in this country came from plantation slaves and were literally “bred” for better performance in their tasks. Just like livestock were and are still selectively bred. It’s not a dispersion on the race, just the facts.
POSTED DEC. 11, 1998
Griz <grizzly800@aol.com>, West Palm Beach , Fl

FURTHER NOTICE 6:
In certain competitive sports, very small differences (a tenth of a second over 40 yards, for example) separate the top pros from the also-rans. Genetic differences can be critically important. I have seen reputable articles, one in Sports Illustrated, descibing the positive mechanical impact of leg structures more common to blacks than whites – one dealt with the shape of the heel bone, and one the ratio of the length of the femur to the lower leg. These are contributing factors to the success of blacks in sprints, jumps and sports that emphasize sprints and jumps. Athletics emphasizing arms aren’t as dominated by blacks – pitching in baseball, quarterbacking in football, throwing events in track and field. Tennis and swimming may also fit this hypothesis, although cultural and facility access issues may be at play as well.
POSTED DEC. 11, 1998
B. Hale, white <halehart@aol>, Hartford, CT

FURTHER NOTICE 7:
To J. Sin: I work in a health care enviroment and see just as many black Americans with breathing problems as whites. The one area I see more role models for black Americans is in sports. Where you have role models, you have people striving for that field. Gee, I wonder why. Could it be that when a qualified black applies for a computer programmer job, it’s easier to say the white person is better qualified? If I can jump higher and shoot baskets better than the person next to me because I’ve worked my butt off, it’s kind of hard to say the other person is better qualified.
POSTED DEC. 11, 1998
Alma, lesbian who cant even jump <pridewks@seacove.net>, Kempner, TX

FURTHER NOTICE 8:
The first answer was questionable at best. How does a broad nose allow more air? Besides, people usually breathe through their mouths when exercising. Genetics may be the answer, but most likely for reasons other than those the answerer gave, in my opinion.
POSTED DEC. 11, 1998
Mark S., 30, white male, Houston , TX

FURTHER NOTICE 9:
The differences in black and white physiology are more easily explained by slavery. In a short period of time (geologically speaking) the weaker blacks in this country were rooted out. The ultimate Darwinism was in effect that if you couldn’t haul a bail of cotton or pick half a field, you were killed because you were weak. True blacks may have developed traits while in Africa, but that theory crumbles when applied to “African” Americans because of mixed ancestry. Most “African” Americans are mixed, giving them features similar to many whites (skin color is the distinguishing characteristic).
POSTED DEC. 11, 1998
Nigel <nkwate@home.com>

FURTHER NOTICE 10:
To J. Sin: I don’t know where you got the idea of broader noses helping athleticism. I read extensively that there is no scientific evidence that blacks have evolved differently than whites. (There are small exceptions such as, of course, skin color) To Griz: I don’t know where you got all of your facts, either. It’s scientifically impossible for a species of any kind to evolve over a course of 200-300 years. If anything, blacks would evolve in the opposite effect and become “weaker” now that slavery has ended. Even if they were bred that way. What does it mean when you have an extremely athletic white male who has no African-American heritage in their backround? It doesn’t add up.
POSTED DEC. 18, 1998
J. Harrison, black male <Jaykid39@hotmail.com>, Columbia, MD

FURTHER NOTICE 11:
To J. Harrison: Noses are important only in isolated situations in sports, such as when a football player sprints with his mouth clamped shut on a mouthguard. Those breath-right strips are popular, indicating that some pros see a value to better breathing through the nose. My belief is that white noses narrowed over many generations to better warm the frigid air entering the lungs in northern European climates. On the 200- to 300-year evolution thing, it is possible to change the stock of a community through conscious effort – for example, marrying all the tall people together and shipping out the short people would lead to a pretty tall society after a few generations. I’d like somebody to verify with authority the extent to which conscious breeding of blacks really occurred during slavery. Is there a good book on this topic?
POSTED DEC. 21, 1998
B. Hale, white <halehart@aol.com>, Hartford, CT

FURTHER NOTICE 12:
The answer to your question is twofold: First, it has to do with many long hard hours of practice; and second, it’s economic conditions. The athletes you see in the NFL or NBA are at the top of their respective professions. The didn’t get there because of breeding on plantations or because of their physical makeup. They’ve made it there because most love the game they play and they’ve played the game tens of thousands of hours. I have a friend, Xavier, who has a Ph.D. in biology, and he is very prominent in his field. His love for biology just didn’t happen. To the contrary, he has loved biology and things related to biology since childhood. So while the young Michael Jordan was on the basketball court practicing his jump shot, the young Xavier was in his room reading about the anatomy of frogs. While Michael was honing his skills on the courts in college, Xavier was honing his in the lab in college. When Michael was a rookie in the NBA, Xavier was doing his post-doc work. Do you see what I mean?

Secondly, let’s face it: There is a disparity between inner-city schools and suburban schools. This disparity didn’t just occur. Because of this, education isn’t always seen as the way to financial success in some black homes. This thought is held by the kid who sees someone like himself who is on TV and is a multi-millionaire, as well as the kid’s parent, who may also be under-educated and doesn’t value education. So these parents encourage their kids to pursue their athletic dreams rather than their academic ones. Most kids never achieve their dreams (there are a finite number of players required on any given team). You don’t see those young black men on commercials, and you don’t see young white suburban kids hanging posters of those young black men on their walls. That’s because some are incarcerated, and the others, while they are hard-working, law-abiding citizens, go unnoticed by most people. But that’s OK, because they still have their dreams, and when they watch Randall Cunningham throw the ball, they’re happy he’s achieved his dream.
POSTED DEC. 27, 1998
Tonyway, gay black male <tonyway@yahoo.com>, San Francisco, CA
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THE QUESTION:
R547: Do Indians (i.e. from India) feel a strong affinity to the Taj Mahal, the way other religions feel strongly about, say, Mecca, or The Western Wall?
POSTED DEC. 4, 1998
Suzanne <suzanne@virtualjerusalem.com >
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THE QUESTION:
R546: Many black Americans have what I would call “mainstream” names, with a definable origin, whether American, African, or Muslim: James, Ellis, Kwame, Mfume, Yussuf, Ali. What is the origin of names such as “Laukesha,” “Mercural,” “Meshawn” and the like? These seem, to me, like an artificial construct, but I may be bound by my traditional White Male Anglo-Irish ways. At any rate, peace and love to all, whatever your name.
POSTED DEC. 4, 1998
Don G., white male geezer, Cleveland , OH

ANSWER 1:
All names are “made-up” – some just more recently than others.
POSTED DEC. 16, 1998
Tracy, African-American female, 30, Cleveland, OH
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THE QUESTION:
R545: To Asians: How do you view African Americans? I was recently asked by an Asian friend of mine if I combed my hair every day. I don’t understand what prompted that question. Please help me understand.
POSTED DEC. 4, 1998
Y.M., 22, African American <yoyo2003@hotmail.com>, Toledo, OH

ANSWER 1:
Perhaps I’m generalizing, but I think the older generation Indian (60-plus) is more inclined to be racist toward African Americans than someone from my generation would be. But then the older generation is more xenophobic and is not at ease with any foreigner, not just African Americans. I do think (and I’m only thinking of an Asian Indian here, not all Asians) that Indians tend to lput a lot of emphasis on education, college degrees, intellect, family background, social hierarchy, etc., and any prejudice an Indian may have based purely on race/skin color is likely to be dispelled if the person in question meets these “exacting,” somewhat snobbish, standards. Incidentally, Indians judge each other on these very same standards.
POSTED FEB. 18, 1999
S.T. ,33, Asian Indian, Dallas, TX
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THE QUESTION:
R544: It seems to me that most black people act like white people are trash. A lot of the black girls my age (I’m 14) talk down to white girls, but never to each other. It’s like they are only mean to people who can’t defend themselves, or won’t. Not all of them, but most of them. They act like they are God’s greatest creation, and nothing can touch them, especially a white girl. Why?
POSTED DEC. 2, 1998
Michele M., 14, white female <mitch_1000@yahoo.com>, Battle Creek, MI

ANSWER 1:
Michele, you have to stand up for yourself; bullies will bully until you put them in their place. This applies to all people, not just black girls.
POSTED DEC. 4, 1998
A.A.W., 42, black female <ANABWI@aol.com>, Plantation, FL

FURTHER NOTICE:
Michelle, there are plenty of black folks who don’t think white folks are trash. Please don’t make an assumption about an entire group of people based on the actions of a few members of that group. That’s called prejudice. If these girls are putting you down simply because of your skin color, then you’re probably better off not trying to seek their friendship. Besides their own prejudice, they’re simply rude. It’s always best to treat people the way you want to be treated. Make sure you’re doing that, and hopefully you’ll end up with friends who you can truly call friends, regardless of their color.
POSTED DEC. 4, 1998
Kecia L., black female, Chicago, IL
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THE QUESTION:
R543: I have heard Italians and Italian Americans call African Americans “Eggplants.” Can someone tell me what this term means, and its origin?
POSTED DEC. 2, 1998
African American <Crizo@hotmail.com>, Chicago, IL

ANSWER 1:
I come from an Italian family, and I believe the eggplant term originated because Italians thought black people’s skin resembled the color of an eggplant. In Italian eggplant is pronounced “moo-lin-yan,” which you may also have heard. In my opinion, it is somewhat of a slur, but it is a not really a malicious name. I’ve only heard it used a few times in my life, when my older relatives were joking around.
POSTED DEC. 9, 1998
Jim, male, NJ

FURTHER NOTICE:
I am a white Scottish-American female who has had two Italian boyfriends who have used this term. They actually used the word “melanzane” (sp?), which is the Italian word for eggplant, and they seemed to be referring to the similarity of the color of an eggplant to black skin. They seemed to use it in reference to men rather than women. I am not condoning the use of this racist term, just reporting on it.
POSTED DEC. 9, 1998
M. Malcolm, white female, Boston, MA
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THE QUESTION:
R542: How are dreadlocks achieved? Is that style easier to take care of? Where did it orginate?
POSTED DEC. 1, 1998
Tina, 30, white female, Kansas City, Mo

ANSWER 1:
I believe the term “dreadlocks” originated in the days of slavery. As the slaves were being transported from Africa, they didn’t have the luxury of taking care of grooming needs, so our hair became intertwined, creating “plats,” or locks. Slaveowners saw this and thought it looked “dreadful,” hence the term “dreadlocks.” So in short, the term is derogatory – the correct term is just “locks.” What others saw as ugly and dreadful, we saw as natural beauty.
POSTED DEC. 16, 1998
S.M., black male <smoore15@aol.com>, Baltimore, MD

FURTHER NOTICE:
If you do not comb extremely curly hair (what some folks call kinky or, derogatorily, nappy hair) for a long time, it will eventually mat, or “lock.” You can create “cultivated” locks by rolling individual pieces of hair so they’re neat. Some people use gel or wax to try to hold starting locks together, but extremely curly hair doesn’t really need much aside from water or a water-based holding agent. As the hair grows, you keep rolling the new growth up into the lock. When you’re starting out, it’s recommended you not wash your hair for about a month so that the starting locks don’t come loose. Afterward, you can wash your hair as often as you like. This counters the common assumption that locks are unclean.
POSTED DEC. 18, 1998
Kecia L., black female who’s thinking about growing locks, Chicago, IL

FURTHER NOTICE 2:
Dreadlocks are part of the Rastafarian religious beliefs made popular by Bob Marley. It originated in Ethiopia, following the sun god RA, but was nearly wiped out with slavery. Jamaica was a central point for many of the slaves to end up, so it was “reborn” there.
POSTED DEC. 21, 1998
Liam, 22 <liam.hanrahan@nuigalway.ie>, Ireland
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THE QUESTION:
R541: Why does it seem that many African Americans are so anti-Jewish? Having been the victims of bigotry, it seems odd that so many African-American newspapers and spokespeople (e.g. Farrakhan, Sharpton, etc.) propagate long-discredited anti-Semitic stereotypes.
POSTED NOV. 29, 1998
Gregg S., 45 <gregg1@alumni.ksg.harvard.edu>, Boston, MA

ANSWER 1:
I don’t hate Jews; my Mom used to take us to temple as kids just to listen to the cantors sing. We always sat in the back row, but no one made us feel we were unwanted or out of place. Also my maiden name is common among Jews and we used to get calls around Hannukah, Passover, etc. from Jews looking for their friends from the old neighborhoods in New York. We were even invited to Seder a few times, until we told them we were a black family. It was a running joke in our family and we so much looked forward to those calls. Also my brother had the same name, graduated high school the same year as a Jewish boy who eventually went on into politics; how we’d laugh when the two were compared.
POSTED DEC. 1, 1998
A.A.W., 42 black female <ANABWI@aol.com>, Plantation, FL

FURTHER NOTICE:
Your suggestion that blacks are anti-Jewish is wrong, grossly distorts black attitudes and is offensive. At 58, I’ve yet to meet a black I would label anti-Jewish. On the contrary, we have a profound appreciation and empathy for Jewish suffering and have felt a shared understanding of bigotry and hatred. This may be why many blacks are especially irritated by what they perceive today as Jewish indifference to the plights and sufferings of anyone not Jewish. Also, many blacks have long felt that Jewish businesses, operating in or drawing their sustenance from black communities, have not been signficantly inclined to invest anything back into those communities (as a child in Memphis, a common joke among blacks was that Jewish businesses thriving in black neighborhoods woundn’t give a black a job sweeping the floor). If these perceptions and feelings have been ill-founded, then blacks would be the first to want to know and to know what the truth in these areas really is.
POSTED DEC. 1, 1998
Floyd L. 58, black male <lastchild@worldnet.att.net>, Memphis, TN

FURTHER NOTICE 2:
As a young African-American male, I feel that some of the prevailing anti-Semitic sentiments in the African-American community are mostly within an older generational context. My mother is Southern and grew up at time when overt racism was acceptable; subsequently her impressions of whites and Jews today stem from earlier experiences. In my conversations with her and others in her age group, it seems as if many do not deny that African Amercans and Jews should have a more harmonious relationshp because of their past but similar oppressive situations. However, many of them feel as if Jews have historically exploited African Americans, specifically commercially. Nevertheless I have yet to meet anyone of my African-American peers who share similar sentiments to those in an older age group.
POSTED DEC. 2, 1998
Yantee, African-American maile <Yantee21@hotmail.com,>, Boston, MA

FURTHER NOTICE 3:
When we finally have an avenue for people to ask questions they’ve always wanted to know about other cultures, the questioner gets slapped in the face for asking to begin with! The question was: “Why does it seem that many African-Americans are so anti-Jewish?” If someone asks “Why does it seem that lesbians are confrontational?”, how much progress am I going to make by saying the questioner is offensive, anti-gay and homophobic? Would it not make more sense to explain why that assumption is not so? The person was asking a question, not making an unkind statement. Now, I’m going to ask a question, and I’d appreciate if you would really think about it and give a rational answer, because I think others would like to hear it: In the past 10 years, I have heard numerous non-black Americans say that they feel that black Americans are becoming the racists of the 21st Century. Why do you think this is happening? I’ll give you a hint: I have heard the same remark directed toward gays, Hispanics and Koreans. I have never heard the remark directed toward Native American Indians.
POSTED DEC. 2, 1998
Alma, lesbian, federal employee <pridewks@seacove.net>, Kempner, TX

FURTHER NOTICE 4:
To Alma: I cannot tell you why some things “seem” a certain way to you, because I cannot view them through your eyes, and appearences can be deceiving. I can tell you what the truth is, as I see it, and leave it to you to accept or reject my views, which were well laid out in my earlier post. Questions can make powerful statements. In my view an operative point of Gregg S.’s post is “many African Americans are so [i.e., extremely] anti-Jewish.” For this African American who is not in any way “anti-Jewish” and knows no other African American who is “so anti-Jewish,” the point is so skewed from the truth, as I see it, as to offend. Regardless of a poster’s intent, if I feel offended (and I am the best judge of that), then I am offended. If through this forum you truly want, in your words, “to know about other cultures,” surely that must include knowledge of what offends as well as what pleases.

As to the rumors of blacks being the “racists of the 21st century,” I believe a black or Hispanic or Korean racist is an oxymoron. Your rumors implicitly admit, and rightly so, that these groups have not been the “racists” of the 20th century. Racism is a western European creation, further perfected in the New World, based on beliefs of, and synonymous with, white supremacy. So while blacks, Hispanics and Koreans may prejudge and/or discriminate until they come around to believing and acting on the belief that they are genetically superior to, and therefore more deserving than, other racial groups, and until whites come to disimbue themselves of those views, your blacks, Hispanics and Koreans don’t stand a chance of winning the title of “racists of the 21st century,” though there may be ongoing attempts to annoint them as such (e.g., as through rumors). The rumors reflect fears that these minority groups will be increasingly important powers players (in the United States) in the 21st century. The need to relinquish some, or often to just share, power is usually greeted with resistance by those in power. The rumors may also be a type of call to arms for those inclined to offer resistence to this inevitable minority press for power. You hear nothing about Native Americans because they are still struggling to recover from near extinction.
POSTED DEC. 3, 1998
Floyd L., 58, black male <lastchild@worldnet.att.net>, Memphis, TN

FURTHER NOTICE 5:
Well, lets see. There are absolutely no anti-Jewish black Americans, yet we have jokes about Jewish Americans, a perceived indifference by Jews toward blacks, a perception that Jews draw sustenance from blacks and return nothing to the community. But, of course, blacks would be the first to know if these perceptions were ill-founded. Oh yeah, thats tolerance.
POSTED DEC. 4, 1998
Alma, gay american <pridewks@seacove.net>, Kempner, TX

FURTHER NOTICE 6:
Gregg’s question was a valid one. A recently released study shows that while anti-Semitism is on the decline in the United States, African Americans as a group continue to show high levels of anti-Semitism compared to the population at large. Anti-Semitic African Americans always have an excuse to offer for their attitudes. So do racist Jews. Both attitudes are wrong and immoral, and both groups should know better.
POSTED DEC. 4, 1998
Susan, New York, NY

FURTHER NOTICE 7:
To Floyd L: You say it’s offensive that I should even ask why it seems blacks are anti-Semitic. The reason I asked this question is that most black leaders in the United States – Jesse Jackson, members of the Black Caucus, Marion Barry, Andrew Young – and many black newspapers, including the largest, the Amsterdam News – are on record as having made remarks that perpetuate old, racist stereotypes about Jews. When asked to repudiate these statements or disavow the blatant anti-Semitism of Louis Farrakhan, these mainline black groups refrain from doing do. Furthermore, the Anti-Defamation League conducts a regular poll to measure anti-Semitism in the United States (it’s been conducted in 1964, 1981, 1992 and 1998). This year’s findings showed that 34 percent of African Americans hold extreme anti-Jewish views, as opposed to 9 percent of whites. Given these facts, I don’t see why it is offensive to ask why.
POSTED DEC. 4, 1998
Gregg S., 45 <gregg1@alumni.ksg.harvard.edu>, Boston, MA

FURTHER NOTICE 8:
I had noticed the incongruity contained in the FURTHER NOTICE posted by Floyd L. but decided not to reply because I do not envision the Y? Forum as a forum for debate. Then I saw the FURTHER NOTICE 4 posted by Floyd L.,and am compelled to respond. In his FURTHER NOTICE, Floyd L. says that a suggestion that blacks are anti-Jewish is a distortion and offensive. He further says, “I’ve yet to meet a black I would label anti-Jewish.” He then goes on to tell us why “many blacks” are irritated by several perceptions that are what can only be described as anti-Semitic stereotypes. In his FURTHER NOTICE 4, Floyd L. displays an old saw that minority groups cannot be racists, and that racism is limited to western Europeans, “further perfected in the New World,” and is synonymous with “white supremacy.” I don’t know about “all” or “most” other blacks, but I am pretty sure about Floyd L. If he doesn’t believe the term “racist” applies, I’ll use another: Bigot. I believe Floyd L is one. He uses the arsenal of the bigot (or racist, if you prefer). He stereotypes. He claims an “appreciation and empathy for Jewish suffering (“some of my best friends are Jews”) while excoriating Jews for the stereotypical practices of “Jewish business” in black neighborhoods. Honest dialogue between various groups is essential if we are to reduce mutual misunderstanding. But there can be no honest dialogie if any participant in the debate refuses to acknowledge the attitudes that may prevail within himself or herself or within the individual’s group.
POSTED DEC. 4, 1998
Jerry, 65, white Jewish male, Tampa , FL

FURTHER NOTICE 9:
To Floyd: You are entitled to your opinion and to freely express what offends you, but you do make contradictory statements in your initial post. And while minorities do not have the political power or wealth to wield institutional racism, that does not mean we’re incapable of making and holding bigoted and prejudicial views. I want my views to be known and understood., but I am also willing to acknowledge when my views are skewed. It seems for most of us it is difficult to accept that what we believe or hold to be true is not correct. As a matter of fact, it appears that your views supports the opinion of the young man who suggests that anti-Semiticism is higher among older African Americans. I think you were offended because part of you knows the original postee was speaking truth about some of us.
POSTED DEC. 7, 1998
Zawadi, black female, 33 <aquarius9@hotmail.com>, Detroit, MI

FURTHER NOTICE 10:
I reject the notion that to express displeasure with a real or perceived practice of a group is to be “anti-that group.” One way of dispelling negative, stereotypical views is to expose the fallacies in those views. This cannot be done through name-calling or arguments of deflection. Because I identified two stereotypical views held by a number of blacks (that Jewish people are indifferent to the plight and sufferings of anyone not Jewish, and that Jewish businesses do not invest back into those black communities from which they’ve drawn their sustenance) I am labeled a racist, bigot and extreme anti-Semite. Yet my accusers have neither established that the views are ill-founded nor sought to demonstrate the fallacies. Identify or show the indicators (not the “because-I-say-so” argument) that the views are false, and I believe the stereotypes will evaporate. And no more unproductive name-calling, smoke-screening or deflection, please.
POSTED DEC. 7, 1998
Floyd L., 58, black male <lastchild@worldnet.att.net>, Memphis, TN

FURTHER NOTICE 11:
I am a Black Jew; I was raised Jewish, was barmitzvah, etc. and have what I believe to be a very Jewish name. In appearance I am a light-skinned black. I believe the original question has merit; speaking only from experience, I am typically approached two or three times per month (I frequent New York City, Boston and L.A.) by blacks with strong anti-Jewish biases. This is of course skewed, because the extremists are the ones who tend to approach you on the street to proselytize; however, by the same token, they’re also extremely visible. Typically, in my experience, there are two groups that tend to do this; proselytizers and taxicab drivers. In the former case, I am reliably approached by Nation of Islam members whenever I walk past them while they’re handing out leaflets. After evincing neutral interest (deliberately) I have never waited more than two minutes before a comment such as “Of course, we must defy the oppression of the Jews” or “This politician is racist, but he’s Jewish, so that explains it…” At this point, I tend to hold my driver’s license out and ask them to read it, at which point, there is either much stuttering and physical retreat, or in rare cases, I’m called a deceiver and infiltrator. The taxicab drivers, I think, are just those few who harbor racist biases and have what they perceive to be a sympathetic person alone – although their seeing me as a sympathetic person because I’m black is indicative in itself. Jews, actually, tend to classify me as a Sephardic Jew instead of black, until they are told differently. I don’t experience much of a change in their behavior, usually; I’m treated as a Jew. I believe the reason black politicians haven’t disavowed their anti-Semitic statements is that they’re politicians, and they’re caught in this systemic problem as well; they’re afraid of a backlash from their support group if they do so. If blacks are their primary support group, pressure from non-blacks to repudiate statements about non-blacks offers a chance to show resistance to outside influence, whereas offering conciliatory rhetoric guarantees loud outcry from the extremists, who get most of the media attention.
POSTED DEC. 7, 1998
Jacob Z., black Jew, 29 <zimerman@mit.edu>, Boston, MA

FURTHER NOTICE 12:
Let me try one more time. Floyd used some Jewish stereotypes, which he denies are stereotypes. Maybe if I put this debate into the form of African-American stereotypes, he’ll understand the problem. There are people who are racist who will insist that the following are true: Blacks are lazy; blacks are dishonest; they are violent criminals; they are sex-crazed. If someone were to post those stereotypes as the basis for an argument, Floyd would be properly enraged. And so would I. And the reason for Floyd’s and my rage would be that both of us try to see people as individuals, and not as members of a group. So I go back to my basic premise: People who stereotype other people are racists or bigots. Floyd, please take a look at yourself.
POSTED DEC. 9, 1998
Jerry, 65, white Jewish male, Tampa , FL

FURTHER NOTICE 13:
To Floyd L.: Wait a minute. You go and accept these unsupported, blanket assertions (that Jews are unsympathetic to the plights of others, that they don’t invest in communities where they do business), and then you demand that people prove you wrong? When you’re making sweeping generalizations, why don’t you first prove that you’re right? Perhaps the reason you don’t offer proof is that you have none. Jews have a long history of more than mere sympathy, but actual support for other minorities. Jews on a proportional basis were way over-represented among whites during the Civil Rights movement. It is your kind of unsupportable, too-vague-for-serious-response generalizations that are the stock in trade of anti-Semites the world over, black and white. And to deny, in these times of Louis Farrakhan and Khalid Muhammad, that anti-Semitism doesn’t exist among some blacks would be laughable if it weren’t so sad.
POSTED DEC. 11, 1998
Andrew, 34, Jewish <ziptron@start.com.au>, Huntington , NY

FURTHER NOTICE 14:
To Floyd L.: I have two words for you: Crown Heights. Look it up. I would love for you to explain where all of those black people yelling, “Kill the Jews!” came from, since you seem to think there are no black people who hate Jewish people. From what I can tell, blacks are just the most recent group to target Jewish people as a cause of their problems, for whatever reasons.
POSTED DEC. 14, 1998
John K., 25 <the-macs@geocities.com>, Cranford, NJ

FURTHER NOTICE 15:
To Andrew: Gregg’s original post was a very general question, based on an Anti-Defamation League survey using 11 stereotypical views, as to why it seemed that many African Americans are so anti-Jewish. (Under the ADL criteria, anyone believing 0-1 of the 11 was non anti-Semitic, 2-5 was middle and 6-11 was most anti-Semitic). In my initial response, I identified two very specific stereotypical views that are so seminal for many blacks that by dealing with them we essentially deal with all others. Any meaningful discussion under Gregg’s question should therefore address these two views, how to best dispel them if they are false or change behavior if they are true. Anything else is noise. The ADL results suggest that such views are most often held by the less-educated, supporting my belief that the most effective way of dispelling such views “is to expose the fallacies in those views,” i.e. educate. Anyone truly desirous of, and holding information useful in, debunking these two seminal views should engage in the education process rather than persistent, provocative labeling, which only reinforces the negative stereotypes. Your comments about the civil rights movement are in the right direction. Blacks were then quite aware of the moral, legal, financial and other roles played by some Jews, thus my comment on “a shared understanding of bigotry and hatred.” But my original post referred to what blacks “perceive today,” roughly a half century later.
POSTED DEC. 16, 1998
Floyd L., 58, black male <lastchild@worldnet.att.net>, Memphis, TN

FURTHER NOTICE 16:
I feel Floyd L’s. posts contradict themselves so frequently that it’s obvious he is not willing to look at his own behavior or to attempt to participate in useful discussion. “You can’t teach a pig to sing; it irritates the pig and wastes your time.” What is useful is to recognize that black, white and Jewish Americans all have a reason to have strong feelings on this subject. Until all can understand the anger and hurt that each culture has on anti-Semitic behavior, we will make no headway. There are many blacks who hate Jews. There are many whites who hate blacks. Period. Now, let’s move past that and look at what we have in common rather than what makes us different to the point of the stupid need to hate. We’re at that stage where we need to stir or get off the pot.
POSTED DEC. 27, 1998
Alma, white, Methodist-raised lesbian <pridewks@seacove.net>, Kempner, TX

FURTHER NOTICE 17:
Please don’t justify your feelings that black people are anti-Semitic on the fact that Al Sharpton and Louis Farrakhan are. For every black “activist” who is supposedly anti-Semitic, there are probably two or three who aren’t. And if you look at black politicians – people who have actually been elected by other people and are therefore representative of the people – none are anti-Semitic. Sharpton and Farrakhan are out for themselves; they have their own agendas. They do not reflect the feelings of black America. Finally, Jews and blacks are both persecuted people. Historically, these two groups have worked very closely to combat racism and discrimination in America. Many Jews are active in the NAACP and were very important in the early days of the struggle, as they are today. Don’t let the media influence the way you think: Know your history – all of it.
POSTED DEC. 27, 1998
Tony W., gay black male <tonyway@yahoo.com>, San Francisco, CA

FURTHER NOTICE 18:
To Alma: This forum is not about “what we have in common”; it is about “People’s Differences” and the need to understand and work through them. The fact that you are not grasping this, while still grasping for something worthwhile to say, renders your comments cliched and non-productive, i.e., “noise.” This thread is not about hate. You may be an authority on your hates and other “whites who hate blacks,” but you have not demonstrated the bona fides for making any informed statement about blacks, one way or the other.

For those interested in understanding and working through differences: Stereotypes, the real subject here, are basically popularly held beliefs. They may be flattering or unflattering, correct or false, but they are fundamentally beliefs. They can be dealt with as I have consistently suggested throughout this thread- education. Hate, on the other hand, is profoundly different. It is an attitude, ugly and deeply disfiguring, wrought with ill-will, insecurity and fear. It is very common among bigots who are given to projecting onto others the same ugly attitudes that so characterize the bigot. Alma’s “whites-hate-blacks-and-blacks-hate-Jews” attitude is a case in point. The recipe for dealing with hate is largely the same as that for dealing with bigotry, but is dramatically different than dealing with stereotypes.
POSTED JAN. 5, 1999
Floyd L., black male <lastchild@worldnet.att.net>, Memphis, TN
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