Race/Ethnicity Questions 601-610

THE QUESTION:
R610: Why can’t white people have Pride days or marches, when every other racial, ethnic, religious or sexually-oriented group can?
POSTED FEB. 18, 1999
Gail, white female, 37, <bubba5737@aol.com>, Arden, NY

ANSWER 1:
They do! Here in New York City, the following “whites” have parades: Italians (Columbus Day), the Irish (St. Patrick’s Day), Greeks (Hellenic Day), Germans, Albanians and Russians, as well as those from countries in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. I think you meant to ask why there aren’t white “race” parades. This is flawed because there aren’t really other race parades. Koreans and West-Indians, for example, have their own parades here. They are more ethnically centered, so I’m sure in this country there is at least one parade a year for everyone’s ethnicity. I think there aren’t more white parades because the idea is a little silly. We already live in a white-centered world, so using a parade to show off dress, custom, music, etc. is a little redundant. Thus the only other reason to have a white parade is to exercise white power, and that makes many people (including myself to a certain degree) think of white supremacy.
POSTED FEB. 19, 1999
Peter, 29, dual-ethnic male <voxmusica@aol.com>, Queens, NY

FURTHER NOTICE:
Gail, there is no reason why you, a white having not suffered discrimination because of race, religion or sexual orientation, can’t have a pride day, but why should you want to? Pride days are largely acts of self-validation, in which victim groups proclaim their own sense of self-worth and their intent to survive in spite of the others’ derision, belittlement, discrimination, bigotry and hate. Since you enjoy the luxury of not having been so victimized or abused because of your race, religion or sexual orientation, what would you be seeking to validate or proclaim through your White Pride day? While it may be difficult for some of us to appreciate the abuses suffered by others, we should not feel so threatened by their attempts to survive those abuses as to engage in acts that mock that very suffering, which I feel would be the ultimate effect of your White Pride day.
POSTED FEB. 19, 1999
Floyd L.. African American, male <lastchild@worldnet.att.net>, Memphis, TN

FURTHER NOTICE 2:
Generally, only people who have felt oppressed or undervalued feel the need to have pride activities. If you feel that way, then you should do it, too. Do you feel that way? As a white man, I don’t feel like I’m quite at that point yet. As a gay man, I do. Of course, you can have pride even if you haven’t been put down. And of course, no state or community in this nation has the right to prevent a white pride demonstration.
POSTED FEB. 19, 1999
Mark S., 30, white, gay male <mseely@wt.net>, Houston , TX

FURTHER NOTICE 3:
White pride marches do exist. They’re called Klan marches.
POSTED FEB. 19, 1999
Andrew, 35, white male <ziptron@start.com.au>, Huntington , NY

FURTHER NOTICE 4:
Ever heard of St.Patricks’s Day? Wurstfest? Columbus Day? Or does your worldview have you convinced non-whites are again being given “privileges” you supposedly don’t have?
POSTED FEB. 19, 1999
A.C.C., Mexican and American Indian, San Antonio, TX

FURTHER NOTICE 5:
I’ve never heard of Asian-Pride day. I’ve only seen Chinese New Year parades with the lion or dragon, and this would be equivalent to Robbie Burns day for the Scottish, or St. Patrick’s Day for the Irish.
POSTED FEB. 19, 1999
C.C. 19, female, Canadian of Chinese descent, Kingston, Ontario, Canada

FURTHER NOTICE 6:
I am white and feel I do suffer discrimination. When I walk in New York in areas that are mostly black and Hispanic, I often hear racial comments. Also, my black friends’ parents don’t always accept me. There are Italian parades, Irish parades, etc., but those are ethnic parades. There is no parade to join that unites white people. And the comment above about the Klan is wrong. The Klan is a hate group that joins together to hate others, not to celebrate the accomplishments of their people such as defeating the British, putting the first man on the moon, etc. I don’t think there should be any pride parades at all, but if you are going to have a black parade and a gay parade, why shouldn’t there be a white parade?
POSTED FEB. 22, 1999
Leanne, white female <haylie79@hotmail.com>, NY

FURTHER NOTICE 7:
To Floyd L.: While I agree with the main point of your response, I would like to point out that there are a great number of white people who have been belittled, oppressed and discriminated against because of their religion. It was not too long ago that Irish Catholics were banned from work and forced to live in ghettos in most of major U.S. cities. And let’s not even get into the current attitudes against non-Christian whites. Also, what about homosexual white people? I know that the original question seems to have made a distinction, but why should that be an excuse? My point is that white people are not all the same, and even in this country, some white people have been oppressed. (And yes, it was by other white people, but my point remains the same.) And as for the questioner: What about St. Patrick’s Day, Columbus Day, etc?
POSTED FEB. 22, 1999
John K., 25, white male <the-macs@geocities.com>, Cranford , NJ

FURTHER NOTICE 8:
Normally when I read posts on Y? Forum, I try to be understanding and open-minded. But this time I cannot. What a naive question this is. I’ll tell you why white people (other than Klan members) do not have pride days or marches: They don’t need them. Those events that you covet are for groups that feel marginalized and oppressed. The last time I looked, white people don’t fit the requirements. Just try to imagine for a moment what it would be like if 99 percent of the people you ever saw on TV were Chinese. Or try to imagine every president being an Arab woman. Try studying history and learning that not too long ago white men were considered to be three-fifths of a black man. Or imagine your son or brother being murdered simply because they were heterosexual. Or, try understanding that the year I was born, 1962, it was law in many states that black people couldn’t drink at the same water fountain as black people. Perhaps then you can understand why it’s encouraging and uplifting to have a day when you may feel it’s OK to be black or gay in this country.
POSTED FEB. 22, 1999
Tony W., gay black male, 36 <tonyway@yahoo.com>, San Francisco, CA

FURTHER NOTICE 9:
To John K: As far as I can tell, Gail’s “white people” are a very special group distinguished from, and therefore not flawed by membership in, any “other racial, ethnic, religious or sexually-oriented group” having Pride days, even though most of the latter groups are substantially white. (One assumes that Gail knows about the Irish Catholics, St. Patrick’s Day or gay whites) Since a common experience among the groups having Pride days is abuse suffered because of membersip in the respective group, it is natural to ask what has been the suffering of Gail’s special “white people” that whould lead them to want a Pride day.
POSTED FEB. 24, 1999
Floyd L. , 58, Afro-American male <lastchild@worldnet.att.net>, Memphis , TN

FURTHER NOTICE 10:
I’d like to thank Gail for asking an honest question that many have wondered but were afraid to ask. And I would like to emphasize that a Pride Day is “for” someone, not “against” anyone. Gail, because Pride events are to promote self-esteem and positive communications, why not join in one? That wouldn’t mean that you were gay if you helped in a Gay Pride event; but, it would give you insight into why these functions are so important. In Texas, we have “Juneteenth” celebrations to celebrate freedom for Black Texans. I learned more at a Juneteenth day than I had at several other Black History Month celebrations. Pride events have several functions, not just to self-validate, but to show others how our differences really don’t make us different; they just make us unique. Years ago, cultural Pride events were attended solely by those separate groups. Now they serve as a way to encourage entire communities to share in each others’ histories. Try it; I think you’ll be surprised.
POSTED FEB. 24, 1999
Alma, white lesbian <pridewks@seacove.net>, Kempner , TX

FURTHER NOTICE 11:
To Leanne: You say it was white Americans who defeated the British, put a man on the moon, etc. I believe several Native Americans (among the many groups) were involved in the War of Independence. And I believe there were various ethnicities and races involved in putting humans into space and on the moon. Pride parades (as already eloquently put by others) are to show pride in belonging to a group that has endured and survived in spite of hostility. And negative racial comments are wrong, regardless from who they come. The groups that are linked (ie., Gay, Black, Hispanic, Asian/Pacific-Islander) have been linked by the white majority. Until I returned to the United States (to join the Air Force) I was just a “damn American.” Upon ariving in the United States, I was told (by a white American) that I was a “damn Puerto Rican.” As that “ethnicity” is only because my grandfather was born there, I found this interesting. I was born and raised and educated in England, for the most part. My accent was that of a Londoner, yet I was now a “damn Puerto Rican,” according to this American.
POSTED FEB. 24, 1999
Frank, 31, male, white Anglo-Spanish Pagan <gonzalez1@hauns.com>, NM

FURTHER NOTICE 12:
To Leanne: The accomplishments you listed were not done only by whites. The British were defeated with the help of, among others, American Indians and free blacks. Today’s Army Rangers began as Roger’s Rangers, a mixed group of Iroquois and colonial whites. The success of Americans against the British would not have been possible without colonists imitating Indian ways of fighting. The landing on the moon was made possible by the work of scientists, some of whom were Jewish, who are not considered “white” by most white racists. If you feel discriminated against by not having a parade, organize one called a European Heritage parade, and no one would object. But having one based on whiteness is based on exclusion. For one thing, the white race is a fiction of deluded racists. It has no scientific basis. It is based on a social need to separate and discriminate.
POSTED FEB. 24, 1999
A.C.C., Mexican and American Indian <bigi__@yahoo.com>, San Antonio, TX

FURTHER NOTICE 13:
It’s quite easy to explain the answer to that question. White people have had everything at their feet, and everything to their advantage. It was their pride that made them feel that they were and still are superior to minority races. They also feel that they are the founders of the continent, when it was the Native Indians who were here first. The only justifiable reason for a white pride march would be discrimination against minority groups. White people have practiced cultural genocide for hundreds of years, which included enslaving blacks, murdering the Jews, placing the Aboriginals in residential schools, and stealing the native people’s land and claiming it as their own. If this is your reason for justifying a white pride march, then go ahead and have one.
Two black females studying minorities in a North American society, <crazyt220@hotmail.com>, Scarborough
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THE QUESTION:
R609: What are the different cultures of Asian Americans? What are some basic cultural differences among, say, Chinese Americans, Korean Americans, Japanese Americans and Filipino Americans?
POSTED FEB. 17, 1999
Ima G. <diesel_aka_mudd@hotmail.com>, Canton, MN

ANSWER 1:
Speaking as a Latino man married to a Filipina woman, the biggest difference between Filipinos and other Asians is the Spanish influence. Most Filipinos are “folk Catholics,” believers in Catholicism mixed with indigenous beliefs. There are shrines all over the country. Many Filipinos have some Spanish ancestry. Many of the dialects have some Spanish words, especially nouns and adjectives. Filipinos also tend to be darker than Japanese, Koreans or some Chinese. Most are Polynesian rather than mainland Asian. Finally, there is still a great deal of resentment against the Japanese for their conduct during World War II and what I consider their mercenary business practices now. There is also some resentment of the Chinese for their economic success back in the Philippines.
POSTED FEB. 23, 1999
A.C.C., Mexican and American Indian male, San Antonio, TX

FURTHER NOTICE:
Although I understand that many Americans know little or nothing about Asian countries and cultures, I can’t help but think how odd this question is. It is like asking, “What are some basic differences between France, Germany and Italy?” The countries of Asia have distinct histories, languages, religions and the like. There is no way this question can be answered in 150 words. If you could ask about something specific, you may get a better answer.

To A.C.C.: While I agree that the Japanese still have not made enough amends over their behavior during World War II, I wonder if you realized that the United States is responsible for many of Japan’s “mercenary” trade practices. During the Occupation, SCAP decided that economic recovery was the No.1 priority for Japan and allowed Japan to protect its market while expanding abroad, particularly in the United States. Japan has been gradually liberating its markets since the ’70s, after their economy had recovered. Few Americans realize it was the U.S. government that initiated Japan’s protectionism.
POSTED APRIL 13, 1999
L.T., Asian American <chibi@mail.utexas.edu>, Austin, TX

FURTHER NOTICE 2:
To L.T.: I was describing how Japan’s business practices are perceived in the Philippines, not whether that is true or not. I should point out the phrase “what I consider” was not mine, but was added by the editors of Y? Forum, changing the meaning of my sentence. I certainly did not intend to be Japan-bashing, but the editor’s added words made it seem like I was. Having an Asian wife, I am well aware of how the trade issue is used to provide a cover for racism against all Asians. I certainly don’t agree with it and despise that tactic.
POSTED APRIL 14, 1999
A.C.C., Mexican and American Indian <bigi__@yahoo.com>, San Antonio, TX
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THE QUESTION:
R608: My son’s class is 50-50 black/white. Black History Month promises to be disastrous. Children are being racially typecast. The skits are as simplistic as the stories in the textbooks. Woodson intended thw month to be about truth and healing. Are others frustrated, too?
POSTED FEB. 15, 1999
Carolyn, white female, Memphis TN

ANSWER 1:
The problems you describe are somewhat unclear. You complain that the skits are simplistic, but since the textbooks are also simplistic, it is debatable whether the students are prepared to handle anything more sophisticated. A possibly fruitful outlet for your frustrations would be to campaign for better textbooks and to work with the school in developing more realistic and instructive programs of celebration. What is meant by, or is wrong with, the children “being racially typecast,” as you describe? Are you suggesting that these efforts are likely to harm more than heal, that this is a missed opportunity, or just what?
POSTED FEB. 23, 1999
Floyd L., black male <lastchild@worldnet.att.net>, Memphis , TN
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THE QUESTION:
R607: I am an African American not completely well-versed in the language of hip-hop. Could someone please explain to me the hip-hop meaning of the words “pimp” and “playa”? I’ve always thought that a pimp (an exploiter and abuser of women) was a bad thing, but I seem to hear this word used frequently in a complimentary context (not something that would seem to promote the social health of our community). Could someone please enlighten me?
POSTED FEB. 15, 1999
Sam, 30, male, brown American <SamAlex67@aol.com>, Chicago, IL

ANSWER 1:
You are correct in your definition of the words “pimp” and “playa.” As with a lot of negative phrases in the black community, some are turned around to mean something good. A pimp, as you stated, is what you said, but a playa is a guy who has a lot of women. I am a diehard hip-hop fan, but I do not agree with everything said. I understand and respect the culture, but it’s been tainted since it’s been exploited by all the big record companies. Hip Hop is an art form, not just music. Lately all this pimp and playa stuff has been selling, so artists give the fans what they want. I personally miss Old School Hip Hop.
POSTED FEB. 19, 1999
Gary, African American, 32, male <gshuny_@hotmail.com>, Louisville, KY

FURTHER NOTICE:
In the lexicon of younger folks, “pimp” doesn’t maintain an exclusively negative meaning. It’s often usd to describe someone who has a lot of personal flair and style, and who takes care of business.
POSTED MARCH 1, 1999
Gregory, 21, black male, MD

FURTHER NOTICE 2:
I don’t think anyone using the words “pimp” or “playa” in a complimentary manner is interested in promoting the social health of our community.
POSTED APRIL 5, 1999
25, Asian male, Detroit Area, MI
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THE QUESTION:
R606: I am a 45-year-old woman. My mother just told me that my father was black. I would like to research my background. Can anyone give me any advice or guidance?
POSTED FEB. 12, 1999
S.A.S., female <sulli013@mailhost1.csusm.edu>, Carlsbad , CA –

ANSWER 1:
I don’t know what you mean by background. If you mean your roots, the Momon Church has an excellent research center for that purpose. If you mean the black culture, your best bet is probably to make a black friend and hang out with her. You can go to jazz, blues or reggae clubs, and that is another way to peek into the culture.
POSTED MARCH 24, 1999
Brigit, black female, Inglewood , CA
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THE QUESTION:
R605: Whenever I am around white women, it seems like all they ever talk about is their weight. Why is this an issue? What’s the fear of being “fat” about?
POSTED FEB. 12, 1999
Peter, 23, black male, Ypsilanti , MI

ANSWER 1:
In our society, the white women deemed the most beautiful and most admired are slender. Overweight just isn’t associated with beauty, admiration and even acceptance among many white women. Look through any fashion and beauty magazine aimed at white women (Glamour, Mademoiselle, etc.). You won’t find any models with extra pounds. The women you encounter are trying to live up to these standards of beauty by worrying about their weight. However, there has recently been a backlash toward too-slender models and actresses in an attempt to encourage women to achieve healthy weights for their heights. I watch my weight not because I want to look like some actress or model, but because research has shown that even 10 extra pounds can be bad for your health. But I don’t obsess, and I’m at a very healthy weight for me.
POSTED FEB. 16, 1999
Nancy, 32, white female, 5’1″ and 105 lbs.
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THE QUESTION:
R604: I have dated a few women of Spanish/Latin American descent, and I don’t understand why their family or friends always call me “weto.” Is this a racist thing or an affectionate running joke?
POSTED FEB. 12, 1999
M. Smith, 24 white male <skiir2@prodigy.com>, Oceanside, CA

ANSWER 1:
“Weto,” which is actually spelled “guero” (with two of those little dots above the “u”), means blonde. So in essence, they’re calling you blonde, or “blondie.” Among most Latino cultures, blondes are a rarity (though they do exist), which is why they make such a big deal about you being blonde. Guero can also refer to a person with fair skin, or an Anglo. In my experience, this isn’t a derogatory term, but in most cases, a term of endearment. I have light-haired relatives, and family members affectionately call them Guero or Guera (or guerito, which means “my little blonde one”). “Gringo,” on the other hand, is usually derogatory. My question to you is, why don’t you feel comfortable enough with the Latinas that you date to ask them these questions? I know I am more than happy to clarify these matters for those who want to know. Try it next time.
POSTED FEB. 15, 1999
Erika C., 23, Hispanic female <erika.chavez@mcall.com>, Allentown , PA

FURTHER NOTICE:
I’m wondering if you’re misunderstanding what they’re calling you – here in Northern New Mexico, people who are blond or very light-skinned are called “huero” or “huera.” I haven’t noticed that it has any negative connotation – its more affectionate. And it’s not necessarily related to race, either.
POSTED FEB. 15, 1999
Danelle, Anglo, not huera <dsmith9346@nmhu.campuscwix.net>, Las Vegas, NM

FURTHER NOTICE 2:
I think you mean “guero” pronounced “weh-ro.” It means fair-skinned. It is not racist at all. The same term is used for light-kinned Latinos. It’s very common among Latinos to note someone’s appearance in an affectionate way, such as calling children “morenitas” – little brown ones.
POSTED FEB. 15, 1999
A.C.C., Mexican and American Indian, San Antonio, TX
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THE QUESTION:
R603: I am a graduate student at Howard University in Washington, D.C., and as part of an independent project (hopefully for publication), we are trying to find evidence of preferential treatment given to white patrons in several upscale D.C. area restaurants. Anyone who has directly experienced any form of racism while dining out in the D.C. area is encouraged to submit their experience. Please also submit to me personally at my email address. Thanks.
POSTED FEB. 12, 1999
Mark <htcherson57@hotmail.com>, Washington, D.C.
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THE QUESTION:
R602: This may sound unusual coming from me because I’m black, but why don’t many blacks articulate words properly? For example, one may say (phonetic spelling) “I finna gow ta da stowe” for “I’m going to the store.” And I’ve also noticed many blacks who talk this way leave off verbs and possessives so one might say something like “I tired” and “He eatin’ over der at Kim house.” I have also found that when I visited my family in the South when I was a child, they (and sometimes black strangers) constantly berated me about the way I talked. (I speak what many may consider standard English). How should I prepare my small son, who sounds like me, to face these people and my family? I’m hardly a snob or anything. My parents and enviroment (home, school, media) taught me to speak this way. It seems to me parents would want their children to be clearly understood.
POSTED FEB. 10, 1999
C., black female, St. Louis , MO

ANSWER 1:
This question was hardly written by a black person. Most African Americans do not refer to ourselves as “blacks” – that is considered offensive. Most likely it would be “black people” or “black folks.” “Blacks” is a way that we are referred to by other groups.
POSTED FEB. 12, 1999
Tracy, 31, African American, Cleveland, OH

FURTHER NOTICE:
I once worked with an African-American male and a white-American male here in South Florida (originally I’m from New York City). The white person became so tired of how this educated African American spoke that he said something to the African American about it. The African American became so angry that he told the white person that “if you all did not want us to speak this way, you should not have taught it (during slavery time) to us.” Is this really a true reason for speaking like that today? I had one friend who would not put her African-American children in a predominantly black school because a lot of the African-American teachers would either speak the same, or if they didn’t, they would not correct the student’s speech.
POSTED FEB. 12, 1999
Genrae, 46, Puerto Rican <clflores@bellsouth.net>, West Palm Beach , FL

FURTHER NOTICE 2:
To Tracy: Apparently you have never met any of the black people from my part of New York/New Jersey. Most of the black people around here refer to “blacks” when talking about their culture or themselves. Just because you find it offensive does not mean that everyone in your culture finds it offensive. Or are you really trying to say that you doubt a fellow African American would have the honesty to point out the poor English speaking skills of some people in your culture?
POSTED FEB. 15, 1999
John K., 25 <the-macs@geocities.com>, Cranford, NJ

FURTHER NOTICE 3:
Language is an indication of culture rather than race, and all people, including whites, master their culture. This includes the way we use or abuse language. When you refer to terms like “sto, der, and them der,” etc., you are witnessing communication patterns of a distinct region or culture of people rather than all-inclusive “black jargon.” What has been passed down for centuries is a language that reflects the systematic erosion of the native African tongue and an informal adaptation to what we now refer to as American English. The dialects commonly used by some blacks can be linked directly to slave communication. I’ve found that rather than a “standard” English, there is a language for every situation. As well, of the more than 500,000 words in the English language, the average person, white or black, comprehends and uses, on average, 1,200. That’s a sad commentary on those of us who have gained from educational attainment yet do not recognize that we live in a culture where speech, language and communication are marginalized at every level.
POSTED MARCH 1, 1999
Dee W., black female <westde@hiram.edu>, Cleveland , OH

FURTHER NOTICE 4:
To John: What I’m saying is that a black person should have no reason to turn to a forum such as this one to ask such a question. Presumably black people know other black people and can address these issues in person. There should be none of the “fear or embarrassment” that other groups claim as the reason they must pose questions anonymously. It is ludicrous to come to a national forum when you can ask these very people – some of whom are your own family members – the same question. In addition, black people may say one thing to you and quite another when not in the presence of whites. You cannot study a subject without influencing the behavior of the subject.
POSTED MARCH 1, 1999
Tracy, black female, Cleveland , Ohio

FURTHER NOTICE 5:
To Tracy: Speak for yourself! I am a black female and prefer to refer to myself as black rather than African American. Like most American-born blacks, my heritage is a melange of various ethnicities (African, French Creole, Irish and Cherokee, to name those my family has verified), and to align myself with only one segment does disservice to the others. To C., I too have been given considerable grief by blacks who feel that by speaking “proper” I am trying to be white. To those who criticize me for such behavior – get over it. Standard English is standard English. It’s what we are taught to read, write and speak in this land, so as long as you are living here, you might as well go ahead and excel in it. In speaking for my relatives who choose to give me grief over this, they speak the way they do out of sheer laziness and to fit in with their friends. But with that they also have limited themselves; by being able and willing to speak standard English, I have had more opportunities open to me, and have been able to take advantage of these opportunities, because I could “speak the native tongue,” if you will. Also, many of our black icons past and present (W.E.B. DuBois, Manning Marable, Maya Angelou, etc.) use/have used “proper” English; if it was good enough for them, it’s good enough for me.
POSTED MARCH 1, 1999
Gelong, 37, black female

FURTHER NOTICE 6:
I work in the media at a newspaper in New York. The term we usually use is “black” unless someone specifically asks us to identify them as African American. The reason for this is that not all black people are of African descent. There are black people from Haiti, Jamaica and other such places.
POSTED MARCH 1, 1999
C.S., Asian female <rimrat@excite.com>, New York , NY

FURTHER NOTICE 7:
To Tracy: Not everyone of African-American descent takes offense to being referred to as black. Some of us are not hung up with handles but are focusing our attention on bettering our standard of living for ourselves and our children. And to C. from St. Louis: You continue to teach your child to speak properly. If those in his circle ridicule him for the way he speaks, there is something desperatelywrong with them and not you.
POSTED MARCH 1, 1999
Angie W., University of Kansas, black female <ajwalden@falcon.ukans.edu.com>, Lawrence , KS

FURTHER NOTICE 8:
I am black, and I say both “black folks” and “blacks.” Secondly, I speak in a very loose, casual style of slang when I’m dealing with friends and peers, but I am perfectly capable of speaking the King’s English and know when it is appropriate to use it. Many people hear blacks (especially young ones) speaking slang and assume they don’t know how to speak standard English, but that is not usually the case. And Southern dialects are a different world unto themselves.
POSTED MARCH 1, 1999
Gregory, 21 black male, MD

FURTHER NOTICE 9:
Tracy: I prefer being called black. I, in most intances, speak standard English. As Dee has pointed out, there are cultural differences that need to be acknowledged. I have never been particularly comfortable with slang, especially that which some term “street,” and the latest communication expressed by youth dubbed “hip hop.” Why are you so offended by the original questioner’s post? We blacks are not monolithic, by any means. Are you compelled to pigeonhole members of our race into a particular manner of speech, thought and mannerism? Why do you criticize that which might be the discomfort of the questioner to pose her inquiry directly? We know very little of her. Perhaps she posed the question anonymously because she is shy, introverted or simply prefers to avoid direct confrontation. By the way, I have read other posts of yours, and I’ve observed that you do not provide an e-mail address. Is this because you, too, do not particularly care for one-on-one debate?
POSTED MARCH 4, 1999
Zawadi, 34, black female <aquarius9@hotmail.com>, Detroit, MI

FURTHER NOTICE 10:
To C.: At one point in our history, most blacks probably spoke the way you describe. Our initial English vocabulary came largely from uneducated whites, whose often very bad enunciations the slaves tried to emulate. (Listen to the speech of many rural Southern whites today.) Because grammar, the most distinguishing feature of a language, is difficult to master even with formal training, the slaves, being denied formal education, improvised by superimposing a shaky English vocabulary over the grammar(s) of their true mother tongue(s). The resulting hybrids became the principal languages of many blacks and the bases for much of “black English.” Because a language is determined not by its vocabulary but by its grammar, much “black English” is really not English, not even bad English, because its grammar is largely that of another language (set). Therefore, for speakers of “black English,” learning standard English is effectively learning a foreign language, for they must learn an alien grammar. If the best techniques for teaching a foreign language, including rigor and reinforcement, are not employed in teaching standard English to speakers of “black English” (their true mother tongue) then the use of “black English” is likely to grow. Indeed its growth over the last two decades tracks very closely a declining interest in providing precisely that level of classroom rigor and reinforcement so necessary for those blacks for whom standard English is essentially a foreign language. If you provide these two ingredients to your son, you won’t go wrong.
POSTED MARCH 18, 1999
Floyd L., 58, African-American male <lastchild@worldnet.att.net>, Memphis, TN

FURTHER NOTICE 11:
I agree with Flyod L.’s assessment of “Ebonics” or Black English. I wrote a research paper on the subject for an English class as an undergraduate student. Present-day “Black English” traces its roots to many native African languages, English, German and a few other languages that I would have to refer to my paper to recall. It’s not simply moving around words in standard English (as any African American who has heard a white person imitate Black English knows, Black English can be spoken incorrectly, i.e. “I ain’t be got no weapon” is incorrect Black English).

The language was developed as slave traders/”colonists” attempted to communicate with native Africans. So, if you can imagine landing on Mars and trying to communicate with someone there, you would first try to exchange words (“argh” in Martian means “fork” in English), and then after coming to a common vocabulary that includes both cultures’ words, you would then develop a “pigin” or sub-language that has a syntax/grammer that makes sense to both people. To make a long story short, Black English is the most current form of the pidgin first developed during the slave trade. After a certain amount of time and formalization it can be defined as a language on its own. Also, Black English should not be viewed negatively, since all modern languages (particularly “American” English) borrow from different cultures and form a sort of “language stew.”
POSTED APRIL 16, 1999
Randy Hull, 25, male, African American, Agnostic Silver Spring , MD
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THE QUESTION:
R601: I lived in Japan for a year and was very interested to find that cross-dressing was popular. The males I encountered were usually straight but could slip easily into a flamboyant female role. Why is cross-dressing so accepted in Japan? Is it a type of rebellion toward the stern, traditional society?
POSTED FEB. 9, 1999
Cassandra, 29, white female, San Diego, CA

ANSWER 1:
It is my understanding, according to various sources, that there is a strong fetish movement in Japan. Fetish fashion usually refers to vinyl, leather, latex, etc. Part of this subculture is cross-dressing. I would think they go hand in hand. Of course, that begs the question: Why is fetish fashion so popular in Japan? Maybe someone in Japan can tell us.
POSTED FEB. 12, 1999
John K., 25 <the-macs@geocities.com>, Cranford , NJ

FURTHER NOTICE:
I think the cross-dressing is a direct reaction to the very stoic Japanese culture. I too lived in Japan, and was surprised when I went out to clubs to see the cross-dressing trend. In fact, during Halloween, one of my Japanese male friends talked me into dressing in drag for a costume. He said that “everyone does it” and the experience was exciting, like letting go of your personality for a while. But let me assure you, I refused to wear the panties … boxers were under my dress!
POSTED FEB. 126 1999
Justin, white male, 24, Seattle, WA
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