Racism in America: "Color of Fear"

[JanMichael]

It's a short film where 8 men discuss, on rather open terms, Racism and what it means to them. The link to the film is here.

If you've ever wondered what it's like to be African American/Black, Japanese American, Mexican American, or Chinese American, this is a great film to watch. Better yet if you've ever wondered how someone who benefits from Institutional Racism (a rich white male) reacts to raw emotional exposure to those that it impacts it's pretty good for that too.

It's a touchy subject for many folks, Black included, but IMHO must be addressed. By more that just a few schmucks in a training seminar!

Personally I identified with the Black participant that exploded much more so that the White guys...

[JanMichael]

1. I know this is a tough subject for Liberals...

...but it's not going away.

[Centrism]

2. and...

It won't go away

[Karenina]

12. It is a topic

too many self-described "liberals" avoid like the plague. Racism is the abcess on the American body politic. Racism is the reason that we don't see 90% of Americans OUTRAGED and ACTIVELY COMBATTING the atrocities the *MIC is committing in their names, at home and abroad... It's SO VERY SAD. :cry:

[callady]

14. Racism and Choice

I hear the foofaw of "choice" from my liberal friends all the time and it sends me through the roof. At our coopted local food Co-Op this (lack of) reasoning is used all the time to rationalize why the poor can't/aren't flocking through the doors for pricey dandelion greens.

Yea, it's all about choice. So many blacks in jail. Must be the entire race is plagued with poor choice-making capabilities. Nope, no institutional racism or structural poverty involved in this grotesque injustice.

The entire country of Malawi is in a state of deprivation. Damn. A whole country making bad choices. Nothing to do with the legacy of colonialism.

And of course my choices are the best ones which is why I can afford the cappucino. Me. Enlightened self-interest as the engine of social progress. No consequences. My "choices" are simply done in a vaccuum.

How much of the world did I colonize with my daily existence?

Damn. Those children in the Congo are prostituting themselves. Wait, wait my cell phone just rang. What's that you say? Coltan? In my cell phone? What's coltan? You're saying that's what's causing the children to prostitute themselves? I'm sorry it was just a matter of choice.

And this comment from a friend in another discussion group:

"how the police and employers view him...that inner-city kid...regardless of his lifestyle. individual choice is often used an excuse to dismiss institutional and cultural choices and realities...that's what the rw has been doing for 25+ years.
so even telling a kid from the hood to stay away from a particular lifestyle may do little to stop some cops from shooting him 41 times for reaching for his wallet because of what he symbolizes in american culture. and let's face it: if america wanted equal opportunity for all...there would be equal opportunity for all. regardless of what choices people make, there is only so much room at the top, and increasing a lot less in the middle."


And this which is not directly on topic but to be considered:
"Choice" is a smokescreen for greed and selfishness and for disguising built-in and inescapable inequalities and for defending those who leverage advantages of birth to amass wealth and power and a justification for barbarity and cruelty.

Teen age villagers from Afghanistan who are now being held in indefinite detention in violation of all law and codes of civilized conduct don't have much of a choice about anything. What choice? Don't be born Afghani? To one degree or another all of our "choices" are very tightly restricted, and those restrictions serve to buttress and defend wealth and power in the hands of the few, often immorally and illegally obtained.

Sure we have a choice. Grovel and suffer, keep silent and invisible - or else. Some choice.

[Karenina]

16. Solly posted this some time back...

"Give a man a fish, he'll eat for a day. Teach him how to fish and he'll eat forever"

So you teach him to fish -

from lakes you stole from him

but he can't get to the lakes because -

you've built a fence around them

he could always pay to enter -

but you're charging a price he can't afford

If he comes too near the fence -

the police come and carry him away

So he stands outside looking in -

and the people around the lake call him lazy

For every step of the way a wall is built to block the path

that's the truth of the American Dream.


The "teach a man to fish" thingie always bugged me - that's my rebuttal to it.

I see the myth of the American Dream as a form of control - if you only work hard, you'll get ahead - so if you don't get ahead, it's obviously your fault...how convenient is that? If you believe that then you become a willing participant in blaming yourself - instead of realising just how the odds are stacked against you. It's not to say people haven't broken through the barriers - there have been people who have overcome incredible odds-but the reason they are so notable is because they are so rare... but there's a difference between the limitations of talent you're born with - maybe you can't draw or play music...and the limitations imposed upon you because of a racist and sexist society - as well as being class conscious. It's those societal limitations that turn the dream into a nightmare.

[G_j]

3. now is an opportune time for America

to face this issue, as Katrina has exposed some very ugly skeletons.
& it would be nice if the citizens of this country would take another look at the racist criminal justice system. ..no more pretending

[Aimah]

4. If I may...

I think one of the biggest things that causes strife besides the obvious crazy insane haters. We try to open up about race instead of listening, people often try to find excuses. Not saying that sometimes there are valid reasons why somethings may seem racist on the surface. But it's something you get almost every time something is brought up. Like the topic of missing black women not making the national news. I had a 2 hour debate with a guy who used every excuse he could think of. Even saying that most serial killers are white and they target white people so there probably aren't a lot of black women missing. I even gave him examples of girls I grew up with and even the local news didn't report their being missing. Sometimes you just have to listen, I don't expect everyone to notice every black issue but it doesn't help to discount it someones perception sometimes it really is what it is.

[G_j]

11. discounting

something is certainly one way to wash your hands of it.
You don't have to face a problem that simply doesn't exist. :shrug:

[alphafemale]

5. Incredible film

I saw it as part of a UU anti-racism workshop.

There's some very real emotions and harsh realities expressed in that film.

[Karenina]

6. Kick!

:kick:

[Karenina]

7. I'm not surprised this thread has dropped.

Such a short clip that spoke so loudly. A white guy who, instead of LISTENING, proceeded to "instruct" the others about what THEIR feelings "should" be in HIS estimation...

Thanx for posting this.

[Solly Mack]

8. wow

the white guy (paraphrasing) well, if you're going feel that way about how racism affects you then there will no progress or change in racism

Damn

let me just discount your experience...let me just discount you in the process...

Thanks for letting us know about this!!!

[cantstandbush]

9. Awesome! n/t

[Karenina]

10. Kick for more DU response

:kick:

[alarcojon]

13. Thanks for keeping it kicked, Karenina

I haven't been to the "everything else" GD for some time.

This is a very powerful, courageous film. I was fortunate in 1995 to see the film, followed by a discussion with the director, the primary black participant, and I believe the white "I don't get it" guy. I also saw it as part of an attempt at racial dialogue on my University campus about five years ago.

I have found, time and time again, this issue to be very difficult to discuss here on DU. Many white liberals react defensively when the problems experienced by people of color are pointed out, no matter how gently, to them. Many are even worse and try to offer alternative explanations, invalidating our experiential reality. Others just try to help us not get so "touchy" about these issues. They do not understand how deeply racism wounds us. Maybe they are afraid that if they accepted the reality, it would be too much to bear. I don't know what it is.

[Greeby]

15. Sorry, can't watch it

I have an extremely short fuse when it comes to racial bigotry.
Can't afford to do this :argh:

[alarcojon]

17. Might this short fuse be keeping you stuck in one place?

Not a flame, just an honest question.

Needless to say, I hate bigotry, but I grew as a result of this film.

[Nothing Without Hope]

18. Thank you for this. I also recommend this audio collection on Rosa Parks:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=132x2194590
thread title: AUDIO TREASURY of Rosa Parks history & interviews, incl JOHN CONYERS

You can listen to the lady herself talking of her experiences, including a recording from shortly after the famous Supreme Court decision about the buses. And there is much more. Don't miss the wonderful interview with Rep. Conyers, who had Mrs. Parks as an aide in his office for two decades. When I heard this on NPR, I had to pull my car over and just listen to every word.