Tips For White People

[mark414]

this is an article I wrote for my college newspaper. enjoy, flame, congratulate, whatever.

mark

Tips for White People
by Mark Sullivan

Sometimes there are things in life that just make you cringe. And so it was the other day in the Union when a friend of a friend showed me a presentation that they had prepared for class. The presentation was simple, a piece of construction paper with some words written on it. They explained that, in a rush, they decided to make their presentation on the African-American vernacular. Now, I am fully aware of the many differences between white Americans and black Americans, differences that go beyond just the color of our skins, but I can tell you that this presentation was not about exploring those differences.

Instead, using what appeared to be some sort of “ghetto slang” dictionary they had found on the internet, they went on to point out common everyday english words and phrases, and then gave me the ebonics translation, as if to say, “This is how white people talk, and this is how black people talk.” I waited for a second to try to detect even the slightest hint of sarcasm, but found none.

Now I don’t think that this person’s presentation was done with any sort of negative attitude towards black people. Rather, I think it boils down to ignorance, plain and simple. So with that in mind, I decided to put together some tips for white people, something that would be useful for every occasion, even if you’re in a room full of other white people (And for the record, I’m white too).

Perhaps one of the most important things to remember is this: just because one black person says it doesn’t mean that’s what all black people think. Guess what? Black people are just like white people in that each and every one of them has their own ideas and opinions about the world we live in. And perhaps even more importantly, don’t criticize the black community using the words of another black man, as way too many people did with the words of Dr. Bill Cosby after his visit here a couple months ago.

Next, unless it is absolutely necessary to understand the context of a situation, don’t ever use someone’s race as an adjective. If you were to refer to every white person you saw as “Hey look at that white guy over there,” it would sound pretty stupid. It sounds pretty stupid when you’re talking about someone who isn’t white too.

Third, if you have to start a sentence with something like, “Not to sound racist, but...,” then you should probably stop talking. That’s usually a pretty good sign that you shouldn’t be saying what you’re about to say.

This next one is a really little one, and I’ll be honest, I’ve caught myself doing it before. But don’t change your slang or the way you talk just because you’re talking to a black person. If you don’t use a word or phrase in your everyday vocabulary, why change it with skin color?

Finally, try not to get offended if someone calls you cracker. Yes, it is a negative word with a negative connotation, but try to just smile, and don’t take it personally. From my experiences and conversations with black people and black friends, usually things like that are said not out of hate, but rather out of frustration at a hypocritical system where “white is right.” There is a legitimate historical and cultural backdrop to provide reason by itself for black people to distrust or even hate white people. This is not to say that such prejudice is okay or acceptable, but it’s not completely irrational either. One must understand that this context of mistrust is, for many, reinforced on a daily basis. And considering the many horrible things that white people have done to black people over time, especially since slavery ended, we white people should be relieved when all black people do is make fun of us. It could be a lot worse.

And for the rest of you out there, who aren’t black or white, I’m sorry for leaving you out. I’m sorry that race relations always boil down to a black vs. white issue, forgetting all the other beautiful colors and countries we have here in America. But given my inspiration for this and, as I mentioned earlier, the historical and cultural race relations of black and white Americans, I chose to keep it focused exclusively as I did.

I’d like to end this by saying that I’m not trying to play the race card. I’m not trying to make white people feel guilty or stupid. I don’t feel guilty or stupid for being white. The concept of race, in and of itself is of course an invention of mankind. This alone should be reason enough to stop all this ridiculousness. But using that argument denies the reality that race has become in our society and denies the reality of how it affects real people in real ways. I wish it wasn’t a problem, and it shouldn’t be, but it is. And if we want to work towards solving the problem, then remember: sometimes it’s the littlest things that go the longest way. I don’t think that white people are racist. I really believe that most white people don’t want to be prejudiced. I believe that most things that are construed as racist are to due ignorance, not insensitivity. We all have prejudices, no matter how hard we try to eliminate them, no matter how sensitive we are. To this day I still struggle with shedding myself of my deeply ingrained prejudices and I’m sure I will be for a long time. Recognizing your own prejudices is the first step (and the hardest one too). But once you do that, it gets pretty easy.

So come on everyone. Take a step forward.

[imenja]

1. I'm shocked that he would give such a presentation

What did he really think he could accomplish? What was the class, and how did the professor react?

[mark414]

3. i have no idea

like i said, a friend of a friend, and i barely know the girl. i think it was for an education or an english class.

and she really didn't see what was wrong with it. that's why i made the point, i think it boils down to ignorance more than anything else. she just didn't get it.

[Mojambo]

2. Good presentation

Very rational and straightforward.

Nice piece. Well done sir.

[mark414]

51. thanks

[Tsiyu]

4. Thank you for this

At my son's band awards banquet, when they got to the "Last WIlls and Testaments" every single person gave the one black gal something related to her race. It's like they couldn't think of any other way to relate to her.

I was so proud of my son when he got up to take his turn and made no mention of her skin color, but rather teased her about BAND related issues.

Later, he said the rest of the band were "idiots."

[mark414]

10. that made me smile

thank YOU for the story

[Tsiyu]

11. I was very fortunate

My parents made their share of mistakes, but they were absolutely PERFECT in their rules about bigotry.

The "n" word would get you a mouthful of Ivory bar soap ( I can still taste it after four decades.) I never used the "n" word around my folks after seeing what happened to my brother when he tried.

I got it for telling my mom not to get her panties in a wad, I believe.

[fujiyama]

66. That's really nice to know

and that's especially impressive, considering that was forty years ago.

In the last few weeks we've had quite a few regional arguments so thanks for reminding us why we can't abandon any region and why we as a party should fight everywhere.

[alphafemale]

5. Construction Paper? What'd she do? Mug a pre-schooler?

Dialects are in every region of the country.

It's not a black or white thing I don't think.

You should know formal, business speech of course, but that's no good for day to day.

Nuance is important.

[chookie]

6. Excellent; but one teeny tiny objection

Speaking on behalf of .000000000000000000000000000000001% of the human race I represent, some of us love to converse dialectically when contextually relevant. I will adjust my manner of speech given to whom I am communicating with in conversation, like switching languages.

No doubt it always sounds like <whatever> as a second language. But it is a manifestation of my acknowedgement of dialectic speech and the wonderful differences between people. I personally admire different dialects or usages; the best of it is wonderfully infectious -- it is a condition of those of us who love language and have a natural ability to mimic idiomatic speech meaningfully.

I adjust my vocabulary and idiomatic use of language contextually. I don't think this is a bad thing, and certainly not "racist".

[mark414]

8. oh yeah i do the same thing

specifically, i was speaking more of white people using (stereo)typically black slang only when talking to black people

that's what i was getting at, i think

[CitySky]

65. i do this but only with CLOSE friends...

just like I speak Spanglish with my Latina roommates. We can switch back and forth between Spanish and English, sometimes whatever is easier at the moment, sometimes for a laugh, or for closeness. Our pet names for each other are all in Spanish (The call me "abuelita" - Granny!)

similar to this, when I am talking to certain black friends in close contexts, then we are using a more African-American inflected slang. "Girl!"
"You KNOW!"

Now these are in personal contexts. These women are perfectly capable of getting up and speaking standard English all they want for work or in whatever formal setting, but in the informal context we talk like that. I don't think it's wrong for me just because I'm white. It didn't happen all at once but over years. And I didn't go looking up phrases on the internet!

[mark414]

67. and that's perfectly acceptable

i do it all the time, like i said

i have a lot of friends who aren't white, and in the safety and privacy of our own company we use loaded jokes and language towards each other but it's always out of love

and between my jewish roommate and my black roommate, it is a pretty wild household

[Must_B_Free]

12. me too, can't help it, I am adaptive

[Tsiyu]

13. "Bush, is that you?"

Sarcasm off....

I do kinda cringe when they talk about Bush's affected language.

I've had to adjust to mountain vernacular for serious reasons. Like when an old gentleman stroked out on the side of the road. I asked him if he had to relieve himself in dozen different Yankee ways.

In frustration, his son said "Daddy? You gotta tinkle?"

So you adjust for communication's sake, but not for "cool's sake" which is what I believe mark414 meant.

[American Tragedy]

17. sometimes it's appropriate to alter your speech for the sake of clarity

Like when I'm talking to a girl in my class from Boston, I speak more clearly and try to sharpen my vowels a little, just so she can understand me. Then, when I'm with family and everyone else I talk in my more normal Southern drawl.

[DrWeird]

31. Depends on the context.

Some people do it because they think it's a joke. Because they think ebonics is crude and stupid.

Other people do it because they realize that their own goofy dialect isn't any better than anybody elses goofy dialect.

[Winamericaback]

7. Its a good article but;

"Finally, try not to get offended if someone calls you cracker. Yes, it is a negative word with a negative connotation, but try to just smile, and don’t take it personally. From my experiences and conversations with black people and black friends, usually things like that are said not out of hate, but rather out of frustration at a hypocritical system where “white is right.” "

I went to a charter school when I was in HS, worked my butt off to get into that program and was interested in law, so I took a class on law (seems pretty simple right?) The first day in the class and every day after until I finally switched classes were the MOST uncomfortable days I have EVER spent in school. It seems that the class was a requirement for students to take that had violated school rules the year prior.

Anyway, the class was mostly minorities and I sat in the front closest to the teacher because I was a good little student. Within the first 5 minutes, gum was in my hair, my chair had been tipped over, I was called "cracker" repeatedly and incessantly and bitch and some of the other students would take turns sitting behind me and pull my hair while they pushed their desk into my back. The teacher finally took me to the side and told me to switch out of the class and he would do whatever he could to get me into another class of my choosing. He just had no control. Partly the teachers fault of course but also the faults of those that went out of their way to make me feel like crap because of the color of my skin.

The point I am trying to illustrate is that the term cracker is not only used at least in my experience to show frustration over "white is right" but as a replacement for other not so nice sounding words.

I finally switched out of the school and went back to the one that I was zoned for (the all white upper class high school that didn't have any charter programs and provided what I thought was a sub par education but also a place where I felt safe and I didn't have to worry about cutting gum out of my hair or being maligned by fellow classmates.)

The whole experience did teach me a very needed lesson though : It taught me to fight very hard for the thousands of black people that experience that same thing that I did everyday by trying to inform people that racism is horrific and needs to be ended. Because those kids don't have the options that I had, they can't run and hide to a place that is safer for them. A place where they can learn without any hindrance.

[mark414]

9. hence the preface

by saying from my experiences

i'm speaking only for myself, of course

thanks for your input. this is an important discussion, and all input is valued.

[HamdenRice]

25. Perhaps the problem was ...

that you by mistake were enrolled in a class for students who had been in trouble the year before ("the class was a requirement for students to take that had violated school rules the year prior") rather than that you were in a class with minority students. I think you are generalizing from the behavior of minority delinquents to the behavior of all minority students.

Also, just a grammar pet peeve: the class was a requirement for students "who" -- not students "that" -- had violated rules.

[JohnnyCougar]

48. I think you are the one who made the generalization.

Nowhere did she say that minority students harassed her because they were minorities. She said that she was being called racial slurs because of skin color. That is all. There is a big difference in what she said and what you generalized from it.

[HamdenRice]

68. No this is what I meant -- you made the same generalization

You said, to quote you: "She said that she was being called racial slurs because of skin color."

She wasn't. She was being called names because she was in a class full of very troubled young people.

If she had been in the same kind of class with people the same color as her, in rural Montana, I suspect she still would have been called names.

[immoderate]

75. Seems to me that if this was a class that included rule breakers...

they should have had a teacher that was stronger in classroom management. I'm wondering what good participating in that class did for those students.

It's also sad that many good educational plans get misdirected like this. I participated in starting a school based on a terrific social model. We got a reputation for being able to deal with "problem" students. So the district started sending us all the problems. With the balance thrown off, many parents of "good" students withdrew their children. Sounds like what happened to that law class.

--IMM

[JohnnyCougar]

76. So calling her a cracker had nothing to do with her skin color?

[Swamp Rat]

14. "Race" is a construct. We're all humans.

...'cept'n JeeDubya... t'ain't no human t'all!

[ContraBass Black]

15. Opinions

"Finally, try not to get offended if someone calls you cracker. Yes, it is a negative word with a negative connotation, but try to just smile, and don’t take it personally. From my experiences and conversations with black people and black friends, usually things like that are said not out of hate, but rather out of frustration at a hypocritical system where “white is right.” There is a legitimate historical and cultural backdrop to provide reason by itself for black people to distrust or even hate white people. This is not to say that such prejudice is okay or acceptable, but it’s not completely irrational either. One must understand that this context of mistrust is, for many, reinforced on a daily basis. And considering the many horrible things that white people have done to black people over time, especially since slavery ended, we white people should be relieved when all black people do is make fun of us. It could be a lot worse."

I don't believe that use of the c-word is justified. Your paragraph excuses it.


"And for the rest of you out there, who aren’t black or white, I’m sorry for leaving you out. I’m sorry that race relations always boil down to a black vs. white issue, forgetting all the other beautiful colors and countries we have here in America. But given my inspiration for this and, as I mentioned earlier, the historical and cultural race relations of black and white Americans, I chose to keep it focused exclusively as I did."

Scrub the word "always." People who wouldn't dare say anything about black people around me don't hesitate to speak about Hispanics as if they are a cockroach infestation or suggest that the world's problems can be solved by exterminating Arabs.

[mark414]

19. uh, i don't excuse it

read it again

"This is not to say that such prejudice is okay or acceptable, but it’s not completely irrational either."

[ContraBass Black]

20. It still sounds too soft to me.

"From my experiences and conversations with black people and black friends, usually things like that are said not out of hate, but rather out of frustration at a hypocritical system where “white is right.”

"There is a legitimate historical and cultural backdrop to provide reason by itself for black people to distrust or even hate white people."

Wrong begets wrong. That doesn't make any of it right.


"And considering the many horrible things that white people have done to black people over time, especially since slavery ended, we white people should be relieved when all black people do is make fun of us."

Perhaps, but it still bothers me when anyone does that.


"One must understand that this context of mistrust is, for many, reinforced on a daily basis."

It certainly is.

[mark414]

30. the key thing to remember, is that it's an editorial

i am not personally offended by the word cracker, so that's why i said what i said.

however, it seems like we agree more than we disagree so let's just leave it at that. thanks for your input, it is appreciated.

[Quill Pen]

34. Oh, but I *would* be offended by the term "cracker."

I'm a white girl from the Pacific Northwest. I've never lived in the South, and the furthest South my ancestors come from, on mom's side of the family, is Oklahoma back in the early 1850's. They were poor farmers who didn't own slaves. My dad's side is all Polish and Lithuanian Jew; none of them lived in the U.S. before WWI.

If my mother's ancestors qualify as "crackers," even in the loosest definition, I sure as hell don't want to hear about it. What exactly does the offender hope will change? I can't change that I'm white; I'm not ashamed to be white, and no matter what shift in the universe occurs, I'll never totally understand what it's like to be black. Whatever understanding I acquire, it'll only go so far. I'm guessing that I, personally, am far from the biggest roadblock in the life of someone who hates me just because I'll never understand what it's like to be him. Why keep assaulting me, then? I'm not a cracker, especially by Webster's definition, and anybody who calls me one deserves a fat lip, period. (BTW, "cracker" was a term first used by wealthy plantation and slave owners to refer to poor whites -- one does wonder why some blacks would continue to honor terms like "cracker" and "n-gger" when they were first dumped into the vernacular by their oppressors. But just my $0.02.)

The black people who might call me "cracker" today were never slaves. I do not believe in this candy-ass, white-fear-laden bullsh*t that one race holds permanent ancestral rights to assault another. I was born in 1970; I've never owned slaves; I've treated all humanity I've met with dignity and always worked and voted on the side of human rights; and I've neither earned nor will I take any racist crap off anyone, white, black or purple.

I do not have to be sensitive to some punk-ass with a chip on his shoulder who wants to oppress me just because I'm not the same color as he is. Racism is rock-bottom emotional intelligence, period, no matter who it comes from. I sure as hell don't have to laugh it off.

[mark414]

35. i think you're right

in the sense that there is still much for you to understand

none of my family even lived in this country until the 1880's

none of them owned slaves, and i didn't either

but that doesn't change the fact that you and i as white people still benefit greatly just because of something we were born with, the color of our skin. and whether we like it or not, we still hold that power and that privilege.

you have a lot to learn, but so do i.

so is life.

[Quill Pen]

37. I do not feel guilty for benefiting, myself

There's still plenty for you to understand, too. You are still very young -- a lot younger than me, I'll wager. Personally, there's something really tinny about a twentyish white male telling me how little I understand. (A lot like those college-age white male Nader voters who yelled at me that I'm a warmonger a few months ago because I didn't want to sign their @#$%ing petition to get Ralphie on the ballot.) I hope you manage to get over your guilt, and hopefully, you'll give up assessing the acceptable levels of white guilt of your fellow students, as you find more meaningful ways to spend your time.

By the same token, I might very easily call you a male chauvinist pig. After all, you are male, right? And I'm female; I'm the one who's traditionally oppressed. So the shoe fits you, you'd better wear it cheerfully. If you dare to argue that you might not be a male chauvinist pig, you make yourself an even bigger one.

Is this the kind of world you want? Where victimhood is currency?

[mark414]

39. umm

if you read my column again, you will see that i specifically wrote that i don't feel guilty for being white. and why the fuck should i?

i titled it 'tips for white people' because that's exactly what it is...i am speaking to white people and white people only. it is not supposed to be something for black people to hold up and say "hey white people, why can't you all be more like this white guy??? stop oppressing me!"

i spoke nothing of victimhood nor do i ever. trying to get other people to realize their own ingrained prejudices is about enlightenment and understanding, not creating a victim. you're using freeper speak now.

and yes, i am a male pig, just like in my column i said i still have a lot of racial prejudices that came to me as a result of growing up in this american society. but that doesn't mean i don't recognize those prejudices and try my fucking hardest to get rid of them. but they're there, and probably will be for a long time. i don't dispute that.

so to recap, i don't feel guilty, the idea of victimhood is bullshit, and i'm a chauvinist pig.

and as for the 20-something comment, remember this:

age doesn't always equal wisdom. i think our president is proof positive enough of that.

[Baconfoot]

38. You are right. White people receive benefits from just being white.

(not that it got me health insurance for 5 years)

But seriously, being white gets you a better chance over non-white job competitors, higher pay, friendlier services from bigots who wouldn't even consider themselves racist in the least and so on.

My Irish ancestors had a pretty damn rough time of it when they came over. If African Americans occupied the bottom rung, then the Irish occupied the bottom at one time. (As a matter of fact, the Irish had it so bad in terms of discrimination that they are usually the first group mentioned after African Americans when the topic of compensation for past wrongs comes up.) But why weren't they on the bottom rung? One, not uncontroversial, guess is that they were spit on just a little less hard because they were white.

But does this make the use of racial slurs ok? No. Noone is a cracker. There is no such thing as a cracker. Even white a**holes, are not crackers. They are merely a**holes who happen to be white.

And so I think your response fails to respond to something important about the post of the person to whom you are responding - the anti-racial slur sentiment. Everything the poster said could, with only slight revision, be made quite compatible with the assertion that whites benefit from being white.

[Quill Pen]

47. Indeed, white people do benefit merely from being white.

I've never denied it. And the fact that we benefit cannot be blamed entirely on whites, at least in my opinion. Nor is this privilege gap something that's likely to be fixed by the smug, masturbatory "tips" of a fuzzy-chinned member of the Campus Thought Police. Or by the superiority of their faultless Internet pals who think anyone unwilling to have her lily-white nose rubbed in racist victim-wallow shit deserves to be called a "white a**hole."

[SemiCharmedQuark]

74. "the fact that we benefit cannot be blamed entirely on whites"

Sooo...it's the fault of minorities? Wow. That is amazing considering whites make up far and away the vast majority of law makers, business owners and the upper eschelon in general.

[IMayBeWrongBut]

52. really?

"BTW, "cracker" was a term first used by wealthy plantation and slave owners to refer to poor whites "

I always assumed it was short for "whip cracker" as in slave driver...

[Quill Pen]

57. Check this...and Webster's

...there are some competing theories, but the one that seems to have the greatest steam behind it is its application to poor white immigrants to Appalachia, ca. 18th century.

http://athena.english.vt.edu/~appalach/essaysA/cracker.htm

The "whip-cracker" theory isn't much in play, according to this.

[yardwork]

58. "Cracker" was a term used for a specific group of white settlers

in northern and central Florida, I thought.

[ContraBass Black]

40. Please forgive the strengh of my tone.

Yes, we do agree on most things. Racism disturbs me whichever direction it goes.

[mark414]

41. it's all good

[retread]

16. Another "tip" for white people. Take a few of the tests at this

site. I think you will be surprised. I was born and raised in the south so I expected demons in my closet. The trick is to know they are there and consciously work to keep the door shut!
https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/demo/measureyourattitudes.html

[loudestchick]

77. Mine indicated little or no automatic preference...perhaps I'm as liberal

as I think.

[American Tragedy]

18. Well said, and thank you. Sometimes we can be embarrassingly ignorant.

I do have one minor objection.

"don’t ever use someone’s race as an adjective. If you were to refer to every white person you saw as “Hey look at that white guy over there,” it would sound pretty stupid. It sounds pretty stupid when you’re talking about someone who isn’t white too."

I understand your point, and I do try to avoid doing that. However, sometimes in order to verbally identify someone in a group, one often has to point them out by their individual physical characteristics. For example, if you were pointing me out to someone else, you might refer to me as the pale skinny chick with curly reddish hair or something - unless I was with my family, in which case the description might cover several of us.

Similarly, if there are only one or two African-Americans in a group, which is fairly common since they are a minority in the US, it's usually simplest to identify one of them as :sigh: the black guy or black girl, awkward as it may sound. I'm sorry, but sometimes it just seems kind of silly to do verbal somersaults in order to avoid saying it.

[politicat]

55. The guy in the blue shirt. The woman in the green pants.

There's always something that's a distinguisher that's not racial. No verbal somersaults needed.

I'm frequently in a room filled with minorities (primarily of Central and South American origin.). I'm often the blanca chica. But a lot of my clients tend to say, "go see the red-haired woman" or the "short woman in grey" instead of the "white woman." If my clients can do it, so can you.

Pcat

[Quill Pen]

59. But why should we?

Why do we need to be afraid to speak of color? Why is noticing that someone is white, or black, or Asian, necessarily disparaging?

Ever spent any quality time in Hawaii? I have; my best friend from college is 1/4 Hawaiian, along with her Portuguese, Chinese and German. In Hawaii, people are incredibly diverse, yet ethnic jokes have literally become part of speech. Hawaiian residents have come to accept, without shame, that people from different places look and sometimes behave differently. And they speak openly of these differences, ostensibly without constant riots. If your way was always correct, nobody would even be allowed to acknowledge that one person looks differently from another. How boring, booby-trapped and stifling life in Hawaii would be, I imagine, considering what a racial mixture their population represents.

Hawaiians drafted a resolution rejecting the Patriot Act within a few months after it passed. Somehow, this extremely diverse state understood immediately the difference between acknowledging that race is part of uniqueness, and profiling or discrimination. I think their culture is proof that there are ways to avoid hurtful prejudice, but observe that people from different places look different and occasionally behave differently from others.

[politicat]

64. That's a cultural difference.

And no, I have never been there, and never will, because my effed up ancestry says I can't spend more than 5 minutes in the sun (with sunscreen). Thus, sunny warm places are out of the question. I regret that because I've seen wonderful pictures and read wonderful words about the place.

While I think you're setting up a strawman argument - taking it to an absurd extreme by saying "If we never acknowledged that people look different" - I'll reply. And I never said that we shouldn't acknowledge that people look different. Strangers of course, should back off of each other on potentially sensitive subjects because communication is half expression and half perception. You don't know how your expressions are going to be perceived by others, and so it is wise to think before you speak, and do your best to minimize the potential for misinterpretation. This is basic good manners. (I'm using you as a generic Everyman because it sounds less pretentious than "one" and I set this up to be an informal bit of speech/writing by using effed.).

Further, I'm really talking about stranger interactions and more formal settings. It's just as bad to say "Go see the Fattie at registration" as it is to say "Go see the Bedhead at distribution" as it is to say "Go see the black guy at resources." It's just not done in a formal or semi-formal (aka business and education) setting. Among friends? That's totally different. Among friends I can call someone a crackhead or a psychopath and get away with it. I doubt that strangers in Hawaii tell each other ethnic jokes. If so, I ask for another member of this board from Hawaii to confirm it... preferably someone with a relatively high post count.

Hawaii sounds like a unique culture if what you're getting second hand and as an outsider is true. I do happen to know that there is discontent under the surface, else would there be a Hawaii Successionist and Monarchy Restoration project? Racial or no, not all is sound.

Here in Hell, AKA places not so psychologically functional, the point I'm making is that it is not necessary to refer to race to point someone out. Sometimes it is shorthand, but sometimes it is the only thing a person sees. If people at the Social Services center, who are aliterate in English and only functionally literate in Spanish can treat others without reference to color or race, people that most whites consider only fit to dump their garbage and weed their flowers and pick their fruit when they consider them at all, then something is wrong with those who do see things in terms of race and race alone.

That said, I'll admit I'm prejudiced. I get nervy whenever a white man in a pinstriped suit and tie comes at me and says "I'm from the Government and I'm here to HELP you!" That just backs me right up against a wall and makes me reach for my pocket and wish I had a tube of KY. ;)

Pcat

[Carolinian]

21. I'm insulted as hell by being called a "cracker" just as blacks

are offended by the N word.

Don't call people names - even nice ones. (A lesson from K)

[Jose Diablo]

22. I also somehow feel insulted, much like being told to go to hell

then quantify the statement with, but don't take offense.

Mark, I do hope you won't take offense, but some polka loving, beer swilling, country bumpkin from Milwaukee has no business calling anyone a cracker. No offense, but Milwaukee is the cracker capitol of the north.

I do hope you understand, Mark, I wouldn't want you to take offense, I am just trying to help you understand you know.

[Logansquare]

36. There's never any justification for calling someone "cracker"

The remedy for 300 years of white racism against blacks is justice. Not cheap and juvenile name-calling. You're young, so I attribute your rationalization to that.

I agree with all the other points made in your article. Here's a funny story from when I worked at a company where I was the only white person on my shift:

I walked into the ladies' restroom and overheard two of my coworkers talking between the booths. The first woman, Sheila was talking about something I had told her about workers' comp earlier that day. The second woman, Maybel, asked her who had said this to her.
Sheila: You know, Lynn.
Maybel: I don't know her.
Sheila: You know, she's the girl who is going to college, and always eats yogurt...
Maybel: No, I don't know her.
Sheila: She wears the crazy hats..(Maybel is silent)..you know, she lent you a pen..
Maybel: Oh!! The WHITE GIRL!!

Sheila was trying to do the right thing, but sometimes the shorthand is easier! :)

[Connie_Corleone]

23. Do young people use the word "cracker" now??

The only people I've ever heard use that term were older black people, that includes some in my family (aunts, grandfather).

I'm 33 and I can't recall ever hearing that term from people in my generation growing up.

I guess some people have to be educated on the FACT that not all black people speak "ebonics".

[ohio_liberal]

26. Yes....

Teenagers of all races here use the word "cracker" all the time to describe racists.

[HamdenRice]

24. A couple of comments from a black man ...

Well, my first comment has nothing to do with race. When you are narrating the actions of a single person, please don't write, "They explained that, in a rush, they decided ..." Instead, write "He (or she) explained that ..." Just a pet peeve, especially if you are publishing in a newspaper.

Second, I generally agree that "Perhaps one of the most important things to remember is this: just because one black person says it doesn’t mean that’s what all black people think. Black people are just like white people in that each and every one of them has their own ideas and opinions about the world we live in."

On the other hand, please recognize that on certain political, ethical and intellectual issues, African Americans have remarkably consistent views. This may be because of common experience; I would like to believe, however, it is also because of a common moral and ethical culture, perhaps best respresented by the teachings of Rev. Martin Luther King. African Americans are the only ethnic group or voter block in the nation that gives the Democratic Party support at levels of 85%-90%. African Americans are consistently anti-war and in favor of helping the poor.

Remember the scene in F9/11 when House Representatives were pleading for a single Senator to sign their petition for an inquiry into voting in Florida? They were all people of color. I like to think that this is not just a coincidence. We may not all look alike but on issues of funamental political morality, I like to think a lot of us think alike.

I agree that it is obnoxious for a white person to change into "black talk" when talking to a black person. But this is very different from a certain southern Clintonesque phenomenon that many northern people misunderstand. It is that some white people from the south slip into southern, not black, speech patterns around black people with southern roots. Long ago, when I was in graduate school, there was this very progressive white guy from the south who would sit at the "black" table most of the time, and get into his Alabama accent. He was a great friend and well liked by the black students. But he wasn't talking black; he was talking southern. Just as black people tend to slip into dialect when we are together, southerners in the north do also.

Calling someone a cracker to his face is I think indefensibly rude. On the other hand, please keep in mind that white people, when they are caught acting testy or superior are likely to be called all sorts of names by people of color -- but politely behind their backs. People of color all have their special words for white people who are "acting out" -- African Americans (cracker, peck-a-wood, honkies, white boys), Latinos (blanquitos, gringos), Asians (barbarians -- in their respective languages).

[mark414]

28. thanks for the input

this is such an important topic to talk about and i wish more people would take the time to do so.

that being said, given that it's for a newspaper column, i have but a limited amount of space. so while i am aware (as much as i am able to be) of what you mentioned of the consistent views that african-americans hold, i was speaking more in a social context, as in, not all black people like hip hop, etc. etc. etc.

the same goes for the rest of the column really, as you pointed out when referring to people using "black slang" when talking to a black person. again, with so much to talk about it's hard to get into the specifics.

and i will admit that i was being a bit facetious with the cracker thing, though it doesn't bother me personally. i also wanted encourage people not to get pissed at something like affirmative action, and other hot button black/white issues, and i was hoping the rest of that paragraph would help to clarify or at least sort that out.

with that, thanks again for putting in your two cents. it's much appreciated.

[mark414]

50. and concerning your first point

i stayed away from he/she or anything like that because i didn't want to do anything that might give away the identity of the person

[lukasahero]

27. A lesson for everyone - not just whites

If you changed the word black to gay or woman or southern or liberal or anyone who is different from you, it would still be a relevant lesson.

[mark414]

32. right

but then, given the context of my inspiration...yeah you get the picture

[MsTryska]

29. *lol* @ "Not to sound racist but...."

nice piece.

[mark414]

53. haha

man i hear that WAAAYYY too much

[Baconfoot]

33. I feel that the 1st few paragraphs could be improved

1)You are trying to cover quite a bit of ground with "Now, I am fully aware of the many differences between white Americans and black Americans, differences that go beyond just the color of our skins, but I can tell you that this presentation was not about exploring those differences." I think some of that ground should be explicit.

2)FOR EXAMPLE: What the girl in your class was doing sounds VERY different from something which might MISTAKENLY be thought to be similar - arguing that Ebonics should be considered a rule-governed language on a par in every respect with any other language.

I feel that your judgment of the activity she was engaged in seems spot on, but that the paragraphs in question might have more impact if said activity were to be explictly distinguished from the other activity I mention above.

The second activity is one which many, including myself, consider not entirely worthless. Sadly, if someone thinks that someone else is speaking using "correct" form of English, they are sometimes less able to communicate effectively with that individual and in many cases even negatively prejudge that individual's intelligence. Speaking a non-standard version of English, of course, bears no correlation to intelligence. Additionally the entire concept of Ebonics as a family of dialects is now somewhat outdated, but the impulses there are very different from what I take to be the impulses of the girl in question.

3)It seems like the following paragraph is trying to be tied back to the girl with her list. However, unless I'm mistaken, the list's subject wasn't "what black people think." If there is supposed to be a tie in and the comment isn't meant to be stand alone, then you should rework the paragraph a wee bit.

"Perhaps one of the most important things to remember is this: just because one black person says it doesn’t mean that’s what all black people think. Guess what? Black people are just like white people in that each and every one of them has their own ideas and opinions about the world we live in. And perhaps even more importantly, don’t criticize the black community using the words of another black man, as way too many people did with the words of Dr. Bill Cosby after his visit here a couple months ago."


Edited for clarity

[linazelle]

42. "...try not to get offended if someone calls you cracker.." HUH???!!!

That IS racist. I'm black and I know that.

The absurdity of that statement is laughable.

[mark414]

45. it wasn't intended to be specific

i had hoped that the rest of the paragraph would clear that up

[drthais]

43. WELL! as a college professor, let me say

that this is an EXCELLENT opportunity for teaching
what an ass!
there are many many ways to stand this on its head in class

ps: I am a white teacher in a 'traditionally black' university

[mark414]

46. let's hear it professor

i see you're not one for constructive criticism

[Steven_S]

44. A tip for people; white or otherwise:

If you spend enough time with people who look different, they won't look different anymore.

[Tomee450]

49. Excellent post.

[mark414]

54. thank you

[JohnnyCougar]

56. You had me until the "cracker" comment

You said above that you were using it generally, so I assume that it's okay for me to use the word "nigger" in a general, casual sort of way, too.

But I would never do that, I have too much respect for myself to use that word. Just like I would expect you to show some respect for yourself in refraining from using the word "cracker."

The word "cracker," as far as I have heard, is a derogatory slang term used against whites referring to them as "whip crackers." Well, my family came over here in the late 1600's/early 1700's and had no intentions of using "race" as a reason to have slaves. They came here to escape religious persecution similar to the persecution the slaves have suffered. Not once have they ever thought about cracking a whip at a black man. For you to generalize to my family what evil people have done in the past is just as stupid as me calling you a nigger.

Now, I thought the rest of your post was funny, actually fucking hilarious, because it is a generalization about white people. But it is a generalization that is not derogatory. "Cracker" is insulting, because it implies all white people wish black people were slaves again, we we could whip them. I wouldn't whip a black, white, brown, blue, green, pink, purple, red or yellow person even if the law made me do it. That is an evil thought, and if you think I won't get offended when you "casually" throw the "cracker" term around, you are dead wrong.

[mark414]

60. uh...i'm white

and cracker doesn't offend me

that's why it's an editorial

but thanks for your input, it is much appreciated (and no i'm not being sarcastic)

[JohnnyCougar]

61. Ok, but the word cracker is still derogatory slang.

And I stand by everything I said. Like I said before, most of that story really is hilarious.

BTW, where do you go to school? I'm from Milwaukee, too.

[mark414]

62. UW-Milwaukee

i'm only in my first year, but that's after taking a couple years off to do random other things

milwaukee's good shit, i wouldn't live anyplace else.

what do you do?

[JohnnyCougar]

63. Just graduated from there in spring.

But now I am down in Chicago for grad school. I come back at least once a month though. Chicago is okay, but I wish they had my graduate program in Milwaukee.

[fortyfeetunder]

72. Just read your college newspaper a couple mos ago

I was in town and picked up a copy. Is it also online?

[mark414]

73. yes

http://www.uwmpost.com

[HamdenRice]

69. Here: web site that helps white people learn how to deal with black people

Why try to write such an essay? It's so much work! I think it's much easier to just refer people to this excellent reference guide for white people concerning how to be well liked by black people. It's called:

http://www.blackpeopleloveus.com/index.html


<edited>

[donhakman]

70. THATS DEF

.

[HamdenRice]

71. My favorite pic from the site ...

is Johnny being stumped while playing pictionary: