A white proverb (2013) is an Internet meme on Tumblr where you quote something White Americans say to people of colour all the time and then call it a proverb. For example:
“I’m not racist! In fact, calling me racist is racist!”— Ancient White Proverb
It is a joke: white people say these things so much and with such straight faces that it is almost like they were repeating ancient, wise sayings they learned somewhere. But instead of being wise they are being clueless!
White proverbs centre whiteness by:
- denying white privilege (“The police are here to protect you.”) and by
- marginalizing people of colour as strange creatures (“Oh, your hair is just so interesting! Can I touch it?”).
What sounds “innocent” to a white privilege mindset is in fact racist microagression – the small little racist acts people of colour put up with every day because no single one is worth making a big deal of.
The top white proverbs of the 141 I gathered, ranked by the number of users who liked each:
- 3701 “I’m 32% Irish, 12% German, 17% Swedish, 25% French, 10% Polish and 1/17 Cherokee princess”
- 3549 “Where are you from? …No, I mean where’s your family from?”
- 1628 “The police are here to protect you.”
- 1410 “I don’t care if you’re black, white, brown, yellow, green or purple…”
- 1268 “Its not like YOU were ever a slave. I don’t understand why race is even an issue for you.”
- 850 “You’re not like those other Black people. In fact, I don’t see you as Black at all.”
- 819 “Wow, you are very attractive for a [insert ethnicity/race].”
- 652 “You’re so pretty. You don’t even look [non-white ethnicity]!”
- 649 “I took a class on this”
- 634 “You’re racist for saying I’m racist”
- 629 “I don’t know how to pronounce that, do you have an English name?”
- 619 “But the movement is about women’s issues, not racial issues!”
- 610 “You should be more like Martin Luther King and less like Malcolm X.”
- 498 “Oh, your hair is just so interesting! Can I touch it?”
- 468 “White people experience racism too. A Black person was mean to me once.”
- 464 “It’s not racist. It was a joke…”
- 459 “you just don’t understand how oppressed you are by your own culture”
- 458 “Calling me cracker is just as bad as me calling you the n-word.”
- 453 “I’m not racist, I hate everyone equally.”
- 452 “But my black friend wasn’t offended”
- 437 “I love Latinas. CALIENTE.”
- 428 “Do you mean forehead dot Indian or teepee Indian?”
- 415 “I’m not white; I’m human.”
- 407 “Two wrongs don’t make a right. If you react in violent self defense when someone’s violently attacking you, you’re just as bad.”
- 403 “You’re so lucky, you don’t have to tan!”
- 394 “Exotic”
- 346 “Slavery was 400 years ago. Get over it.”
- 346 “I’m not white, I’m Italian.”
Some whites say the white proverb meme is racist. Because – how do you say it? Right:
White Proverb # 10: “You’re racist for saying I’m racist”
No one is saying that ALL white people talk like this, that ALL white people are racist. But those who do need to stop and wonder why.
See also:
- Full list of white proverbs
- microaggression
- Chescaleigh: Shit White Girls Say … to Black Girls – makes fun of the same thing
- Secret Course on Whiteness – where white people learn to talk like this.
- white privilege mindset
- Broken Record Dept
- people of colour
- Tumblr: yet more Internet crack
You might like this story about being brown, if I may post a link to my own blog:
http://blograju.com/2012/12/11/i-am-brown-and-you-want-to-know-why/
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Oh and somewhere in there should have been mentioned the White Proverb: “I can’t be racist. Some of my best friends are black.”
I have heard that one more times than I can count. (Never mind that there just are not enough of us to go around being every white person’s friend.)
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This is hilarious! And so true! There’s so many proverbs to pick from!lol
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Great entry.
For the record, as an Italian American, I am “white,” and if anyone, including any black person, asks me “what I am,” I don’t say “white,” even though I’m well aware of the classification and privilege attributed to me based on our racist culture. However, 150 years ago, this was not a given in the U.S. The man or woman today who says “I’m not white, I’m Italian” is either playing the white game of flipping between “race” and ethnicity as it suits him or her; OR the self-proclaimed “Italian” is a contemporary “white race” deconstructionist, whose aware of history has gotten ahead of his sensibility and sensitivity toward people of color. As a “white” man of Italian ancestry, I am privileged by skin class. Appeals to being Italian do not change this fact. Still, as James Baldwin has observed, nobody came to this country thinking they were “white.” My grandparents didn’t think they were “white” when they came to the U.S. in 1914. But they sure enough learned to be and think “white” after living in the U.S. a relatively short time. Still, I’m genetically predisposed to eating pasta over potatoes, so that must count for something.
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Aba
Don’t forget:
“The Italians were lynched too after slavery!”
“The Japanese were slaves too!”
“The Jews were persecuted too!”
“You’re the one that’s keeping this thing going…”
“I don’t have a racist bone in my body!”
“The Moors ruled the Spanish for 700 years!”
“I got pulled over/fired/laid-off too!”
And my personal favourite:
****drumroll, please****
“I reject my colour, therefore it doesn’t exist!”
*cue vomit*
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P.S.
Whites are NEVER going to own up to this insanity that they created so f*ck ’em! I’m so sick of their $hit.
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Now, as icing on the cake…all we need to do is extract this golden information, make a commercial or YouTube video out of it and somehow sell it as, ironically new and “hip” or maybe a testament to the “snow whiteness” or “innocent color-blind” mindset of whites that they would pay money to read and better “understand”–and sell it back to them, making millions in the process. 🙂
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LOL!! Spot on Abagond.
Here’s some I’ve heard in my lifetime:
“When I first met you I thought you were going to be mean.”
“Eww, GREASE!”
“The Black Panther party was a hate group and extremely racist.”
“Why are you going on to grad school, don’t you want to have babies?” 🙄
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There should be a book full of these dumbass sayings to put on your coffee table. It’s better than something like “Dadisms” or some self-help book.
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“You speak English so well!”
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“No one is saying that ALL white people talk like this, that ALL white people are racist. But those who do need to stop and wonder why.”
I have to agree. You have to look at context and within the context “some” is understood or should be.
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Truthbetold: I have had some serious nerve-strike moments just like this.
Lifelearner: That “Ewww, Grease” comment I heard once back in my college days. My roommate complained about everything I did. How I did my hair, what the hair products smelled like or the times I chose to do my hair. (I wasn’t washing it every single day, so therefore not often enough for her.)
Well, at least she didn’t ask me if she could touch it ,even though she seemed inordinately obsessed with it.
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Some of these yeah are pretty racist but why is it racist to be aware of your genetic heritage? How is that a micro-aggression?
Why is it racist/micro-aggression of white people to point out when black people are being racist? Or is this something that only applies when directed at white people? Would it be okay it black people were being racist to Asians or Natives?
Or the thing about woman’s issues, if there are movements both for women’s issues and issues of colors and the woman’s issue is specifically about things that are about gender/sex, than how is that an incorrect statement?
They have a specific purpose and reason for existing to combat gender problems. If you want to combat race problems, than join that party/group as well.
And is there some truth to the culture aspect? I mean; people are fine and dandy with pointing out that white culture has its issues but can’t handle the same when that’s directed back at them?
Here’s a question; if it’s not racist for a black person to do white proverbs, why is it racist for a white person to do black proverbs?
Why is it okay for black people to point out how they’ve suffered but wrong for other persecuted groups to point out how they have suffered as well?
And Italian guy; you sure there isn’t some level of oppression or bigotry against Italians? I mean think about it; the only things with Italians on TV are jersey shore, cooking shows and mobster movies. What economic level do most Italians exist at? How are they represented in politics versus their proportions in US society?
Think about how Italians are stereotyped as dumb, fat and criminal; don’t forget the Guido’s that are made fun of by everybody.
And of course the one drop rule as applies to them (though really that’s only the caecilians), Jews and the Irish.
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”Have you ever seen a hut?”
”Your nose is so flat and big”
”White women don’t cheat on their men”. (This from a half black woman)
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http://www.thefrontrowview.com/2012/06/karlie-kloss-for-vogue-us-july-2012-is.html
WARNING: Painful
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Louis DeCaro Jr. being cautious having been burnt so many times, I have to say you just might be a honest Italian white man maybe,or a white Italian man or a man who is american Italian white and honest….
Btw – the gif picture of what’s her name rolling her beautiful eyes scared the feces outta me when I first saw it in my email in box – but its definitely Cool…
“number of users who liked each” – uh what now they used it and liked using it??
“I’m 32% Irish, 12% German, 17% Swedish, 25% French, 10% Polish and 1/17 Cherokee princess”
how did they calculate these percentages??? and Cherokee princess – yeah ,did the Cherokee even have royality??
nice nitty gritty post I think I’ll reblog……
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Great post, abagond! I hear these a lot. How about “I’m not a racist. My best friend/wife is [insert ethnicity/race]”.
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Some of these white proverbs are even meant as a compliment which it isn’t.
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Reblogged this on Mbeti's Blog and commented:
microaggressions made public , next up hair flicking,timed hair flicking ,funny looks,mean looks and other minor annoyances that add up to a big pain in the ass and may contribute to migraines – stay tuned….
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@v-4
“if it’s not racist for a black person to do white proverbs, why is it racist for a white person to do black proverbs?”
I don’t think it would be racist for white people to do black proverbs as long as their not steeped in stereotype.
You could use some of these same statements for black people, especially #1 and #28.
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*they’re
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@Mbeti
Aside from a few ignorant white people who actually think natives had “princesses”, its basically meant as derision towards the ancestory of white or mixed race people.
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“You’re so lucky, you don’t have to tan!”
Honest Q: Do PoC here regard this one as offensive? Or is it just something you hear a lot from whites?
Thanks.
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“So, what kind of sports do you play?”
“MY family never owned slaves.” (They say this one so often, it makes you wonder WHO exactly owned slaves in America. From the way they tell it, no one).
“I have the perfect person for you to meet. They’re Black!”
*repressing gag reflex*
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@ choconutjoe
I think it’s offensive but meant to be a compliment. It’s offensive because it shows complete ignorance on the part of pale people. They have studied us for centuries. Wrote pseudoscientific books on EVERY single part of our bodies. And now all of a sudden, they want to act brand new, like they don’t know what melanin is? GTFOHWTBS
If you wanted to compliment someone, just say, “I love your complexion/skin tone.” And that’s it. Nothing more, nothing less. Kind of when pale people tell you, “Oh, you’re beautiful for a Black girl/guy” when they could have just left it at beautiful.
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@ choconutjoe:
Personally, I find it offensive as well as something I’ve heard a lot of white people say. I’ve had white co-workers come up to me saying how hard it is to make a tan stay long. Then they’ll say something along the likes of, “At least, you don’t have to tan. You were born with THAT color.” Right. And when I was growing up, I was told I had skin the color of pee or pooh.
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@ darqbeauty:
Exactly! I find this comment to be backhanded. It’s white people’s way of telling you, “Oh, I’m surprised at your appearance because I wasn’t expecting this beauty coming from a black girl/guy.”
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more…
“Wow…You’re so different from what I thought you’d be like.”
“So….can you sunburn?”
“Are all black men’s penises really that much bigger?”
“How do you wash your hair?”
With shampoo a$$hole!
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@ leigh204
The one that gets me most is when they say, “Oh my God, you’re beautiful enough to be a model (which I was for Elite for about a decade)…what are you mixed with?” When I know I damn well look Black. Something inside them wants to take credit for my beauty….like I must have an admixture of THEM to be considered beautiful. That anything outside of that is an anomaly. It’s a subversive slap in the face. When they ask me if I am mixed, I proudly proclaim, “Yes, I am mixed. With Hebrew Israelite, Black, Colored, Negro, African and about 1/16 African American.”
I can’t stand when Black people rush to proclaim a diluted heritage in order to garner approval from pale people.
On a side note, after trying to wipe them out, then making them assimilate, then shunning them after assimilation (cultural decimation), there sure do seem to be a great deal of pale people who are Cherokee. I like to call them “Generic-kees”.
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LOL @ “With shampoo a$$hole!” 😛
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Leigh204: I love that term! The other term I’ve heard is Cherohonkees.
Siah: “You speak English so well!” My response to that is : Well, it helps that I was born in this country.
Whenever I’ve gotten that tanning comment I just tell them I do tan and I do burn. I even have freckles on my arms and legs and yes, I get embarrassed about those just like they do. They are always shocked about this.
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In the work place a former supervisor would look at magazine picture and see photographs of people with natural hairstyles like locks or twists and ask “Do you think that’s attractive? It was crazy. I wear all kinds of hair styles and she would walk up and touch my hair. This pissed me off. But at the time I really needed my job and had to suffer. Finally I tried to tactfully tell her how rude and offensive she was being. White people can be so rude. Eating lunch in the break room they are looking at your food and asking stupid questions. The foolishness never stops. I feel sorry for this poor Nigerian brother that is working there the ignorance never stops. I know they probably are just curious about other cultures, But I would think they wouldn’t be so offensive. I once told them I was not there to school them on blacklife 101. It’s ridiculous.
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The Jill Scott GIF just gives me life.
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Wednesday night, in a chat room, I had to deal with white proverbs/broken records like the ones listed for a maximum of 30 minutes from two sheltered white people who said the following to me:
“Why do blacks walk around feeling that we owe them something and that they deserve special treatment?”
“I live in a city where most crime is committed by blacks. So, I have to protect myself from them if they try to attack me.”
“There are a lot of black people in prison because they commit the most crimes.”
“Slavery happened a long time ago, for goodness sakes.”
“Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves.”
“Why didn’t black people go back to Africa after they were freed?”
“Let me ask you this, if I were to walk down a street in Compton in the middle of the night, wouldn’t you think it’s reasonable that I, a white man, fear for my life?”
“My family’s been poor when I was young, but my family didn’t steal or rob anyone like most blacks do! We knew right from wrong!”
“You’ve never been here! You don’t know what I’ve seen! So, shut the f**k up!”
Again, for 30 minutes, I dealt with this. The last statement was used repetitively until I felt when she answered my question. “If we never met and you see me walk down the street towards you in your direction, would you be scared?” Her answer was “Yes, depending on how you look.”
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I almost forgot,
Those two also mentioned statistics.
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V-4
@Mbeti
Aside from a few ignorant white people who actually think natives had “princesses”, its basically meant as derision towards the ancestry of white or mixed race people.
don’t you mean the ancestry of native americans??
and as for derision – it figures.
to everyone – at this time 99% of albinic white people think and feel this way and if your naive and ignorant enough to let them get close to you – they will attack.
Remember they hate you because you have/are what wish they have but don’t , and they have no power over it ,just like you.
think about did they or you decide to be born,which gender or color or lack thereof.
407 “Two wrongs don’t make a right. If you react in violent self defense when someone’s violently attacking you, you’re just as bad.”
love that sh–t ,need to go tell it to your local pd,the f.b.i and the pentagon ,better yet just smack a fool and see how they react – not ,do not I repeat not smack or hit anyone – its never a good idea.
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@V-4 :: clearly you don’t understand any of this. allow me to explain:
“its basically meant as derision towards the ancestory of white or mixed race people.”
uh, no. it’s meant as derision toward white people who make up said ancestry with ridiculous percentages in order to feel included in PoC conversations, or to get out of admitting they benefit from white privilege, or admitting that maybe, just maybe, they need to bow out of conversations that either a) have nothing to do with them, or b) they clearly don’t understand the context and/or content of.
sort of like how you don’t understand the context and/or content. it’s okay to admit that.
these posts, as written and as understood by the PoC who wrote them (as abagond already explained, how do u reading comprehension pls?), are about the things white people say to PoC, thinking they are saying something either brand new or complimentary, when what they are really doing is showing just how white they really are. seriously, go back and read it again. these “proverbs” are othering to people of color, they are steeped in whiteness and white privilege, and for lack of a better word, just plain gross.
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“Why didn’t black people go back to Africa after they were freed?”
because you never really freed us,we had no money and have been gone so long we didn’t know where it was or what it was like anymore.
whenever one of them dares say go back to africa – i say sure just buy me a plane ticket (plane trips from america to africa are the most expensive on the market I’ve heard) and I’ll be happily on my way.
never mine that 90 percent of them know these are b.s. questions ,and they are deliberately f–king with you.
And yeah jill scott is a beautiful woman and often mentioned for her positive role model aspects for young black women.
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I love Chescaleigh she is hilarious.
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another thing they say when you bring up racism they say ‘well why don’t you go back to Africa” or ”blacks in america have it better than blacks in Africa if you were there you’d be in a mud hut dying of starvation”.another great one is ”im offended that you’re offended.”
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i saw chesleigh vid on youtube called s**T white girls say it is hilarious and there were people on there saying go back to africa.its like if anybody brings up their wrongdoings they cry or tell you to go away.movies showing blacks in a good light with an all black cast they get upset and say its racist and should be more diverse,yet they don’t say that about movies with all white casts.
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”the egyptians were white”,”Blacks may have been on earth longer but they accomplished less than europeans”there were no black inventors”. and my new fave, There is no need for affirmative action anymore its racist.”
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”yall have BET,if we had WET you would say that is racist but Bet is racist.” ”blacks were able to vote before white women,we are oppressed too.” ”you blacks are very athletic.” ” it must be cool being black because you’re athletic and women love you.” ”blacks are taking over all the sports but you better leave nascar alone.”
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jill scott is beautiful and sensual,how in the world is she single.i have much respect for her and her music.I loved how she spoke her mind on interracial couples and didn’t back down even when people were saying she was racist.
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another fave of mine ”My grandparents came here with 2 dollars and started a business.”
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@mstoogood4yall; I was going bring that up. You beat me to it. Yes they came for Jill for speaking her mind.
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@Abagond; I would like to know is the idiom The pot calling the tea kettle black racist? And the phrase low man on the totem pole seem like it’s racist to Native Americans. I would like to hear from everyone.
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And I heard someone who repairing some on their car use the word n*****rigg. That’s very ugly.
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this may be a little off topic but, tina turner is becoming a swiss citizen and they are saying ” why don’t she give back all that american money she biting the hand that feeds her.”this could be a new ancient white proverb. They did the same to Jackie Chan when he was dissing america.Tina isn’t dissing america she’s just moving out of america.
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The man in blue is a friend to you. Not if you living in New York or any other urban city in the United States and they are stoping and frisking. And racially profiling you. That was always a joke.
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the craziest thing that ever happened to me was me and my dad were fishing and this off lookin white guy came up and started talking.My dad was talking to him about fishing then the white guy started talking about the earthquake in haiti and said i think god has a special place for people from africa,smirked and walked away.me and my dad were just lookin at each other like wtf did he just say.
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^ You should have asked him if he meant Harlem.
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Man I feel so ignorant. I’m black and people have said many of these things to me, but I’ve take them as compliments and that is no good. One of my ex friends said to me once something along these lines “You’re really pretty for a black girl. There are ones that are really unattractive and then there are the pretty ones. You’re a pretty one.” At the time I was like wow thanks! Now I see the ignorance in that statement and I really want to learn how to recognize these things and call people out on it.
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@ Crza
I don’t know how to really tell you how to spot those backhanded compliments only that if it involves the words you are different than ”them’ or you are an ”exception” more than likely it is ignorant .To call those people out just say you are being rude and ignorant right now i’d appreciate it if you didn’t make those comments.Whites will not know that they have offended people until you tell them even then some of them will try to say it didn’t mean anything.i bet if we started telling them they look pretty for a white girl because there are pretty white girls ,and they are not one of them because they are not tan or have big hair,they will get the offended.A lot of them only recognize things that affect them and not really the things that affect people around them.
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The man in blue is a friend to you.lol more like the man in blue is friend to you if you are not considered black of skin and full of sin.I’m still scratching my head trying to figure out how that crazy armed white guy didn’t get shot and killed by the cops when he shot up that movie theater.Yet black men get shot all the time while holding phantom negro weapons.
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I love the gif. Must perfectly express most racialised people’s feelings when they hear these kinds of things.
I’ve heard a variation of number 1, wherein White people tell me they are 1/8 or less of X race. One was 1/16 Chinese and always claimed he was a minority and believed he got better job opportunities because of it.
I have heard almost all of the others (or a variation depending upon my own race) unless it heavily depends upon being in the US.
Some others I have heard (some because I am racially ambiguous):
– What are you?
– [X race] people are okay. Not like Black people.
– I’ve never found [X race] men/women attractive.
– When I got to know you, I was so surprised you’re not like a typical quiet, submissive little Asian girl.
– Where did you study English?
– I just LOVE your culture/food/country/people, etc.
– I could never marry an Asian man. Our children would look all deformed.
– (When you tell them what they said is racist) But it’s TRUE!
– (Seeing another person of the same race as you) Hey, are you two related/do you know each other/are you in a relationship?
– You have that exotic Asian beauty/mysterious air of the Orient… etc.
@Kiwi
I really hoped I would only ever hear this in a playground of stupid kids, but sadly that’s not true.
@Crza
Don’t worry. I think everyone has been there at some point. I used to seriously believe they were compliments as well. Something about it always made me feel uncomfortable, but I couldn’t put my finger on it until a few years later. Be glad that you can now see the ignorance and racism for what it is. 🙂
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just saw an advertisment for a new movie coming to lifetime called Betty and corretta.Will anyone be watching
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If I see another white person tell me about Gangnam Style (because I’m Asian, don’tcha know) and they do that fcuking horse dance, I’m going to scream. Grrr. 😡
Since that song came out a couple of months back, the white people I’ve encountered come up to me and say, “Look what I can do!” And then they proceed to horsey dance while mouthing, “Oppa Gangnam Style!” Ugh!
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When white people discover a new dance they will beat the s*** out of it until it is lying on the floor and bleeding out. So, Leigh204, we have all been there and we feel ya ‘.The Macarena, the Moonwalk, etc.
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@brothawolf:
“Let me ask you this, if I were to walk down a street in Compton in the middle of the night, wouldn’t you think it’s reasonable that I, a white man, fear for my life?”
😀
Well as a white guy who walked down a street in Harlem back in 80’s and some in Lagos way back when, I can say this: even some black guys were scared on certain streets and that had nothing to do with the color fo the skin. It had everything to do with crime and guns.
I think it was Dave Chapell who said something like this:
“You have all seen those bars in the windows in the slums? All those things front of windows and doors? See, you white people don’t get it but we are affaird to live in a slum too, mxxxxxxxxxxr! We don’t like to live there and be scared of all kinds of sxxt. It’s not like we want to live there, you know.”
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@leigh204:
“If I see another white person tell me about Gangnam Style (because I’m Asian, don’tcha know) and they do that fcuking horse dance, I’m going to scream. Grrr. 😡 “.
Just slap him/her.
“Since that song came out a couple of months back, the white people I’ve encountered come up to me and say, “Look what I can do!” And then they proceed to horsey dance while mouthing, “Oppa Gangnam Style!” Ugh!”
😀 😀
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@Mbeti
Well; unless I’m getting posts mixed up here, someone else mentioned a woman who was half-white/black saying something ignorant.
Than factor in how people seem to react to those of the impure bloodlines.
It feels less like hating on what people say; and more like hating on them for existing.
Maybe its just me but its obvious they feel like the mixed-bloods are something other.
Which I guess they are.
@Cupkaek
How do you know they made them up? What if they are actually just aware of their heritage? Though if they actually believe in Cherokee princess’s they can’t be that aware.
And how mixed does someone have to be to fit your definition of a PoC? Would someone like Rashida Jones count or could she pass too well for?
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@ V-4
Anyone can make ignorant, racist, cringeworthy comments, but in America white people do it the most by far. Because they have built their whole way of life on “clueless” racist privilege. Nonetheless I have heard both Asians and blacks make comments like these, in most cases directed at each other, not at whites. The same thing goes on between West Indians and native-born blacks.
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@ V-4
The point of #1, the Cherokee princess one, is denying one is white. That comes out clearer in #28: “I’m not white, I’m Italian.” and #23: “I’m not white; I’m human.”
There are other ones like that which did not make the list:
“I’m not white. I’m Irish.”
“Look, I got a tan! We’re like sisters now!”
“Is it because I’m Black?”
Kiwi offered some variations as well.
In every single case the white person is trying to deny, play down or be blind to their whiteness. It is part of their colour-blind racism.
It is possible for #1 to be a perfectly innocent comment but in my experience it almost always disingenuous.
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@V-4
I’m gonna cut this short by saying this: I need you to stop talking for a moment here, and try to figure out why you are so invested in protecting whiteness, particularly on this post. Think about why it is so important to you to stand up for the white people who say these things? Seriously, think about that. Think about why you need whiteness to be vindicated here, in this place, at this time. And none of that devil’s advocate mess, either. It may not have made the list, but it was one of the White Proverbs going around tumblr, we’re all used to it, we’ve all seen it. Try to think about your personal motivation right now.
And honestly, sit down and do the math on how someone is 1/17th of anything, and then think about how folks know when other numbers are made up and just plain impossible. I mean, are you kidding me right now?
Please, think, and try to use a bit more common sense when doing so.
And now that /I’ve/ thought about it, just about everything you’re saying really reeks of Tragick Mulatto, and I’m not here for that “I’m a special snowflake but no one seems to care!” foolishness, not for a minute, not ever, chile, BYE.
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#31: 324 likes: “I’m going to be the Devil’s advocate here…”
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Just for the record, here is the full list of white proverbs that I found on Tumblr:
rank: likes “proverb”
1: 3701 “I’m 32% Irish, 12% German, 17% Swedish, 25% French, 10% Polish and 1/17 Cherokee princess”
2: 3549 “Where are you from? …No, I mean where’s your family from?”
3: 1628 “The police are here to protect you.”
4: 1410 “I don’t care if you’re black, white, brown, yellow, green or purple…”
5: 1268 “Its not like YOU were ever a slave. I don’t understand why race is even an issue for you.”
6: 850 “You’re not like those other Black people. In fact, I don’t see you as Black at all.”
7: 819 “Wow, you are very attractive for a [insert ethnicity/race].”
8: 652 “You’re so pretty. You don’t even look [non-white ethnicity]!”
9: 649 “I took a class on this”
10: 634 “You’re racist for saying I’m racist”
11: 629 “I don’t know how to pronounce that, do you have an English name?”
12: 619 “But the movement is about women’s issues, not racial issues!”
13: 610 “You should be more like Martin Luther King and less like Malcolm X.”
14: 498 “Oh, your hair is just so interesting! Can I touch it?”
15: 468 “White people experience racism too. A Black person was mean to me once.”
16: 464 “It’s not racist. It was a joke…”
17: 459 “you just don’t understand how oppressed you are by your own culture” (white feminist)
18: 458 “Calling me cracker is just as bad as me calling you the n-word.”
19: 453 “I’m not racist, I hate everyone equally.”
20: 452 “But my black friend wasn’t offended”
21: 437 “I love Latinas. CALIENTE.”
22: 428 “Do you mean forehead dot Indian or teepee Indian?”
23: 415 “I’m not white; I’m human.”
24: 407 “Two wrongs don’t make a right. If you react in violent self defense when someone’s violently attacking you, you’re just as bad.”
25: 403 “You’re so lucky, you don’t have to tan!”
26: 394 “Exotic”
27: 346 “Slavery was 400 years ago. Get over it.”
28: 346 “I’m not white, I’m Italian.”
29: 342 “I’m not white. I’m Irish.”
30: 340 “I only like real hip-hop. Atmosphere. Aesop Rock. Eminem.”
31: 324 “I’m going to be the Devil’s advocate here…”
32: 316 “Everything was so much better in the 1950s”
33: 295 “Affirmative action? What happened to being equal?”
34: 291 “You don’t wash your hair everyday?”
35: 286 “Words only have power if you give them power”
36: 283 “How come there’s a BET but not a White Entertainment Television? How is that fair?”
37: 276 “The Civil War was about STATES’ RIGHTS!!”
38: 275 “‘Nigger’ doesn’t mean ‘black person.’ It means someone who’s ignorant.”
39: 234 “White people were slaves too.”
40: 233 “why do you always have to talk about race?”
41: 231 “Obviously if you look for racism, you’re gonna find it.”
42: 225 “Not all of us are like that!”
43: 223 “I wish I was half as dark as you.”
44: 216 “You’re so articulate!”
45: 211 “omg i have such a BIG GHETTO booty!”
46: 211 “He who says ‘I’m not racist, but’ before a statement cannot possibly be racist.”
47: 209 “You called him “brotha”, I didn’t know you had siblings.”
48: 207 “YOU’RE the reason racism still exists.”
49: 205 “Is it like…safe for me to come to your house?”
50: 199 “Egyptians ARE NOT Black”
51: 187 “I’m not white, how dare you call me white! I’m not a fucking color or race! I’m an individual”
52: 180 “When did you move to America? You don’t even have an accent.”
53: 180 “There are black people and there are niggers.”
54: 177 “The Black Panthers were just as bad as the Ku Klux Klan!”
55: 177 “Just because it’s not politically correct doesn’t make it racist.”
56: 176 “[to any Asian person] omg, nihao!”
57: 172 “you’re not like OTHER black people”
58: 171 “Capitalism provides equal opportunity for all”
59: 170 “Stop talking about racism and it’ll go away!”
60: 153 “Is that weave?”
61: 149 “I don’t even see you as Black”
62: 147 “I’m not racist but…”
63: 147 “Aishwarya Rai is my favorite bollywood actress, she doesn’t even look indian!”
64: 146 “Wow, uh… it’s one thing to be proud of your heritage. It’s another thing entirely to be blatantly racist. I have admired most of your posts and how you’re so in touch with your culture, but white-people bashing makes you just as bad as every other racist out there. Consider yourself unfollowed.”
65: 146 “Well if it wasn’t for slavery you’d still be in Africa…”
66: 142 “Well, I’M not offended!”
67: 133 “I’m not racist! In fact, calling me racist is racist!”
68: 133 “Don’t make me unleash my inner Black woman.”
69: 127 “Let me tell you all about your culture and how it’s responsible for all the homophobia and sexism in the world…”
70: 125 “My parents grounded me.”
71: 125 “But we gave lands to the Indians. It’s called the Reserves and they can do whatever they like over there.”
72: 124 “Why do you have to play the race card?”
73: 124 “Heritage not Hate.”
74: 120 “the only one racist here is you”
75: 117 “Speak English.”
76: 113 “If white people did the same thing, it would be wrong!”
77: 107 “It’s not a stereotype if it’s true!”
78: 104 “We all come from Africa”
79: 104 “Get over it.”
80: 102 “My family didn’t own slaves”
81: 102 “Mixed babies are soooooooo adorable”
82: 101 “Oh so I’m ‘privileged’ because I’m white? Just because I’m white doesn’t mean I’m rich”
83: 101 “Hey! Don’t talk about race! That’s divisive!” (white leftist/feminist)
84: 100 “But… but this is America! How can that happen here?”
85: 97 “It’s so sad that you’re going to get an arranged marriage”
86: 96 “Omg my hair is so nappy. I have an afro just like you!”
87: 93 “I hate rap! It’s all about violence and disrespecting women!”
88: 92 “I miss the good ol’ days.” (white male)
89: 91 “Wow you’re really pretty. Are you mixed? You don’t look all Black.”
90: 91 “How can the Huxtables have lightskinned AND darkskinned children?”
91: 89 “You didn’t sound black on the phone”
92: 89 “My Bla – African-American friend…”
93: 87 “you’re from the caribbean? are you jamaican? do you like rihanna? whats that gibberish that you speak? why don’t you wear dreadlocks? my sister has dreadlocks but she’s 1/144536643 cherokee. do you like bob marley? eh bob marley mon!! bufffalllooo shoulder!!!”
94: 83 “Martin Luther King Jr. wouldn’t have done that…”
95: 81 “I’m a person of color too! White is a color!”
96: 81 “I dated a black guy once”
97: 80 “You’re cold? This weather’s perfect!”
98: 77 “I read Joy Luck Club. I understand how oppressive your men are.”
99: 76 “What about my feelings?”
100: 73 “You look like Beyonce!”
101: 71 “I majored in Anthropology”
102: 70 “Black people don’t know how to make black films.” (Quentin Tarantino)
103: 68 “‘White people?” I thought stereotypes were bad. Racism is racism.”
104: 67 “But how do you know it was actually about race?”
105: 66 “Your ancestors were slaves? Your parents lived under Jim Crow? You were barred from getting loans and living in white neighborhoods? Research shows that you still face discrimination today? God, stop making excuses! You’re never going to go anywhere with that attitude.”
106: 63 “Stop being so angry all the time.”
107: 62 “Look, I got a tan! We’re like sisters now!”
108: 62 “I know racism is horrible and it makes you angry, but let me tell you this really racist thing my mom said.”
109: 61 “The attack was allegedly racist ”
110: 59 “that person isn’t successful because they’re lazy. there is no “system” working against them”
111: 58 “Racist? But I voted for Barack Obama!”
112: 58 “Omg hea so cute I don’t care if he killed all those people hes just misunderstood”
113: 55 “My dream is to help everyone in third world countries.”
114: 53 “It’s just the internet…”
115: 52 “Just because I said [something that completely builds off of racial stereotypes] and [behaved in a racist way] doesn’t mean I’m racist”
116: 51 “Gay is the new Black.”
117: 47 “If you call me bitch again, you’re going to time out!”
118: 43 “My [race] friend/family member/colleague wasn’t offended.”
119: 42 “So your family wasn’t even enslaved here”
120: 42 “My cousin is half black, I’m not racist”
121: 42 “I have a black friend (doesn’t know their name).”
122: 40 “I know all about American Indians, I was in Boyscouts!”
123: 39 “That is so ghetto.”
124: 39 “If I can’t have dreadlocks then you can’t wear weave. You’re appropriating white culture.”
125: 38 “I’m not even white. I’m peach, technically.”
126: 37 “There’s only race: the human race”
127: 35 “Is it because I’m Black?”
128: 33 “CAN’T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG”
129: 32 “LOL white people!” (white liberal)
130: 32 “Asia is what I say it is.”
131: 31 “I understand you’re angry and you have every to be, but you shouldn’t take your anger out on the people trying to help. It could alienate them.”
132: 28 “Oh so now if you do ____ it’s automatically racist?”
133: 27 “It’s art.”
134: 26 “You and (insert random black classmate’s name here) should date. Are you dating (insert random black classmate’s name here)? You’re lying, I know you like (insert random black classmate’s name here)!” (white private school girl)
135: 25 “Everyone’s a little bit racist.”
136: 23 “you see this tattoo here. it says peace and harmony in chinese. what…wait huh? that says i’m a lazy pig in japanese? that’s kanji? what?”
137: 23 “You shouldn’t be homophobic, you know what its like to be oppressed.”
138: 22 “I love dating Black men. I’m what they call a “whooty”. I might as well be a Black girl.”
139: 9 “If you want equality then let me disrespect your culture. We all have to share.”
140: 9 “I don’t see color!”
141: 4 “Let me tell you what racism means.”
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FYI:
““I’m 32% Irish, 12% German, 17% Swedish, 25% French, 10% Polish and 1/17 Cherokee princess””
comes to 101.9%.
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@ V-4
Because in practice feminism has become white feminism, just as gay rights mainly means rights for gay white men. Whites pretty much lead both movements and put their own particular concerns centre stage.
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The newest installment in my narrative:
A white female classmates says to me:
“My ex boyfriend–by the way he’s Black–…”
I did not understand the need for her to say the he is Black?
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@ phoebeprunelle:
Yes, I understand completely. I knew one such classmate and she said:
“I dated a few guys before and they were Asian.” (Here’s the kicker.)
“Hey, maybe you know them.” (Wth?!)
I’m guessing these white girls want to show us that they don’t have a racist bone in their body because, hey, they’ve dated POC. 😛
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“I’m guessing these white girls want to show us that they don’t have a racist bone in their body because, hey, they’ve dated POC”.
Racism has nothing to do with your skeletal system ,its not even in your nervous system ,just a very specific part of that system – the brain and a very specific part of the brain – the neocortex which is a part of the larger cerebral cortex .
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neocortex
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebral_cortex
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cupkaek
ouch ….damn and ouch…
One the most incisive comments I’ve heard in a long time….
Its even got me thinking.
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@Cupcaek
Well; I uphold whiteness because I’m white……I suspect if people were going around making negative/off comments about your racial persuasion you would want to uphold blackness,asianess etc…..as well.
I’m not mixed race, at least not enough to actually matter but I can emphazise with people who get disliked for simply being different. Having multiple heritages or racial inheritances isn’t a bad thing.
As for how someone can be 1/17th something, to convert to percentages you divide the top number by the bottom and then multiply by 100…..so 1/17=.058 more or less, than multiply that by 100 and you get 5.88%
Look alot of these statements are blatantly racist and/or ignorant not only of other cultures/races but their own as well, mixed people who think natives had “princesses”, whites unware that there were white cultures with dreadlocks, looking at the police like they are some kind of saints sent from heaven etc……
@Abagond
I can see race being a factor in that resources are being directed towards white women instead of PoC when depending on the scenario PoC might be 20-30 times more likely to have that happen to them. Yeah; then it would make sense that race would come up because feminist movements are supposed to be directed at all women, not just white women.
Versus trying to get them to uphold PoC as a whole, thats not what those specific organizations are about.
Its like joining an organization thats trying to end homelessness and then trying to get them to focus on ending war, if you want to end war, join organizations that focus on that.
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Nope. Nope. Nope. I will flat out tell you that I do not want to hear white folks upholding whiteness, because whiteness and white supremacy work hand in hand to get me and mine dehumanized, erased, and killed. Everything you’ve said so far falls pretty much in line with that. You are basically telling me you are okay with that. I no longer have anything to say to you, and I can’t believe I wasted my time on you, thinking maybe you came to learn something. You don’t even need to respond, just bye.
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“I’m not racist! In fact, calling me racist is racist!”
Those doing the calling often are and those being called often aren’t.
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@ V-4
“I can see race being a factor in that resources are being directed towards white women instead of PoC when depending on the scenario PoC might be 20-30 times more likely to have that happen to them. Yeah; then it would make sense that race would come up because feminist movements are supposed to be directed at all women, not just white women.
Versus trying to get them to uphold PoC as a whole, thats not what those specific organizations are about.
Its like joining an organization thats trying to end homelessness and then trying to get them to focus on ending war, if you want to end war, join organizations that focus on that.”
You should figure out what intersectionality means. We don’t get to give up our skin color just because we are women, gay, etc. Therefore, if we are treated in a different way because our intersectional identities, that has to be taken into account when people want to work on those inequalities. ,
The issue with that “proverb” is that, when it is said by white people, they’re erasing people who are a part of those groups but aren’t white. Its ignoring their discrimination and silencing their experiences. Its telling them that they must swallow the extra discrimination they face but focus their energy on the situation of people who will not fight for them or acknowledge them. It also allows them to play “oppressed” and avoid acknowledging their own privileges. I.e. Dan Savage.
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I forgot another one that one of those two sheltered whites told me in the chat room.
“Racism is alive because of black people bringing up all the time and are obsessed with skin color.”
SMH.
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Sam
Well as a white guy who walked down a street in Harlem back in 80′s and some in Lagos way back when, I can say this: even some black guys were scared on certain streets and that had nothing to do with the color fo the skin. It had everything to do with crime and guns.
I think it was Dave Chapell who said something like this:
“You have all seen those bars in the windows in the slums? All those things front of windows and doors? See, you white people don’t get it but we are affaird to live in a slum too, mxxxxxxxxxxr! We don’t like to live there and be scared of all kinds of sxxt. It’s not like we want to live there, you know.”
Exactly. And I believe the fool who gave me that scenario was implying that (all or most) black neighborhoods where loaded with crime. But it’s just my suspicion based on the other broken records he threw at me before quietly leaving when I challenged him.
Anyway, some white people have this f**ked-up notion that poor blacks in these areas like to live their because apparently, we like to be poor and live in potential drama. It’s as if to say that we prefer to be poor and live in an area decaying from poverty, crime and violence as opposed to a safe, peaceful neighborhood. That makes no damn sense. Then again, neither does whiteness.
As usual when you try to explain how crazy that is, they will stop you and tell you why you’re wrong asserting the notion that they know more than you do. And that’s what happened to me that night.
As you can all tell, I’m still reeling from that fiasco.
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@Brothawolf,
“Racism is alive because of black people bringing up all the time and are obsessed with skin color.”
Ever notice how the people who say that usually wind up doing so AFTER they say something racist? Like, “I’m gonna say something offensive to you but omg why are you angry?! Your keeping racism alive but not catering to my BS!”
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@ leigh204
I am South Asian and I remember when Slumdog Millionaire released, practically EVERY white person I knew/ran into asked me if I’d seen the movie with this ridiculously expectant facial expression. And then I was often treated to a rendition of “jai ho” *eye roll*
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[…] (via white proverb) […]
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v-4
got brought out the woodwork – the current strategies of albinic people is to lie and hide – why because they know they are wrong.
Albinism it seems is a pathology – so you can’t uphold it, its like trying to stick up for cancer or mental retardation.
And yes that means most normal people want you and the pathology you represent gone….period by whatever means is most effective and efficient.
The problem of white/albinic racism (phenotypic group aggression) is due to the current Hegemony of the albinic/white population globally which in turn is due to evolution.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hegemony
Another way to describe it is to say that white/albinic phenotypic group aggression(racism) has been imposed on us P.O.C(melaniated populations) by evolution.
Seems quite obvious and humorous (at least to me) the solution will involve/be evolution as well.
Terminology – white supremacy and racism – are archaic and becoming obsolete as they serve to reinforce false concepts as opposed to eliminating them.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_supremacy
what is “white” biologically ? phenotypically? the absence of skin pigmentation or the ability to produce skin pigmentation.
supremacy – are/is white supreme? not morally and not even atheistically ,then why frame the language in this way?
race is a false concept. then what do you name – group aggressions based on phenotype?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Racism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Institutional_racism
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Ace,
That’s what happened. They wondered why I was upset, and have no apologies.
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@Mbeti
“Albinism it seems is a pathology – so you can’t uphold it, its like trying to stick up for cancer or mental retardation.”
Most albino people I’ve ever seen/met were black. Why are you using albinism as an insult for white people? Kind of insulting to actual albino people.
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While living in Bristol, my sister was once stopped by an older white woman who enquired where she was from.
‘Lagos, Nigeria,’ replied my sister.
‘I thought you were African,’ said the woman, ‘Africans always look much more ‘regal’ than West Indians.’
I asked my sister, who is politeness personified, how she had responded. She said, she had merely smiled and gone about her business.
This happened about 25 years ago in an not so enlightened UK where you just sucked up the crap people threw at you.
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“My ex boyfriend–by the way he’s Black–…”
I had a white woman tell me she loved black men. This woman was about 6’4 and 350 pounds. Someone lied to her and told her that black men liked ‘thick’ women which she took to mean fat. Anyhow I didn’t say anything except to question why she was telling me this as I hardly knew her.
I did not understand the need for her to say the he is Black?
That’s the white racist’s way of breaking the ice and proving they are not ‘raciss’. They can’t be!
Hows about the pinnacle, that ultimate ‘white proverb’, that of being politically correct? This is often used to deflect and rebut that which cannot be rebutted, in other words the last bastion of a white racist losing a ‘debate’. It doesn’t matter if he/she is ‘right wing or left wing. It can work and does in many instances, as it leaves the black person being made the brunt of this ‘proverb’, at a loss for words.
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A couple of my faves… “You speak so WELL…!!” “I experience ‘reverse racism’ all the time, and you don’t hear me crying about it!!!” Da’ hell is a reverse racism? So you mean, racism is racism to every other race, but it’s reverse racism if it affects a Caucasian? -___- riiiight, you’re not racist, you’re just stupid, I guess…
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Heard a brand new thing yesterday regarding guns and blacks : some lackwit politician had the nerve to get on the air and claim that if black people had been allowed to practice their second amendment rights there would have been no slavery.
I nearly fell out of my chair at that one.
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^ He was probably freshly arrived from the premier of Django Unchained.
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@Mbeti
I wouldn’t know if the systematic racism used by white people over PoC is a cause of evolution, I guess you could argue its an aspect of evolution since I guess everything in the enviroment effects evolution in some way.
That being said; yeah about the only way to really end racism or at least an effective societal racism is to decrease the number of white people, which as the number of white people in proportion to society decreases you notice more anti-racism systems get set up.
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“when white people discover a new dance they will beat the sh*t out of it until it is lying on the floor and bleeding out”
LOL. Not only a new dance but also a new phrase or word that black people created or said first. Like “you go girl” or “bootylious” or “thats real talk”….and so on and so on. They don’t like blacks but love to do and say things blacks do and say.
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white folks do alot of things (some in secrete) that has somthing to do with blacks… and at the sametime hate on us and say we use the race card when they know race has been and will ALWAYS be the issue.
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A white proverb i see a lot on the net:
“I’m not racist; I’m a race-realist”.
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^ Excellent one, Dahoman X!
How about this one? I see this a lot, too.
“People are too sensitive. Political correctness has gone too far.”
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@ Leigh
Ah yes! The tyranny of political correctness!! I can’t believe we forgot this one. It’s a classic.
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The really hot thing now, at least on the internet, is calling Black people racist for bringing up the subject at all. If some people are so uncomfortable with the past that just mentioning it makes you a racist, I suppose they will eventually get to the point where just seeing Black people in public makes Blacks racist.
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Another really hot trend on the internet (although this has always been a problem) is claiming that more whites are killed by blacks and that the liberal media never wants to discuss this huge secret.
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Gahhhh… I’m guilty of a few of these. Crap. Something to work on!
It’s hard for white people in general to handle the uncomfortable feelings talking about race brings, because it doesn’t happen to us anywhere near as much. At best, it can be introduced into our diet slowly, like more fiber.
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*sigh* Jill Scott…so beautiful…if I were a man/lesbian, I’d be aaaaaaallll over her!!!
Wonderful and relevant post, too, btw 😉 🙂
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solesearch
are you “white” ie albinic – that is have little to no melanin in your epidermis (skin primarily ,hair secondarily) due your genetic non-ability to produce this skin pigment?
Why are you using albinism as an insult for white people?
You take offense at a description ,the data indicates to me that albinism full and partial is pathological – contemporally
and historically.
Both atheistically and morally (pyscho-socio) – as in the conduct of most (98%) of the populations that self identify as “white”
V-4
I wouldn’t know if the systematic racism used by white people over PoC is a cause of evolution
error – the cause of evolution is due to the inherent qualities of biological systems adapting to their environment and changing with time, whereas systematic racism used by white people over PoC may be a survival strategy of a phenotypic population or some sort of pathology of the sapien species.
My current view is that albinic-white people have/are a Hereditary congenital defect.
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@mstoogood4yall
Next time someone tells you the Egyptians were white show them this:
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“Black men are so cool and nice but Black women are so demanding loud and angry” I’ve received several variations of this.
That’s why I don’t trust women who exclusively date Black men. Most of them think this way and think they’re not racist. They also tend to think they have a say in the issues that plague our communities.
Oh and my favorite that seems to follow is “I can’t be racist I’m Latina or Turkish or whatever” Um news flash to all you Kim K types, exotical crackas are indeed still crackas. You are perceived as such,treated as such, and thus behave as such. I don’t give a damn what language you speak or where your EUROPEAN ancestors migrated to -__-
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[…] Reblogged from Abagond: […]
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@v-4
Reading your first reply and those that follow, I can understand your confusion. I could also tell how uneducated you are on multiculturalism and how your responses are an attempt to “educate” US PoC without much knowledge of any non-majority’s experience with race in America.
Firstly, no one seemed to tackle your mention of gender issues. Let me say this: if you EVER took just ONE women’s study course and perhaps if you were a PoC you would know a word known as “intersectionality”. No person can separate their identities and deal with the one thing at a time. I AM a Black Woman. Both affect me on a daily basis and apparently my issues will be different from yours because you have just said that should I want to deal with my Black issues, to go elsewhere. That in itself implies that White is the norm. THAT is the inherent issue with microaggressions. I’m sure you don’t worry about your Whiteness and how it affects your daily living as a woman. Because White is the default. White is a privilege – there need not be a task force for that. But a double minority— to be paid less (women), for example, because I am also thought to be worth (color) less is not an issue I can tackle apart. It is my daily living. And you neglect and disrespect that when you tell me to deal with that issue somewhere else.
As for the cant PoC be racist? Yes, we can! Of course. Many of us who are angry at the perpetuated system of oppression by the privileged may be. But, if you have taken again, simply ONE course on multiculturalism you may have learned about privilege and power. Many of us here are in what may seem like an “uproar”, “bashing” all white people as you view it… But what power do the oppressed have? We have very little power in this system. We ARE the oppressed. We can scream and shout about issues, but often we need a person of the majority to take a stake in our issues for it to ever lead to great institutional change (slavery was NOT abolished by Blacks, despite several revolts occurring). Same can be said about women needing men for these reasons, men are calling the shots on our health. Those who are in power can effect the most change. Those who are in power and racist, can maintain or establish a system of oppression. So though PoC may in fact be individually racist, it is not going to affect your daily life if we choose to be. I’m sure Blacks, for example, have been racist since slavery and native Americans since the Trail of Tears, but Whites still managed to hold the power, right? You coming here to defend your race is to suppress our struggle and put a bandaid on it and tell us we are the problem. We are perpetuating our struggles, but you haven’t even really looked at how you are the one actually doing so. As for PoC being racist against each other, that’s better for those with privilege. We will never get ourselves together. Invade their culture with media filled with stereotypes… Pit them against each other, as a house divided cannot conquer and will always fall.
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Damn, why are y’all so obsessed with white people. Here I’ll make a non-white proverb “white people are racist for making generalized statements about my race, why can’t white people treat me like an individual and not a color?”. -non-white proverb
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First, I want to thank all of you who visited my blog and read my story about a white girl trying to ask about my national origin.
I also want to thank Abagond for allowing me to share my story on this blog, and an additional thanks for posting all the “white proverbs.” I found the list to be very funny.
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You are welcome Blog Raju.
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@ seedpfjapheth
Do better.
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Some I heard from people who considered themselves “progressive” and not at all biased:
1. “My mom told me only white women didn’t have saggy boobs.” (A white female friend, told me this. She believed it with all her heart too). Huh?
2. “When you cut yourself, what color is the flesh underneath?” (Sheltered white female friend who had no experience with race relations.)
3. “White women only get with black guys because they have daddy issues.” (From one uncouth white guy to another, all the while a black guy was in the room.)
4. “That hardly ever happens anymore.” (After I mentioned that white flight was still an issue to female from #2.)
5. “Yeah, but there’s like no more racism since lots of people voted for Obama.” (Same female from #2.)
6. “You don’t listen to Rick Ross? But you’ve got like an afro, dreads thing going on…” (Coming from an ignorant Mexican guy.)
7. My favorite: “Black females are gross. They’ve got purple vajayjays.” (Random white guy at a party.)
Oy. Let it be known I do not associate with these people anymore.
This is what happens when you’re the only non-white in a class or social group full of white people. I learned my lesson.
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^ Actually the purple vaginas thing might be pretty cool.
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@gighost89 & King; LOL; I can’t even get mad. It’s too funny.
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@seedofjapheth; Why are you so obsessed with black people always on black people blogsites and spying? Get a life.
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lol @gigghost
The last one killed me black women have purple vajayjays
rofl then something is wrong with me.I wish i had a purple or blue vajayjay then i could look like the avatars.I think purple blue and pink together would be a magical lookin vajayjay.
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i wish someone would say some ignorant ish like that to me.purple vajay jays pfft.i would have said and i heard yall ish look like raw meat oops.
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lol jill scott facial expression and eye roll is what im doing with that purple vajayjay comment
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^ First time hearing that one? I thought it was pretty well-known that’s what non-black people thought occurred down there.
But the lesson to be had here is DON’T be that singular [insert race here] in a gathering of [insert another race here]. You’re the only outsider and when someone utters nonsense mentioned above, who can defend you and tell them it’s wrong? Nobody. All you’ll hear is “Stop being so sensitive.”
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@gighost89
It definitely pays to have a hanging buddy at said gatherings. Purple vajay-jays LOL!! I’m done 😀
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You guys are really bitter. You have no sense of humor and are overly defensive. Your jealousy of other races’s success is painfully obvious. And you all wonder why no one takes your people seriously or treat you as equals. The answer: y’all are just horribly unpleasant people
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@ Kiwi
He’s not horribly unpleasant he’s a stand-up comedian. That’s why at least I am sogladheiswhite.
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6.850 “You’re not like those other Black people. In fact, I don’t see you as Black at all.”
If I had just a penny for all the times I have heard this one me and Bill Gates would be banking buddies. I don’t see you as black at all what the hell am I. I just shake my head and sigh. I was a life guard when from the time I was 16 to 20 and I loved this one, I didn’t think black people liked the water enough to swim. P.S. I always told them I hated the water and if their ass was drowning I might throw bouy and shout stroke!
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Wow, This is one of the most racist articles and group of comments I’ve ever seen.
I am Canadian. Yes my skin colour is quite pale. I do come from Irish and english decent but it has nothing to do with who I am yet I have been stroked with this same brush because of it.
I do hope you can learn to judge an individual and not a colour because until you do, YOU”RE RACIST!
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@ Mr Sniper
White Proverb #29: “I’m not white. I’m Irish.”
White Proverb #51: “I’m not white, how dare you call me white! I’m not a fucking color or race! I’m an individual.”
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@Legion
Well said but I don’t think Sniper could ever point out what he thought was racist about the article or comments.
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@Legion
People like Sniper get on my nerves, I had to comment.
Thanks for calling me little flame. That is exactly what my name means.
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I think it would be helpful to Mr. Zombie Sniper if he read the whole thread. So he could understand what the whole white proverb meme was about. My he would get a better understanding. Read it a second time so he could see where Abagond is coming from. Take some time to think about what he has read. Then maybe he would get the idea of the post. It’s just a suggestion. Before arriving to the conclusion of this is just people trying to be racist. He is missing the point.
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*maybe* Maybe he would get a better understanding. typo.
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@Mary
He will never get it, Mary! He is a lost cause. No one here was trying to be racist.
@Legion
Honestly I am sorry about my behavior on American racism against Blacks. I was being a smart alec. My knowledge of the Founding of the country was what I learned from history books however it wasn’t right for me to repeat it relentlessly because we all know about the founding of this country.
No country is perfect and I have to accept the flaws of my own country because Many Black people in other countries don’t have it as well as I do.
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Wow, This is one of the most racist articles and group of comments I’ve ever seen.
I am Canadian. Yes my skin colour is quite pale. I do come from Irish and english decent but it has nothing to do with who I am yet I have been stroked with this same brush because of it.
I do hope you can learn to judge an individual and not a colour because until you do, YOU”RE RACIST!
Says the guy with a disturbing fascination with zombies. lol. But seriously, why do you take this blog personal? Is it talking about you as an individual? If not, you shouldn’t be whining. Not everything’s about you, my friend.
And if you wanna talk about judging as individuals as opposed to colors, why not tell your pale skinned friends to do that? Why not consider that what we’re doing is no way similar to what white people do on a constant basis? Maybe you should wag your finger at your white friends whenever they make racist jokes and talk about POC in negative ways. Maybe you need to change your attitude, the same attitude you accuse us of having portraying yourself as being a zombie-crazed hypocrite.
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@Legion
I am glad you forgave me for being a smart alec.
Do you agree with Abagond’s proverbs about Caucasians? Honestly it kind of summed up the way many of my Caucasian classmates said and treated me.
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@Legion
I think it’s just as racists to wave the white brush as it is to wave any other coloured brush.
@brothawolf
No I don’t take it personal but denouncing racisms without noticing the racism within is kind of pot and kettle.
I have and would not hesitate to again correct or tell one of my friends (or soon to be ex-friend) that his/her actions/comments deserved an apology and why.
@abagond
See. Effectively calling me racist without any proof.
PS. My blog is for my Yard Haunt.
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Zombie,
First of all, you don’t even know what racism means. Second, this isn’t up for disagreements or discussion. You can not argue what’s true no matter if it’s historical, scientific or personal.
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@ Zombie Sniper
Not everyone whose skin colour is quite pale speaks in white proverbs. I said that in the post. BUT YOU ARE:
You are only proving the point of the post.
Even though you do not regard yourself as white, you are talking just like a white person. You say you are an individual and yet say stuff we have heard white people say a zillion times before. It is like you are speaking from a script.
You live in a racist society, one that still favours whites, and yet talk like it makes no difference. Only white people and deluded people of colour talk like that. It is like Marie Antoinette saying, “Let them eat cake.” You are speaking from a blindness to skin colour privilege. That is what makes you SEEM WHITE.
It is like driving your Lamborghini and saying, “How dare you call me rich! That is classist!”
SHOULD skin colour matter? Of course not. BUT it does. Trying to act like it does not means turning a blind eye to it, it means giving it a pass, it means being an accomplice.
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@abagond
I never said I wasn’t white, agree’d I didn’t come out and praise it either and I completely agree that it is a white dominated society.
I never stated that I don’t see race. Only a stupid person could make such a claim. On the other hand you’ve labelled me based on a couple of comments and my look.
I’ll make this my last post saying if you met me you would see that no I’m not a perfect race neutral person, but nobody is and I do give every person I meet the same opportunity to be a friend.
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Sorry didn’t know there was a lust of things you can’t say when PoC talk to you or when you want to talk to them. One 16 or 17th of something is when your great mother of one side of your family is X almost completely but there is a lot of other relative in your family history or at least I think I was always bad at math
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@ Jane
You can say them, it is just that you will seem cluelessly sunk in white privilege.
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Ancient white proverbs:
Do you like white guys? –white guys to black women
“My ancestors suffered to.”
“Having black history month and HBCUs is racist.”
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“Are you African?” I get this so much, it has to be a white proverb. I am just a run of the mill, middle class black woman from the West Coast. Not that I feel there is anything the matter with being from the continent. I would venture to say I do not look stereotypically African in any way, I don’t dress like India Arie or Erica Badu. I am brown skinned, however. Somehow that equates to purity of blackness. Not sure what it is but I get asked about whether I’m foreign born all the time.
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I am sorry for anything stupid I have said. Please forgive me.
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[…] white proverb […]
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[…] (via white proverb) […]
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